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Expressio Unius 
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Post Frequency: 3.2/day Last Entry: September 21, 2009 at 02:01:00 Recent Entries: 819
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Is this a Government Takeover?
Posted on September 10, 2009The existing draft of HR 3200 would add 53 agencies [SEE UPDATE BELOW] in one form or another:1. Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 123, p. 30)2. Health Choices Administration (Section 141, p. 41)3. Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 144, p...
So You Had a Bad 6 Hour Period of Time
Posted on September 10, 2009People generally measure the quality of their experiences in days, rather than a more precise unit of time.That is, they refer to having a good day, a bad day, the best day of their life, etc. But almost no one says "Boy, that was a terrible span of 3 hours" or "Those were the best 75 minutes of my life...
WT/Julia
Posted on September 04, 2009Who here thinks I should cook my way through the Julia Child book the Art of French Cooking and write a blog about it?Me either.
In the year 2000
Posted on September 04, 2009In the future, constitutional amendments will take place either by a 3/4ths vote of the state legislatures, a constitutional convention, or by a facebook group reaching 150 million members.
Welcome to Crazytown
Posted on August 28, 2009You know that Iran is in dire straits when Ayatollah Khamanei represents the voice of moderation in the nation's leadership.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/world/middleeast/29iran.html?_r=1&hp
CNN's Most Hilarious Headlines
Posted on July 15, 2009The side panel link from CNN's July 15, 2009 article covering the third day of the Sotomayor hearings:Most Viewed Most Emailed Top Searches1 Exchange students live nightmare2 168 killed as jet crashes in Iran3 Africans face U.S. misconceptions4 Day 3 of Sotomayor hearing5 Jacksons a unique parental team6 Mystery killing of 3-year-old7 5,000-pound shark washes ashore8 Sotomayor found Princeton alien9 911 call launched Caylee drama10 'Absolutely' overused? AbsolutelyWhoa! An alien? At Princeton!? And Sotomayor blew the lid off of it!? Nice work Sonia! I guess she's right, a wise latina is better suited to discovering alien species than a while male who "hasn't lived that life...
Don't Look Away
Posted on June 22, 2009This woman was murdered by illegitimate cowards who deserve nothing but suffering and derision.
Freedom is contagious
Posted on June 20, 2009China censors its own news outlets for fear of inspiring democratic movements within China.You can't stop freedom folks. As time progresses, the tendency toward greater and greater freedom approaches 1.
This other guy is pretty cool too
Posted on June 19, 2009The focus is on Mir Hossein Mossavi, mostly because people expected him to win, and because he was the primary opposition candidate. But this other guy, Mehdi Karoubi, is looking pretty good too.Defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karoubi called on Friday for Iran's election result to be cancelled, hours after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed the victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad...
I may die tomorrow.
Posted on June 19, 2009And this is courage."I will participate in the demonstrations tomorrow. Maybe they will turn violent. Maybe I will be one of the people who is going to get killed. I'm listening to all my favorite music. I even want to dance to a few songs. I always wanted to have very narrow eyebrows...
Canadian Journalist Beaten, Given Tea
Posted on June 15, 2009This is an incredible story of a Canadian journalist mistaken for an anti-coup protestor.By being detained, he was able to see the brutal conditions of other detainees.?There has been a terrible misunderstanding,? I was told. ?There is a bad situation in Tehran, and sometimes the officers get confused,? he said with a smile, while a plainclothes officer offered me water and tea...
Where Can I get up to date Iran News?
Posted on June 15, 2009The undercoverage of the coup in Iran is pretty surprising, but here are the links I'm finding most helpful to understand what's going on, and what the likelihood of another revolution is:NYT's The LedeHuffington Post's Live BlogTehranBureau is Twittering from the inside...
We Will All Go Down Together
Posted on June 15, 2009Embedding is disabled, but this is worth clickin the link for.
Awesome Name for a Political Party
Posted on June 07, 2009Congrats to the Swedish Pirate Party for picking up a seat in the EU Parliament.Truly inspiring for all pirates. Wait, is that good or bad?
iTunes at $1.29 per Song Now
Posted on May 28, 2009Whoa. I just noticed this over the weekend. Which only makes me about 3 months behind the times.Guess what? Major record labels are *losing* money on the new system.
Is Sotomayor a "Racist"?
Posted on May 28, 2009You be the judge:Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, a possibility I abhor less or discount less than my colleague Judge Cedarbaum, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging...
Michael Vick's Rehabilitation
Posted on May 25, 2009Michael Vick is out of prison, and on house arrest for two more months, before he is done serving his time.But how can Michael Vick make up for this?I suggest that he do something can help him both rehabilitate his image and possibly get him back in the NFL -- offer to donate his next 5 years' salaray to the SPCA.
Never Lose Faith In Your Team On The Air
Posted on May 24, 2009Especially not when there's still hope. This video is awesome.
Sad Parrot
Posted on May 24, 2009I'm not sure how they got the Pittsburgh Parrot to look so sad in his costume. I remember the Bream slide that started the Pirates' 16 year losing streak. I was a Braves fan. I was 12.
Good Picture
Posted on May 23, 2009Obama hugs John ("Jack") McCain IV at the 2009 Naval Academy graduation.
Suck it Long Beach
Posted on May 03, 2009Fresno is now number 5 largest city in CaliforniaNext up, San Francisco. Only 350,000 more people left to go. Fres we can.
Souter Retiring
Posted on May 01, 2009Republican appointee David Souter is retiring from the Supreme Court.To focus more on dating and frat games.
McCain's First 100 Days
Posted on April 30, 2009It's easy to criticize Obama, but hard to imagine McCain doing much better:John McCain, the oldest first-term president in history, is proving as rambunctious and pugnacious as the youngest one, Teddy Roosevelt. Of course, Teddy probably would have sent the Marines to Venezuela, while McCain had to make do with mugging for the cameras with an exaggerated grimace when he was forced by protocol to shake Hugo Chavez's hand at the recent hemispheric summit...
Rest in Peace, Frau Koopman
Posted on April 26, 2009My high school German teacher passed away last week.Knowing this was coming, a group of us got together to make a photo album for her, which she got a week or so before she passed. The article, to my surprise, mentions it:In the weeks following, students, parents, and the generations she taught at Bullard flooded Ms...
One Bad Argument Against Waterboarding
Posted on April 24, 2009I remain undecided as to whether waterboarding is ever justified in any circumstance, including the "ticking time bomb" scenario where waterboarding may be the only means of obtaining critical information to potentially save lives.What I know, however, is that there is one very terrible argument against waterboarding -- that we should not do it because it would justify other countries waterboarding our citizens or soldiers, and that we would lose credibility were we to complain about other countries waterboarding if our people were captured during war time...
Boalt Stays Strong at 6th
Posted on April 23, 2009The USNews rankings have been leaked a little early, and Boalt has stayed strong at sixth -- and the top public law school -- in the country.Good work Dean Edley. When you took over we were 13th, and quickly rose from there back into the top 10, and now as high as we've ever been ranked two years running...
Where in the World is Daniel San Diego?
Posted on April 21, 2009Kudos to ABC News for running with the joke in an otherwise serious story about a top ten most wanted eco-terrorist.
You know your bias is obvious when...
Posted on April 15, 2009...even the Onion is capping on you.America's leading news/parody magazine has suggested that the media might be a little too forgiving of our Commander-In-Chief. Especially amusing is how the piece singles out Newsweek, CBS, The New York Times, and the Washington Post as being particularly indulgent, if not downright sycophantic, towards the president...
Obama's Just a Little Taller Is All
Posted on April 11, 2009Here is the White House making an obviously false claim:White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs addressed the issue Thursday when he denied that the president bowed."I think he bent over with both hands to shake his hand," Gibbs said before asking why the incident was being raised a week after it happened.
Obama's Bow
Posted on April 11, 2009Last week at the G-20 summit, Obama bowed to Saudi King Abdullah.It's hard to know how big of a deal to make of something like this. On the one hand, it's an apolitical gesture, and unlikely to indicate future deference to Saudi Arabia, or even cause substantial discomfort next time our interests conflict...
Who's Next? Neil Patrick Harris?
Posted on April 07, 2009First Obama hires Dean of Yale Law School Harold Koh to join the State Department.Then he hires Kal Penn of Van Wilder fame.Wait, I'm smelling a movie title here. Harold and Kumar go to White Housel?
Obama Makes Vague, Possibly Self-Contradictory, Statement on Gay Marriage
Posted on April 06, 2009Regarding the Iowa Supreme Court ruling striking down a prohibition on gay marriage:The President respects the decision of the Iowa Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage...
Stevens Acquitted; What Should Begich Do?
Posted on April 02, 2009Mark Begich beat Ted Stevens in the 2008 Alaska Senate race after Stevens was convicted of several federal corruption offenses.Those offenses, it turns out, were procured by intentionally withholding the lead witness's testimony and involved an affair with one of the FBI agents investigating the case...
Andy Warhol would be Proud
Posted on April 02, 2009How can we balance the budget? Nominate every American for a job in the Obama Administration.In the future, everyone will be secretary of Health and Human Services for 15 minutes.
Begich Obstinate; First Steps on Road to New Election
Posted on April 02, 2009Alaskans are pretty upset, both at the Bush DOJ for prosecutorial misconduct, and at Mark Begich for not resigning in the face of what was obviously a misbegotten election:Outrage in Alaska is building over the Justice Department?s apparent mishandling of its prosecution of Ted Stevens, the state?s former Senator, prompting calls for a new election to give Mr...
McCain bests Obama again
Posted on March 26, 2009McCain had a steady track record of beating Obama in nearly all pursuits: experience, judgment, ideas, policy proposals, celebrity endorsements, and sense of humor. (every area other than electoral votes and fundraising, really)Now, he's besting Obama in NCAA bracket picks.
Critics 1, Obama 0
Posted on March 20, 2009In a strange "I told you so" moment, the critics Obama mentioned, but brushed off, earlier in the day, were apparently right."Now, there are those who say these plans are too ambitious,? Obama said, referring to his agenda during an town hall event. ?In fact, somebody was saying the other ? today, I think ? that I shouldn't be on Leno...
Obama Goes After an Easier Target than the GOP
Posted on March 20, 2009Classy move Mr. President.The president had been making an attempt at self-deprecating humor in his appearance on Jay Leno's show by saying that a recent 129 he scored in the White House bowling alley had been "like Special Olympics, or something.Fortunately, one Special Olympics champion -- Kolan McConiughey, who bowls an average of 266 (significantly higher than Obama's 129) -- is willing to show the President what's what.
2 Problems with Obama's NCAA Brackets
Posted on March 19, 2009Here's Obama's NCAA Bracket.I see two major problems off the bat (besides the fact that he's lost 2 of his first three picks -- BYU and Butler).First, the teams in his Final Four all have massive unpaid tax issues.Second, look closely and you can see that he crossed out Louisville and wrote UNC instead...
Duke Coach Burns Obama
Posted on March 19, 2009You tell him, Coach K.Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said from the Blue Devils' first-round site in Greensboro, N...
Obama 2012 Prediction
Posted on March 09, 2009The NRO blog uses this to make fun of Obama, but it's actually an incredible obstacle to be faced in 2012:A few hours after watching a faux McLaughlin Group in Watchmen, I caught the real one, in which Jonah's buddy, Peter Beinart, predicted that even if Obama's efforts to resuscitate the economy do not work, the American public will give him credit for trying...
Discord
Posted on February 17, 2009The celebrity President, and the paparazzi Congress. Quote of the Day:"House Republicans surround the President after the meeting. Many of them were seeking his autograph. Every House Republican eventually voted against the bill."-- White House photo, caption under photo 4 of 23 in slide show...
The Engagement Appreciation Ring
Posted on February 15, 2009.cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}...
Geithner Bombs
Posted on February 12, 2009In another setback for the nascent Obama administration, Treasury Secretary Geithner in his rollout plan to reform the banking industry.Geithner harshly criticized the previous adminhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifistration's approach to the crisis yesterday...
Giants Considering Manny
Posted on February 05, 2009The Giants are considering signing Manny Ramirez to a big time, 2 year deal. I guess it could be a good idea, but Manny is so toxic. I feel like his presence in Boston was nearly always a distraction, and that his defensive ethic was lacking.Part of the problem with being a left fielder in San Francisco -- as opposed to, say, Boston -- is that you actually have to play pretty good defense in left field...
Supertramp is really good
Posted on February 05, 2009Totally ignorant of classic music, I had often heard this song, called "The Logical Song," as well as "Goodbye Stranger," without realizing it was the same, apparently glorious, band.Enjoy.
Can Michael Phelps Get Twice As High?
Posted on February 04, 2009Slate's Explainer answers the pressing question of whether Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer, can take monster bong rips:"[F]ans are wondering whether Phelps' abnormally large lung capacity means he can take monster bong rips. Can he?He can. Total lung capacity refers to the volume of air contained in the lungs at the point of "maximal" inspiration ? i...
Dude Who Writes "Story Highlights" Hates His Job
Posted on February 04, 2009This CNN article about not wanting to have kids isn't very humorous. But I liked how the "Story Highlights" at the top of the page cavalierly describe (and subtly mock) the author:Story Highlights* Woman says she's horrified by how her life would have to change with kids* She writes, "The older I get, the more I'm grossed out by pregnancy"* New parents want to recruit more new parents into club, columnist says* Writer compares having kids to being chased by pack of zombiesI'm surprised one of the highlights isn't "shoot me in the head, please...
Raptors Ahead -- Caution
Posted on February 04, 2009This will continue to be a funny prank until there's a car accident.Of course, you run from Zombies. But Raptors ahead? I think merely caution is sufficient. Don't anger them, but it's not like they're definitely going to get you.
Nancy Kileffer Withdraws
Posted on February 03, 2009The third Obama nominee with tax problems withdrew from the OMB this morning, saying:"[M]y personal tax issue of D.C. Unemployment tax could be used to create exactly the kind of distraction and delay those duties must avoid."Yes, I suppose that's right...
Obama's Tax Cheats
Posted on February 03, 2009Number 3. What next? Wesley Snipes? Richard Hatch?I guess one way to ensure your nominees won't be derailed is to nominate Republicans.The Obama Administration has simply been a series of false starts worthy of parody. The Roland Burris flip-flop, a massive spending bill full of pork, disagreements with Congress, and aborted nominations...
France Comes to Aid of Gilad Shalit
Posted on January 28, 2009The captured Israeli soldier is also a French national, apparently.France has asked Syria to encourage Hamas to release an Israeli soldier held by the Palestinian group, a French lawmaker sent by President Nicolas Sarkozy on a Middle East fact finding mission said on Tuesday...
The Heaviest Burglary
Posted on January 28, 2009Robbing quarters from a laundromat:When officers spotted Clark three weeks ago, he was carrying eight bags of quarters and a hex wrench, authorities said.Physical evidence discovered at the scene of the year-old burglary linked Clark to the scene, according to an Evanston Police Department statement released Jan...
Hack Sacked
Posted on January 26, 2009George Packer advocated the sacking of Bill Kristol from his New York Times columnist position thus:The real grounds for firing Kristol are that he didn?t take his column seriously. In his year on the Op-Ed page, not one memorable sentence, not one provocative thought, not one valuable piece of information appeared under his name...
Bush could have been a different President
Posted on January 24, 2009I'm not the first person to notice this, but I think Bush could have been significantly more popular -- possibly even considered great -- if his oratory had been better. We'll never know, but here's a nugget in support of that theory..cc_box a:hover ...
Git Mo Bargains and Savings
Posted on January 22, 2009Sorry I'm behind on SNL clip posting. Here's the clip of the week from last Saturday, which was a fairly across-the-board humorous, but not crazy funny, episode.Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes
Prop 8 Maps
Posted on January 13, 2009Now you more easily harass your neighbors who donated to Prop 8!The maps show names, occupations, and general areas of residence (no exact addresses, thank God).There are 4 other people who have the same address prefix as me. I'm pretty fortunate they didn't donate to Prop 8, or my house would be flagged (though, admittedly, someone else's name would show up)...
Obama Art With Kids
Posted on January 13, 2009.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} ...
Pro-Hamas Protestors Joined By Neo-Nazis
Posted on January 13, 2009This is a good match:Critics of Israel are often quick to insist that they?re not anti-Semitic?just anti-Zionist, anti-?occupation,? or something along those lines. But not these guys: at a protest against Israel in downtown Calgary on the weekend, the Nazi group, the Aryan Guard, showed up to march alongside the Muslims...
Bigger than Hamas, Obama, or SNL Clips
Posted on January 12, 2009Jennifer Love Hewitt is single. Sorry Jennifer, I'm taken.But the rest of you guys may have a shot.
Dare to Dream, Republicans
Posted on January 12, 2009Could it be a one-term Obama Presidency? I doubt it seriously:If his stimulus plan "doesn?t work out, he may very well be a one-term president,? said Jeff Zeleny, who covered Obama?s campaign. ?It?s hard to imagine that he could be reelected if the economy?s in the exact same position four years from now...
Training the Next Generation
Posted on January 12, 2009I think it's time to consider whether the United States or the global community may have to take the possibility of a two-state solution off the table for some time.This is just too awful to be rewarded.At the very least, it may be possible to entrench statehood in the West Bank, which these days is like a picnic compared to Gaza, while putting Gaza's status on hold indefinitely.
One Door Opens, Another Closes
Posted on January 12, 2009Though Jennifer Love Hewitt is single, Danica McKellar, of Wonder Years fame, is getting married. Sorry bros.Lots of good stuff on their wedding registry, at Williams Sonoma.
It's OK to like John McCain Again
Posted on January 12, 2009From the beginning of the primary campaign until the election, it was cool and uncontroversial to say how much you loved the John McCain of 2000, but that you couldn't possibly vote for the 2008 John McCain in the election. When really, you never would have voted for McCain at all, at least not against Obama...
Really Ineffective Protests
Posted on January 11, 2009Anti-Prop 8 protesters spray-painted swastikas and anti-Prop 8 messages on the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, in the Castro last week.I attended a baptism at the church last year. For the adopted child of a gay man. This is the *wrong* place to spray-paint swastikas, folks...
Frost/Nixon's Deception
Posted on January 11, 2009Here's a really devastating review of the movie's historical accuracy, from HuffPo.Second, Frost did not in fact "nail" Nixon. The climactic moment of the movie (as in the play) has Nixon confessing to having participated in the cover-up of the famous break-in of the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee, in June, 1972 by operatives hired by White House aides...
Biden Really Wants to See Benjamin Button
Posted on January 07, 2009This is funny:Employees at the Regal Brandywine Cinemas say the vice president-elect and his wife, Jill, tried to attend the 7:45 showing of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" at the theater on Concord Pike but left after they were told the movie was sold out...
Anti-Semitism is Insensitive
Posted on January 07, 2009ANSWER ("Act Now to Stop War and End Racism") is doing a terrible job of supporting its organization name's goals lately. Not only is it sponsoring numerous pro-Hamas (pro-war) rallies around the U.S., it's also fomenting Anti-Semitism, instead of just opposition to Israel:[A]s the protest continued and crowds grew, one woman in a hijab began to shout curses and slurs that shocked Jewish activists in the city, which has a sizable Jewish population...
HuffPo Article on Israeli-Hamas Conflict
Posted on January 06, 2009This is sad but true analysis:Cameras, television and the internet: All of these have changed the way war is waged. These technologies are indirectly responsible for civilian loss of life in Gaza, as Hamas drags mothers with babies to rocket launching sites...
Pro-Hamas Protestors
Posted on January 05, 2009This is in San Francisco, not Gaza:My favorite comment on this blog is:"The tiny group of pro-Israeli demonstrators should have thrown stuff at the much stronger group of Palestinians, and when the latter retaliated, accused them of reacting disproportionately...
We're Sorry We Called You Fat
Posted on January 04, 2009This is a little old, but I just found it today. Nintendo has had to apologize to its customers for calling people overweight in its Wii Fit game:In a statement the company said: "Nintendo would like to apologise to any customers offended by the in-game terminology used to classify a player's current BMI status...
Netanyahu Hiring Obama Consultants
Posted on January 02, 2009I had no idea:Before the Gaza strikes, which entered their fifth day Wednesday after Israel rejected a plan for a 48-hour ceasefire, Israeli observers had widely expected the hawkish Likud leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, to be chosen as the country?s next prime minister...
Obama the Fluke
Posted on January 02, 2009Republicans take note. This is a super long article but describes the unique circumstances it took for a Democrat to win in 2008. Unlike Roosevelt, Obama will only get two terms. There will be no chance for him to become the father of an entire generation of voters...
Charles Barkley's Political Career Tragically Cut Short
Posted on January 01, 2009Charles Barkley, famed basketball star, has promised that he will be running for Governor of Alabama, as a Democrat, in 201r.Those hopes may have been dashed by his recent arrest for driving under the influence.Charles Barkley, the former Phoenix Suns player and NBA star, told police he was in a hurry to receive oral sex from a female passenger when he ran through a stop sign drunk early Wednesday, a police report states...
John Daly Suspended
Posted on December 31, 2008This is sad but kind of awesome.Asked why he was suspended, Daly pointed to four incidents during the year.. . .While promoting a golf course in Missouri, Daly did a regional television interview wearing only blue jeans ? no shirt, no shoes ? while showing how to play one of the holes...
Obama is Magic
Posted on December 29, 2008Here's the LA Times article that led to the parody song "Barack the Magic Negro," which led to a current controversy that will surely hurt the GOP in the long run.Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand...
Cao Applies to the Congressional Black Caucus
Posted on December 19, 2008a href="http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/cao_tries_to_crack_black_caucu.html"This/a will be an interesting story over the next few weeks.br /blockquoteMichael Fauntroy, a political scientist at George Mason University whose uncle, Walter, formerly belonged to the Congressional Black Caucus as the longtime delegate to Congress from the District of Columbia, said he felt Cao's bid for caucus membership was "a very smart move on his part...
Rachel Maddow Talks Like She's Always Suppressing Laughter
Posted on December 18, 2008Is anyone else totally annoyed by Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show already?br /br /She speaks like she's always suppressing laughter at either her own jokes, or waiting until the end of her excessively sarcastic statements before she lets it out. Even when she makes decent argument, it is SO...
Worthless SNL Bit
Posted on December 18, 2008There are lots of reasons not to like a comedy bit. But one of the easiest reasons is because it's not funny. But unfunny bits that have the added effect of also being offensive? Terrible combination.br /br /What about an offensive, unfunny bit that also takes place during the farewell message of one of the most talented and clever members of the comedy group? Seems like a triple threat of badness...
Shrewd Obama, Part 1 Billion
Posted on December 18, 2008Per a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1208/Warrens_own_backlash.html?showall"Ben Smith/a:br /blockquoteGay leaders are outraged that Obama chose Rick Warren to deliver in the invocation, and now pro-lifers are mad at Warren for doing it.br /br /The optics of which are probably more or less what Obama wants...
It's OK, You Can Say It. They Know.
Posted on December 17, 2008Apparently Caroline Kennedy is on track to become the next Junior Senator of New York, replacing Hillary. That means she'll have a special election in 2010, and another election in 2012, in order to keep the seat. Two tough re-election battles.br /br /I liked a href="http://blogs...
Bailout Song
Posted on December 16, 2008This is really old, but so catchy that I got it in my head today:br /br /embed src="http://static.ning.com/activitypit/widgets/video/flvplayer/flvplayer.swf?v=3.9.1%3A11517" FlashVars="config_url=http%3A%2F%2Factivitypit.ning.com%2Fvideo%2Fvideo%2FshowPlayerConfig%3Fid%3D1981927%253AVideo%253A414910%26x%3Dbtgg2Mq1ta12Cm69282Cq3FzhXVNSv04amp;video_smoothing=onamp;autoplay=offamp;layout=external_site" width="448" height="326" scale="noscale" wmode="transparent" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www...
"Contact"
Posted on December 15, 2008Does this count?Barack Obama had begun thinking about his Senate successor even before the presidential election, and dispatched Rahm Emanuel days after the vote to contact aides of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to begin talking up Mr. Obama's preferred candidates, associates of Mr...
The Lame Duck
Posted on December 14, 2008Above, President Bush ducks a shoe thrown at him at his last press conference, during his last visit, to the country he liberated.
Obama's Sixth Sense
Posted on December 12, 2008Have we ever had such a shrewd, yet inspirational, President?"Few people I've ever known have as good a sense about who might end up getting you in trouble," said Denny Jacobs, a retired Illinois politician from East Moline who befriended Obama when they both served in the state Senate...
40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes
Posted on December 11, 2008See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.
Biggest Loser finale: Ed or Heba?
Posted on December 10, 2008Vicky (boo) and Michelle (yay) made it to the finale episode, with Michelle losing more than 5%(!) of her body weight last week. There's one more spot in the finals, to be selected by America and occupied either by husband Ed or his wife, Heba. But since the fans' most and least favorite are already in the finals, it makes the America-votes process that much less exciting...
A Chance at 43?
Posted on December 10, 2008Here comes the GOP roaring back to potentially get 43 Senate seats this term.
Who Talked To Blagojevich About Jarrett?
Posted on December 10, 2008Blagojevich says Obama would only give him "appreciation" in exchange for appointing Valerie Jarrett, Obama's preferred Senate candidate, and Senate Candidate 1 in the Blago indictment. Questions:Who offered "appreciation"?What did this person or these people do once it was clear Blago was trying to extort Obama for the Senate seat?Rahm Emanuel acknowledges that he didn't tip off the feds...
Conspicuous Omission
Posted on December 10, 2008Obama doesn't call on Blagojevich to resign.Pat Quinn, Lt. Governor and the direct beneficiary of such a resignation, suggests that Blagojevich should resign.
Interesting Bartering Possibilities
Posted on December 10, 2008Here.Are your kids driving you crazy?Are you in need of some relief?Are you handy with an edger or some trimming shears?Let's trade!I'll bawl out your unruly tribe. In return, you can help with some light yard work. Can you bring the kids over to the house for them to be yelled at, or are these events separate in time?
Milk Gets Oscar Buzz
Posted on December 10, 2008Interesting article about Prop 8's passage leading to additional Oscar buzz for Milk.Ok, I suppose I see the connection. But it sort of does a disservice to the movie to say that it's getting more critically positive attention because of a hostile outside political event...
A Less Ambigous Obama
Posted on December 10, 2008Yesterday's statement was jumped on for it's ambiguity and lack of content.But this is a much clearer statement:Q: Have you ever spoken to [Illinois] Gov. [Rod R.] Blagojevich about the Senate seat?O: I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time...
Obama Calls for Blago's Resignation
Posted on December 10, 2008Omission no more.Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president-elect agrees with other prominent politicians in Illinois and elsewhere that "under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois...
The Most Popular Guy in the GOP Right Now
Posted on December 09, 2008Let's give a big welcome to Anh "Joseph" Cao (pronounced "Gow"), the first Vietnamese member of the House of Representatives. And for today, the most popular member of the GOP.Mr. Cao was a refugee from Vietnam at age 8, a former Jesuit seminarian, a philosophy student with a penchant for Camus and Dostoyevsky, an unknown activist lawyer for one of the least visible immigrant communities here and a Republican in a heavily Democratic district...
Obama Already Caught Misleading Public
Posted on December 09, 2008Obama claimed today that he has never had any contact, whatsoever, with the Blagojevich Administration in Illinois:Obama was asked: "Were you aware at all about what was happening with your Senate seat?" He responded: "I had no contact with the governor or his office and so we were not, I was not aware of what was happening...
The Logical Conclusion to Dick in a Box
Posted on December 08, 2008Cameos by models and Justin Timberlake, this is the next datapoint on the Digital Short trajectory (after Chronicles of Narnia, Dick in a Box, and Space Olympics).Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes
"No Mob Veto" Petition
Posted on December 06, 2008Regarding the violent anti-Prop 8 protesters I mentioned here, this petition is being circulated.Some of the statements are pretty uncontroversial. "[W]e're united in this: The violence and intimidation being directed against the LDS or "Mormon" Church, and other religious organizations - and even against individual believers - simply because they supported Proposition 8 is an outrage that must be stopped...
Final Four at the Biggest Loser
Posted on December 06, 2008ET and I are addicted to Biggest Loser: Families Edition.But one of the contestants, Vicky, is totally ruining the good spirit of the game, and instead turning it into an antagonistic team competition. She is also completely repulsive.Even Vicky's alliance pal Ed warned cameras that if you cross her "she'll claw your eyes out...
Obama's Chief Speechwriter Makes Basic Facebook Mistake
Posted on December 06, 2008So dumb.Regardless of how Hillary reacts -- and early reports are that she's taking it well -- how poorly does this reflect on this guy? Groping a cutout of the Secretary of State? Posing for a picture? Hoping no one ever sees this? Really, really dumb
Man Tries to Pay Utility Bill With Spider Drawing
Posted on December 06, 2008OMG! No way! This is probably the funniest thing the internet has ever produced.Wait, explain the premise again? A utility bill. Ok. And a man trying to pay it with a drawing of the spider? And then the utility company says no? AWESOME.Wait, again. Sorry, I don't see why that's funny...
Barney Frank Has Some Good Lines
Posted on December 06, 2008Re Obama's comment that he will defer to Bush until his inauguration because there is only "one President at a time."?I?m a great fan of the president-elect, but I think it?s probably the case that he?s going to have to be more assertive than he?s been,? Frank said, addressing the Consumer Federation of America?s annual financial services conference...
Bonds's Lawyers Ain't too Shabby
Posted on December 06, 2008They originally gotten several counts dismissed; but the judge let the federal prosecutors amend the faulty indictment. But apparently it was still faulty, and what was once 14 charges is now down to ten, with no charges of perjury.Federal prosecutors dropped four counts of lying to a grand jury against Barry Bonds, leaving him to face trial next year on 10 counts of making false statements plus an addition obstruction of justice charge...
Tragedy on Black Friday
Posted on November 28, 2008The trampling death of a Wal-Mart employee and a possible miscarriage at a Long Island store (pictured below) during the post-Thanksgiving sales frenzy. Unbelievable.UPDATE: 11:30am PST: The madness is apparently on the West Coast as well.
SNL's Web Exclusive
Posted on November 25, 2008I think this may have been cut from the show for the profanity?Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes
Happy Thanksgiving
Posted on November 25, 2008From Slate's Explainer:How do turkeys breed? With a little help from their human friends. The vast majority of turkeys sold in the United States are of the white broad-breasted variety. These birds have been bred to produce as much white breast meat as possible, resulting in males so large and unwieldy that they can't properly mount the females...
Drinking Anarchically
Posted on November 24, 2008This is sort of the libertarian equivalent of the "drinking liberally" groups that have sprouted up recently.The invitation looks very inclusive, even if I might be a little more exclusive (no 9-11 truthers welcome).In any event, I'll likely attend, and hope to see you there.
July 2008 California Bar Examination
Posted on November 22, 2008"The name above appears on the pass list for the July 2008 California Bar Examination."Praise God.
Don't Do Interviews in Front of Animals Being Slaughtered
Posted on November 21, 2008Wow.While the GOP vice presidential nominee talked politics after pardoning a turkey for Thanksgiving, the camera caught workers slaughtering turkeys in the background.Really? No one flagged this? Doesn't she have media people? Amazing.
Minnesota Recount Updates, In Real Time
Posted on November 20, 2008Franken is gaining, slowly.Hat Tip: DH
Giraffes
Posted on November 19, 2008The sequel to Sloths is only about half as good as the original. Still, it's worth a view.
Opposing violence against Prop 8 Supporters
Posted on November 19, 2008Here's a good op-ed in the SF Chronicle:[T]hose who oppose the ban should draw the line at excesses: curse-filled picket lines at churches, racial-tinged confrontations and personalized boycotts aimed at opponents of same-sex marriage. These actions deny civil rights, invite violence, and ignore the options that may restore same-sex unions...
Missouri Called
Posted on November 19, 2008The Presidential election is over. Missouri has been called for McCain.Final EV tally: 365 Obama, 173 McCain. McCain came a measely 97 votes away from the presidency.For the Republican to win the presidency in 2012, assuming a shift of 5 electoral votes toward more populous red states where birth rates are increasing, that candidate will have to flip: Florida, Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Colorado...
I Kissed a Girl
Posted on November 19, 2008Katy Perry is a hot ticket item lately. First "I kissed a girl," now "Hot and Cold."ET has noticed a subtle problem with these two songs though -- when Perry complains, in her song "Hot and Cold," that her boyfriend can't make up his mind about his feelings about her, you can hardly blame him...
Lieberman in 2012
Posted on November 19, 2008Lieberman is safe for now. But he may want to start thinking about his re-election in 2012. To that end, probably best to take seriously the advice of people at DailyKos.It's time for Joe Lieberman to tap his fundraising network for the benefit of Martin as his runoff election approaches, and do whatever else the Martin campaign asks of him to help a Democrat get elected to the U...
Just Like Old Times
Posted on November 18, 2008John McCain was never "not the John McCain" his Democratic colleagues "once knew." He continued to me that man throughout the presidential campaign, and remains that man. And his friends are still his friends."John, wait up," called Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass...
Violent Anti-Prop 8 Protestors Aren't Cool
Posted on November 18, 2008Yeah, this is good PR. Violently assaulting and threatening your opponents with death will win people over for 2010.I think the protestors are starting to understand:We've got the moral upper hand in this fight and every day more and more people see that...
I was just about right about everything
Posted on November 18, 2008Lieberman is safe. See my prediction here.Obama saved him. See my prediction here.And good for Lieberman to give a shout out to Obama for saving him.
Obama's Ego
Posted on November 10, 2008I tend to judge people with monster egos harshly, except when their massive egos are entirely justified.This passage from the article "How Obama Won":Obama, who is not without an ego, regarded himself as just as gifted as his top strategists in the art and practice of politics...
Lieberman's Syllogism
Posted on November 10, 2008Premise A: Lieberman will split from the Dem caucus if stripped of his chairmanships.Premise B: Obama wants Lieberman to stay in the caucus.Conclusion: Lieberman is safe.If Lieberman were to continue caucusing with the Democrats without being punished for his campaign conduct -- Democrats say he broke a promise not to campaign negatively against Obama -- the progressive community will undoubtedly be up in arms...
Dodd, Lieberman, Obama, and Martin
Posted on November 09, 2008More ideas for Lieberman to stay in the Dem caucus.1. Lieberman still has friends in the Democratic caucus. Like Chris Dodd, his colleague in the Connecticut Senate:"[Obama's] talked about reconciliation, healing, bringing people together. I don't think he'd necessarily want to spend the first month of this president-elect period, this transition period, talking about a Senate seat, particularly if someone is willing to come forward and is willing to be a member of your family in the caucus in that sense...
Reid: I'm Fighting For Lieberman
Posted on November 09, 2008Good news for Lieberman, if it's true:Reid said it was up to the Democratic caucus to make any decision about Lieberman's future, noting that, "Quite frankly, I don't like what he did." But he pointed out that Lieberman has supported Democrats on most issues, including an important budget vote earlier this year...
Prediction: Obama Saves Lieberman
Posted on November 07, 2008Lieberman's chairmanships are on the line now that the Dems have at least 57 seats in the Senate.Reid is leaning toward taking them away.But I like the theory that Obama will intervene and save Joe the Lieberman from losing these positions.After all, it fits perfectly with the Obama message of healing and cooperation...
Obama FAIL
Posted on November 07, 2008Barrels of ink will be spilled over the next four years exploring whether Barack Obama has delivered on his promise of CHANGE. Not change, not even Change. But something nobler, grander, and lasting.In my view, Obama has failed in this regard unless he delivers widespread, lasting ethics reform...
I hate to say I told you so...
Posted on November 07, 2008...but I did, and the numbers show that Obama was likely the difference.
Obama Victorious
Posted on November 05, 2008As you've heard. Others will dwell better on the significance. But one must imagine the President-Elect, in quiet moments, identifying with FDR:On the night of his landslide victory over Hoover, in 1932, in the depths of the Great Depression, Roosevelt had an intimate conversation with his son James:?You know, Jimmy,? Franklin said, ?all my life I have been afraid of only one thing?fire...
"One Anecdote"
Posted on November 05, 2008Here is an account of DH's Obama experience last night in Oakland, CA:One anecdote. I was at a 95% black event in downtown Oakland. A BBQ place. By the end, there were at least a thousand people there. We all crowded around the screen. When Obama got past 270, everyone was crying...
Obamatons
Posted on November 05, 2008Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
When Was the last time a party controlled the White House and both houses of Congress? Carter Or Clinton?
Posted on November 05, 2008Hilarious:
The Liberal Label
Posted on November 03, 2008Is Obama a liberal? Is he really liberal? How scary is that?These are difficult questions because there's some complex stuff going on behind the philosophical scenes for Obama. In my view, based on listening to him speak and reading his books, Barack Obama is not your standard liberal...
The Craziest McCain Map
Posted on November 03, 2008I just made a crazy McCain map on 270towin.com.It's a 270-268 victory for McCain, and several very fortunate things, all unlikely, have to occur for it to happen.First, what McCain doesn't need to do -- carry Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, or Iowa...
Instrumental Don't Stop Believin'
Posted on November 03, 2008ET and I were watching the Wedding Singer yesterday, as we are wont to do on weekends, when it's often on TNT or TBS. During the Linda-Robbie wedding scene, before it becomes obvious that Linda isn't coming to the wedding, there's an awesome version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" Playing in the background...
McCain Bounce
Posted on November 01, 2008Zogby's one-day tracking poll on Friday had McCain at 48-47.
Against Nuance
Posted on November 01, 2008It is worth pointing out that WT's post about Khalidi, and the accusation in general, works by making a statement that is literally true but that implies something scary and sensational. Also WT's post says nothing about what Mr. Khalidi actually believes or says...
Yay Race Jokes
Posted on November 01, 2008Chris Rock at an Obama event in Florida:[Rock] also segued into a riff about Obama's Kenyan roots."He got a good chance because he's Kenyan," Rock said. "And you can't beat a Kenyan at a race. Nothing like a Kenyan, boy. You got on a plane right now to New York and I got on a Kenyan, I'd beat you there...
Was Rashid Khalidi a PLO Spokesman?
Posted on November 01, 2008Barack Obama's friend Rashid Khalidi, whose 2003 party may have involved some anti-Israel rhetoric, claims that he was never a spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization.But here's a good piece on that question (and a response to the other side)...
An Ideologically Chastened New Right
Posted on October 30, 2008It seems to me that there are two options for people on the right, whether they be social or economic conservatives, to deal honestly with the failures of the last eight years. First, they can admit that certain ideological propositions require revision...
Ted Stevens Alaska-Exonerated
Posted on October 27, 2008Today, Senator Ted Stevens was found to have violated ethics laws. Or, as they say in Alaska, "cleared of any legal wrongdoing, any hint of any kind of unethical activity."
America: Where We Refuse to Let Rich People Not Be Rich
Posted on October 25, 2008Makes sense to me.
A Flashback in Valentino
Posted on October 24, 2008Says John McCain: ?She is a governor, the most popular governor in America. I think she is the most qualified of any that has run recently for vice president.? So the latter statement is completely, utterly, cataclysmically false. But can we agree that it's foolish to parse it in terms of literal truth? Surely McCain was not thinking of Al Gore, or Dick Cheney, or Joe Lieberman...
Hype
Posted on October 23, 2008Only a certain very rare species of person, for Emerson, is "fit to stand the gaze of millions." It is not your normal, hard-working, quietly desperate species of American. The man who can stand the megagaze is a walking imago, a certain type of transcendent freak who, for Emerson, "carries the holiday in his eye...
Victory
Posted on October 23, 2008The editor of this anthology, who took part and was wounded in the last war to end war, hates war and hates all the politicians whose mismanagement, gullibility, cupidity, selfishness and ambition brought on this present war and made it inevitable. But once we have a war there is only one thing to do...
Will a Barack Obama Candidacy Result in a Ban on Gay Marriage in California?
Posted on October 22, 2008According to recent polls, Proposition 8, a ballot initiative to have a proposed amendment banning gay marriage written into the California State Constitution, is supported by a razor thin majority of Californians.What is interesting is that African-Americans are one of the groups most strongly in favor of the Proposition - roughly 68 percent in recent polls...
PA in 2004
Posted on October 21, 2008This is the map that got Kerry a 50.9 - 48.4 victory in 2004. Tough to beat all that red.
Kamikaze in Pennsylvania
Posted on October 21, 2008The blue state the McCain campaign is trying to flip isn't Michigan, as I predicted here.It's Pennsylvania. And it's a Kamikaze strategy that, if successful, allows McCain to lose New Mexico, Iowa, Colorado, and either Nevada or Virginia (or both, if he also swings New Hampshire)...
Obama's Weakness and Deception
Posted on October 20, 2008Some of the Devil Rays (who I was rooting for to win the ALCS, and am rooting for in the WS) came to an Obama event today in Tamba Bay."I've said from the beginning that I am a unity candidate," Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told eight thousand supporters in Tampa Monday afternoon...
Palin On SNL
Posted on October 19, 2008Palin shouldn't have let Amy Poehler take over for her. If she had done this, it would have changed everything.
Biden Speaks of McCain's Friendship in Past Tense
Posted on October 19, 2008Ugh. I said this was going to be a tough election."He used to be a close friend," the Democratic vice presidential nominee said of McCain at a mid-day San Francisco area fundraiser.Lame. I hope they can put their differences behind them after the election.
"Barack Obama's Drug Dealer"
Posted on October 19, 2008Oh Boy.In a public letter to the New York Times, Cindy McCain's lawyer notes that its coverage has been uneven, as it publishes hit pieces on Cindy McCain but has "not tried to find Barack Obama's drug dealer that he wrote about in his book, Dreams of My Father...
Powell Endorses Obama
Posted on October 19, 2008Powell mentions this photo.I'm skeptical that Powell has heard senior members of the GOP float the idea that Obama is a closet Muslim, and Powell gets it wrong that Obama "has always" been a Christian. He was raised nominally Muslim, and then had no religion until his adult life...
Pelosi Says The Race is over
Posted on October 19, 2008Pelosi gets cocky:There are only 15 days left until Election Day, which means that pundits and pols will be busy predicting who will win come November 7.We caught up with Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Georgetown's Café Milano Friday night and she didn't pull any punches...
The Lyrics to Poehler's Palin Song
Posted on October 19, 2008Here are the lyrics to the Poehler-Palin song. I'm still a little bummed Palin didn't do this herself.Whoever wrote this was genius.My name is Sarah Palin/ You all know meVice President nominee/ Of the GOPGonna Need your vote/ In the next electionCan I get a "what what" from the Senior Section?[Palin and Seth Myers shown rocking back and forth]McCain got experience/ McCain got styleBut don't let him freak you out/ When he tries to smileCuz that smile be creepy!But when I'm VP/ All the leaders in the world gonna finally meet me[Dancing Eskimos (Andy Samberg and Fred Armisen) enter]How's it go eskimos?"Eskimos!"Tell me, tell me what you know Eskimos...
Latest Prop 8 Numbers
Posted on October 18, 2008Not looking good for gay marriage.Yes: 61No 38That seems unlikely, given the state's heavy blue orientation, and some strong Obama coattails. The state just isn't where it used to be 8 years ago, when the Knight Initiative was passed. This poll is almost certainly an outlier...
Ditka Reconsiders Not Running For Illinois Senate in 2004
Posted on October 18, 2008I love this kind of counterfactual hypothesizing.Could Mike Ditka have beaten Obama for Illinois Senate in 2004??I don?t know what would have happened if I had run,? Ditka, 69, said. ?I really don?t. Could I have beaten him? Maybe. Maybe not.?A lot of people in Illinois thought Ditka had a pretty good chance to win, had he accepted the invitation to run...
*Another* Unfounded "Kill Him" Rumor?
Posted on October 18, 2008It appears that may be the case.I mentioned the earlier, unsourced accusation, by Dana Milbank, in this post. Milbank's claim was investigated by the Secret Service and dropped.But that seemed less relevant when a commenter noted that *another* incident of "kill him" had been heard...
More on Obama's Infanticide Problem
Posted on October 17, 2008I mentioned the dilemma Obama faced in the Illinois Senate regarding the Born Alive Act here.Here's another article describing how existing laws at the time were inadequate, and why the bill was necessary.And here's a good passage:Some of Senator Obama's supporters are now making one last, rather desperate-sounding attempt to defend his votes against protecting infants born alive after unsuccessful abortions...
"...Whereas Obama Had Facts and Information When He Was Speaking."
Posted on October 16, 2008Never thought I would say this, but Howard Stern had a brilliant bit on his radio show recently. He sent a guy into pro-Obama territory-- specifically, Harlem, New York-- to ask residents about their choice for President. Plot twist-- the interviewer attributed McCain's platform to Obama...
Third-party ads
Posted on October 14, 2008McCain is getting blown out of the water by Obama's money machine. He therefore has to rely on third parties to air ads for him, which he can't coordinate under his campaign finance law.Here's the Family Research Council's latest:
"Kill Him"
Posted on October 13, 2008Some of the McCain rallies are becoming heated affairs. Palin is certainly stoking a lot of the heat, as she (rightly, but possibly irresponsibly) notes that Obama has palled around with terrorists for much of his political career.The conventional wisdom is springing up that someone at one of the McCain rallies cried "Kill Him" in reference to Obama...
The Insistent Contrarian
Posted on October 13, 2008On September 22, 2008, Christopher Hitchens published a column in Slate entitled: Is Obama Another Dukakis? Why is Obama so vapid, hesitant, and gutless? He wrote:To analyze this is to be obliged to balance some of the qualities of Obama's own personality with some of the characteristics of his party...
Just A Flesh Wound
Posted on October 13, 2008A call to arms from John McCain: "My friends, we've got them just where we want them," McCain will tell a rally in Virginia, according to advance excerpts obtained by Reuters, as he tries to reinvigorate his faltering campaign in the final stretch to the Nov...
A Fair Question
Posted on October 12, 2008Good video from Mark Halperin of Time, who almost nails Robert Gibbs, Obama's communications director.Obama was on two charity boards with Bill Ayers (helping the poor and children).Doesn't that indicate that Obama feels it's ok to be in professional relationships with terrorists?Fair point, right? Gibbs can say yes, it's ok because helping the poor and children are really valuable causes; or because it was the Annenberg Challenge, and Annenberg was a Republican...
Palling Around With Terrorists
Posted on October 12, 2008Congressman John Lewis ridiculously compares the McCain campaign to George Wallace's 1968 campaign on a segregationist platform.When you say ridiculous things, people stop listening to you. Even if you're a civil rights hero.Obama's camp, through Bill Burton, wisely quick to distance himself from Lewis...
The Day Life Sucked for Everyone But Barack Obama
Posted on October 10, 2008Markets crash? Good for Obama.Alaskan Governor/VP Candidate abuses power? Nothing but good for Obama.McCain campaign unleashes an angry ignorant mob of racist fearmongering hydrocephalics? Ultimately, honestly, probably good for Obama.Patron saint of intellectual conservatism betrayed? Doesn't matter...
Hitler Loved Basketball
Posted on October 06, 2008One of my least favorite slogans this political season has been to contrast Obama with Palin, in saying that "Jesus Christ was a community organizer, and Pontius Pilate was a Governor."It started right around the time Palin made fun of Obama in her convention speech, and caught on like wild fire...
Take Your Game Into Outer Space
Posted on October 06, 2008Space games in the year 3022 are surprisingly primitive. Space disk, space swords, and space luge, among others.
I Guess I'm Not Surprised
Posted on October 04, 2008Hustler is making a pornographic video called "Nailin Paylin."That's pretty tasteless, but I guess par for the course for Hustler.
Chris Mattews is Rickrolled
Posted on October 03, 2008Hat tip: ES (my official source for all things Rick Astley related)
Helpful English Sayings
Posted on October 01, 2008Hat tip: Tuco.And here's one if you're having a stomach ache.
Legs or No Legs?
Posted on September 27, 2008I doubt this will ever be an issue, but a bunch of people are noticing that Obama reads the name of the fallen soldier on his bracelet in this video, see 1:17. I think it's certainly tasteless to invoke the name of a fallen soldier whose name you can't remember, but not so tasteless it'll become a "George Bush checks his watch" moment like the one in 1988...
Where Does SNL Go On This One?
Posted on September 27, 2008What a snoozefest of a debate. I empathize with Jim Lehrer, bless his soul, trying to get something new out these guys. A couple good lines, but I expected Mcain to throw some bows and for Obama to respond in kind.None of that happened. So what does SNL parody tonight? Not much (I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't do a debate parody, actually, though that would uncharacteristic for them)...
Naked Politics
Posted on September 26, 2008I think McCain seriously underestimated the response from Democrats to his decision.Reid sneered at McCain's plans to cancel his campaigning -- including his participation in Friday night's debate -- to return to the Capitol to work on the Wall Street bailout bill...
Failed Narrative Number 1
Posted on September 26, 2008McCain scuttled the deal at the White House, or McCain was silent as useless? You can only have one, Democrats:Though Sen. Chris Dodd implied that Sen. McCain sandbagged the rest of the negotiators by bringing up alternative proposals, McCain himself did not bring up those proposals, according to four independent sources briefed by four different principals inside the meeting, including two Republicans and two Democrats...
What Deal?
Posted on September 26, 2008One narrative that escaped yesterday is that House Republicans were on board until McCain came to town and scuttled the deal.(1) That doesn't exactly make sense. There's no such thing as scuttling a House Bill with Republican votes. If the Dems support the bailout, there's nothing House Republicans can do to stop them from passing it...
Confusion and Incoherence About the Bailout
Posted on September 26, 2008One problem with the accounts out of Washington yesterday is that all parties were trying to fit the facts on the ground with the political narrative they hoped would become the conventional wisdom.Here's an account that Obama is to blame and that the Democrats ambushed Republicans...
Country First
Posted on September 26, 2008Stipulate for a second two premises:(1) John McCain thinks he's genuinely helpful being in Washington.(2) John McCain has some sense that his presence there, and his decision to try to postpone the debate, is playing terribly with the media and public:I really can't imagine John McCain not attending the debate tomorrow...
Letterman Suddenly Relevant Again
Posted on September 25, 2008Here's the video of Letterman sticking it to McCain for canceling his appearance on the show tonight.Two thoughts:(1) Since when is Letterman funny? I've watched sporadic episodes for the last 10 years and found the comedy painful, repetitive, and cheap...
Only in the 2008 Election
Posted on September 23, 2008Wait for the wine makers protests against Sarah Palin:Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin might not be fond of San Francisco, but one San Francisco wine bar is fond of Palin Syrah. Or rather, it was."It was our best selling wine before (the V...
Obama Scolds Biden
Posted on September 23, 2008Poor Joe. He's having a rough week."[A]s Lauer pointed out, scarcely three minutes after McCain said he opposed the AIG bailout last week, "in an interview with Meredith Vieira, Joe Biden, your running mate was asked the exact same question, 'should the federal government bailout AIG?' And he said, 'No, the federal government should not bailout AIG...
Another SNL Ad
Posted on September 23, 2008SNL was on fire this week. Here's another sketch, this one about jury selection in the O.J. Simpson trial."Wait, what does that barking mean?""It . . . it means she smells a murderer."
Franken Still Writing SNL skits
Posted on September 22, 2008This just looks bad, though I'm not sure there's anything rational to be angry about.Al Franken, Senate Candidate in Minnesota, was credited as an SNL writer as recently as last week, and had a role in developing a hard-on-McCain sketch that opened the show this past Saturday...
Biden Says He Didn't Like Obama's Ad
Posted on September 22, 2008The thing about Joe Biden's candor is that it's usually newsworthy.Here's a pretty interesting concession from him that he didn't like the false ad about McCain not using a computer and not sending e-mail (which McCain partisans responded to by falsely arguing that McCain's POW injuries made it impossible for him to type)...
Unfortunately Named Enterprise #245
Posted on September 19, 2008LAX SECURITY AIRLINES!The spokesman for LSA! said the "LAX" is derived from their hub of operation - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The "Security" portion of the moniker is there to symbolize the deep commitment that the airline has for the security of its passengers...
Born Alive Babies
Posted on September 19, 2008I mentioned here that Obama opposed a bill in the Illinois Senate that would have required babies born during failed abortions to be provided medical care.The article mentioned in that post described the measure as a kind of beachhead, or trojan horse, from which standard abortion could be attacked...
Hari Kari
Posted on September 17, 2008No not the Cubs broadcaster.What will happen if McCain wins?Even without post-November 4th rumors of rigged voting machines and the like, an Obama loss will be a deeply, traumatically depressing event for Democrats and other Obama enthusiasts. (Whereas if McCain loses, who will be seriously bummed outside of the McCain household?) There will be so many facets of potential unhappiness...
Your Future VP
Posted on September 17, 2008Wow. Maybe it's time for a Department of the Interi-HAIR. HIOH.
McCain/Criticism/Democrat
Posted on September 17, 2008McCain says the fundamentals of the economy are strong.Obama attacks.Reid says the fundamentals of the economy are strong.McCains calls for a commission to investigate the Lehman bankruptcy.Obama attacks. "?We know how we got into this mess," he says...
Republicans Are Funnier Now?
Posted on September 17, 2008Excuse the Cavuto Mark.This article claims that Republicans are becoming the funnier party these days.I'm not so sure I buy the argument. There are a lot of clever and creative Democrats these days pumping out good material.Of course, the GOP has Mike Huckabee.
2 Guys Make Out On CNN'S Report
Posted on September 17, 2008You really have to love how calm the studio hosts keep during this video:The sad thing is that this wasn't two Lehman employees just playing around, which would make it awesome, but two Howard Stern employees with a history of public pranks.
Pants on Fire
Posted on September 17, 2008Obama intentionally distorts facts and quotations to portray McCain as anti-immigrant in Spanish.The greater implication the ad makes, however, is that McCain is no friend to Latinos at all, beyond issues of funding the DREAM act or how NCLB money is distributed...
McCain's Sex Ed Ad: Everyone Has it Wrong
Posted on September 16, 2008This post inspired enough insightful commentary that it required a follow up.After a very good conversation with JS and CK, I co-wrote this piece with CK, and we submitted it to a few places to publish as an Op-ed. Mostly silence so far, but we don't have the energy to keep going...
Unbelievable
Posted on September 16, 2008Watch the video, and see what democracy has become. It's horrifying, vapid, nonsense. A shouted mishmash of crass narrative, sloganeering, identity pandering, and outright lies.Not worth watching, not worth discussing. And to the extent this blog participates in the production and distribution of this trash, not worth reading.
Leaning Towards Obama?
Posted on September 15, 2008Colin Powell praised both McCain and Obama today, and said this specifically:Former Bush Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday that he has not yet decided which candidate to back in this year?s presidential race.The election of an African-American president ?would be electrifying,? Powell told an audience at The George Washington University, ?but at the same time [I have to] make a judgment here on which would be best for America...
Obama's Guns Position
Posted on September 15, 2008This is an unfortunate statement:"The bottom line is this. If you?ve got a rifle, you?ve got a shotgun, you?ve got a gun in your house, I?m not taking it away. Alright? So they can keep on talking about it but this is just not true. And by the way, here?s another thing you?ve got to understand...
It's Been Worse
Posted on September 15, 2008Nothing like this in the Dem primary this year:Check out this awesome website.
This is Going to Get Intense
Posted on September 14, 2008The election season so far has gotten people passionate about politics again. Obama has motivated Democrats and others across the board to dedicate themselves to this election, discuss the future, and contribute to his campaign.McCain, of course, has his intense followers...
Rose-Gate
Posted on September 14, 2008Sometimes there are negative messages that really resonate. Calling Obama out for bittergate, or chiding McCain for not knowing on the spot how many investment properties his wife owns.Then there are those that have absolutely zero chance of resonating...
Fresno Loses :(
Posted on September 14, 200813-10 to Wisconsin.Why didn't they go for it with 2 minutes left? Why punt when all it takes is 1 first down to be able to run out the clock?
Two Gaffes Involving the Disabled
Posted on September 13, 2008A few days ago Joe Biden told a disabled Democratic State Senator in the audience to stand up and be recognized. Whoops. Biden recovered: ?Oh, God love ya,? Mr. Biden said. ?What am I talking about??Ok, no harm, no foul.But now we have a *really* big gaffe involving the disabled...
Should I be Worried About Becoming a Slave?
Posted on September 13, 2008McCain was on the view today. And when he expressed hope that judges would adhere to the Constitution in an originalist way, Ghost Star Whoopi Goldberg asked if that meant she should be worried about becoming a slave again.See the video here.Whoopi has a track record of saying really dumb things when it comes to politics...
Breaking News: Fresno to Crush Wisconsin Tonight
Posted on September 13, 2008In Fresno, no less. Game at 7:30 PM PST tonight.Fresno State has been especially tough at home under coach Pat Hill, going 51-12 there since his 1997 hiring. Wisconsin matches the highest-ranked team ever to visit Fresno, but the Bulldogs beat then-No...
Uplifting Music
Posted on September 13, 2008So as to get the bad taste out of our mouths from the last post, here's a little uplifting music:
The Isotoner Campaign
Posted on September 12, 2008Obama is, once again, promising to take the gloves off to combat John McCain's poll surge.Is this the first time the gloves have come off?But just so you know -- this is, by my count, the 4th time Obama's campaign has officially or unofficially made such a declaration that Obama will "take off the gloves" and fight back...
Obama Questions McCain's Patriotism
Posted on September 12, 2008I thought, per the Convention speech, this kind of stuff was off limits for Obama:John McCain didn?t just oppose the requirement that the government buy American-made motorcycles, he called Buy American provisions 'disgraceful.' Just ask the workers across this country who have seen their jobs outsourced...
Department of Peace
Posted on September 11, 2008Against Mark Udall, in the Colorado Senate Race:Hat Tip: DH
McCain's Education Ad
Posted on September 11, 2008Here's McCain's latest education ad:Notice that the ad calls the Obama bill an "accomplishment," which I suppose is misleading, since the bill never passed.Nevertheless, the ad draws blood on Obama's weird position that kids should be receiving "age-appropriate" sex-ed lessons that include (1) STD training; (2) abstinence-only lessons...
Palin and the Bridge to Nowhere
Posted on September 10, 2008Here's a quick NYT report regarding the Bridge to Nowhere, filed long before it would help John McCain.Gov. Sarah Palin ordered state transportation officials to abandon the ''bridge to nowhere'' project that became a nationwide symbol of federal pork-barrel spending...
McCain's Colorado Problem
Posted on September 10, 2008To win the election, McCain can't lost all three of the following states unless he does something dramatic (i.e., pulls Minnesota or Wisconsin out of blue territory):Colorado, Michigan, and New Mexico.Michigan went blue in both 2000 and 2004, and would be tough to flip...
Has the Large Hadron Collider Destroyed the Earth?
Posted on September 10, 2008No.For now.Hat tip: ES.
Riff-Raff Democrats
Posted on September 10, 2008A crowd of Obama supporters disrupted and cut short a McCain rally by loudly chanting "O-bam-a," ala the caricature of Obama supporters in the McCain ads.Republican presidential candidate John McCain cut short his first public appearance without running-mate Sarah Palin after chanting supporters of Democratic rival Barack Obama interrupted his speech...
"Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Cressbeckler"
Posted on September 08, 2008The dark horse third-party candidate Joad Cressbeckler may prove to be a spoiler this year, akin to Ralph Nader in the 2000 election. Cressbeckler, a Beltway outsider from the South Dakota Badlands, is expected to cut into the hard right's support for McCain...
Sitting on Your Netflix
Posted on September 06, 2008The most common video people sat on in this Slate poll? Hotel Rwanda.Slate's advice? Return the disc unwatched, rather than sitting on it for month while cobwebs grow on the DVD slip.Mailing back a DVD unwatched doesn't mean you'll never get another shot at it...
The 5th Amendment Theory of Families
Posted on September 06, 2008Under the Miranda rule, testimony that stems from illegal interrogations is generally inadmissible at trial.That is, the cops have to read you your rights, and if they don't, generally can't use what you tell them to convict you.Unless, that is, you perjure yourself...
This is What Off-Limits Looks Like
Posted on September 06, 2008One of Obama's finance committee members, Howard Gutman, went off on Sarah Palin on the Laura Ingraham radio show: "So you're saying she's not putting family first," Ingraham said."Absolutely not," Gutman said. "If you take a daughter who's got this emotional strife and subject her to the most intense scrutiny of the world at this time in her life, I think you've put your career above your family...
Identity Politics
Posted on September 06, 2008To the people who disagreed with me about identity politics in this post, I'm curious whether you can distinguish those arguments in the case of Sarah Palin. If having a type of person -- an African American, a woman -- take a position of power is of primary importance, why are her specific views, say on abortion, relevant?Unless identity politics is limited to those who agree with you...
Famous Quotes
Posted on September 04, 2008"The GOP has lost the community organizer vote for a generation." -- Dean Harvey
"The Conservatives Have Found Their Obama"
Posted on September 04, 2008The reviews on Palin's speech are generally very positive.NBC political director Chuck Todd, weighing in shortly after Sarah Palin?s fiery speech before the Republican faithful, declared: ?Conservatives have found their Obama.?Right-wing radio host Laura Ingraham agreed, telling Fox?s Greta Van Susteren that it was the ?night conservatives have been waiting for...
Joke Fact Check
Posted on September 04, 2008Did Sarah Palin get more votes for mayor of Wasilla than Joe Biden got for President this year?First Read says no.For the record, Joe Biden got 79,754 total votes in the Democratic primaries.As of the 2000 census, the population of Wasilla was 5,469. It has been reported at currently more than 9,000...
Every Political Speech Goes Better With Van Halen
Posted on September 04, 2008When I'm a hot shot political strategist, I'm going to recommend that this song be in the background of every speech my clients give.I'm watching Cindy McCain right now (get it, right now? Har har.) Anyway, she's much more exciting with Van Halen in the background.
Convention Bounce
Posted on September 03, 2008Obama up by 8, 50-42, nationally.I think this is about as good as the Obama people could hope for. A VP announcement and the start of the Republican convention, and they get a bounce of about 6 points. Hard to ask for much more.The problem for the GOP is that their convention isn't feeling similarly, what's the word? Promotional...
Palin Was Fully Vetted
Posted on September 03, 2008McCain's people claim they all knew all the Palin stuff was coming.Gov. Palin, the strategist said, was subjected to a ?complete vet.? ?That included her filling out a 70-question questionnaire that was highly intrusive and personal. She was then interviewed for more than three hours by A...
Lieberman is *so* losing his Committee Assignments
Posted on September 03, 2008You have to admire a guy who puts his career on the line for what he believes. Especially when, electorally, it would be a lot easier to support Obama.That said, I think it'll be a little difficult for Lieberman supporters to complain when the Democrats strip him of his committee assignments...
"Bimbo Alert"
Posted on September 02, 2008Sarah Palin sets it off, says talk show host Ed Schultz.You stay classy too, Ed Schultz.
More Democrats Take Joy From Gustav
Posted on September 02, 2008I mentioned a few days ago that Michael Moore was happy about Hurricane Gustav's timing with the Republican National Convention.Now it looks like former DNC Chairman Jim Fowler, and South Carolina Representative John Spratt, were also taking delight in Hurricane Gustav's appearance and timing...
Stay Classy, Michael Moore
Posted on August 30, 2008You can hate the Republican party and its members. But do your best not to show just how much you hate them, including hoping natural disasters occur to stop the convention next week.?I was just thinking, this Gustav is proof that there is a God in heaven,? Moore said, laughing...
Palin and Sexism
Posted on August 30, 2008A really terrible post, quoting Dave Weigel, by Andrew Sullivan:It's going to be awfully, awfully tiresome to hear conservatives whine about Palin attacks being sexist. One, it's in bad faith: I challenge them to take a polygraph and say they never visited SlapHillary...
Olbermann as James Lipton
Posted on August 29, 2008So pathetic. Vote for him or do not. But take pride that this nation can produce men and speakers such as that. For 42 minutes not a sour note and spellbinding throughout in way usually reserved for the creations of fiction. An extraordinary political statement...
Obama Rebukes Kerry, Richardson, et al
Posted on August 29, 2008Obama went out of his way to be gracious to John McCain tonight, in order to rebuke members of his own party.These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes...
The Speech
Posted on August 29, 2008Big expectations, pretty good follow through.The most effective line, I thought, was about his mother. Paraphrasing, he saw her in bed, arguing with insurance companies over bills, while lying in bed dying of cancer. Such a powerful image.
Who Can Stop the Bounce?
Posted on August 29, 2008With strong speeches by Hillary, Bill, and Obama himself, be sure to expect a convention bounce for Obama. Probably 8-10 points over the weekend.Who can stop it? Only one man. Wilfred Brimley, the VP.
Doom For McCain
Posted on August 29, 2008NRO, breaking the bad news:Inexperience. Palin has been governor for about two minutes. Thanks to McCain?s decision, Palin could be commander-in-chief next year. That may strike people as a reckless choice; it strikes me that way. And McCain's age raised the stakes on this issue...
Obama Campaign Starts Early With Personal Attacks
Posted on August 29, 2008Bill Burton's first reaction:Barack Obama's campaign is blasting John McCain for putting "the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency."The scathing description of Sarah Palin, from Obama spokesman Bill Burton, comes as Democrats scramble to gather a response to a selection that nobody in the political world expected...
Palin Fans Celebrate
Posted on August 29, 2008Great pick by McCain.She won the NRO poll, is a breath of fresh air, and can steal away Hillary voters.The only question, whatsoever, is experience. Her best two arguments:(1) She has executive experience, while Obama does not.(2) She has been a full time Governor while in office; Obama has been a full-time campaigner.
Obama Misleads his Own Supporters
Posted on August 28, 2008A Chicago radio program last night had on Stanley Kurtz, who has made it a mission to get the records for the Chicago Annenberg Fund, on whose board Barack Obama and William Ayers (Weather Underground) sat.The Obama campaign emailed its supporters to disrupt the program, and suggested that Kurtz was a "slimy character assassin...
Who'd You Rather?
Posted on August 27, 2008Have at the Democratic Convention? Edwards or Lieberman?Most people said Edwards.Indeed, on the scale of veep violations, it appears that Mr. Lieberman committed a much greater infraction jumping into bed with Republicans than Mr. Edwards did with Ms...
Foreign Language Covers
Posted on August 27, 2008I've noticed lately that I'm a big fan of foreign language covers of English songs.A few examples: (1) Hey Mickey in Spanish; (2) the Gypsy King's version of Hotel California, also in Spanish; and (3) the French version of Paint it Black, discussed extensively here...
Clinton Not A "Serious" VP Candidate
Posted on August 25, 2008This won't help party unity.Some senior Obama supporters are irritated at how they perceive the Clintons fanned ? or at a minimum failed to douse ? stories that she was not even vetted as a possible vice presidential nominee. This is because she told Obama she preferred not to go through the rigorous process of document production unless she was really a serious contender, an Obama associate noted...
Biden's Record on Guns
Posted on August 25, 2008I don't think this will help Obama with gun owners in Michigan and Ohio.Anyone who owns a big gun is crazy.
Biden the Gaffe Machine
Posted on August 25, 2008A short history of Biden's gaffes.The most recent gaffe involved calling Obama the first articulate and clean African American presidential candidate. Once the comment got out, Biden was chastised particularly for using the word "clean."Fortunately, he later he clarified the word clean to mean "crisp and clear...
Obama's drunk text
Posted on August 23, 2008The text finally came at about 1 am Saturday morning."Dude. Joe and I are doing shots down at Pig in a Whistle. Get down here. I'm going to make him my vp."
Phony Text Messages
Posted on August 22, 2008I played this trick on Stacita yesterday. It was pretty awesome.In recent days, as speculation and anticipation has mounted, so too have phony text messages declaring Obama?s supposed running mate ? from Evan Bayh and Hillary Rodham Clinton to Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps...
Biden & Romney
Posted on August 22, 2008Buzz is that it's Biden tomorrow or Saturday, and Romney next Friday.Both are huge, huge mistakes. Unforced errors.Maybe if McCain sees Obama's Biden blunder it will convince him to go with Palin or Pawlenty.
"Senator Infanticide"?
Posted on August 22, 2008How Obama messed up on opposing the Illinois Born Alive Act a few years ago.It was a trap, says the article.Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York was an exception. Understanding perfectly well the intent behind the bill, he nonetheless realized that there was no way to mount an effective opposition to it...
Why It's Biden/Not Biden
Posted on August 22, 2008Why?1. Flurry of activity at the Biden Residence.2. Going for 8.00/share on intrade.3. The flight plans from Delaware to Chicago4. It's not Kaine or Bayh5. Obama smirks!Why not?1. Biden is a bad pick.2. It's all a huge decoy.3. So everyone take their eyes off of Hillary.
He works hard for the money
Posted on August 22, 2008These are the kinds of officers we need on the street. Willing to do anything to catch prostitutes. Including have sex with them.Assistant City Attorney Joseph Sanders asked Breiner if he enjoyed having sex with the women.At first he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head...
Conservative Blog Bets the Farm
Posted on August 22, 2008This is confidence.Stay Red Kansas, which I haven't read, offered to shut down their blog if Evan Bayh wasn't Obama's Vice Presidential pick. It's looking more and more like it's Biden, not Bayh.The link to the blog no longer works. Did they already shut down? Come on guys...
Kmiec Surprised that Obama is a Democrat
Posted on August 20, 2008The other night at Saddleback, Obama was asked which Supreme Court Justices he wouldn't have appointed. Naturally, he went for an easy target for Democrats -- Clarence Thomas, the Court's strongest originalist and possibly most conservative member.What a surprise to Douglas Kmiec, the conservative legal scholar who confusingly endorsed Obama after supporting Romney(!) during the primaries...
McCain Winning, At least For Today
Posted on August 20, 2008Real Clear Politics has McCain winning 274-264, with the map I mentioned here.Check it out while it lasts. Once the Democratic Convention hits, all bets are off.
Playing it straight?
Posted on August 20, 2008Virginia Governor Tim Kaine is assembling a meeting to figure out who becomes Governor in case he's nominated Obama's VP.[E]ither Obama will choose Kaine, or Kaine was given the impression that he would be chosen.Wow. That is pretty big. If Obama is trying to throw people off the scent, he's doing a great job...
Two Roads to Obama's Veep
Posted on August 19, 2008The campaign is leaking, quite intentionally, the names Biden, Bayh, Kaine, and Sebulius.The question:Are they playing it straight, or are the preparing for a massive surprrse?Either they're playing it straight-up -- meaining Biden, Bayh, Kaine, or Sebelius -- or it's some kind of A-lister, someone for whom the elaborate staging of it all doesn't produce an anti-climax...
Hillary is looking Good
Posted on August 18, 2008I don't know that I'm prepared to say Obama's VP will be Hillary.But at this point, I'm prepared to say that's his best option.Is all contrary evidence just a massive headfake?Joe Biden's mouth is a constant source of embarassment. And how would the PUMAs take to a failed second-tier candidate leapfrogging someone with 18 million votes? Evan Bayh has been vetoed by the netroots Kathleen Sebelius would be a clear and direct affront to the PUMAs, much more so even than Biden...
Clinton to Get a Vote
Posted on August 15, 2008This is probably nothing right?Her name will not be on the general election ballot this fall, but Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton?s presidential candidacy will receive one final tribute when her name is formally placed into nomination at the Democratic convention...
McCain Event
Posted on August 15, 2008I attended a John McCain house party tonight in San Francisco. I was pleasantly surprised with the turnout, and pleasantly surprised with the people.Because San Francisco isn't exactly a hotbed of conservative Republican activity, I was a little worried that the people who attended the event would be crazy or radical people defending their last shreds of belief with everything they could muster...
McCain up by 1 in Colorado
Posted on August 15, 2008Colorado's 9 electoral votes are going to be critical in November. The Democratic convention is in Denver, the Denver metro area is growing more and more liberal, and Obama is making a huge push for western states. Still, other than Denver (and Boulder), the rest of the state remains pretty conservative...
Big Sigh For McCain
Posted on August 15, 2008The FEC lawyers sided with him.The Federal Election Commission released a draft opinion asserting that McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate, did not violate the provisions of the primary election public funding system.McCain?s Democratic opponent Barack Obama had alleged that McCain broke the rules, an accusation Democrats have wielded often as part of an effort to question McCain?s commitment to campaign finance reform...
Obama Nation
Posted on August 15, 2008Jerome Corsi's anti-Obama book is Number 1 in the NYT Best Seller List.The Obama campaign feebly responds.I know they're trying to do a better job than Kerry did in 2004. But isn't Kerry's silence preferable to easily criticized responses? If your response can fairly be criticized as false or misleading, isn't that worse than not responding at all?Maybe not.
New Internet Term
Posted on August 14, 2008I had no idea that I had been "rickrolling" people this whole time.Check out this very important article.
Swimming 30 Hours A Week Burns A Lot of Calories
Posted on August 13, 200812,000 calories a day.?[Michael] Phelps lends a new spin to the phrase ?Breakfast of Champions? by starting off his day by eating three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise.He follows that up with two cups of coffee, a five-egg omelet, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar and three chocolate-chip pancakes...
Don't Fall For This Trick
Posted on August 12, 2008Some professors are not your allies:A female student said she and Miller met May 8. The student said Miller told her she wasn't doing well in regards to her overall grade.The student said Miller said she "would have to do something for him" and Miller grabbed and sucked on her breast...
Obama's Celebrity Ad
Posted on August 11, 2008If you condemned John McCain's "Celebrity" ad as either negative, juvenile, an attempt to take the focus off issues, or something else, please feel free to defend Obama's similar ad in the comments.At least he doesn't compare McCain to Britney or Paris...
McCain Democrats
Posted on August 08, 2008They need to keep using that Hillary quote. She was totally right when she said it.
Another Third Party Candidate
Posted on August 06, 2008Paris declares:See Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Ad and more funny videos on FunnyOrDie.comSee more funny videos at Funny or Die
X-Files is not a Particularly Good Movie
Posted on August 04, 2008I had high hopes for the X-Files sequel, but I was pretty let down.Corny/campy dialog, totally incongruent and inconsistent story, and almost no resolution at the end. This review summarizes it well.Those questions of belief and faith form the thematic core of the film, and it would be genuinely refreshing to see a summer blockbuster take on such weighty issues if the rest of the movie put enough narrative meat in the foreground...
In Non-Gossip News (Sad)
Posted on August 04, 2008Apparently Scalia bumped into Sarah Jessica Parker in New York back in June. She asked him for a light and he, being a gentleman, obliged.Early reports claimed that Scalia was "gushing" over the Sex and the City Star. But unfortunately, those reports turned out not to be true...
Talkers and No-Talkers
Posted on August 02, 2008I find myself weaving back and forth between these groups. Do I want to discuss the California Bar Exam's content, and my answers. No. But yes, of course I do.If you feel like obsessing, here's your place. But note that most discussion of the MBE is down because of copyright concerns after an NCBE threat.
Here's Your Humor Narrative
Posted on August 01, 2008John Stewart's take becomes the CW.Perhaps one of the clearest indications emerged Tuesday from the world of late-night comedy, when David Letterman offered his ?Top Ten Signs Barack Obama is Overconfident.? The examples included Obama proposing to change the name of Oklahoma to ?Oklobama? and measuring his head for Mount Rushmore...
The Straight Talk Express
Posted on July 26, 2008And other lessons in shocking, politically calamitous reversals of policy.The thing about this particular statement is that it's not actually inconsistent with what McCain has said, all along, about his goals in Iraq. But it sure sounds like it is, which is all that matters.
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Easy
Posted on July 23, 2008A recent prostitution sting in Kentucky netted, among others, a woman who was trading sex for a $100 gas card. County prosecutor Ken Easterling drew the obvious conclusion, stating, ?It?s sad when people are selling their bodies for gas.? (On the bright side, the woman?s boyfriend decided she was simply a cheater, not a prostitute...
Brooke Hogan: Not That Into Voting
Posted on July 23, 2008In the second episode of VH1's Brooke Knows Best, Brooke Hogan, daughter of famed Betcha-Didn't-Know-I-Was-Bald-Under-My-Bandanna Hulk, and her roommate Glenn decide to hold interviews for a third renter. While discussing politics with one particular candidate, Brooke articulately opines on voting and why having a female president would be a "kinda crazy" idea.
Hamas Or Fatah?
Posted on July 22, 2008Who is providing security for Obama when he visits the Palestinian Authority this week? Hamas or Fatah?One other note, the campaign deferred questions about Obama?s security arrangements in Ramallah. We should receive a more precise read-out on that tomorrow...
Obama's Paucity of Judgment in Iraq
Posted on July 22, 2008McCain's camp takes the gloves off for a moment. This is a complete take-down of Obama's judgment. "He refuses to credit Gen. Petraeus and Gen. Odierno for their leadership; he disparages their strategic judgment and trumpets his own," Scheunemann began...
Narrow Lead for Obama in Michigan
Posted on July 22, 2008Obama up by 2, 43-41, in Michigan. Good news for McCain, really. Looking like he may be able to keep it close for a while.
He is a Gift From the World to Us in So Many Ways
Posted on July 22, 2008This is pretty good.I liked the video except when Tucker Carlson says it's "too-embarrassed-to-stand-up love." That's a little too over-the-top for a widespread political video. Though I guess it's possible they didn't know what it meant when they got that clip.
McCain and Obama up in Ohio
Posted on July 22, 2008McCain up by 6 in Ohio.Or is Obama up by 8?Even after factoring in party identifications, the results are contradictory. For more analysis, see here.
Fueling Misonceptions
Posted on July 20, 2008Now that the New Yorker cover cartoon is a week old, I think cooler heads are prevailing. Here's Roger Simon on the Idiot's Veto:[T]his was the main line of attack that critics of the magazine took. Sure, the ultra-sophisticated readers of the New Yorker will understand that the cover is a satire, the critics said, but many people will not...
McCain on Conan
Posted on July 20, 2008The NBC movie casting bit about McCain's Vice Presidential picks is here. Go to Friday, July 18's episode, at the 23 minute mark.And pay close attention to who's playing Meg Whitman and Condy Rice.
Maliki Supports the Obama Timeline
Posted on July 20, 2008Well this complicates things.When asked in an interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks U.S. troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama is right when he talks about 16 months...
Obama Makes it to Afghanistan
Posted on July 19, 2008Breaking news:Sen. Barack Obama arrived Saturday in Afghanistan on the first stop of his tour of the Middle East and Europe, aimed at boosting the U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful's foreign policy credentials, his campaign confirmed.Word is he's going to Iraq over the weekend, though it's unconfirmed for security reasons...
McCain's Terrible-Policies Problem, or Lack Thereof
Posted on July 19, 2008For the readers or authors of this blog who find themselves supporting John McCain, I'd like to know which of his stated domestic policies you think aren't bad. For extra credit, maybe you could explain why in a few words (e.g., self-interest, vengefulness, unrepentant infantile nationalism, etc)...
Credibility Gap
Posted on July 18, 2008This is a knockout blow on Obama's Iraq credibility problems.This isn't an issue of flip-flopping. It's intentional and calculated dishonesty and pandering. Watch for yourself. (It's kind of long, but it goes quickly).
Uh, Awkward
Posted on July 18, 2008Obama gave his half-sister her first copy of Our Body, Ourselves.First published in 1973, it contains information related to many aspects of women's health and sexuality, including menopause, birth control, childbirth, sexual health, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health and general well-being...
Dan Rather's Confusing Statement
Posted on July 18, 2008Dan Rather says here that Jesse Jackson paved the way for Osama bin Laden.Is this a full-blown Osama/Obama flub? Or does he mean it actually, that Jesse Jackson somehow led to the rise of OBL?
George W. Bush Sewage Treatment Plant (Update)
Posted on July 18, 2008We previously brought you news of the proposal to rename San Francisco's Oceanside Sewage Treatment Facility the "George W. Bush Sewage Plant." Well, as of July 17th, the measure has qualified for the November ballot.
Obama wins, 298 to 240
Posted on July 17, 2008Fivethirtyeight is doing some incredible math here.It's amazing how much of a hole these folks have filled. Did no one think about doing this kind of math before this year?Their electoral college numbers?If the election were held today: Obama 303, McCain 235Projecting to November: Obama 298, McCain 240
Comedy Central on Jon Stewart
Posted on July 17, 2008A few days ago I mentioned that people aren't making fun of Obama enough, despite the potential to do so effectively.Jon Stewart, however, was the exception.Here's is Comedy Central's commentary on one of their own:Despite audience resistance, Mr. Stewart contended, his show had been able to develop a distinctive angle on Mr...
For Those of You Who Don't Care
Posted on July 16, 2008My guess is that's not many EU readers, especially since the blog has turned overtly political since January. But just in case:Today Now!: How To Pretend You Give A Shit About The Election
Chess Boxing
Posted on July 16, 2008This sport is all the rage:The matches work like this: competitors alternate between three-minute rounds of boxing and four-minute rounds of speed chess with one-minute breaks in between to get the gloves off and hunker down at the chess table. The winner is determined by knockout, checkmate, or referee decision...
Thank You Very Much, Mr. Robot
Posted on July 15, 2008The Wallflowers (lead singer, Jakob Dylan, son of Bob Dylan) have pulled the plug on a gig in Minneapolis during the Republican National Convention.Rumor is that Bob Dylan advised his son not to play the gig in order to stay out of the political atmosphere, even though the gig isn't strictly a Republican event...
Ventura Not Running
Posted on July 15, 2008Jesse Ventura says no Senate run for him.Mr. Ventura, who has been living part-time in Mexico, said his decision came down to one central dilemma: ?Surfing vs. the Senate.? Waxing poetic, he put it this way: ?The ocean doesn?t lie to you, the waves don?t lie to you...
The Comedian's Take On Obama
Posted on July 15, 2008Here's an interesting piece describing the dearth of comedy out there in late-night television that involves punchlines at Obama's expense. Apparently, the McCain-is-old jokes still work, but it's hard to find a comedic angle in which to work in Obama jokes...
Criticism of the New Yorker
Posted on July 14, 2008I wrote about the Obama camp's denunciation of the New Yorker cover here.But I found a fairly interesting criticism--one that the Obama campaign certainly did not make--by Nick Anderson, a Pulitzer Prize Winning Cartoonist who serves as president of the American Association of Editorial cartoonists (amazing that such a thing exists)...
Tony Snow, RIP
Posted on July 14, 2008Another blow to journalism this weekend, with the passing of former Fox anchor and White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.An excellent article, by of all people, Elizabeth Edwards, here.And a video of Tony Snow playing the blues here.
McKinney Gets Green Party Nomination
Posted on July 14, 2008Add to the November ballot a FIFTH candidate with name recognition.Cynthia McKinney, the conspiracy theorist who floated rumors that Bush was responsible for 9/11, has claimed the Green Party nomination.McKinney was a 6 term Georgia Congresswoman who was ousted not once, but twice, by her party in a primary...
More McCaskill Self-Esteem Issues
Posted on July 14, 2008I wrote here about Claire McCaskill's infatuation with Barack Obama, and her apparent lack of self-esteem.Once again, Senator McCaskill implied this past weekend that she doesn't feel good enough to be Obama's VP."I?m not going to discuss the process," McCaskill said...
Other New Yorker Covers
Posted on July 14, 2008How dare the New Yorker have a cover of Bush as Nero, apparently fiddling while America burns.Or maybe it's just satire, and we should all calm down.
Irony the Tragic Victim of the 2008 Election
Posted on July 14, 2008The New Yorker cover this week indulges all of the prejudices against Obama at once. Here's the description:The cover of the New Yorker magazine depicts a caricature of Sen. Barack Obama as Muslim in the Oval Office with a flag burning in the fireplace and a painting of Osama bin Laden on the wall...
Obama on Abortion
Posted on July 14, 2008This is such a moderate position for a Democrat, but I'm enjoying seeing Obama squirm a little from the far left on this statement:My only point is that in an area like partial-birth abortion having a mental, having a health exception can be defined rigorously...
Beane's a Genius
Posted on July 12, 2008A's win, A's win.Sean Gallagher: 7.0 IP, 7Ks, 2ER.Matt Murton: 1 for 5 (not great) but 2 RBI
Looking Slick
Posted on July 12, 2008ET and I stood in line for 6 hours yesterday for this:Jealous much?
Recognition Where It's Deserved
Posted on July 10, 2008Since January, this blog has garnered about 25,000 hits, added 500 posts, and taken on several authors.I want to express my gratitude to:(1) Publius--though his infrquent posts generally require a lot of research and energy, they are insightful and much appreciated...
Is Your Child Considering Law School?
Posted on July 10, 2008Just got this from Boalt:Dear [wt],Is your child considering law school? Would you like some help with this process?Please join Boalt?s Dean of Admissions, Edward Tom, for a special presentation exclusively for Boalt alums and their families and friends...
New Dean Andal Facebook Group
Posted on July 10, 2008I mentioned a few days ago that Dean Andal, candidate for the Congressional seat in CA-11, didn't have a Facebook Group, despite the fact that his competitor had at least 3.Well, I went ahead and made one. Join if you're interested, and feel free to invite your friends...
Good Name for a Website
Posted on July 10, 2008Get Drunk and Vote For McCain.Kind of reminds me of Kerry Haters for Kerry.The entire KH4K community is filled with a combination of dread and relief -- in other words, roughly what we would have felt if he'd won. But maybe in different proportions.To all who visited and participated, we say: The KH4K cause does not end today...
Ventura Running for Minnesota Senate?
Posted on July 10, 2008Rumor mills are pumping that Jesse Ventura, former Governor of Minnesota, may run for the Senate this fall against Norm Coleman and Al Franken.Here's the numbers breakdown:A recent state poll has Coleman leading with 52 percent of the vote and Franken with 40 percent...
Like "Watusi" With a "B"
Posted on July 09, 2008Speaking of the Batusi, here's an extremely insightful clip.Notice how a few of the opening chords are similar to the ones in this clip.
A's Trade Harden
Posted on July 09, 2008The Oakland A's traded Rich Harden, their best pitcher, to the Chicago Cubs yesterday. In return, they got 4 prospects (the most notable is Matt Murton, who shuttled back and forth between Triple-A and Chicago).I always get a little upset when Beane trades our best or most promising players...
These Words Are My Own
Posted on July 09, 2008I've had Natasha Bedingfield's old song in my head for a few days now, and I haven't yet employed the Highway to the Danger Zone trick to get it out.I listened to the lyrics for the first time over the weekend, and realized it's kind of a sweet love song...
CA-11 McNerney v. Andal
Posted on July 08, 2008Dean Andal is challenging freshman Representative Jerry McNerney (D-CA) in California's 11th congressional district.I went to see if Andal had a Facebook group that I might consider joining, but he doesn't.McNerney, however, has at least 3 that I saw, including "Republicans for McNerney...
Olbermann the New O'Reilly
Posted on July 08, 2008Here's an interesting commentary in the NY Post on Keith Olbermann's Countdown:We're starting to grasp what qualifies one to be named Keith Olbermann's nightly "Worst Person In The World" on his MSNBC show: Anyone who takes a shot, big or small, at Keith Olbermann...
It Reads Like a Satire by the National Review
Posted on July 07, 2008Note: The following post was written by Tuco, but posted by me (wt) because of formatting problems.The New York Times recently described the logistical difficulties the Democrats are having in regards to the convention. The highlight of the story was, for me, the following:A 28-page contract requested by Denver organizers that caterers provide food in ?at least three of the following five colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple and white...
Metaphors We Die By
Posted on July 07, 2008George Lakoff is a Linguistics professor at Berkeley who just wrote a book called "The Political Mind," which suggests that Republicans have been tricking voters with language and that Democrats need to trick the voters better.The NYT has a good review:To dismiss his politics as a brain defect would do him no more justice than he?s done voters...
An Unlikely Pair
Posted on July 07, 2008Jesse Helms and Bono.In his later years in the Senate, Helms proved that he was wasn't entirely inflexible. He worked with Democrats to restructure the foreign policy bureaucracy and pay back debts to the United Nations, an organization he disdained for most of his career...
Obama Plane Makes Unscheduled Landing
Posted on July 07, 2008Wow this is scary. I really hope the guy isn't too shaken up. I would be.The pilot ha[d] announced from the cockpit that the plane experienced a problem maintaining the proper pitch, or control over keeping the nose at the proper angle, as it was taking off from Chicago...
Like Pulling Teeth
Posted on July 07, 2008The McCain Campaign "concedes" that Obama is a Patriot."We don't want to talk about his patriotism and character," said McCain adviser Charlie Black. "We concede that he's a patriot and person of good character. This is about big issues."Better language should probably be chosen guys.
FISA Flip Flops
Posted on July 07, 2008Talking Points Memo has a good summary here.[W]e thought the record of Obama's evolution on the issue should be assembled in one place. Viewing his statements, it's striking how forcefully he argued in the past that the choice between civil liberties and safety is a false one...
Webb Rules Out VP Spot . . . Again
Posted on July 07, 2008Webb's last statement that he had no interest in the Vice Presidency didn't do the trick.He had to reiterate that lack of interest today:?Last week I communicated to Senator Obama and his presidential campaign my firm intention to remain in the United States Senate,' said Webb in a statement...
The Way Forward: Pragmatic, Honest, Pandering
Posted on July 03, 2008WT calls for a true-blue Obama supporter to explain why Obama?s ?incoherent? positions merit enthusiasm. I?ll give it a shot.Obama?s answer to the left?s decades-long draught is simple: sacrifice principle in the name of pragmatism. Or, cribbing Voltaire, don?t let the perfect be the enemy of the good...
Fake Out In Buenos Aries
Posted on July 03, 2008Well, not Buenos Aries literally. More like the jungles of Colombia.Government agents posing as rebels tricked a gang of armed desperados into handing over 15 hostages during a rendezvous deep in Colombia's unforgiving jungle.The Colombian government's bloodless rescue of the hostages Wednesday was the product of a perfectly executed ruse that depended on old-school spy games rather than high-tech gadgetry...
Blue Angels
Posted on July 03, 2008Latest conversation with Tuco and DH:Tuco: The Blue Angels are dicks. 'Sure, it's great to have them warm up over my office building (we're lakeside) - but the constant sonic booms get a bit annoying. Kind of like a Chinese New Year dragon is pretty cool, but if came into your office every five minutes, lobbing firecrackers, you'd probably want it to stop...
2012 Election
Posted on July 03, 2008I know the 2008 election hasn't happened yet, but it's about time we start moving forward with this blog's coverage. All the way to the next Presidential election in 2012.Pablano at FiveThirtyEight.com, an incredibly good site run by a guy (tending left, but eminently fair) who works at Baseball Prospectus, notes what the Electoral College will look like in 2012...
More on Obama's Credibility Gap
Posted on July 02, 2008Slate has a good running tab of the shifts, clarifications, flip-flops, and broken promises of the Obama campaign.In addition to the topics I've discussed, they mention FISA, Social Security reform, and Welfare Reform.I understand the rationale of wanting hope and change...
Predicting the Powell Endorsement of Obama
Posted on July 02, 2008Campaign Spot claims that Powell endorsing McCain would actually be "an enormous upset" for Obama, because the writing on the wall is that he'll endorse Obama.Right now, Powell's going to be largely, if not primarily, remembered as the man who sold the Iraq war at the United Nations...
Annoying the Base
Posted on July 02, 2008I love this comment from Kos:Obama is now clearly not looking much different than every other Democratic politician who has ever turned his or her back on the base in order to prove centrist bona fides. That's not an indictment, just an observation.Now I know there's a contingent around here that things Obama can do no wrong, and he must never be criticized, and if you do, well fuck you! I respect the sentiment, but will respectfully disagree...
McCain Gains Two Critical Endorsements
Posted on July 02, 2008Sure, it looks like Bill Clinton is finally coming around to support Barack Obama.But does Obama have Stephen Baldwin? No.An incredibly big coup for McCain. Baldwin supported President Bush in both 2000 and 2004, when Bush won both elections.But Baldwin is small potatoes...
Video of the Night
Posted on July 02, 2008Petula Clark's "Downtown" auf Deutsch.I like that they don't translate "Downtown" to German.And of course, it triggers in my mind this clip:
Torture But Not That Bad For Torture
Posted on July 02, 2008Christopher Hitchens volunteered to be waterboarded so he could describe it. His main points are:(1) It counts as torture.(2) As torture goes, it's not that bad (see below)(3) We still shouldn't do it because it's tortureWhen contrasted to actual torture, waterboarding is more like foreplay...
Michelle Obama's Fav/Unfav Ratings
Posted on July 02, 2008AP reports she's at 30/35.That's what happens when you make gaffes like these and explain them poorly.
Wes Clark, Presidential Qualifications, and McCain
Posted on July 01, 2008Marc Ambinder has an excellent take on Wes Clark's statement that McCain's "riding" (he was actually piloting, it wasn't a carpool) in a plane that was shot down in Vietnam isn't a qualification for the Presidency.[T]he statement is both patently obvious and patently false...
Almost-Stardom
Posted on July 01, 2008The lives of B-listers, the ones you see in US Weekly at the grocery store, are prominently displayed here:[W]e take a drive with [Spencer] Pratt in [Brody] Jenner?s Mercedes G55 (MSRP: $105,275) down the Pacific Coast Highway, passing Mel Gibson?s house and eventually David Geffen?s...
Obama's Two Contradictions on Gay Rights
Posted on July 01, 20081. He opposes gay marriage and doesn't think such marriages are "real," but applauded the California Supreme Court's decision to legalize it.2. He thinks states should decide whether to legalize gay marriage, and thinks that marriage is between a man and a woman, but opposes California's November Initiative because it's divisive...
Fear-mongering Lieberman?
Posted on July 01, 2008Joe Lieberman is getting called out for fear-mongering regarding a possible terror plot in 2009, during the first year of the new presidency.Here's the video:Seems pretty reasonable to me. That doesn't mean, of course, that there *will* be an attack. It means we need to be especially vigilant next year...
Shadowboxing
Posted on June 30, 2008A friend sent me an email commenting on Wesley Clark's statment that McCain lacks "executive" military experience. Her e-mail was entitled "Good Point" with the following caption: "With all due respect, how does getting tortured qualify as experience?"Such a view depresses me...
Baracktose Intolerance
Posted on June 28, 2008Via Slate: Baracktose intolerant (buh-RAK-tohs in-TOL-er-uhnt) adj. An increasingly common medical condition in which the affected person becomes violently sick in the stomach when exposed to adulation and deification of Barack Obama.
Yoo Testifies On Torture
Posted on June 28, 2008I love this passage regarding my old boss, and Professor: Ellison wants to know whether the legal advice was implemented that reduced the definition of torture to acts that damage a suspect's internal organs. By which he means, Did interrogators use the tactics allowed by Yoo's theory of the law? The answer to this, of course, is yes, and to know that answer, all Yoo would have to admit is that he reads the newspaper...
1 Vote Away From a Police State
Posted on June 27, 2008I don't own a gun, and have only shot one for practice once or twice. But I'm pretty conscious of the right to own guns, both for hunting and self-defense purposes. This morning, the Supreme Court struck down Washington D.C.'s handgun ban, ruling that the right to bear arms is an individual right, and that guns could be kept to protect the right to self-defense...
When Did This Happen?
Posted on June 27, 2008North Korea is our buddy again? After famously declaring North Korea part of the ?axis of evil? in 2002, the administration abruptly reversed course on Thursday and announced it was lifting trade sanctions and removing the nation from the terrorism blacklist, after North Korea turned over an account of its nuclear work to the Chinese...
Dumb Comments Flourish
Posted on June 27, 2008Grover Norquist on Barack Obama: "John Kerry with a tan." So idiotic and offensive. Why bring race into the discussion by alluding to the fact that Obama has darker skin than Kerry? What purpose does that serve? How is this valuable? Why not the John Kerry of Chicago, or the Jimmy Carter of the new century? Anything but race or religion guys.
Obama Reversal On Guns
Posted on June 27, 2008I mentioned yesterday how the 5 conservative members of the Supreme Court saved the Second Amendment. And I also mentioned how both McCain and Obama expressed support for the decision. But watch 1:21 to 1:31 on this clip. Obama appears to say the exact opposite of what he said yesterday (The Supreme Court got it exactly right)...
Awards for Subtelty In Music?
Posted on June 27, 2008Lately I've been listening to a lot of Neil Young's old music. Pandora associates it with Cat Stevens, so creating a Cat Stevens station meant that Neil Young music was also on cue. And it is super good. Much more than just Heart of Gold. Heart of Gold is awesome, sure, but it's a little bland after you listen to a few of the less commercial songs...
Go Dogs
Posted on June 26, 2008We are all Fresnans today.Congratulations to Fresno State, which last night won the College World Series in baseball. (Think the March Madness tournament, but with bats and gloves instead of nets).Fresno State was forecast to be a Top 25 team coming into the season, but the Bulldogs lost 12 of their first 20 games...
Cat Fight (Michelle and Scarlett)
Posted on June 25, 2008I'm curious what Michelle Obama's reaction was to the story underlying this post, which had starlet Scarlett claiming to have frequent email communication with the Senator.Probably not friendly. And it sounds like Barack wants to make sure he doesn't sleep on the couch again...
Obama as Urkel
Posted on June 25, 2008Last night, comedian D.L. Hughley compared Obama to Urkel at the BET awards."He does look like the dude from 'Mad' magazine," Hughley joked of the Democratic presidential nominee in an interview with AP Television. "It's so funny because he ain't a cool dude to me...
What is Obama's 50 State Campaign Like?
Posted on June 25, 2008Describing Obama's 50-state campaign in this article, Republican Strategist Alex Castellanos made this analogy."He is not trying to cobble together the old Democratic coalition of interest groups and get 48 percent like John Kerry," Alex Castellanos, a Republican media consultant, said in an e-mail message...
The Dream Supreme vs. Reality
Posted on June 25, 2008Justice Anthony Kennedy appropriately enough wrote for the majority today in Kennedy vs Lousiana, inappropriately ruling that raping a child is not "proportional" enough a crime to get the hot shot. In other, but unfortunately fake, news today, the Dream Supreme Court ruled the death penalty totally badass: Supreme Court Rules Death Penalty Is 'Totally Badass'I am often befuddled by the Deep South but here is an instance where I am enamored of their steadfastness in the face of gibberish-spewing, child-rapist-loving Yankees...
Obama's Fresno Deficit to McCain
Posted on June 24, 2008It's a well-known fact that victory in the state of California runs through the Central Valley, and its jewel -- Fresno.Well, maybe not *well known*, or a "fact," per se, but certainly an educated guess on my part that I haven't confirmed.John McCain has certainly recognized the importance of Fresno, as he visited the city yesterday to make an important energy speechCurious, I e-mailed one of the directors of the Democrats in Fresno group, Gary Shuster, who let me know that Obama hasn't yet come to Fresno...
More Consequences of Opting Out
Posted on June 21, 2008The benefits of opting out of the FEC's campaign finance system are so numerous -- being able to raise unlimited funds, donate cash to down-ticket campaigns that can float your message, compete in states that otherwise wouldn't be in play, etc. -- that the negative consequences of opting out should also be pointed out...
What Are the Odds?
Posted on June 20, 2008Ok, Obama fans, here's some McCain-panders-to-his-audience fodder for you.The predictable lede [is] bound to irk some on the right:Republican presidential John McCain assured Hispanic leaders he would push through Congress legislation to overhaul federal immigration laws if elected, several people who attended a private meeting with the candidate said Thursday...
Brooks on Obama
Posted on June 20, 2008It starts "God Republicans are saps" and ends with this:I have to admit, I?m ambivalent watching all this. On the one hand, Obama did sell out the primary cause of his professional life, all for a tiny political advantage. If he?ll sell that out, what won?t he sell out? On the other hand, global affairs ain?t beanbag...
Obama apologizes to Muslim Women
Posted on June 20, 2008Tuco posted here about the shameful incident involving two staffers who excluded Muslim women from a special seating area behind Obama because of their headscarves.I'm still pretty interested as to whether these staffers have been found, fired, or blacklisted for their racism...
Obama's New Ad
Posted on June 20, 2008Here's your morning video:Notable for where it's not playing: Minnesota and New JerseyAnd for where it is: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia...
The Love Guru
Posted on June 20, 2008Mike Myers has turned so establishment that there's not much left of the guy who entertained us with So I Married An Axe Murderer.It's like Darth Vader in Episode 6. You can tell there's still good in him, but he's more machine than man now.His latest, The Guru, just got slammed by the NYT:To say that the movie is not funny is merely to affirm the obvious...
Another Barack-track
Posted on June 19, 2008I wrote here about Obama's very troublesome backtrack (let's call them Barack-tracks) on Israel. Apparently the result of naivete, Obama has upset both Israelis and Palestinians regarding Jerusalem.And here's another backtrack, this time on NAFTA:"Sometimes during campaigns the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified," he conceded, after I reminded him that he had called NAFTA "devastating" and "a big mistake," despite nonpartisan studies concluding that the trade zone has had a mild, positive effect on the U...
Double Rainbow
Posted on June 19, 2008As people left Tim Russert's memorial service at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today, a Double Rainbow appeared in the sky.
Baracktrack Number 3
Posted on June 19, 2008Obama opts out of public financing, after indicating last year, and this year, that he would agree with McCain to enter into the system.I actually think public financing of elections is a terrible idea, and commend Obama for raising money only from supporters who want to give to him...
Is Public Financing Broken?
Posted on June 19, 2008Obama says "Yes."In a video distributed to his supporters, Obama justified his decision by declaring that "the public financing of presidential elections as it exists today is broken."Feingold says "No.""While the current public financing system for the presidential primaries is broken, the system for the general election is not...
The Consequences of Opting Out
Posted on June 19, 2008AP slams Obama.Your Democratic colleagues (Feingold) call you out.Even left-leaning commentators acknowledge your lack of scruples.Actually, the truth is pretty plain, as almost all of the reports today will reflect. Barack Obama did not pursue aggressive negotiations with the McCain campaign over the public financing system for the general election...
"Profiling We Can Believe in"
Posted on June 18, 2008Politico is reporting that two Michigan Muslim supporters of Obama were barred from sitting on the podium behind Barack in order to hide their headscarves from the cameras. The campaign has denied this, instead stating that head gear of any kind, including baseball caps, are not allowed in the special backdrop section, and any request to remove the head scarves was not motivated by concern over the supporters' religion...
Prelude to a Beatdown
Posted on June 18, 2008If you think this is bad news for John McCain, try this one on for size:Florida: Obama edges McCain 47 - 43 percent; Ohio: Obama tops McCain 48 - 42 percent;Pennsylvania: Obama leads McCain 52 - 40 percent. And a new age dawns.
Cheney Interviewed By Walters
Posted on June 18, 2008Cheney should have known better than to leave McCain in the same position Nixon left him in in 1976.Also of note, but unrelated: at the time of this interview, Barbara Walters was messing around with Senator Edward Brooke (R-MA).Hat Tip: Tuco
Obama's Terrorist Ties
Posted on June 18, 2008A member of the Tennessee Democratic Executive Committee said, regarding Obama, that:I'm not sure we know enough about him. He's got some bad connections, and he may be terrorist connected for all I can tell. It sounds kind of like he may be.My first instinct, like this HuffPo post, was to sort of gasp and express surprise...
1968 Election -- Nixon over Humphrey
Posted on June 18, 2008We forget how close the popular vote was in 1968 because Nixon won the Electoral College by a landslide over Humphrey.Here's your video for the night:And here's the map of the election. A little under 40 years ago. (Nixon wins Illinois, California, Vermont, Wisconsin)...
Eye Roll for Israel
Posted on June 18, 2008Obama told an AIPAC meeting a few weeks ago that he wanted to see an "undivided" Jerusalem. That was big news to Jews and Zionists, who recognize the word "undivided" to mean that a future Palestinian state, if it comes into existence, won't have its capitol in East Jerusalem (such that West Jerusalem would remain in Israeli hands)...
Don't Count the Lakers Out
Posted on June 17, 2008Down 3-2, the Lakers have their backs against the wall in Boston tomorrow night. And if they win tomorrow night, they have their backs against the wall *again* on Thursday, again in Boston.But does not that mean the series is over? Not so fast.Like weary partygoers who awaken at last call, the Lakers and their fans lifted their heads Sunday night and together offered one last howling toast to the improbable...
Taking Russert Down a Notch?
Posted on June 17, 2008Slate likes to take the opposite position of the Conventional Wisdom.Generally, that's a very entertaining and interesting starting point for their articles.But on the subject of the death of a great journalist, I think it's a little unseemly to write this...
Kick this Vendor Out
Posted on June 17, 2008Racist vendors at the Texas Republican State Convention:At the Republican state convention, a booth hosted by Republicanmarket was selling a pin Saturday that says: If Obama is President will we still call it the White House.I hope this vendor has no actual ties to the party other than buying a booth at the convention, but it's critical that the vendor be removed immediately and strictly monitored at future events.
Ohio Poll 50-39 for Obama
Posted on June 17, 2008Bad news in this poll for McCain. He's losing 50-39 in Ohio.McCain can lose Ohio and still win if he flips New Hampshire and holds onto the rest of Bush's states.The problem is that that probably won't happen. McCain's going to have a terrible time holding onto Iowa, where Obama got his primary boost back in January...
Totally *Do* Count the Lakers Out
Posted on June 17, 2008Sorry, yesterday when I said don't count the Lakers out, I was incorrect. Go ahread and count them out.They're down by 23 at the half.
I Just Solved the Most Troubling Problem of Our Times
Posted on June 16, 2008You long time readers know I get songs stuck in my head pretty frequently. Here's my experience with Neil Young, and here's the Jane's Addiction addiction.But I just solved the problem of earworm for our generation.I start with two premises:1. When a song becomes stuck in your head, you can usually push it out by putting a DIFFERENT song in your head...
Another Hillary E-Mail
Posted on June 16, 2008Just got an e-mail from Hillary with a photo album from the campaign.I hope you'll take a moment to view our online album with some favorite photos from the campaign. Thank you so much -- I'll be in touch soon. Nice enough. But what was linked within the e-mail? A big "CONTRIBUTE" button...
"Yes We Can" Wins Emmy
Posted on June 16, 2008The Will.i.am video won an emmy for "New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment."Uh, it's not clear why the video counts as "daytime" entertainment.But it *is* evidence that Obama doesn't want to just win the White House. He and his supporters will stop at nothing until they have the Oscar for Best Picture, the most improved little league player award for 1996-97, and the trophy for winning RedBook's annual best chili competition...
Hard to Run Away From Your Brother
Posted on June 16, 2008McCain has a tough enough time dealing with Bush fatigue.But Bush mentioning his brother, Jeb, as a possible presidential candidate, certainly sounds like a pipedream right now.And I can hear Jeb saying here, George, I'm begging you, please don't mention my name as a possible candidate right now...
Obama Hires Solis Doyle
Posted on June 16, 2008Obama has named Patti Solis Doyle the Chief of Staff to whomever his future Vice Presidential running mate may be.Solis Doyle was fired by Clinton back in February, in the string of those 12 primary losses in a row."'Who can blame Obama for rewarding Patti? He would never be the nominee without her,? one person who has worked for both Clintons and remains close to them said...
Russert's Last Interview
Posted on June 13, 2008This morning.Msnbc: Do you think Lindsey Graham might be on the ticket with John McCain?Russert: I think he?s on the list. South Carolina is a solid state, but McCain really likes his passion and his ability to be on the attack against the Democrats on these foreign policy issues...
Tim Russert, Class Act
Posted on June 13, 2008I am so sad. Tim Russert, 58, has passed away.In the competition for the political commentator who embarrasses himself most, Ezra Klein goes up a notch.Also, Tim Russert's dad apparently survives him. So damn sad.
Mark It Down, Redux: My Prediction for the 2008 Presidential Election
Posted on June 12, 2008I'm predicting McCain, by the slimmest of margins.Looking to the states that were decided by 5 percent or less back in 2004, I say ...Obama picks up Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.McCain, meanwhile, takes New Mexico, Ohio, Missori, Iowa, and Florida...
Michigan Sliding Back to Obama
Posted on June 12, 2008After McCain had the better of 3 polls, Obama is up by 3 in the latest.This is really bad for McCain, because, as I wrote here, the election will come down to who wins Michigan (unless, of course, McCain can pull off a crazy upset in Pennsylvania).
Olbermann Goes Farther off the Reservation
Posted on June 12, 2008Katie Couric the worst person in the world? Really?This guy isn't a journalist, nor is he even good at delivering the news, unless you really like your news with a heavy helping of political slantedness and agenda. Just look at how he describes Katie Couric not naming the actual reporter she was discussing when she said the media was biased in favor of Obama...
Department of the Obvious
Posted on June 11, 2008How many people are get emails from Scarlett Johansson and just putting them into their trash boxes immediately? I guess a lot. Because she's having a lot of trouble understanding why Barack Obama always replies to her emails:His replies have been thoughtful, she says, more than a brief line or two; on the ABC debate, he responded that the questioning was ?difficult? and he was being pounded on ?one silly question after another...
Take a Chance on McCain?
Posted on June 11, 2008The weirdest page of the McCain '08 website.Attention disaffected Hillary supporters, John McCain is a huge ABBA fan. Seriously.McCain's previous ABBA obsession discussed here.
The Best Look in the World
Posted on June 11, 2008This morning I was sitting on the bed with a dress shirt, black socks, and no pants on. Surely, I thought, this must be the best look in the world. I was right.
More on the Hezbollah-Style Fist Jabbing
Posted on June 05, 2008Yesterday I posted the video of the "fist bump" between Barack and Michelle Obama. Thinking about it more last night, I realized it was sweeter and even more loving than previously thought.First, it's understated. Like, good job winning the Democratic nomination for President dude, after 17 months of grueling campaigning...
A Sweet Couple
Posted on June 04, 2008Check out the :07 mark in this video, where Barack and Michelle bump fists. It's one of the sweetest gestures I've seen in a while.The media is struggling with what to call the gesture. My favorite is "closed-fisted high-five.?
Clinton Comeback in South Dakota?
Posted on June 03, 2008Tracking Intrade this afternoon, I noticed that Obama-to-win-South-Dakota stocks plummeted from the mid-90's to the mid-50's. That's a huge swing, and one that no one I've been following expected.So what's driving Obama's stocks swoon? Well, an ARG poll showing Clinton up by 26 points in the state!Can this be right? Is Clinton going to make a final surprise in the Badlands state? Prior polls showed Obama with a double-digit lead...
2008 Interactive Map
Posted on June 02, 2008This map is awesome. I've been using it a lot to run down some scenarios.The bad news for McCain? It looks like he's going to need to win Michigan to win the presidency. No easy feat, but it does look like he's leading there now.Why do I say this? Simple math...
What the Eff is Going at Trinity
Posted on May 30, 2008The White Wright:"When Hillary was crying, and people said that was put on, I really don't believe it was put on. I really believe that she just always thought, 'this is mine. I'm Bill's wife. I'm white, and this is mine. I just gotta get up and step into the plate...
Obama-McCaskill 2008
Posted on May 29, 2008Speaking of Vice Presidents, one of the names mentioned is Claire McCaskill, the newly elected Missouri Senator who unseated Jim Talent in 2006.One problem, however, is that she has a sexual crush on Barack Obama. Seriously. Check out this photo.A second problem is that McCaskill apparently has shit for self-esteem...
Flight of the Conchords
Posted on May 29, 2008I saw Flight of the Conchords last night at the Nob Hill Masonic Center in SF. It was a very good show, and I knew most of the music. One exception, however is this song.It's a little long, and requires attention to detail. So sit down and relax and enjoy it.
What Kind of Sex is Tucker Carlson Having?
Posted on May 29, 2008Regarding the process whereby Obama and McCain pick their Vice President, Tucker Carlson had this to say:The VP story is a little bit like sex,? observes Tucker Carlson, the writer and NBC political analyst who falls into the skeptic column. ?When it?s happening, you?re totally focused on it, it?s all you want...
Blizzard Man Video
Posted on May 28, 2008Hulu is awesome. At least one of the Blizzard Man videos I mentioned here, long since removed by NBC, are available again. Here's the Ludacris sketch.
Obama as Gaffe Machine
Posted on May 27, 2008A rare look at Obama's gaffes from the MSM:One reason why Obama may be so forgiving (even if his campaign was not) about Sen. Hillary Clinton's assassination reference?The man has been a one-man gaffe machine.It's kind of refreshing to see *someone* in the MSM look at Obama's gaffe every now and again, even if it's rare.
Obama's Soviet Uncle
Posted on May 27, 2008Check out this report from CBS:Obama also spoke about his uncle, who was part of the American brigade that helped to liberate Auschwitz. He said the family legend is that, upon returning from war, his uncle spent six months in an attic.Except the Red Army liberated Auschwitz, which is in Poland...
Another Injustice, Another Petition
Posted on May 18, 2008If you love Dacquiri Ice Baskin Robbins ice cream, hold on to your effing hat, because it's gone.Yes, Baskin Robbins DISCONTINUED Dacquiri Ice, and has apparently replaced it with a worse-tasting version of a Lime Ice flavor.People are organizing. Sign the petition to bring the original Dacquiri Ice flavor back.
Gaza Youth Phonebank for Obama
Posted on May 14, 2008Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are phonebanking for Obama.I'm not saying Obama can't win Florida, a state Gore nearly won in 2000. I'm just saying Obama will certainly lose the Sunshine State. Wait, that's the same thing.
Every Member For Themselves
Posted on May 14, 2008Congressional districts are a mix of semi-competitive and very safe geographic areas for their incumbents. Flipping a seat is an incredibly tough job, both because of the demographics of a district and because of the incumbency advantage that may carry over to the next candidate in the same party...
West Virginia Predictions
Posted on May 13, 2008Hillary is polling between 15 and 43 points ahead of Obama, so I think I'm safe predicting a victory for her in the Wild and Wonderful State.I'll call it in the high 20's. Probably 26 to 29 points in favor of Hillary.Still, even that kind of victory will net her only a handful of delegates.
Hard to Resell this Car
Posted on May 13, 2008Hillmobile.I wonder if I can get a Buckley or Churchill car.
Andy's Excuse
Posted on May 12, 2008I paid 1.99 on iTunes to buy this sketch last year. Now it's free on Hulu.Brilliantly done.
John Mayer is Humorous
Posted on May 09, 2008John Mayer shows you how a song is made.Makin' Music with John Mayer on FunnyOrDie.comHilarious. How about something we can all relate to?
Hillary's Last Chance
Posted on May 08, 2008I thought of this yesterday, but didn't have the time to post it.Hillary needs to go all out in Oregon. The theory is better stated here.[T]here is one last chance for the Clinton campaign: make Oregon definitive. Everyone knows she's going to win Kentucky and West Virginia...
Obama to "Declare Victory" May 20
Posted on May 08, 2008After losing West Virginia and Kentucky, but winning Oregon handily, Obama plans to "declare victory" on May 20th.Obama will not reach the 2,025 magic number on May 20. Rather, on that date he is all but certain to hit a different threshold?1,627 pledged delegates, which would constitute a winning majority among the 3,253 total pledged delegates if Florida and Michigan are not included...
Intrade Success
Posted on May 07, 2008In all the action that happened last night, it's easy to forget about some things. Like the fact that I made hella money.1. In all the flux as Lake County was waiting to come in, I sold my Obama-wins-Indiana stock for 4.50 a share (I bought it for less than 4)...
Paul Hastings is Going to Eat It
Posted on May 06, 2008Word from ATL is that they fired an attorney 6 days after she miscarried. This, after giving her a great performance review the year before and purportedly trying to knock her down a little this year.Amazing how far this travels once it gets posted on ATL...
Your Morning Conversation
Posted on May 06, 2008Tuco: Hey. Who can lift more? Me or a gorilla? WT: Free weights or bench press? Tuco: Bench.WT: Well, it's close either way. But I've got to say you.Tuco: not in pounds, but in kgsWT: Just because of the gorilla's inevitable confusion at the act of benchpressingTuco: interesting...
More Hannah Montana: Materialism and Child Stardom
Posted on May 06, 2008Miley Cyrus's recent controversy is nothing, says Slate, compared to her show itself, which is essentially materialism brought to life in short chunks for kids:Once, sitcoms taught kids to be true to themselves by showing what happened when, say, Greg Brady thought about cheating on a test, or how Sandy and Bud's adventures with Flipper shaped their character...
Jesus, Where to Begin
Posted on May 05, 2008The Eight Belles/Hillary comparison was cliche before it was ever stated.Here's Wonkette's Take:Jesus, Where to Begin: Hillary Clinton's pick to win horse racing's Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles ? the only female horse in the race ? finished second, broke both front ankles, and subsequently was put to death on the track...
Camel Toads
Posted on May 05, 2008Here's a hilarious letter from a woman inquiring about "Camel Toads." Snopes confirms the letter's authenticity.Hat tip: Stacita
Just Like Grandma and the Black Community
Posted on May 04, 2008Obama disowned Reverend Wright this week. Something he said he never could do.Great line:[I]t?s a bit like Churchill promising to fight them on the beaches and never surrender, and then surrendering a month and a half later, and on a beach he decided not to fight on...
Experience Counts, Judgment Matters
Posted on May 04, 2008Hillary as the Titanic.Brutal, especially with the music and break off of "experience," but quite humorous.
NC is Must Win For Clinton
Posted on May 04, 2008If I had to guess now, I'd say Clinton will win Indiana. Those intrade stocks I bragged about here are trading below 20%.But Indiana doesn't do much for her. It gives her a reason to keep going. It gives her another infusion of cash. Nothing to sneeze at, sure...
The Popular Vote and "But He Wasn't On the Ballot."
Posted on May 03, 2008I know this sounds crazy, but I think Hillary is right about counting the popular vote.By saying that, I mean two things:(1) When she wants to persuade superdelegates to vote for her, she has a very defensible claim that they should consider the popular vote in making their decisions; and;(2) The media should accurately report the popular vote without saying "if you include Michigan and Florida...
Hillary <3 Guam
Posted on May 03, 2008The Guam primary is today. I bet you didn't know that.4 delegates (8 half delegates) are up for grabs.Hillary makes the ultimate pander -- giving Guamians(?) full voting rights as U.S. Citizens. It's unclear what that means, but I assume it means giving them rights at least equal to those of D...
Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold
Posted on May 03, 2008One of the greatest tragedies in the world is seeing a professor leave Berkeley to teach at Stanford. It's like saying, "Yeah, I liked Berkeley enough to teach there and become a part of the community. But now I choose to [expletive] on it and betray the school for personal interest...
7 Votes
Posted on May 03, 2008Obama wins Guam by 7 votes.Hillary congratulates Obama, discusses the plight of Guamanians.WAIT. We're going to have a RECOUNT in Guam. Hillary won a huge margin in the most populous village of Dededo, so any recount probably benefits her, just because of numbers.
Hannah Montana and the Christian Coaltion
Posted on April 30, 2008Miley Cyrus has upset the Christian Coalition.After agreeing to a risque photo shoot with Vanity Fair's Annie Liebovitz (of Demi Moore pregnancy fame), she will be on the cover of VF this month wearing only a blanket. Cyrus is 15.Disney, Cyrus's business partner, was up in arms, as was the Christian coalition...
If Looks Could Kill Poster
Posted on April 29, 2008Only about 12 minutes left on this auction. I'm considering bidding, but I have no idea what I'd do with a poster from a 1991 movie with Richard Grieco in it.In any event, we're up to 7 signatures on the petition to get the movie released on DVD. The goal is 10,000 by the end of the day...
That's What She Said
Posted on April 28, 2008Clinton wants another NC debate with Obama. Host Norah O?Donnell turned the audience?s attention to Clinton?s repeated calls for a 22nd debate with Sen. Barack Obama. She then showed a video clip in which Clinton said: ?We could even do it on the back of a flatbed truck, doesn?t even have to be in some fancy studio somewhere...
The Final Countdown
Posted on April 28, 2008This video could save your life.Here's the band's website.
Obama's Tuzla
Posted on April 28, 2008When Hillary was caught embellishing her Tuzla story, the media lampooned her for a few days or weeks and then let it drop. And then, out of nowhere, Bill Clinton brought it back up, made MORE misstatements, and refocused the media on it for an extra day or two...
If Looks Could Kill Petition
Posted on April 25, 2008A Bond parody. A high-school comedy. Richard Grieco. Linda Hunt. Incredible acting.Surely, I must be talking about 4-5 different and independent movies.No. Just one. 1991's If Looks Could Kill. I went to buy it on DVD today and, lo and behold, there IS NO DVD VERSION...
Obama up in Indiana Primary
Posted on April 25, 2008An Indiana poll was released today that contains partial samples from post-Pennsylvania dates.Obama: 41Hillary: 38And my intrade stocks on Obama to win Indiana are skyrocketing.But Obama followers can't get too excited. First, 21% of the voters were undecided...
Shakira's Hips Don't Lie (To Congress)
Posted on April 24, 2008Shakira testified on Capitol Hill the other day, in favor of the (very controversial) Global Campaign for Education.The diminutive pop sensation was predictably mobbed from the moment she stepped off the elevator, as a flood of TV cameras, intern autograph seekers and hangers-on all surged toward her ? wherever, whenever...
Abercrombiegate
Posted on April 24, 2008I mentioned the three dudes decked out in A & F gear behind Obama at his concession speech last night.Two important updates:(1) Obama says they had nothing to do with it.(2) A & F says they had nothing to do with it.My guess -- people who love A & F clothes stick together and go to political rallies together...
Obama in the Pocket of Big Douchebag
Posted on April 24, 2008Colbert on Abercrombiegate:Also a good comparison of Hillary's campaign to the War in Iraq.Hat tip: Maisnon
Hillary Crushing in Michigan
Posted on April 24, 2008The Detroit News published this article today about how Hillary is totally working all the angles and pulling out all the stops to crush Obama in delegates in Michigan:It's becoming apparent that Obama should have consented to a revote here. He certainly wouldn't have lost by 15 percentage points or more; polls have pegged the pair in a dead heat...
Pennsylvania Results
Posted on April 23, 2008The rule to making predictions is when you get it wrong, ignore it, but when you get it right, milk it.Hillary wins by 10. Just as I called it this morning.
Abercrombie & Fitch Endorses Obama
Posted on April 23, 2008I have no idea how this happened, but there were 3 obnoxious dudes wearing A & F clothing right behind Obama during his concession speech tonight.Everyone at the primary party at my house immediately noticed it. As did many others, apparently.Brilliant product placement I guess...
Snark from Obama's Campaign Manager
Posted on April 23, 2008David Plouffe this morning, re Clinton's 2.5 million raised last night:"I guess they can now begin to pay off some of their vendors," which "their vendors will be pleased about."Snap.
Baracky: The Movie
Posted on April 22, 2008Great video. But remember, Rocky lost. Which I guess is pretty much the Pennsylvania story for Obama. He's been tenacious, gritty, and gotten close to winning.But he'll come up just short in the primary,Except coming up just short is actually really good for Obama, whereas it wasn't the greatest outcome for Rocky.
Predictions: Pennsylvania
Posted on April 22, 2008In Ohio seven weeks ago, the RCP average had Hillary's lead down to 6 points, with the last poll giving her a tie with Obama.She won by 10 points.In Pennsylvania, the RCP average is 6.1, with the latest poll giving her a 7 point lead.I'm going to say Clinton wins by the same margin she did in Ohio -- 10 points.
Middle Names
Posted on April 22, 2008Some left-leaning bloggers are using, and suggesting that the candidates use, John McCain's middle name so as to insult him -- Sidney.This tactic was used, apparently, to great effect, in 2006 during the Virginia Senate race between Jim Webb and George "Felix" Allen...
Matzoh Shortage in the Bay Area
Posted on April 21, 2008There is no Matzoh to be found in the Bay Area. I haven't been able to find it anywhere -- Safeway, Mollie Stone's, etc. Rumor is there is a shortage. I can certainly attest to this.Fortunately, I had one box in my cupboard from a few months ago. I used this tonight to make several matzho pizzas and a couple of PB & J matzoh sandwiches...
Obama References Jay-Z
Posted on April 21, 2008I missed this Jay-Z reference on the campaign trail a few days ago.After conceding that the Philly debate was tough, he brushed the imaginary lint of Hillary, George and Charlie from his shoulders, in a wordless reference to Jay-Z?s lyrics in his anthem about not letting anyone crimp your ride as you cruise from the bottom to the top: ?Got some, dirt on my shoulder, could you brush it off for me...
More info on the Matzoh Shortage
Posted on April 21, 2008Looks like there are two big culprits:(1) Trader Joe's and Costco decided not to carry it this year."Much of the holiday revolves around matzo, though some bigger chain stores like Costco and Trader Joe's decided not to carry it this year. There are reports that other grocery chains, like Safeway, are running out of matzo...
Wherein I am Behind the Times
Posted on April 21, 2008I finally got around to watching this viral video from 50 years ago. Not bad:
Useful Questions for Voters
Posted on April 19, 2008NRO lists some helpful questions for voters considering who pull the lever for this November:(1) Do you, personally, know anyone who has ever tried to blow up the Pentagon? Do you know of anyone who actually brags that they did, successfully, plant and detonate a bomb at the Pentagon?(2) Do you, personally, know anyone has ever planned to blow up an officer's dance at a military base, say, Fort Dix?(3) Do you, personally, know anyone who has gotten someone killed in an explosion because of their actions?(4) Even if these bombings and attempted bombings occurred forty years ago, is that the sort of thing you could forgive, and/or dismiss? Do you believe that assembling a bomb, and intending to kill police, members of the military, and ordinary innocent civilians is the sort of thing that should be considered "water under the bridge" once enough time has passed?(5) Could you shake hands with this person? Go to a party at their house? Accept a donation from them? If you knew this about a person, could you look at them and forget that they gathered the explosives, assembled the wires and the parts, scoped out their target, planted it, and watched it detonate with excitement?(6) Do you relate to having people like that in your social circle?No, I don't, either.
I'll take that trade, actually
Posted on April 19, 2008Obama's people are slamming McCain for, of all things, not denouncing someone he doesn't associate himself with or consider an ally.If McCain believes, as he has said, that 'these are God's children,' he should not stand by silently as Tancredo or anyone else in the Republican Party continues using immigrants as scapegoats or playing politics with immigration legislation...
We Can Never Talk About Issues Again
Posted on April 18, 2008Senator Obama seemed to complain yesterday that issues Americans care about were lost in the debate on 4/16. Because the moderators spent 45 minutes asking questions about character and honesty, he noted, that took time from a real discussion of the issues...
Obama's Debate Performance, 4/16
Posted on April 18, 2008The consensus amongst Republicans after Obama's Wednesday night debate performance is pretty much chipper. Once worried, nay, terrified, about an Obama campaign, the GOP is growing more comfortable with the McCain-Obama race.Here's David Brooks:He sprinkled his debate performance Wednesday night with the sorts of fibs, evasions and hypocrisies that are the stuff of conventional politics...
McCain Girls are a Hoax
Posted on April 15, 2008Wow. This is depressing. The McCain Girls aren't really staunch McCain supporters, but working for a group partly owned by the Huffington Post.Slate takes HuffPo to task for not revealing their connection to the McCain Girls before promoting them.Huffington has every right to advertise its own product?Slate does it with SlateV every day?but it needs to make clear where the content is coming from...
50 Greatest Sketches of All Time
Posted on April 15, 2008I'm not sure I agree with the rankings here, but Nerve has picked up some amazing video of a lot of great classic sketch comedy.It's good to see a nice scattering of Mr. Show, Kids in the Hall, the State, and Saturday Night Live in the mix. I was a little surprised not to see more recent SNL stuff, but I guess the Digital shorts might not technically count as "sketch" comedy...
Passover Diet
Posted on April 15, 2008Passover is coming up this weekend. It's probably the hardest time of the year for me, religiously. Still, it was a lot harder for the Israelites to be slaves in Egypt for 400 years. So comparatively, I'm getting off pretty easy.Here's my post from two years ago detailing the restrictions on Jews' diets...
Rock of Love II is Over; Sadness Ensues
Posted on April 15, 2008Ambre beats Daisy in the finals of Rock of Love Two.The show finally comes to an end after a long 11 weeks of competition. I definitely didn't see Ambre winning at the beginning -- nor did Bret, since he almost eliminated her on the first episode.Of course, I'm rooting for Bret and Ambre to find happiness...
If You Like Good Causes
Posted on April 15, 2008With tax season being over today, it's a good time to start preparing your charitable donations for next year.One easy way you can start the year (or, really, the second quarter) off right is by visiting Maisnon's hiking page, wherein she is raising a substantial amount of money to help Leukemia research (anti-Leukemia)...
Free the Jefferson 1
Posted on April 13, 2008A group of clever libertarian youths tried to have a dance party on the steps of the Jefferson monument, or order to celebrate his birthday.Everyone brought an iPod and danced to themselves for 10 minutes from 11:55 PM to 12:05 AM.Except DC police broke it up...
The Counterpunch
Posted on April 13, 2008I worried before about bittergate, mostly because it betrayed a certain dismissive liberal superiority that Obama has so far avoided. McCain and Clinton jumped all over it. But here's the counterpunch. It diffuses the criticism then hits back pretty hard...
Bigger than Wright?
Posted on April 12, 2008I don't know that this will be a bigger problem for Obama than Reverend Wright, but it should be, because it is a real gaffe.First of all, don't listen to those who say Obama was "just telling the truth." What he said was not a simple truth, but a complicated speculation about the social forces that give rise to political views, particularly those of the poor...
Get Me More White People
Posted on April 11, 2008Obama is racially profiling his followers now.While the crowd was indeed diverse, some students at the event questioned the practices of Mrs. Obama?s event coordinators, who handpicked the crowd sitting behind Mrs. Obama.The Tartan?s correspondents observed one event coordinator say to another, ?Get me more white people, we need more white people...
Obama Makes a Joke about his Vibrating Penis
Posted on April 11, 2008Awkward situation in Indiana yesterday.[Obama] was posing for a photograph with two waitresses and the restaurant?s owner. When he leaned in for the picture, touching his leg to one of the older women, he suddenly cracked a smile.?That?s my phone buzzing there,? he said, gesturing to his right pocket...
McCain Girls Sequel
Posted on April 11, 2008This video went up a few days ago, but it was taken down quickly. Now it's back up. Watch it before it goes down again.It's not totally clear why McCain is a ghost at 2:00. And then becomes a star at the end of the video. Is that a comment on his age?
Pelosi Outflanks Bush on Free Trade Colombia
Posted on April 10, 2008Bush, frustrated with the slow pace of the congressional legislation process (how long has he been President?), went ahead and sent the Colombia trade bill to the House without Speaker Pelosi's approval. This was a big surprise to her.Both sides have been at loggerheads over the deal for months, prompting Bush to take the rare step of sending the deal to Capitol Hill on Tuesday without the speaker?s blessing, becoming the first president ever to do so since the establishment of the fast track rules...
Torch Running
Posted on April 10, 2008This is the planning model the Olympic crew used to navigate San Francisco yesterday.
Obama's Knockout Blow in Pennsylvania
Posted on April 09, 2008Do not underestimate two things:1. Obama's talent at retail politics, even amongst a demographically unfriendly environment.2. The desire of rank-and-file Democrats to end the race for this nomination.For the first time in weeks, it's looking like Obama is building momentum in Pennsylvania, and may actually take the state...
Concert Violinist Plays L'Enfant Plaza
Posted on April 08, 2008This article won a Pulitzer yesterday.It's a very long piece, but at least the beginning is worth a skim.The WashPo took a famed concert violinist, had him play Bach's most difficult piece on his 1710 Stradivarius, and put him in the center of the Metro station in DC...
The Memphis Tigers are Rumpelstilzkin
Posted on April 08, 2008Not the miller's daughter. The Kansas Jayhawks guessed their name tonight, 75-68 in OT.It was an incredible game. Crowds of people gathered around the televisions at the gym to watch the last few minutes of the game. Pretty thrilling.And if anyone is curious, I had Kansas beating Memphis in the finals in my work bracket...
SoYouWantToBeALawClerk
Posted on April 08, 2008This new website is up for those of you aspiring to federal clerkships. I definitely recommend the experience if you're considering it.The WSJ Law Blog interviewed the founder of the website, Ellen Carey, who's now clerking in Northern Michigan, according to her statements in the interview...
Clinton Can't Bowl Either
Posted on April 08, 2008Ellen Degenerous played an evil trick on Hillary yesterday, having her try to bowl on the show.[T]he New York senator showed her bowling skills may be every bit as lacking as those of her chief rival. On a makeshift bowling alley on the show's set, Clinton missed the pins entirely on her first try, and only knocked out one on her second and final attempt...
Forty Years Ago
Posted on April 04, 2008RFK's speech to a crowd in Indianapolis, at a campaign stop, for the 1968 election.RFK himself died, at the hand of Sirhan Sirhan, a few months later, on June 6, 1968.
"Hillary is a Big, Effing Whore"
Posted on April 04, 2008Air America host Randi Rhodes called Hillary a big effing whore yesterday, and promptly got suspended from her Air America job.Why is she a big effing whore? Because "her deal always is, read the fine print asshole."That doesn't even make sense dude. The audience doesn't even laugh...
Memphis Tigers: the NCAA's Rumpselstilzkin Story
Posted on April 04, 2008A hilarious Onion article about the fact that there is no Cindarella story team in the final four this year. But there is a Rumpelstilzkin story team in the Memphis Tigers."Okay, now, pay attention, because this is pretty complicated," point guard Derrick Rose said upon opening what was to be a three-hour marathon of explanations, questions, and folkloric interpretation held in a conference room at the at the team's hotel...
McCain's Brazilian Model
Posted on April 03, 2008It's becoming clear, now that his past is being scrutinized, that John McCain has slept with a lot of women.And at least one of them was a Brazilian model.In his 1999 memoir, ?Faith of My Fathers,? McCain wrote about ?excessive drinking, nightclubbing and little or no sleep? and said, ?My imagination could not have embellished the good time we made of our nine days in port...
Heidi Montag Endorses McCain
Posted on April 03, 2008One of the stars of MTV's The Hills has endorsed McCain.1. McCain knows who Montag is:McCain said,"I'm honored to have Heidi's support and I want to assure her that I never miss an episode of 'The Hills,' especially since the new season started."Incredible...
George W. Bush Sewage Plant
Posted on April 02, 2008This is a clever attempt by a group of liberal San Franciscans to reverse honor George Bush by naming a sweage plant after him.Why? To honor our current leader of the free world with an "appropriate and enduring legacy, for no other president in modern American history has accomplished so much in such a short time...
Vice President Webb
Posted on April 02, 2008I don't know what took people so long to discuss this. Obama has to pick a VP at some point.The smart money is on Webb.1. Part of the crowd of new Democrats of which Obama is a part of.2. Strong on security3. Not diverse (see this article for why pundits think a white guy is best)4...
Uh, April Fools? Anyone?
Posted on April 02, 2008Clinton superdelegate says Obama will win the election.Except it's not an April Fools Joke.
Obama not Poaching Texas Delegates
Posted on April 02, 2008Earlier I linked to a post reporting that Obama was trying to poach Clinton's delegates out the Texas caucuses.That previous report was wrong, and the alleged poaching was due to an error in a delegate list given to Obama by the Texas Democratic party...
University of California Fees Coming Back to Students
Posted on April 02, 2008A few months ago, the California Supreme Court declined to hear the Regents' appeal over whether they breached contracts to students who enrolled in the fall of 2002.Like me.If you haven't submitted your contact info but fit that profile, you can do so by:(1) sending an e-mail to ucfees@rustconsulting...
With Seven Weeks to Campaign...
Posted on April 01, 2008Obama could beat X in Y. For all X. And all Y.Three weeks to go. Rasmussen has Pennsylvania within five points.
Obama bowls a 37(!) in Pennsylvania
Posted on April 01, 2008Spare us.Prediction: Clinton wins Pennsylvania unanimously. 100% to 0%.
Obama isn't a Fatty
Posted on April 01, 2008The NYT Caucus blog has an interesting article about how Obama doesn't eat all the food he's given on the campaign trail because he's trying to stay fit.[A] blonde woman walks up and offers a jarful of chocolate doodads (that is, I believe, the term of cocoa-sweetened art)...
The McCain Girl[] Strikes Bck
Posted on April 01, 2008Responding to certain criticisms that they can't sing, one of the McCain girls has made another video telling people to only say nice things or nothing at all.Not totally safe for work. Believe it or not, she actually uses the F-word.Hat tip: Anon 3:50
Clinon Loves the Rolling Stones
Posted on March 31, 2008She can't wait for their new documentary:Call her a Honky Tonk Woman: Hillary Rodham Clinton is a big fan of the Rolling Stones.Speaking to reporters aboard her campaign plane Sunday morning, the Democratic presidential contender said she was eager to see "Shine a Light," the new documentary about the legendary rock band that was directed by Martin Scorsese and opens Friday...
Obama Tries to Poach Clinton's Texas Caucus Delegates
Posted on March 27, 2008Change you can xerox?Bad news for all you Obamaniacs who reacted with righteous indignation when I reported on March 14 that Iowa county delegates pledged to your candidate were receiving robocalls from the Clinton campaign in the run-up to the coming county conventions (when such delegates can switch their allegiances): Team Obama is doing pretty much the same thing...
Reid Suggests Backroom Deal
Posted on March 27, 2008A strange and vague statement from Harry Reid yesterday about the Democratic race:Question: Do you still think the Democratic race can be resolved before the convention?Reid: Easy.Q: How is that?Reid: It will be done.Q: It just will?Reid: Yep.Q: Magically?Reid: No, it will be done...
McCain On War
Posted on March 27, 2008From McCain's speech yesterday:"When I was five years old, a car pulled up in front of our house in New London, Connecticut, and a Navy officer rolled down the window, and shouted at my father that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. My father immediately left for the submarine base where he was stationed...
New U.S. News Law School Rankings
Posted on March 26, 2008Boalt moves up to 6th! Quite a comeback from 13th a few years ago.FYI -- the rankings are meaningful only because people acknowledge that they are meaningful.
At last, someone defends Hillary re Bosnia
Posted on March 26, 2008Ejup Ganic, the former acting Bosnian president who greeted Hillary Clinton when she visited Tuzla in 1996, said today in an interview."Although the NATO troops were in Tuzla, we still believed that some positions on the hills were occupied by radical Serbs, so I was worried about the overall safety...
Boycotting the Olympics
Posted on March 24, 2008Slate has the best case I've read so far on the subject, pro-boycott:1. Boycotts work.2. The Olympics are not always a force for good, i.e. Berlin in 1936.3. The Olympics are a good forum for protest.Seems persuasive to me.
Sinbad 1; Hillary 0
Posted on March 24, 2008If there's one enduring legacy of the Clinton-Obama race, it's the ability to make the irrelevant relevant. Late primaries, delegate counts, pledged delegates, endorsements, political bloggers with time on their hands, Jesse Jackson's 1984 race, Ferraro, and on and on...
Selling Your Own Grandmother
Posted on March 24, 2008Christopher Hitchens with a brutal take down of Obama:It's been more than a month since I began warning Sen. Barack Obama that he would become answerable for his revolting choice of a family priest. But never mind that; the astonishing thing is that it's at least 11 months since he himself has known precisely the same thing...
Carville Doesn't Apologize
Posted on March 24, 2008If you're going to make an overly dramatic statement in this campaign, there's only one reaction that's genuine -- stay with it.And Carville does, re his Judas comment directed at Bill Richardson's betrayal of Hillary by endorsing Obama:But Carville, a CNN commentator, was unapologetic, telling CNN he knew the impact his words would have...
Good Idea?
Posted on March 24, 2008While Hillary and Bill stump in Indiana for Dyngus Day (Easter Monday), Obama relaxes in the Virgin Islands, on St. Thomas. (warning, annoying video).Wonkette (who I think might be a dude now) has the snarky scoop.
Ferraro Trap, Sprung
Posted on March 23, 2008When Geraldine Ferraro suggested that Obama is lucky because he's a black man, and that his followers are being caught up in that, she caught a lot of flack.But everyone else is proving her theory true. It's just that they're Obama supporters. From John Kerry:The Massachusetts senator said Obama has an ability to perhaps even empower moderate Islam "to be able to stand up against the racial misinterpretation of a legitimate religion...
Regarding Ferraro
Posted on March 23, 2008A quick note on a point of confusion some have about Geraldine Ferraro's controversial statements. She stated, "If Obama was a white man [or a woman of any color], he would not be in this position." For what Ferraro said to be true, (1) Obama must have received some political benefits from his race and sex; and (2) without those benefits, and factoring in any costs a black man might confront in running for president, he would not be "in this position," which presumably means beating Hillary Clinton...
Democratic Dirty Tricks
Posted on March 23, 2008One of the things to watch for this Fall is that the Democrats will stoop to anything to defeat John McCain.Even widely disseminating McCain's fan's Youtube Videos.Oh Em Gee. McCain is so effed.
Hillary is Jesus
Posted on March 23, 2008And Bill Richardson is Judas.Describing the Richardson endorsement of Obama:?An act of betrayal,? said James Carville, an adviser to Mrs. Clinton and a friend of Mr. Clinton.?Mr. Richardson?s endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic,? Mr...
Kmiec Endorses Obama
Posted on March 23, 2008Whenever there has been a major legal issue involving a political split between right and left, Douglas Kmiec has been solidly on the right.He even backed Harriet Miers for her Supreme Court nomination.So I'm pretty surprised to see that he's endorsed Obama...
McCain Aid Suspended
Posted on March 21, 2008Soren Dayton, blogger occasionally at this site, and former McCain aid, was suspended today for emailing this video out to some people. Seems like a harsh penalty just for passing it on.The video is obviously slanted, but it doesn't seem like it's unfair or out of bounds...
"Whereupon There is Screaming"
Posted on March 21, 2008You don't always see court reporters fighting off criminal defendants after they attack their lawyers.But sometimes you do:"Why don't you try me instead of her?" stenographer Ron Tolkin shouted at the cowardly criminal as he leaped on Wright, before the group fell to the ground in a heap...
Black Guy Asks Nation For Change
Posted on March 21, 2008I'm so jealous I didn't think of this."I've already seen this guy four times today," Chicago-area ad salesman Blake Gordon said. "Every time, it's the same exact spiel. 'I need change.' 'I want change.' Why's he so eager for all this change? What's he going to do with it, anyway?"Hilarious.
Clinton Winning Until She Loses
Posted on March 20, 2008My post here indicated that Clinton is picking up momentum.But it's not clear what that gets her unless she can put a huge dent in Obama's pledged-delegate lead.I think she needs to get within 50 PD's to claim that the race has been a tie, and that the superdelegates are free to vote either way...
Ok, You're Being *Too* Modest Now
Posted on March 20, 2008Hillary is pouncing on this Obama statement:In some ways this, this controversy has actually shaken me up a little bit and gotten me back into remembering that the odds of me getting elected have always been lower than some of the other conventional candidates...
Clinton's New Momentum
Posted on March 19, 2008Yesterday I predicted Obama's race speech would change the momentum in his favor and catapult him toward the nomination. So far I'm wrong.For the first time in two months, Democrats who had concluded that Barack Obama had sewn up the nomination, Democrats who support Barack Obama, Democrats who had concluded, as I had, that the mathematics work against Hillary Clinton, are filling my inbox and voice mail with versions of the same question: is his campaign in serious trouble?Clinton just picked up two superdelegates...
DMX, on the 2008 Democratic Primary
Posted on March 19, 2008DMX, a felon who can't vote, is somewhat in disbelief that there's a candidate running named Barack Obama.What the fuck, man?! Is he serious? That ain?t his fuckin? name. Ima tell this [nice gentleman] when I see him, ?Stop that bullshit. Stop that bullshit? ?That ain?t your fuckin? name...
McCain Opens Bigger Lead on Obama
Posted on March 19, 2008Zogby has:McCain: 46Obama: 40McCain: 48Clinton: 40Where's the slippage for Obama, who last month led McCain? Independents.The poll showed Obama continues to have strong support from the African-American community but that he is experiencing some slippage among moderates and independents...
Obama is a Good Politician
Posted on March 18, 2008In the last few days, the feeling has been palpable. Barack Obama, leading in pledged delegates, has been losing electoral momentum. He won Mississippi last Tuesday. Since then, his campaign has been battered by Rezko revelations and of course the *scandal* regarding Jeremiah Wright...
New York Governor Admits to Cheating On Wife
Posted on March 18, 2008That was fast. The new Governor of New York, David Paterson, admitted today that he had a relationship with another woman that lasted for years, and ended only in 2001.In the course of several interviews in the past few days, Paterson said he maintained a relationship for two or three years with "a woman other than my wife," beginning in 1999...
Hoosier State Primary
Posted on March 17, 2008Looking past Pennsylvania, the candidates are going to need to know how to pander to Indianans if they plan to score a big delegate prize from the state.The primary is on May 6 (the same day as North Carolina), so it could balance out an Obama smackdown -- in delegates and momentum -- if he beats her badly in NC...
Obama-Wright Part 5: The Church Strikes Back, Poorly
Posted on March 16, 2008Despite clearly employing a pastor who lied on the pulpit and made the church ineligible for tax-exemption status, the Trinity Church of Christ has come to the defense of Jeremiah Wright:Nearly three weeks before the 40th commemorative anniversary of the murder of Reverend Dr...
Obama-Wright Part 4: Goodbye IRS Tax Exemption for Trinity
Posted on March 15, 2008Churches who claim a tax exemption under 501(c)(3) must refrain from "political advocacy."I'm pretty sure this means Trinity Church is not eligible for tax exemption this year."Hillary was not a black boy raised in a single-parent home. Barack was."Another Obama as Jesus comparison...
Obama-Wright Part 3: Wright was a Political Advisor
Posted on March 15, 2008Barack Obama claims that his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, was not a political advisor. Merely a spiritual one. Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor...
DailyKos Alienates Clinton Supporters
Posted on March 15, 2008The Daily Kos is a terrible website. Aside from functioning as an echo chamber for the far left, it is vehement in its demand that its members think alike.Rarely is there a disagreement on the site that doesn't involve who is farther left of whom.And yet I read the site frequently...
Obama-Wright Part 2: Obama Knew About Wright's Comments In Feb. 2007
Posted on March 15, 2008Most of America just learned about Jeremiah Wright's controversial comments in the last week or so. Though I'd known about his trip to Libya with Louis Farrakhan, I hadn't seen any video or transcript of of Wright's sermons.But Obama had.When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign...
Obama-Wright Part 1: Obama Doesn't Go to Church
Posted on March 15, 2008As most everyone knows by now, Barack Obama's former minister, Jeremiah Wright, asked God to "damn America," claimed that the CIA invented the HIV virus, and that Obama is representative of blacks because he isn't privileged.I think the last two statements are clearly false...
Last Time I get Hookers with Spitzer.....
Posted on March 10, 2008Seriously:First Elliot, my main man, cracks down on 40s and splifs and now this:Gov. Eliot Spitzer has informed his most senior administration officials that he had been involved in a prostitution ring, an administration official said this morning.Nathaniel Brooks for The New York TimesGovernor Eliot Spitzer at a news conference in July 2007...
Dancing with the Stars, Season 7?
Posted on March 07, 2008Maybe I'll just post to this blog when something happens in the world of Presidential dance.First it was the strip-tease in Liberia, and now it's tap-dancing at the White House. When a carefully choreographed meeting between Bush and McCain hit a snag on Wednesday (i...
The Cult of Obama: Drink the Cool-Aid
Posted on March 07, 2008This blog has previously broached the topic of the growing Church of Barack, Obamania, etc. etc. But once again Youtube/Google, despite its frequent cave-ins to autocrats like Pakistan and China, is still the best place for interactive commentary. This video, succinctly and wittily, makes the point the media's been missing the whole election cycle--Obama has the aura of a cult leader about him...
In An Alternate Universe
Posted on March 07, 2008The Democratic primary system is so messed up. As this article points out, the system:1. Gives disproportional delegates to Dem primaries in red states2. Gives disproportional delegates to small states3. Overemphasizes the weight of caucus voters as opposed to primary voters4...
Will Axelrod Be Fired?
Posted on March 06, 2008In December, 2007, Senator Obama made crystal clear that he would not tolerate opposition research seeking to tear down the other Democratic contenders for the nomination.?I have been very clear to my campaign. I do not want to see research that is involved in trying to tear people down personally,? Mr...
My Prediction: Florida and Michigan Will Revote
Posted on March 06, 2008Hillary wants big states and big delegate counts. But Florida and Michigan are not going to come easily for her.Hillary's options:1. Press for a revote in Florida and Michigan. (And backtrack on everything you've said so far about not disenfranchising people by not counting their initial votes)2...
Great American Idol Performance
Posted on March 06, 2008Lionel Richie's "Hello" as an emo rock song. Good job dude. Still, he's no Josiah Leming.Paula is so tanked.
Obama's Reckless Surrogates
Posted on March 06, 2008This is what happens when you're a political novice -- you surround yourself with other political novices.David Plouffe says Hillary can't beat John McCain in November.Austan Goolsbee says Obama is all bluster on NAFTA.Susan Powers says Hillary is a "monster" to a foreign paper:"She is a monster, too ? that is off the record ? she is stooping to anything," Ms Power said, hastily trying to withdraw her remark...
Pennsylvania is the New Iowa
Posted on March 05, 2008What's the ultimate result of last night? Everything old is new again:Senator Clinton surprises even herself by winning Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island after 12 straight losses. Senator Obama had spent heavily to try to finish her off: He now faces seven weeks of scrutiny and trench warfare...
Jack Nicholson's Hillary Video
Posted on March 05, 2008This is a few days old, but kind of clever.Except notice that a lot of the characters Nicholson is talking through are villains. Does Hillary want the Joker's endorsement? What about the guy who ordered the code red from A Few Good Men?Seems like risky endorsements to tout.
Are There 50 Secret SDs?
Posted on March 05, 2008JS mentioned this rumor yesterday.Some people give the rumor legs.Others (from the Obama camp, actually) say it's wrong.I'm tempted to think the latter. As I noted in a comment on JS's post, the idea of having that many potential leaks and it not actually getting out is nearly impossible...
Pennsylvania: Early Outlook
Posted on March 05, 2008The good news for Hillary is that Pennsylvania looks an awful lot like Ohio.The bad news is that Obama will have 7 weeks to campaign there.Give Obama 7 weeks to campaign and he could win in Utah against Mitt Romney.[Need better jokes for that last line...
Every State's a Swinger
Posted on March 05, 2008McCain, up over Clinton and Obama, in Washington State.And McCain beats Obama in the latest polls of likely voters (as opposed to registered voters).
Obama Going Nuclear
Posted on March 05, 2008If this report from First Read is right, Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, just said Hillary can't win in November:Plouffe called Clinton "a deeply flawed candidate," who could not win the independent voters that "provide a pathway to the presidency...
Hillary's End Game
Posted on March 05, 2008Word going around today is that Hillary can't overcome Obama on pledged delegates. It's been a general assumption; now it's practically a guarantee. Without a dramatic, game-changing event, Obama will end the Democratic primary race with more pledged delegates...
Prediction: Punch, Counterpunch
Posted on March 04, 2008My guess is that tonight Clinton will win both Texas and Ohio. Which, as the conventional wisdom says, means a long, dragged out fight to the convention. But I'm cautiously optimistic for two reasons. First, Obama hasn't released his February fundraising numbers, which are rumored to be staggering...
McCain Candidacy Saved
Posted on March 04, 2008I mentioned here the event where McCain wore a short-sleeve jean jacket over a sweatshirt.Race 4 2008 is reporting that, fortunately for McCain, video and still cameras were banned from the event.The McCain campaign breathes a huge sigh of relief.
Wherein it Becomes Substantially Harder to Complain About Partisan Sandbagging
Posted on March 04, 2008Glanko posted here about the efforts of Democrats in Michigan to sandbag John McCain by voting for Mitt Romney in January's primary.At the time it seemed pretty distasteful.And now Republicans are engaging in the same behavior, attempting to sandbag Senator Obama by voting for Hillary in Texas and Ohio...
Obama's Advisors Intentionally Lied
Posted on March 04, 2008Senator Obama was taken in by two of top advisers last week, and the truth about these advisers' efforts was finally revealed yesterday.A few months ago, Senator Obama's senior economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, spoke with Canadian officials to let them know that Obama's anti-NAFTA talk was generally bluster, rather than genuine hostility to the free-trade agreement that, of course, includes Canada...
McCain's Barbeque Outfit
Posted on March 03, 2008John McCain had a BBQ for a bunch of reporters in Arizona on Sunday.John McCain opened up his Sedona cabin to a few dozen reporters Sunday afternoon, working the grill and showing off the picturesque property he and his wife, Cindy, use as their getaway...
Hillary on SNL
Posted on March 02, 2008Finally, Hillary is starting to be as cool as Obama. She actually made a surprise appearance last night on the show -- check out the last few minutes of this video Two notes:1. This sketch (not the editorial response, obvy) was noticeably more balanced than last week's sketch, which was almost entirely slanted toward Hillary...
McCain's Hottest New Endorsement
Posted on March 01, 2008Replacing Wilford Brimley as McCain's most attractive celebrity supporter?Angie Harmon.Now that's what I call a step up.Bom Bom.[Get it? Because of Law and Order? Bom Bom. I'm awesome.]
People Chanting Obama
Posted on March 01, 2008The new will.i.am Obama video is downright frightening.O-bama, O-bama, O-bama. People lip-synching "Obama" to a massive crowd chanting his name? Even Slate is worried. This cult of Obama is making me nervous. What if he wins? Are his supporters going to continue their fervor, to the extent that it becomes difficult to publicly dissent without facing social consequences?What if he loses? Are his supporters going to take that lying down? Especially if it's a close election?The problem with getting people to care about politics is that there's a real danger they'll care too much.
That Incessant Chanting
Posted on March 01, 2008This new video is easy to misinterpret. As the resident Obamaphile, I think it deserves a more sympathetic viewing. I first posted this in the comments to wt's original post.It is, in my view, an expression of the emotional core of Obama's appeal, not an argument for his candidacy...
Cattle Finance Reform
Posted on February 29, 2008People in Kenya are pissed about the Clinton campaign allegedly spreading around the photo of Obama in Somali dress. They want to impose a fine on her. Of course, because truth is stranger than fiction, the fine is payable in livestock.Kenyan elders may impose a fine on U...
Thanks
Posted on February 29, 2008Ok, I'm back to blogging, at least in the mornings and evenings. I want to thank JS, KK, and Glanko for blogging in my absence. And Skeet Shooter for considering blogging but then not following through. Thanks for helping out in my absence folks.Unfortunately, the political season stops for no man...
Plutocrats For Anybody But Obama
Posted on February 27, 2008Above The Law has an interesting breakdown of what will happen to the pocketbooks of 21st century yuppies if Obama becomes president as opposed to McCain...you know what, I'll spoil it for you....twenty grand!
McCain Wins Presidential Election
Posted on February 26, 2008McCain has won the 2008 Presidential Elections over Hillary Clinton, garnering 48 percent of the vote. It would seem either Nader or some other third party candidate yet to be revealed had a demonstrable impact on the election.
Exiting with Dignity and Grace
Posted on February 24, 2008Say what you want about Mike Huckabee, the man can laugh at himself.Correct me if I'm wrong, but as of now all four of the remaining major candidates have appeared on Saturday Night Live? (I've seen them all except for Hillary's)
Take it To 'Em Boyo!
Posted on February 24, 2008We here at EU just want to wish our Editor-in-Chief, wt, good luck when he takes the bar exam this Tuesday. If you get stuck on the multistate portion, just remember "ABBA CADDABA."
The Health Care Kerfuffle
Posted on February 24, 2008The recent controversy over health care has reminded me of something lots of people apparently do not know: The debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama over health care is fake. It?s fake because both plans are missing important details; this is political posturing, not legislation...
What Happens In Liberia...
Posted on February 23, 2008I wouldn't be surprised if ol' Dubya believed the hooligan who told him it would be culturally appropriate to strip during a traditional African dance with the president of Liberia. Unfortunately for YouTube stockholders, it appears someone in his camp uncovered the plot and had the music stopped before he could remove any other articles of clothing...
Reich for Obama
Posted on February 23, 2008I have been an admirer of Robert Reich since seeing his speech at UC Berkeley, and a big fan after reading Supercapitalism earlier this year. He is as clear-eyed an observer of American politics and policy as I've found. On his blog today, he writes what amounts to an endorsement of Obama, but a characteristically measured one...
New York Times on the Defensive
Posted on February 22, 2008The New York Times is feeling the heat from its recent article on McCain.Assuming the inneundo never is verified, this could be a big boost for McCain because, first, it buries early examintion of his public-financing-as-collateral gambit (which, ironically, was not included in the NYT piece) and second, as I stated before, media conservatives, most notably Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, and FOX News are backing the Senator in their zeal to bloody the Times...
Now You See Me, Now You....Wait....Nevermind
Posted on February 21, 2008Vicky Iseman, the lobbyist possibly, kinda, maybe linked to Senator McCain, had, in the wake of the New York Times piece, pulled her profile from her firm's website.My first thought upon reading this was that it sends a bad message, that you have something to hide or that you did something wrong...
Those Damn Sexy Lobbyists!! (shaking fist)
Posted on February 21, 2008So this is basically two posts in one. First, for EU readers in a cave, undersea, or trapped in an alternative dimension, the New York Times has run a piece on McCain that contrasts his reformer rhetoric against the backdrop of his legislative record...
EU's Patron Superdelegate Goes For Obama
Posted on February 21, 2008Jason Rae has endorsed Obama. No word on which sexy Obama supporter did the trick.
No Country For Old Women
Posted on February 21, 2008Though it's not all that timely a topic, I've been thinking about the common refrain among pundits that Hillary Clinton is the recipient of much unfair criticism. Stanley Fish, Paul Krugman, and Robin Morgan have compiled a taxonomy of Hillary-hatred, and much of it is disgusting and misogynist...
Chris Matthews Challenges Obama Supporter
Posted on February 20, 2008I think Chris Matthews is unhappy that Hillary is losing.This time he forces one of Obama's Texas supporters---a state senator---to name one of Obama's Senate accomplishments. It's a familiar tack. And he can't do it.I think Obama needs to start putting out some talking points about his successes in the Senate...
Words in Action
Posted on February 20, 2008Ezra Klein explains why Clinton's new all-hat-no-cattle tack rings hollow:In her speech tonight, Clinton launched her broadside against Obama by saying that "while words matter, the best words in the world aren't enough unless you match them with action...
Hiatus
Posted on February 20, 2008Thanks to all of the readers who have been a part of the the EU resurgence since early January. The blog has averaged about 200 hits a day, consistently, for about 7 weeks.But I must take a brief hiatus now, as I finish up studying for a very important test...
Obama Takes Hawaii
Posted on February 20, 2008Sending Chelsea didn't do a lot of good for Clinton in Hawaii. She lost it 76-24.That's a slightly bigger margin than she lost D.C. by. Ouch.And Wisconsin, which was shaping up to be a close state, ended up being a 17 point beat down.Not a good night for Hillary...
Hillary on Suicide Watch
Posted on February 19, 2008Not really. But this doesn't look good for her.Barack Obama won the Wisconsin primary last night, his ninth straight triumph over a fading Hillary Clinton in their epic struggle for the Democratic presidential nomination.How do you spell Hillary?H-U-C-K-A-B-E-E.
CNN, MSNBC, Call Wisconsin for Obama
Posted on February 19, 2008Not going to be a long night I guess.It's looking like 53-47 right now. Not an unexpected margin.With Hawaii (closing at 930 PM PCT), that will be 10 in a row for Obama.
Exit Polls -- Obama Up Huge in Wisconsin
Posted on February 19, 2008Uh oh. Obama is winning women, 51 to 49. If that exit-poll data is accurate, this is about to be a beat down.Here's Politico:Democratic officials with access to exit polls say Sen. Obama looks like he?s headed for a huge win in today?s Wisconsin primary...
The Washington Primary Tonight
Posted on February 19, 2008You read that right. Not just Hawaii and Wisconsin.Under state law, Washington State has to have a primary. But the parties don't have to allocate any of their national convention delegates on the basis of the result.The GOP is allocating 19 of the 40 convention delegates to the primary...
Cindy McCain Sticks it to Michelle
Posted on February 19, 2008Rar. Cat fight.During her introduction of Sen. John McCain at a rally Tuesday, his wife, Cindy, injected herself into the controversy surrounding comments another 2008 spouse made yesterday.?I am proud of my country. I don?t know about you ? if you heard those words earlier, I am very proud of my country,? Mrs...
U.S.--Swedish Relations
Posted on February 19, 2008John Cougar Mellencamp (you'll always be a Cougar to me) won't let McCain use his songs for his campaign.And apparently, ABBA's royalties are too high to use Take a Chance on Me.?It gets expensive in a big hurry and if you?re not careful you can alienate some Swedes,? he joked...
Clinton +6 in Wisconsin; Abandons State
Posted on February 18, 2008There's an ARG poll here that has Hillary at +6 is Wisconsin. Pollster has an average of recent polls that only has her down by about 3.And yet she's cutting her visit short, leaving tomorrow morning.I don't understand.
BUSTED
Posted on February 18, 2008Watch the video below from the 7:05 to the 7:15 mark."I'm in it for the long run. It's not a very long run. It'll be over by February 5th."Uh. Awk. Ward.Great quote from Politico:"The interview, from about seven weeks ago, feels like it's from another era...
Michelle Obama's Gaffe
Posted on February 18, 2008I saw a rerun of Michelle Obama on Larry King last night. She was really good. Even a little too authentic when Larry asked her if she was "prepared to lose" and she said "Oh, yeah." It was an interesting contrast to Hillary's "I don't think about it" line with Katie Couric...
Janet Huckabee is Strong
Posted on February 18, 2008This CNN article about Huckabee bowling in Wisconsin has a weird line about Janet Huckabee.Apparently Huckabee was bowling for 4 frames, then decided to challenge the press corps. When a CBS producer decided to bowl, it was Janet Huckabee who took the camera...
Howard Dean is Useless
Posted on February 18, 2008I've never been a big Howard Dean fan, but I have to say I'm becoming less of one daily.I mentioned here how he's abdicating playing any role in the superdelegate tension that might not be hammered out until the convention.And in response to the NAACP's letter to him to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida, he has decided to duck the issue entirely...
Wherein McCain's Reformist Credentials are Called Seriously Into Doubt
Posted on February 18, 2008When McCain took out a loan to keep his campaign alive, he agreed, as collateral in the event of a loss, to stay in the race and accept public matching funds, which he'd use to pay the loan back. TAP has the full analysis, but here's the money quote:What does this mean? It means that rather than pledge his existing certification for matching funds as collateral for the loan, which would bind him to the system and thus the spending limits, McCain carefully pledged to seek to re-enter the system later, and to use a non-existent future certification as collateral...
The True Story of Our First President
Posted on February 18, 2008I should have posted this earlier today. Happy Birthday, George Washington.
My Guess -- Edwards Won't Endorse
Posted on February 17, 2008The big news of the day is that Obama and Edwards met in North Carolina this morning.Of all the reports I've seen of the story, though, only the NYT's Caucus article had these details:Associates of Mr. Edwards have said that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has paid more attention to the courtship of Mr...
I Try to Be Like Grace Kelly
Posted on February 17, 2008Here's the original video of the Josh Leming song I linked to last week.Mika (pronounced Mee-kah) sounds a lot like Freddie Mercury, but reminds me of Carrot Top.
Rove on Fox
Posted on February 17, 2008I've seen a few clips of him doing political commentary, and each time he's given salient and persuasive analysis on both races for the presidential nomination.Now Slate has noticed the same thing.Unlike most other campaign managers who've made their way to the analysis desk, Rove is not in possession of a shtick...
Revolutions Aren't Easy
Posted on February 17, 2008I think Mother Jones, a usually far-left but very insightful magazine, is starting to pick up Obama-backlash fever. They seem to think Obama's messianic talk is not just a little arrogant, but also very troubling:This is our moment to do what? To march? To organize? No...
Enthusiasm Gap
Posted on February 16, 2008One of the frequent points pundits are making this cycle is that there is an "enthusiasm gap" being demonstrated by the lower voter turnout in Republican primary contests, as compared to Democratic contests. Not everyone is convinced.But if you are inclined to believe that there is an enthusiasm gap (and I am), here's another measure --- online stores...
Six-Minute Abs
Posted on February 16, 2008It kind of disturbs me that this will be a frequent saying from Hillary now: "Yes we Will."Upon hearing the phrase, the senator changed it up a little. "Yes we can. Yes we can. In fact, I'll tell you, it's 'Yes we will'!" she shouted and then went on to lead the crowd in chanting that phrase...
I Liked Obama Before He Was Cool
Posted on February 16, 2008Now the complaint is that Obama is TOO cool.I don't know when we started to feel weird supporting you, but: My friend Hanna thinks it started with that "Yes We Can," video. I mean, last week I was totally crying watching it. Now just thinking about how choked up I got gives me the creeps...
Howard Dean Abdicates
Posted on February 16, 2008Howard Dean, on the Super Delegates:Their role is to exercise their best judgment in the interests of the nation and of the Democratic Party. I am confident that they will carry out that duty responsibly and in accordance with the highest values of our democracy and our Party...
Voting With the People
Posted on February 16, 2008Those who say the Super Delegates should vote with "the people" are doing a disservice to your intelligence.They're pretending to be focused on democracy when, in reality, there are any number of ways to "vote with the people."This article, which starts out well, ends up falling into the same trap (and ultimately exposing its bias toward Obama...
Rich White Men in Control?
Posted on February 15, 2008This article reminds me of Montgomery Burns's quote in the Simpsons Movie: "Well, for once, the rich white man is in control."According to a Politico analysis, close to half of the 700-plus Democratic superdelegates who could end up determining the party nominee are white men...
If You Are a Terrorist, Please Don't Attack Next Week
Posted on February 15, 2008The Protect America Act is expiring tomorrow at midnight. And the House is in recess all of next week.It's hard to make objective statements about the expiration, because all of the claims being made are tinged with political rhetoric.Democrats are claiming current laws are good enough...
Wisonsin Poll: Obama +5
Posted on February 15, 2008Good news and bad news for Hillary.The good news is that Obama's momentum from his 8 recent victories seems to have stopped in Wisconsin. The most recent poll reveals Hillary's down by 5.And with the undecideds at 11%, it means she has more than enough of the open voting pool to make up those 5 points...
Putin Endorses Obama
Posted on February 15, 2008Well, not really. But he takes a jab at Hillary, who said that he "doesn't have a soul" way back in early January.But the former KGB lieutenant colonel appeared to lash out at U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, a leading Democratic candidate for president. W hen one reporter quoted her as saying that former KGB officers have no soul: "At a minimum, a head of state should have a head," Putin said...
Anti-Obama Talking Point Number 3
Posted on February 15, 2008Number 1 is here. Number 2 is here.Number 3 is one that John McCain will surely use, and is probably already writing speeches about -- Obama's inability to adequately deal with interests hostile to the United States. The difference is that Hillary can also use this talking point against him, as she drapes herself in the mantle of experience...
Hillary and NAFTA
Posted on February 15, 2008The North American Free Trade Agreement was famously passed during the Bill Clinton presidency.So is it possible that Hillary can say she opposed NAFTA? Because it looks like she did.The question becomes relevant because one of her must-win states, Ohio, is suffering from a weakened job market because of the agreement...
Indiana Jones Trailer
Posted on February 15, 2008It doesn't look bad, but you can tell that they're playing up the age jokes with Harrison Ford from the trailer. See also, Danny Glover, In re Lethal Weapon 4 (1998).
Momentum??
Posted on February 14, 2008Clinton wins New Mexico. FINALLY.Hey, take the good news where you can get it.
Don't Give Up Hillary
Posted on February 14, 2008The first post-Potomac poll in Wisconsin shows her holding at -4 to Obama.Not bad considering you just lost 8 in a row. Five days to make up four points.In fact, if I were Hillary, I'd take a lot of comfort from this poll and keep digging in deeper. Stopping Obama by any measure would definitely be a success, even if she loses Hawaii the same day...
Do Not Talk About Pillow Fight Club
Posted on February 14, 2008It's happening tonight, across the nation. Here's the SF invite.And here's the video from last year.Hat tip: SM
Edwards Thinks Obama is a Cat
Posted on February 14, 2008Time Magazine's Mark Halperin used a dirty word to describe how John Edwards feels about Barack Obama:And I can tell you, [Edwards is] really skeptical of [Hillary's] ability to be the kind of president he wants. But, he kinda thinks Obama is ... he thinks Obama is kind of a pussy...
Maybe Adjourn the House for the Memorial
Posted on February 14, 2008Whoops. Someone should probably be embarrassed.As I wrote here, Tom Lantos passed away on Monday.But during his memorial service today, it looks like Democrats rang the bell to put Congress back in session. Yikes.Here's Boehner's spokesman's statement:"This morning, during the memorial service for Tom Lantos ? a public servant beloved on both sides of the aisle ? the House Democratic leadership violated an agreement and called the House back into session," Steel said...
Santorum + Jeffords = Chafee
Posted on February 14, 2008Just before Super Tuesday, Rick Santorum simultaneously blasted McCain and endorsed for Mitt Romney. The kicker was that Santorum begged McCain to compaign for him during his ultimately unsuccessful 2006 reelection bid. I naturally shrugged it off as another instance of the far right biting the medium right in the ass...
Though We May Be Through With the Past
Posted on February 14, 2008The past isn't through with us.No guarantees about what won't come up this fall during the presidential campaign.[I]n a general election, no candidates get a pass on the past. They only think they do.If John McCain gets the nomination, we are going to hear that he was turned into a ?Manchurian candidate? when he was a prisoner of war...
Josiah Leming Eliminated
Posted on February 14, 2008The guy I was rooting for Tuesday night didn't even make the cut to the top 24. One of the biggest upsets of the night was the elimination of 18-year-old Josiah Leming, who seemed to be a judge favorite until his shaky rendition of "Stand By Me." I knew he had a shaky performance of "Stand By Me," but I didn't realize it was going to kill his chances so quickly...
Is Barack Obama the Messiah?
Posted on February 14, 2008A website devoted to answering this question.Some people are getting a little scared of the phenomenon.The language used here is the language of evangelical Christianity ? the Obama volunteers speak of 'coming to Obama' in the same way born-again Christians talk about 'coming to Jesus...
Michigan/Florida Backlash Backlash
Posted on February 13, 2008Good arguments:1. For counting Florida's delegates; and2. Counting both Michigan's and Florida's delegates.And guess who chimed in on the side of counting the delegates? The NAACP. Wow. This could be a nasty fight.
Hillary Only Down By 4 In Wisconsin
Posted on February 13, 2008That seems like a close enough battle that you need to contest it, hard.What totally baffles me is why Hillary isn't going to Wisconsin until Saturday of this week.That doesn't give you a lot of time to make up those 4 points.
Tested. Ready. Now.
Posted on February 13, 2008When people are already comparing your primary strategy to Rudy Giuliani's failed GOP strategy, don't start using his slogans.A veteran Rudy-watcher, though, was surprised to hear a Giuliani echo in Clinton's speech in El Paso last night."I'm tested. I'm ready...
American Idol Clip
Posted on February 13, 2008This is the guy I'm rooting for. 18 years old, living out of a car. Singing this song.
Thompson Endorsed McCain a Long Time Ago
Posted on February 13, 2008Last Friday Fred Thompson endorsed John McCain. Who knew?
The Ur-Quan Hierarchy Re-robes
Posted on February 13, 2008I'm revealing my inner nerdiness (as if that wasn't apparent from being a commentator on a obsessive political blog) by stating that Star Control, first released in 1990, is one of the best sci-fi themed strategy/melee video games ever released.Where I am going with this?It would seem that Iranian propaganda regards the United States and Israel as a modern day Ur-Quan, painting a mural on the old United States Embassy, affectionately referred to as the U...
Sorry, Jason Rae
Posted on February 13, 2008The other day I sent Jason Rae, the famous Super Delegate from Wisconsin, a Facebook message telling him not to commit until Scarlett Johanssen (an Obama supporter) called him.I didn't get a reply. And this might be part of the reason.Jason Rae, 21, is the nation's youngest superdelegate...
The Best Super Delegates Database Out There
Posted on February 12, 2008Bookmark this. You'll need it as the primary season comes to an end. It looks like there are 351.5 uncommitted Democratic Super delegates. That's probably enough to blunt the advantage of either candidate in the pledged-delegate total. Assuming, of course, they don't all change their minds...
*Another* Che Flag?
Posted on February 12, 2008Are you kidding me?Hey, Barack -- remember what I said about paying close attention to the kind of people you attract.This would be two instances where you have sort of failed to do that.
D.C. Mayor Loves Obama
Posted on February 12, 2008Slate's Josh Levin went to vote in D.C. today, where Mayor Adrian Fenty accosted him within the no-electioneering zone and told him to vote for Obama.When Levin called the campaign, he talked to Fenty's press secretary. I love her reaction:Fenty?s press secretary, Dena Iverson, told me that the mayor would be out all day today encouraging District residents to vote for Obama...
Potomac Primary Predictions
Posted on February 12, 2008Just about perfectly in line with Captain Ed.Predictions look easy for today. I'll predict sweeps by both McCain and Obama. For McCain, I'd guess that he wins Virginia by nine, with Huckabee's mini-surge falling a bit short. Maryland will go to McCain by twenty points, meaning McCain will take at least 23 of the state's 37 delegates...
Obama's Flag Response
Posted on February 12, 2008I appreciate that Senator Obama took the time to reply to my blog post from yesterday.The office is not yet filled with paid staffers. These were volunteers just opening the office.Two points:1) That's not the point. No one thought Obama decorated the office...
Wisconsin Next Tuesday
Posted on February 12, 2008A lot of old and unreliable polls say that Hillary is winning big in Wisconsin.Notice that the most recent of them was taken December 9, 2007.So you have very little info to go on if you're Hillary's campaign. And you're stuck in a dilemma. How hard do you try to win?If you try really hard, and then lose, you risk spending a lot of your limited cash resources before going into several weeks where you need to be campaigning hard -- in Texas and Ohio...
No. No We Cannot.
Posted on February 11, 2008The inspirational video I posted here has gotten over half a million hits on youtube and plenty of play on the web.Here's the McCain version. Not nearly as inspirational.Iraq Withdrawal, 12008.
Hey Dude. It's Bill Clinton.
Posted on February 11, 2008Not all Superdelegates are party elites:It could all come down to the preference of Jason Rae, a Marquette University student who has never even voted in a presidential election.Or Melissa Schroeder, a party activist from Wausau.Or Awais Khaleel, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison...
Sore Loserman
Posted on February 11, 2008In 2000, Al Gore challenged the initial results of the Florida presidential vote.He was accused then, by Republicans, of being a Sore Loserman.I'm pretty sure that's an ineffective charge. And it makes it that much harder to complain about legitimate irregularities that don't favor the GOP (and not all of them will, FYI)...
Anti-Obama Talking Point Number 2
Posted on February 11, 2008I mentioned Number 1 here. Obama is the most liberal Senator, ala John Kerry in 2004.Number 2 is that one of his Texas office chapters has, on display, a huge Cuban flag with Che Guevara's picture superimposed on it.Last time I checked, supporting a communist government hostile to the United States is a bad way to show your commitment to the United States...
My Congressman Passed Away
Posted on February 11, 2008Rest in Peace, Tom Lantos.From his Wikipedia entry:Lantos was part of a resistance movement against the Nazis during the German occupation of Hungary. In his floor speeches, he sometimes referred to himself as one of the few living members of Congress who fought against fascism...
Super Delegates Waiting?
Posted on February 10, 2008Tad Devine, Mondale's "delegate counter" in 1984, writes this op-ed suggesting that Clinton and Obama should stop trying to get Super Delegates to pledge themselves either way.Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, and their campaigns, are pressuring superdelegates to pledge support to them before Democratic voters in the remaining primaries and caucuses have made their decisions...
Another Win For Obama
Posted on February 10, 2008No, not Maine. Though he's winning there too.Obama won a Grammy. Over none other than Bill Clinton.This guy is having what I like to call a "good" week.
Another Strange Endorsement
Posted on February 10, 2008We heard about Whoopi's weird endorsement here.Now British Nobel Laureate Dorris Lessing is apparently coming out in favor of Hillary Clinton, because she's less likely to be assassinated than Obama.Obama, who is vying to become the first black president in US history, "would certainly not last long, a black man in the position of president...
Obama May Build Some Momentum Here
Posted on February 09, 2008Sweep tonight in Louisiana, Washington, the Virgin Islands, and Nebraska.And Tuesday looks good for him as well. I'll go out on a limb here and say he sweeps DC, Maryland, and Virginia.Hillary's only real chance to stop Obama's momentum (or rather, slow it) is tomorrow in Maine...
Cheer Up, Dennis Kucinich
Posted on February 08, 2008I've just discovered Rick Cleveland. Not only is My Buddy Bill hilarious, but he also blogs for Comedy Central's Indecision 2008.And apparently he's friends with Dennis Kucinich.I'm celebrating at Clinton Campaign headquarters and Hillary has just given me a hug when my cell phone rings...
MSNBC's David Shuster Suspended
Posted on February 08, 2008Sometimes your service at a restaurant is so bad, you might be tempted to complain to a manager. No server taking your order, slow or cold food, a poor meal experience, etc.And the hope is always that you'll get either an apology or some/all of your meal comped...
Lieberman No Longer a Super Delegate
Posted on February 08, 2008I guess I can understand this rule.Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who endorsed Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for president, will be disqualified as a superdelegate at the Democratic convention ?under what is informally known as the Zell Miller rule.?So that means there are only 795 left.
Mañana Culture: New Mexico Out For a While
Posted on February 08, 2008This is getting embarrassing for them. Now it may take until February 15 to have the results called, when the election must be certified by law.And Bill Richardson scolds them like a stern father.The problems have caused Richardson, who pushed for an early February caucus in 2004 to give the state more clout, to ask New Mexicans to rethink whether they even want an early nominating contest...
If I might draw a slightly unfair analogy...
Posted on February 08, 2008The Clinton campaign expects Obama to take the delegate lead, but plans on making it up in later states.Hmmm...Clinton : Texas :: Giuliani : Florida?
Michigan Effed Itself
Posted on February 08, 2008No Michigan primary this weekend. Instead the beauty contest happened back in January.The clever people in Michigan who decided to get into a game of chicken with New Hampshire last fall over the timing of their Democratic primary should be having second thoughts this weekend...
Clinton Boycotts MSNBC
Posted on February 08, 2008Hillary is boycotting MSNBC debates from now on.That may make it hard to have a debate a week now though.Apparently Tucker Carlson's replacement yesterday asked whether it was unseemly for Chelsea to be "pimped out" around the country and with Super Delegates...
Clinton Has Plenty of Money; Needs More Desperately
Posted on February 08, 2008Hillary loaned herself $5 million before Super Tuesday. We knew that.But now her campaign is saying the money is rolling in. Hillary has raised $8.4 million since Super Tuesday and $10 million since February 1st.But her campaign emails belie the notion that she's doing fine:One note for a "Dessert Reception with Sen...
My Buddy Bill -- Rick Cleveland
Posted on February 08, 2008I caught a one-man show on Comedy Central last night called My Buddy Bill. Here's an early review of the show.Rick Cleveland was a writer on the West Wing, and had the occasion to meet the President in the late 90's. They apparently hit it off and had several interactions...
The Next Generation
Posted on February 08, 2008It's so weird that people of my generation are now described as "high-powered."I mentioned a prior college debate career here. This new Hillary staffer was one of my debate peers.On a jealousy scale from 1 to 10, I'm at an insane.
Romney Out, For Now
Posted on February 07, 2008After being crushed on Super Tuesday, Romney said not to worry, because his campaign would go on.He meant for another day and a half.And now it looks like he's eying 2012 for his next run. Making the dramatic announcement at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference at a Washington hotel, Romney clearly hoped to preserve the goodwill of his party for another possible bid in 2012...
Super Delegates All Over
Posted on February 07, 2008Here's a list of Super Delegates and the affiliations of those who have currently pledged. Many have not.And here are some of Obama's figures. Note that this is only one of many scenarios they've plotted -- this one just happened to leak.Even with victories in state after state, they barely eek out a win because of Hillary's Super Delegate count...
Requiem for a Romney
Posted on February 07, 2008Robert Reich, getting it right months ago:If good looks, white teeth, and smooth talking were the sole criteria for becoming president (they?re not unimportant), he?d win hands down. But Romney is cursed by having a father who ran for president. Candidates whose fathers have harbored presidential ambitions are handicapped because such candidates do not run for themselves; they run for their fathers...
Leftovers: Super Tuesday
Posted on February 07, 20081. As I first reported here, New Mexico still hasn't been called. A couple places are putting it in Hillary's camp, but I don't think official word has come down yet.2. Hillary's delegate totals keep rising. With Super Delegates, she's now almost 100 delegates ahead of Obama...
Keep her in it, so we can win it
Posted on February 07, 2008If any of you Obama supporters need a good sign that your candidate is the most electable, this should give you comfort. Rush Limbaugh is about to solicit donations for Hillary.He worried that she was in danger of losing the nomination to Barack Obama, who doesn't inspire the same fervent rage among GOP voters...
Scandalgate
Posted on February 07, 2008Obama girl didn't vote. For Obama or anyone.?I didn?t get a chance to vote today because I?m not registered to vote in New York,? she said.So where is Obama Girl registered to vote??New Jersey.?Um, but didn?t New Jersey also hold a primary?True. The problem, she explained, was that she was sick in New York City and was unable to get back across the Hudson River to the polls in Jersey City...
Stop Expediting Jobs!
Posted on February 07, 2008Whoopi Goldberg endorses Hillary.For the stupidest reason I've ever heard. She wanted to vote for the first candidate who came out against "expediting these jobs to other countries."She saw Obama do it a few days ago. But Hillary did it in May, 2007.If I'm Obama, I try to find a home movie of mine filmed 40 years ago where he comes out against exporting jobs overseas...
Is Huckabee The New Anti-McCain?
Posted on February 07, 2008It will be interesting to see, after the far-right convinced themselves that Romney was their candidate, whether they can convince themselves that Huckabee is their candidate as of now.I doubt it.But do you think that says something about the ultra far-right?Ron Paul? Not our candidate...
McCain Wins GOP Nomination
Posted on February 06, 2008If the 51 for 53 estimate for California is right, I do believe the race is over, and McCain is the nominee. Here's the word from the McCain camp:Speaking with reporters today, McCain adviser Charlie Black said, "To date, we have 775 delegates, Romney has 284, Huckabee has 205...
New Mexico Still Coming In
Posted on February 06, 2008Super Tuesday isn't over yet. New Mexico is extremely close and returns continue to come in.Up until about 25 minutes ago, Obama had a lead of 71 votes. Out of about 140,000 cast.But no more. Hillary has overtaken him.Clinton: 66,173Obama: 65,963Just over 200 votes ahead...
The Candor of Barack Obama
Posted on February 06, 2008In a news conference today, Obama characterized the race:?We are less of an underdog than we were two weeks ago,? Mr. Obama told reporters here. ?Two weeks ago, we were a big underdog, now we?re a slight underdog.?This strikes me as exactly right. And it's comparatively trivial statements like this that give Obama such immense credibility...
Clinton Wins American Samoa
Posted on February 06, 2008When you're tallying up your state-by-state figures from last night (Clinton wins California, Obama wins Missouri, etc.), don't forget to include that Hillary won American Samoa.A record 285 caucus-goers voted in a hotel in Pago Pago, American Samoa. They gave Clinton 163 votes and Barack Obama 121, with one going to former Alaska Sen...
McCain Wins 51 of 53 California Districts
Posted on February 06, 2008The GOP primary in California is ridiculously complicated, and involves proportionally dividing the delegates according to congressional districts. I.e., winning Nancy Pelosi's district or Tom Lantos's district may be just as important as winning Duncan Hunter's district down south...
Estimates Estimates
Posted on February 06, 2008CNN has delegate projections here.Democrats (2,025 needed to win nomination)Clinton: 783Obama: 709Edwards: 26GOP (1,191 needed to win nomination)McCain: 559Romney: 265Huckabee: 16A couple notes.First, on the Republican side, these are VERY conservative delegate counts for McCain, that don't involve him sweeping a lot of congressional districts in California...
Obama Needs to Beat Down Hillary
Posted on February 06, 2008Back in college debate, there were occasionally debate rounds I went into knowing that I was at a disadvantage. The judge was friends with my opponents' coaches, or needed the other team to win to save his/her own team, etc.In those situations, the only way you could win over the hostile judge was to give the other team a beat down...
This Ain't No Iowa
Posted on February 06, 2008Iowa had a lot of precincts on January 3rd. Something like 1700 of them.Texas has 18,000 on March 4th.[T]he Texas primary gives only a delegate catch of 67 delegates, less than, say, Minnesota.On the same date, in the evening, precinct caucuses will be held across the state and to participate one has to have voted in the primary earlier in the day...
Giuliani Way Up in Virginia
Posted on February 06, 2008Next Tuesday is the Virginia GOP primary.Looks like Giuliani has a beat on the win.Wait, that poll is from October? No public polling since October?! What is this the Ukraine?
Obama Thought Experiment
Posted on February 05, 2008I saw a focus group online last night where the audience took a variation of this thought experiment. No one could answer the question.1. Name one of Barack Obama's major achievements in the Senate in the last 3 years.Take about 10 seconds. Don't Google (on your honor!)Then post your answer in the comments...
The Democratic Convention Will Depend on Superdelegates
Posted on February 05, 2008Hence, in a sense, brokered. Good analysis here.Through a deadly combination of a primary calendar race to the bottom and an anachronistic method of delegate selection, we Democrats seem to have already arrived at that point. Short of one candidate dropping out, there is simply no easy way that this situation can be resolved...
Obama's Super Bowl Ad
Posted on February 05, 2008Obama was the only candidate to buy air time during the Super Bowl yesterday. Not national coverage, which would have been at least $1 million, but regional spots in Super Tuesday states.Here's the ad, which isn't bad.Best line: "The world as it is is not the world as it has to be...
Lindsey Graham is Going to Die of Anal Poisoning
Posted on February 05, 2008In a bizarre insult to Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.), Rush Limbaugh has said that the Senator is so close to John McCain that he will die of "anal poisoning."Hey, I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure that's a reference to homosexuality.Yes, you heard it here...
Lots more exit polls
Posted on February 05, 2008I don't want to just copy and paste exist polls, so I recommend going here for most of your updates.One interesting note:Total landslide for Obama in most of the southern states; that make South Carolina's Democratic primary from this year look like Florida 2000...
Democratic Exit Polls in Massachusetts
Posted on February 05, 2008Early reports here.[T]he first two waves of results in Massachusetts show a "dead heat" between Hillary and Obama . . .That's good for Obama.My theory is that Obama can't lose tonight. Even if he loses a lot of states, he'll maintain a close enough delegate count that his campaign can continue...
Just. Classic. Romney.
Posted on February 05, 2008On the Bob Dole controversy here.Romney finally eats crow and wants to make nice with Bob Dole.Romney said he?d ?love? to have Dole?s support and recalled going to several of his fundraisers.?I believe I was a contributor to his presidential campaign,? said Romney...
Huckabee Wins West Virgina; Romney Whines
Posted on February 05, 2008Mike Huckabee walked away with the first big prize of the day. The West Virginia caucuses. Go 'eers!But Mitt Romney whined that John McCain's voters, once their candidate looked like he wasn't viable, went to Mike Huckabee."Governor Romney had enough respect for the Republican voters of West Virginia to make an appeal to them about the future of the party based on issues...
I'm Voting Liberal!
Posted on February 04, 2008Porn Stars interviewed about Super Tuesday.Porn Star Politics on FunnyOrDie.comIsn't there a mixed black and white guy?
Fool Me Once...
Posted on February 04, 2008Word on the street is that Clinton cried again at a public event. Also, just like last time, the tears were in response to comments/questions about her favorite topic, namely herself. Last time she cried, it was the day before the New Hampshire primary...
How Much Would I Pay to Tell the World that I am a Racist?
Posted on February 04, 2008I'm not sure how many of you saw the Sales Genie ads yesterday during the Super Bowl...but man, oh man...they...are...bad.If you didn't see them - the short version is that a company called Sales Genie paid millions and millions of dollars to run crudely animated advertisements which, for some reason, feature over-the-top stereotypes of Indians and Chinese...
Hillary Embraces the Giants
Posted on February 04, 2008Yesterday, Hillary took note of the fact that Obama was rooting for the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and said that the Giants winning was a "real omen."And reminded that she had two campaign stops in Massachusetts on Monday, she joked: ?They can redeem themselves on Tuesday ? they can vote for a winner...
McCain Beats Clinton, Obama
Posted on February 04, 2008Obviously it's too early to make any sweeping conclusions, but I think it's interesting (and potentially useful for voters) to note that McCain is beating both Clinton and Obama in national polls right now.McCain v. Hillary: 46.9 to 45McCain v. Obama: 44...
A Marathon, Not a Sprint
Posted on February 04, 2008A good roundup of the coming Democratic contest beyond Super Tuesday here.The Obama campaign likes its chances for several reasons. One is that contests so far have shown that the more time he has to campaign, the better he does against Mrs. Clinton.The other is that the Obama campaign moves into the later contests with a financial cushion of $32 million he raised in January, triple the Clinton campaign?s January goal and enough for Mr...
My Racist Wife
Posted on February 04, 2008One reason I think accusations of playing the race card are so rampant is because it's an easy card to play. Easy because it trumps all else, and easy because it's so hard to disprove.Here's a good example of where the race card very likely ISN'T being played --- by Maria Echeveste, a paid Clinton consultant who is married to Dean Christopher Edley at Boalt, an Obama supporter...
"At its Most Basic Level, Insincere"
Posted on February 04, 2008I missed this op-ed from a Weekly Standard Writer and former staffer to Mitt Romney, who helped him run against Ted Kennedy in 1994, ultimately unsuccessfully.If you have time, I recommend reading the whole thing. If not, the portions below are quite good...
2004 Kerry/McCain Ticket?
Posted on February 04, 2008Lately there's been some buzz as to how much John McCain considered/suggested being Kerry's running mate in 2004. A couple quick hits on Google definitely counter this buzz.First, McCain was the Arizona co-chair of Bush's 2004 re-election campaign.Second, McCain probably could have had it if he wanted it...
Everybody Famous Gets to Endorse
Posted on February 04, 2008Jack Nicholson for Hillary.Maria Schriver goes for Obama. As does De Niro. More than a little bit.And Garrison Keillor goes for Obama as well. That shores up the Minnesota vote.UPDATE: Wilford Brimley for John McCain. Two words to Hillary and Obama. Boo...
I'll Change What I Believe if You Vote for Me
Posted on February 04, 2008Here is a good round up of two Mitt Romney "flip-flops" -- on the Assault Weapons Ban and the supposed NRA endorsement of his Gubernatorial candidacy in 2002.I call them "flip-flops" because they deserve worse names than that. They are shameless things to say when you're trying to attract voters...
Go Ahead. Just Try It Once.
Posted on February 02, 2008Hillary is trying to combat Obama's appeal among younger voters by treating him like drugs.America Ferrera said the election doesn?t have to be a popularity contest. ?Just because I?m young doesn?t mean I have to submit to catchy campaign slogans and things that make you tear up...
Field Report: Obama in Albuquerque
Posted on February 02, 2008As readers know, EU is dedicated to sending its blogstars around the country to file reports on the 2008 presidential races. Glanko's Michigan report is here.Now we have FT's report on Obama's Albuquerque rally 2 days ago:Either the Obama camp needs more confidence, or it needs to improve its crowd-estimation skills...
Obama's Yes We Can Video
Posted on February 02, 2008If you like being inspired, this is a good video to watch. If you hate hope though go down a few posts to watch this one.Hat Tip: TK
Edwards Mum
Posted on February 02, 2008I just saw on CNN that Edwards has decided not to endorse a candidate before Tuesday. So I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I don't know what Edwards is thinking, besides who'll give him the Attorney General spot.
Paul Outraises the GOP Field
Posted on February 01, 2008Ron Paul raised more than any other GOP candidate in the 4th quarter of 2007. But no one cares.I actually had to track down these numbers because they weren't widely reported yesterday. And Huckabee didn't even send out his numbers in a press release...
Snoop's Endorsement Still Up For Grabs
Posted on February 01, 2008Snoop Doggy Dogg is torn between Hillary and Obama. It's sad for the GOP that he's not even considering one of their candidates. But I imagine their tough-on-murder stances must turn him off.On the Democrats:"Either one is a great move for America," he continued...
I'm Hella Conservative
Posted on February 01, 2008Noticing that he has a serious problem among some conservative groups, John McCain puts out a new ad called "True Conservative."Take a drink every time the ad says "conservative."I think McCain's staffers should all wear t-shirts that say "I'm with the mega conservative" and then have arrows pointing to McCain...
Win a Date with Chelsea, I Mean Bill
Posted on February 01, 2008I can't figure out who won the "Win a date with Chelsea" contest that I mentioned here.But it looks like Bill Richardson won the "Win a date with Bill Clinton" contest that was only open to former presidential candidates. Hispanic ones in particular.They'll be watching the Superbowl together this Sunday...
Like the Nazis Marching Through Skokie
Posted on February 01, 2008The Obama campaign has put out a mailer criticizing Hillary's health-care plan on mandates.Using an image that some say recalls the industry-sponsored attacks on Hillary's health-care plan in 1993, the ad says that Hillary is forcing people to have health care that they may not be able to afford...
Department of Wild Speculation
Posted on February 01, 2008The theory on the Gore-endorses-Obama (highly speculative) story is here.What would be the risk? There?s no chance that his endorsement would be followed by an embarrassing Dean-like collapse; Obama has already notched wins. Climate change won?t suddenly disappear from the agenda if he loses...
Move On Endorses Obama
Posted on February 01, 2008Not sure if this is the news cycle event of the day for Obama, but Moveon.org has endorsed Obama.Also they accused General Petraeus of treason.
Ann Coulter Endorses Hillary
Posted on February 01, 2008Against John McCain.Never has John McCain had more credibility.But again, McCain is looking to have serious problems with the far right.
Not Politically Related
Posted on February 01, 2008My favorite commercial right now is this Comcast ad featuring Billy Idol's Rebel Yell. As you all know, Comcast has to do something clever to make up for its notoriously bad customer service. (See also here and here).This ad works for me.
Who Won the Democratic Debate Last Night?
Posted on February 01, 2008Politico's Ben Smith says no one.Slate's John Dickerson says no one.CNN's Bill Schneider says it's a draw.I said Hillary.Campaign Spot says Hillary.Fox's Focus Group thought it was Obama "overwhelmingly."CNN's Focus Group thought it was Hillary, 60-40...
Who Won the GOP Debate Tonight??
Posted on January 31, 2008CNN's Bill Schneider says Huckabee.Politico's Johnathan Martin says no one, therefore McCain. Same with Campaign Spot.Trailhead says Romney.So pick your favorite candidate, unless it's Paul, who won the debate, and then read the corresponding analysis...
Obama's Israel Record
Posted on January 31, 2008This Jerusalem Post opinion piece compares the candidates on their friendliness toward Jews and Israel. It finds that Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee are both hostile to Judiasm and/or Israel, but takes comfort in the fact that they aren't strong candidates for their party's nomination...
It's Over; Declare it for Hillary
Posted on January 31, 2008Black Elvis endorses Hillary.My favorite line: "A black Elvis?!" Yes Hillary. Elvis impersonators know no racial boundaries.
Tonight's Debate
Posted on January 31, 2008I watched it straight through.And I think Hillary won. Not just by tying, but by actually winning arguments and making contrasts. Her weakest point, by far, was Iraq, which I thought she eventually explained adequately. If that's your issue, hey, you were voting for Obama anyway...
The Comeback of the Guitar Solo
Posted on January 31, 2008Hillary's new ad is actually moderately humorous. She quits her band to run for President.They never actually say what the name of the band was though. Any snarky ideas?
Talking Point Number One
Posted on January 31, 2008Just landed in the GOP's lap. It's Kerry redux.Obama just got ranked the most liberal member of the Senate. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, now a supporter of Obama, held the same distinction in 2003, the year he spent campaigning for the Democratic nomination...
Obama Needs Edwards's Endorsement
Posted on January 31, 2008JS predicts an Edwards endorsement of Obama by Saturday. A very gutsy call, but one that I can't argue with.The problem for Obama is that he NEEDS the Edwards endorsement. Early indications from Gallup's latest survey indicate that neither candidate is disproportionately benefiting from the Edwards dropout...
The Thursday Announcement
Posted on January 31, 2008Yesterday I predicted a series of orchestrated announcements from the Obama campaign, designed to dominate the news cycle through Tuesday. That included the endorsement of John Edwards by Saturday. I'm sticking by that, though Edwards may not be endorsing to encourage Clinton and Obama to go after his voters by talking about poverty...
"This Was an Ambush"
Posted on January 30, 2008Hillary's final Florida spin:Hillary Clinton won a significant victory today in the Florida primary with the biggest turnout in Florida Democratic primary history. She will end up with more votes than John McCain, the winner of the Republican primary...
Read the News Cycle
Posted on January 30, 2008From an AS reader:Edwards dropped out the day after Florida, not yesterday or the day before. It steps on Hillary's Florida spin. But endorsing Obama todaywould be too transparent...plus it'd give up the opportunity to have some influence on another news cycle later in the week...
Last Word on the Snub
Posted on January 30, 2008I posted here on the original controversy. And here to debunk Senator Obama's defense of his snub.I'm using this Maureen Dowd op-ed column, not because I agree with it, but as an admission against interest, as her candidate is Obama.On a flight to Kansas yesterday to collect another big endorsement, this one from Gov...
Why Edwards Will Back Obama
Posted on January 30, 2008Pretty obvious stuff here, but:Edwards has framed this race up until recently as a battle between the forces of Change and the forces of Status Quo. That was likely an attempt to make it a two person race with Obama, but it's a fair characterization as well...
Edwards Out
Posted on January 30, 2008The convention will not be brokered. I predict an Obama endorsement by Saturday.
Romney is the Anti-McCain
Posted on January 30, 2008We're looking at a three-man race going into next Tuesday.And though McCain obviously has the momentum at this point, he should be very worried about some of the exit poll numbers coming out last night. Romney won pro-lifers. Romney won the mainstream religious...
McCain's Conservative Radio Problem
Posted on January 30, 2008I missed the entirety of the Republican debate. So I have no original wit to pass onto readers in that regard.But I missed the debate because I was driving from San Francisco to Fresno, where I am now. This isn't the south. This isn't even the southwest...
The Onion Gets Funny Again
Posted on January 29, 2008The Onion has posted profiles of the various Presidential candidates, and provides detailed descriptions of their policy positions. Don't forget to click on the "Key Issues" tabs and on the candidates that have already bowed out (Thompson, Dodd, Richardson, Kucinich, and Biden) at the bottom of the page...
Obama Might Still Be in High School
Posted on January 29, 2008At the State of the Union Address tonight Barack Obama awkwardly turned away from Hillary Clinton as she went to shake the hand of the person in the row in front of him.When Clinton straightened up, Kennedy quickly reached across Barack Obama to shake Clinton?s hand...
Toni Morrison's Apology
Posted on January 29, 2008Toni Morrison famously quipped in 1998 that Bill Clinton was America's first black President.Last week, Roland S. Martin, a CNN commentator, called her out on that statement:MARTIN: Toni Morrison, you owe black America an absolute apology. That's the dumbest thing I've heard in my life...
Hills and Valleys to Tsunami Tuesday
Posted on January 29, 2008According to this guy ("veteran political reporter who ?enjoyed the hottest streak of almost any handicapper'" in 2004, according to his bio.), the numbers out of California carry good news for Obama. The most recent Survey/USA poll ranks the CA democratic contenders thusly:Clinton 49 Obama 38 Edwards 9Other/Undecided 4 But after some fairly realistic turnout-fiddling, he gets: Clinton 44...
Rudy Endorses Tomorrow???
Posted on January 29, 2008There's no word from the Giuliani campaign tonight on dropping out of the race, much less word on an endorsement.But word is that both are happening tomorrow:A top campaign official from Sen. John McCain's camp has been in "ongoing discussions" with Rudy Giuliani's campaign about the former New York mayor endorsing McCain's candidacy, a GOP official familiar with talks told CNN Tuesday...
Rudy Compliments Ron Paul
Posted on January 29, 2008I saw this happen live but can't find the video yet.Rudy is making his concession speech, and he just offered words of praise for all of his competitors, who he said were "honorable men.""Including Ron Paul... who won all of the debates!" He then said he checked the "who won the debate" polls, and saw that Paul won every one of them...
Scratch That, Middle School
Posted on January 29, 2008The media took Obama to task this morning for snubbing Hillary. No doubt because of my post last night on the subject here.**Obama defended himself by saying:I was surprised by the reports this morning. There was a photograph in The Times of me turning away...
Hillary Can Take a Punch
Posted on January 29, 2008Several Kennedy children have endorsed Hillary Clinton for Democratic nomination this year.One of their arguments strikes me as particularly unsound though:The loftiest poetry will not solve these issues. We need a president willing to engage in a fistfight to safeguard and restore our national virtues...
This Ain't No South Carolina
Posted on January 29, 2008The networks aren't going to call this one before the polls close.The polls are irritatingly close, with McCain up in most of them but by an average of only .6%. With a winner-take-all primary, that small lead is the difference between night and day.And with Giuliani and Huckabee falling so far behind, you have about 40% of the electorate (their one-time supporters) that may decide on McCain or Romney today, just as they're entering the polls...
Could he *be* any more magnanimous?
Posted on January 29, 2008Hey all, first post of many showering Obama with sustained but deserved praise. Thanks to wt for the opportunity.Bill Richardson on who to endorse:"I had just been asked a question -- I don't remember which one -- and Obama was sitting right next to me...
Mischeivous Democrats
Posted on January 28, 2008It's only fair, given that President Bush is using the State of the Union to make a stump speech, that the Dems are resorting to sarcasm:There's a little gamesmanship going on here tonight. When Republicans like a Bush applause line such as vetoing tax increases, they stand up and applaud...
John McCain Could Save a Lot of Money
Posted on January 28, 2008Just airing unedited Youtube clips across Florida.I am so sorry, Baha Men.
You Sir, Are No Barack Obama
Posted on January 28, 2008I mentioned here Bill Clinton's highly questionable attempt to marginalize Barack Obama as the Jesse Jackson of 2008.One reason this is a misleading comparison is that Barack Obama isn't an outspoken anti-Semite, as Jesse Jackson is, or at least was in 1984...
Hillary's Florida Strategy
Posted on January 28, 2008The major Democrats in the race agreed not to campaign in Florida.Why? So as not to upset party leadership and voters in the first four states. Iowa loves being the first caucus. New Hampshire loves being the first primary. Nevada loves being first in the west...
If You Thought Ted Kennedy Was Big
Posted on January 28, 2008Ted Kennedy has decided to endorse Barack Obama. But if you thought that was big news, listen to this. Toni Morrison has ALSO decided to endorse Obama.Two things. 1. Obama clearly has the edge in the growing ethnic-literature lovers vote. Though often not an influential group because they're split amongst several irrelevant candidates, this year the bloc could give Obama as many as 20-30 votes nationwide...
Get a Pen and Mark this Down
Posted on January 28, 2008McCain will pick Charlie Crist, Governor of Florida, as his VP.With the recent endorsements of Mel Martinez and Crist, McCain has recaptured the lead in the Florida polls, however slightly, with only a day left to go. I think a win here will propel McCain to the nomination...
You Obama-ed Them By How Much?
Posted on January 27, 2008Final numbers in South Carolina yesterday were:Obama: 55Hillary: 27Edwards: 18I still think a trouncing like this is probably ok for Hillary, and certainly better than losing by a couple points. With the latter outcome, the focus would be on Bill, missteps Hillary made, race, exit polls, etc...
Obama Rescues ... Bill Clinton?
Posted on January 27, 2008I linked to the video of Bill Clinton attempting to define Obama as the Jesse Jackson of 2008 here.When confronted with the video, Obama DEFENDS Bill Clinton. Not persuasively in my opinion, but still. What a magnanimous guy.Stephanopoulos told Obama: ?The implication is pretty clear: You?re the Jesse Jackson of 2008...
Bill Clinton Plays the Race Card
Posted on January 27, 2008Until yesterday, there was a defensible argument that the Clintons had not played the race card. I posted here about one instance where I thought the Clintons were emphatically not playing the race card.But check out this video. Wow. Bill Clinton needed to respond to some question with a Jesse Jackson line...
CNN Calls it at 6:59 Eastern
Posted on January 26, 2008The minute before the polls closed.With nothing reporting.As in, based on exit polls.Florida in 2000. New Hampshire in 2008. You'd think the networks would wait until at least the polls close before calling the election.Dangerous.
Poor Obama
Posted on January 26, 2008The problem with not being a ruthless politician is that you often get out-politicked by them.The Clintons attack, then Obama defends by saying the Clintons aren't telling the whole truth. But then Clinton attacks again. Trailhead describes the sad state of events for Obama:[Obama] seems to struggle with his irritation at having to engage in this at all and then sometimes seems afflicted with a wicked case of staircase wit, issuing comebacks a little late?--after he's thought of a good one?--even as the Clintons have moved on to calling for an elevated debate...
Can I Get That Without the Skin?
Posted on January 26, 2008Mitt Romney had lunch at KFC today in Lakeland, Florida.But he took the skin off of his chicken!Mitt Romney, the John Kerry of the GOP. Goodbye, solid south.
Obama Wants SC Close
Posted on January 26, 2008The latest average of South Carolina polls is here.Obama: 38.4Clinton: 26.8Edwards: 19.2That's a huge lead for Obama over Clinton, and a big lead for Clinton over Edwards.So winning isn't really in the cards for Hillary. But she could potentially make it a little bit closer if she wanted to...
This. Changes. Everything.
Posted on January 26, 2008The Fresno Bee has endorsed John Edwards.Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' campaign for president offers a much-needed vision that recognizes the hope and promise of America. It's a view that includes solidifying the plight of working families and others in the middle class...
Romney Was Being Fed Answers?
Posted on January 26, 2008Listen to the video here. There's a whisper of "raise taxes" right before Romney says he wouldn't "raise taxes." And then listen to the second clip. There's a second whisperer! Right before Romney says he wouldn't support new legislation relating to assault weapons, there's a whisper of "support" in the background...
Clinton Sabotages McCain
Posted on January 26, 2008Real Clear Politics has McCain beating Hillary in several polls and at least competitive in the others.What about Romney? Clinton beats him by an average of 11.5 points.So if I'm Hillary Clinton, and I like the idea of facing Romney instead of McCain, what should I do? Emphasize how awesome McCain is (in the eyes of a Democrat) a few days before the Republican primary...
Taking a play from the Rambo III playbook
Posted on January 25, 2008McCain has released a new video trumping his head-to-head poll numbers with the Democrats and highlighting their general anxiety in facing him in the general election.In the spot, the sound bites of "John McCain" are lifted from the most recent Democratic debate - it would be interesting, perhaps novel, to be able to say that the winner of the South Carolina debate was a member of the opposing party who has yet to secure his own nomination...
Win a Date With Chelsea
Posted on January 25, 2008Contribute to Hillary's campaign and you could win a date with Chelsea to watch a debate in LA on January 31."I've been campaigning with [my mom] across the country -- and I'm definitely planning on being at the next debate. Would you like to join me? The campaign is picking an online supporter to watch the January 31 debate in Los Angeles with me and to meet my mom...
NYT Endorses Clinton, McCain
Posted on January 25, 2008The McCain endorsement is to be expected. I was actually a little surprised that he met with the editorial board though; he was the only GOP candidate to do so, and it's not like he needed to do so to get the endorsement. Plus he's taking heat for it in the debate...
Stallone v. Chuck Norris
Posted on January 25, 2008McCain is threatening to send Sylvester Stallone after Chuck Norris. Uh, that seems like a bad idea."Now that Sylvestor Stallone has endorsed me, I'm sending him over to take care of Chuck Norris right away."Wow, John. They guy who pretended to be a boxer against the black belt martial artist...
Cindy McCain Stands Alone
Posted on January 25, 2008In the race for attractive candidate's wife, Elizabeth Kucinich joins Jeri Thompson in departing the race. In an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Mr. Kucinich said he plans to hold a news conference Friday afternoon where he will announce that he is ?transitioning out of the presidential campaign...
Obama on Letterman
Posted on January 25, 2008Apparently Obama is doing Letterman's Top 10 List tonight, the only part of the show potentially worth watching. The NYT has the lead on the show.If elected, Barack Obama will name Oprah Winfrey his vice president and appoint Mitt Romney the ?secretary of lookin? good...
McCain Wins Secret Primary
Posted on January 24, 2008I didn't see this covered by any mainstream news organization yesterday, but there was a caucus/primary in Louisiana on Tuesday where delegates were at stake.Like Michigan, where "Uncommitted" was an option, plenty of voters decided not to state a preference for whom to support...
Winning the Gold Medal in Semantics Gymnastics
Posted on January 24, 2008I know it's old news, but I felt compelled to comment.On January 17th, in Columbia, South Carolina, Mitt Romney had a testy exchange with Glen Johnson, a reporter with the Associated Press. Johnson basically interrupted Romney, mid sentence, expressing his incredulity as to Romney?s statement "I do not have lobbyists running my campaign...
Bill Clinton is Smoother Than Mike Huckabee
Posted on January 23, 2008If there's any bias to my posts, it's not left-right, but the fact that I swoon for smooth politicians. See my Huckabee post here.But Clinton is smoother than him. Watch this video.Basically:1. Obama is the one going negative.2. There was voter suppression in Nevada...
Tyra Banks is John Edwards's New Campaign Advisor
Posted on January 23, 2008John Edwards is apparently doing the talk show circuit. And by that I mean the Tyra Banks show, which is like 2 steps below doing the Chevy Chase show. What? That's been cancelled??What does that feel like to be a minority, to be a white male?? Tyra Banks asked John Edwards on her show...
The Democrat's Bizarre Strategies To Win
Posted on January 23, 2008If yesterday's political word of the day was "Credibility," rather Ron Paul's lack thereof, today's must be Magnanimity.Who has it and does it work?Short Answer: Obama, not Hillary Clinton, and I don't know.Obama's recent Reagan comments were mild and clearly an attempt to link his candidacy's potential and excitement to what many consider the greatest statesman in recent memory...
Obama Had a Poor Debate, Hillary is the Devil
Posted on January 23, 2008A good article from Lawrence Lessig.Let's start with the disappointment: debates are not Obama's forte. If he were running for Prime Minister, I'd have second thoughts. I can't understand why he isn't better prepared for the obvious exchange that was going to happen...
The Coming Battle
Posted on January 23, 2008With Jeri Thompson gone, the big debate in Washington right now is which candidate's spouse is most attractive. The debate mostly comes down to Cindy McCain and Elizabeth Kucinich.Vote in the comments.
The Democratic Party is Effed
Posted on January 23, 2008If Clinton wins this thing, Obama supporters will cry foul.If Obama wins this thing, establishment Democrats are going to be pissed that an upstart took down the most experienced candidate with the deepest fundraising ties.Watch this video. Can you see either one of these people endorsing the other? I guess McCain endorsed Bush in 2000 after lots of attacks; but those were surrogates' attacks, not straight from Bush...
Obama is Winning Blah Blah
Posted on January 23, 2008Another story about how Obama is winning. Obama is ahead on all convention-bound delegates awarded thus far in primaries and caucuses. That's because each state has its own, often eccentric, method of converting votes cast into the awarding of pledged delegates...
Huckabee: The Secret Weapon
Posted on January 22, 2008Having lost South Carolina, and likely out of momentum from his Iowa victory, what is Mike Huckabee doing in the race still?First, let's be honest and say that he may win some of the southern states on February 5th, Super Tuesday.But other than that, Politico has 2 other theories:1...
Thompson is Out
Posted on January 22, 2008Fred Thompson drops out of the running."Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people...
Libertarians Unite: Johnson Endorses Paul
Posted on January 22, 2008Gary Johnson, former New Mexico governor and friend of libertarianism, has publicly endorsed Ron Paul. Now this is a big deal for Paul because, despite Johnson's eccentricities, has now garnered the endorsement of a non-fringe elected official.The rest of Paul's endorsements (Here) are a list of D-list political celebrities and wannabees, with the exception of the conservative economist Walter Williams, who appears to have endorsed Paul in a tongue-in-cheek way and to avoid Mallard Fillmore's push for a Williams run...
Quick Break From Politics
Posted on January 21, 2008Life imitating art yesterday.Maybe I'm posting this clip because I have a Coming to America fixation as of late, or maybe I just found it particularly appropriate given the Giants' overtime field goal victory against Green Bay in yesterday's NFC Championship...
McCain is Maybe Possibly the Front Runner
Posted on January 20, 2008Big win in South Carolina last night, such that McCain is the arguable front runner in the race now.If McCain wins Florida I think the race is over. There will be a protest candidate if someone else can win a substantial number of Feb 5 states, but McCain will have the delegates he needs to win at the convention...
What Does Winning Mean
Posted on January 20, 2008A few weeks ago I noted that Barack Obama actually won New Hampshire.Now it looks like he actually won Nevada as well.There are two kind of delegates. The more important kind, nationally speaking, are the [national convention delegates], of which Obama ? according to a revised AP count ? is expected to emerge with 13 to Clinton's 12...
Edwards is Not Back
Posted on January 20, 2008False alarm back here.Edwards didn't need to win Nevada, but a second place finish would have given him a big boost. A third place finish, on its own, would have been bad. But 4%? Wow.Unless Edwards wins multiple super Tuesday states he is going to be completely marginalized by the media and most voters...
MLK's Birthday is just around the corner!
Posted on January 17, 2008In celebration of Dr. King and his service to our nation, I give to you the My-T-Sharp conversation from Coming to America:I met Dr. Martin Luther King once.""You lyin'! You ain't never met Dr. Martin Luther King.""Yeah, I met Dr. Martin Luther King in 1962 in Memphis, Tennessee...
Edwards is Back
Posted on January 17, 2008In the notoriously difficult polling in the run up to the Nevada caucuses Saturday, John Edwards is with striking distance of winning.This poll has it:Obama: 32Clinton: 30Edwards: 27Not bad for a guy who's been written off since Iowa. Even a second place finish for Edwards would catapult him back into the race, but an outright first place finish would really bring him some tangible momentum...
Jews Lean Toward Hillary
Posted on January 17, 2008Both candidates seem to have fairly strong records on Israel, but Hillary is still the popular candidate among Jews.A survey last November conducted by the American Jewish Committee found that 53 percent of Jews view Clinton favorably, compared to 38 percent for both Obama and Edwards...
F*** Tim Russert?
Posted on January 17, 2008A popular liberal blogger, Ezra Klein, is catching grief for suggesting that Tim Russert be raped with acid-tipped spiky d*** in the a**.The response? "I regret that it was made public ...."Yeah you do buddy. Way to contribute to the political discourse in America.
Erasing White Males . . .
Posted on January 16, 2008Former Congressman Floyd Flake, who it's hard not to like, explains my point about the danger of pandering and the November election calculus in the New York Daily News.So, for the sake of the Democratic Party's electoral chances and its two historic candidates, two things must occur immediately...
Fickle Palmetto State
Posted on January 16, 2008Now that Michigan has come and gone, GOP eyes shift to South Carolina and Florida; and the Democrats to South Carolina and Nevada, respectively. I will make a bold claim here: South Carolina will determine the nominees and the Presidency in 2008.Here's why:First in the GOP contest, John McCain's perceived edge in SC is illusory...
What Next on the GOP Side?
Posted on January 16, 2008Good analysis from Jonathan Martin here.[T]here will be no coronation for John McCain. Successive wins in New Hampshire, Michigan and then South Carolina would have put him in an extraordinarily strong position to win the GOP nomination. But with Romney?s very solid victory, McCain's momentum has, at the very least, been slowed considerably...
Soy Barack Obama
Posted on January 16, 2008Obama's Spanish Language ad for Nevada voters is here.Slate approves:The ad, which airs in Nevada before Saturday's caucus, tweaks Obama's message slightly for an increased Hispanic demographic. (Nevada is about 24 percent Latino, according to the 2006 U...
Calling it for Romney at 5 percent reporting
Posted on January 15, 2008It seems as if Romney, who currently holds a 6-7 point lead over McCain at this point, will see his lead only grow as the night wears on. Why? Romney is a huge favorite in the Detroit and surrounding suburbs (Wayne County, Oakland County) where he beats McCain something awful, like 50 percent to 27...
Charles Rangel Agrees With Me
Posted on January 15, 2008Earlier today I said I thought Obama's spin on Hillary's MLK statement was really bad.Charles Rangel, the congressman from NY, and admittedly a Hillary supporter, agrees here. Except I said Obama just had a really bad argument. Rangel calls the spin "absolutely stupid...
Martin Luther King Didn't Kill Hitler
Posted on January 15, 2008No one doubts that Martin Luther King, Jr. was largely responsible for the awareness of the civil rights struggle in the 50's and 60's. But is it really canonical that MLK is responsible for everything good associated with the civil rights movement? Hillary got in trouble for saying in an interview that MLK needed President Johnson to get major civil rights legislation passed...
My Staffer's Mom Supports Me
Posted on January 15, 2008Romney gets caught having a photo op with his staffer's mom. Uh, whoops.Local and national media outlets, including Politico.com, reported that Romney was the picture of empathy as he sat at the Marshall, Mich. kitchen table of 51-year-old Elizabeth Sachs, a single mother of two who lost her job as a retail manager ? as well as her health insurance ? and is running out of money as she tries to sell her house to move to Florida...
"No Dignity, No Class, and No Couth"
Posted on January 15, 2008McCain's concession speech was interrupted by Romney's victory speech. The McCain people were not happy about this.But kudos to McCain for spinning the loss is a fairly persuasive way. Romney won because he's the "native son." As in, what did you want? The dude is from Michigan.
Watch for Giluiani-McCain Skirmish
Posted on January 14, 2008In almost any other year, the strategy of waiting out the primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada (not to mention Wyoming and Michigan) would be outright ludicrous.Yet Giuliani has incredibly pursued this strategy with what l