Tuesday, September 30, 2008

BREAKING: Sarah Palin Says Being Gay Is A Choice


This person is such a profound bigot that she doesn't even realize what she's saying is disgusting and offensive. The remainder of tonight's interview with CBS has Palin mocking Senator Biden for his age, fumbling over her positions on abortion rights, contraception, global warming, etc., and unable to state the name of even a single newspaper or magazine she's read to stay informed of world events.

Sarah Palin, you are a disgrace to our politics and to our country.
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Monday, September 29, 2008

How Much More Pathetic Can This Ticket Get?

[UPDATE: Apparently A LOT more pathetic. Sarah Palin is officially the most unintelligent, most unskilled, all around most insane person to ever run for executive office in the course of American history...see the new video below for confirmation.]



Paul Krugman Hits The Nail On The Head

"...The real revelation of the last few weeks, however, has been just how erratic Mr. McCain’s views on economics are. At any given moment, he seems to have very strong opinions — but a few days later, he goes off in a completely different direction.


Thus on Sept. 15 he declared — for at least the 18th time this year — that “the fundamentals of our economy are strong.” This was the day after Lehman failed and Merrill Lynch was taken over, and the financial crisis entered a new, even more dangerous stage.


But three days later he declared that America’s financial markets have become a “casino,” and said that he’d fire the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission — which, by the way, isn’t in the president’s power.


And then he found a new set of villains — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored lenders. (Despite some real scandals at Fannie and Freddie, they played little role in causing the crisis: most of the really bad lending came from private loan originators.) And he moralistically accused other politicians, including Mr. Obama, of being under Fannie’s and Freddie’s financial influence; it turns out that a firm owned by his own campaign manager was being paid by Freddie until just last month.


Then Mr. Paulson released his plan, and Mr. McCain weighed vehemently into the debate. But he admitted, several days after the Paulson plan was released, that he hadn’t actually read the plan, which was only three pages long.


O.K., I think you get the picture.


The modern economy, it turns out, is a dangerous place — and it’s not the kind of danger you can deal with by talking tough and denouncing evildoers. Does Mr. McCain have the judgment and temperament to deal with that part of the job he seeks?"


[link to full editorial]

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Sunday, September 28, 2008

Note To McCain Campaign: Your Wolves' Sheep Costumes Are See-Through

Over the span of the past two and a half weeks, Obama has gotten substantially more popular while McCain has gotten less popular, Biden has maintained his favorability level, and Palin has utterly tanked in the favorable ratings department.

Pundits like to characterize the Palin pick as both "a gamble" and "a Hail Mary pass" for the McCain campaign but, given the more than logically obvious likelihood that picking such a clueless running mate would result in the current state of embarrassment for their campaign, isn't it more accurate to describe this choice as "a gamble...like hitting on a 20 in blackjack" and "a Hail Mary pass...into the stands"?
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Saturday, September 27, 2008

Rutgers Beats Morgan State, Fans Cautiously Returning From Collective Window Ledge

Ok, fine, I'll watch next Saturday's game against West Virginia...but I'm still going to continue to assume a Rutgers loss by at least 28 points, that way I'll be pleasantly surprised by anything better.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Post-Presidential Debate Reaction

A couple of quick reaction points for tonight's presidential debate:

--> Regarding overall debate performance, McCain earned a B- and Obama earned an A- (I bumped up Obama's grade from a B+ to an A- after a repeat viewing of the debate emphasized just how solid and controlled Obama was throughout the night compared to a shaky, scattered McCain).

--> Obama clearly demonstrated his (heretofore underestimated, in my opinion) strength on foreign policy issues, which was basically his primary goal for this debate.

--> It's distinctly apparent that the McCain campaign has calculated they can only win by heavily dealing in misinformation and distortion regarding Obama's current plans and past statements.

--> Obama could have been tougher on McCain (I kept hoping we'd hear my favorite "...and if John McCain really believes XYZ, well, then I've got a 'Bridge to Nowhere' to sell you!", but I can settle for a 'Bomb, Bomb Iran' reference), but that was never really his debate style to begin with.

--> As the debate wore on, McCain came off as more and more aggravated and condescending, even a bit disrespectful so to Obama, which is likely to turn off many independent voters.

--> Jim Lehrer is MUCH less sharp than I remember him being in past election debates. The excessive overlap of many questions, the strange "talk to each other" comments, the poor time management...not very good at all.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

*UPDATE* (12:41am): The results of this CNN poll conducted among tonight's debate watchers are staggering:

Regardless of which candidate you happen to support, who do you think did the best job in the debate -- Barack Obama or John McCain?

Obama 51%
McCain 38%

Did _______ do a better or worse job than you expected?
Obama: Better 57%, Worse 20%, Same 23%
McCain: Better 60%, Worse 20%, Same 18%


Next, regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me if you think Barack Obama or John McCain would better handle each of the following issues:

The war in Iraq: Obama 52%, McCain 47%

Terrorism: McCain 49%, Obama 45%

The economy: Obama 58%, McCain 37%

The current financial crisis: Obama 54%, McCain 36%


Thinking about the following characteristics and qualities, please say whether you think each one better described Barack Obama or John McCain during tonight's debate:

Was more intelligent: Obama 55%, McCain 30%

Expressed his views more clearly: Obama 53%, McCain 36%

Spent more time attacking his opponent: McCain 60%, Obama 23%

Was more sincere and authentic: Obama 46%, McCain 38%

Seemed to be the stronger leader: Obama 49%, McCain 43%

Was more likeable: Obama 61%, McCain 26%

Was more in touch with the needs and problems of people like you: Obama 62%, McCain 32%


Based on what _______ said and did in tonight's debate, do you think he would be able to handle the job of president if he is elected?
Obama 69%-29%
McCain 68%-30%
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Obama Set To Debate McSchizo

Once again, as can be said at so many junctures of this presidential campaign season, if it were Senator Obama that spent the past two weeks flailing about, unable to come up with any coherent, consistent message regarding the economic crisis...if it were Senator Obama that had a chief campaign adviser whose lobbying firm was receiving regular payments from one of these crumbling economic institutions as recent as last month...if it were Senator Obama whose vice presidential candidate refused to give any tough press interviews, and in the soft interviews that were given he/she failed miserably to even coherently string together sentences...if it were Senator Obama that three days before the first presidential debate stated he was suspending his campaign and he would not be participating in the debate, and then spent the next day bringing chaos to the negotiating process in Washington D.C., and finally on the day of the first presidential debate reversed his statement and chose to participate in the presidential debate......if all of this political campaign INSANITY were instead at the behest of Senator Obama and his campaign, something tells me that mainstream media reporters wouldn't be asking about "McCain winning the week" or "McCain's gamble paying off", but rather they'd be asking if Senator Obama was planning on dropping out of the presidential race this week or next.

Oh, the detriment brought upon our political process by this blatant double standard in media reporting, this foolish mainstream media charade pretending no matter what a candidate says or does there are always two sides to be argued, there is always a devil's advocate role to be played, no action or statement can be universally declared wrong.

Well, then I guess I'll take this opportunity to state what the mainstream media is incapable of stating: the actions of Senator McCain and his campaign over the past two weeks have done nothing but raise serious doubts over his capacity to serve as president of this country, period.
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Thursday, September 25, 2008

BREAKING: House Republicans Walk Out On Night Emergency Negotiation For Bailout Bill

It cannot be made any clearer now: the Republican Party, led by John "suspend my campaign to go save Washington" McCain, are playing Russian roulette-style politics with the economic security of the American people.

THIS. IS. DISGRACEFUL.

Republican congressional politicians that are blocking this critical negotiation process deserve to lose their seats in the coming November election. And, yes, a potential explanation for such an unbelievable action as these House Republicans are taking is that they are working in concert with the McCain campaign to give him cover if and when he decides to fulfill his inexplicable promise to not attend the first presidential debate tomorrow night. I cannot believe the level of political discourse we are seeing from an American presidential candidate and his party.

Is this really happening in our country right now?
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John McCain For U.S. Dictator

Let's see here: actively shutting down the access of a free press...check...overtly disseminating lies and propaganda about political opponents...check...demanding the suspending of national electoral proceedings...check...welcome to Supreme Leader McCain's America, everyone!

I exagerate, but even the fact that these charges can be semi-legitimately levied against the McCain-Palin campaign shows just how frightening this ticket has become over the past several months. Republicans need to take a hard, long look at themseves and contemplate if these are truly the best candidates they had to offer for arguably the most important elected office of the world, and if so, then the rest of America should feel pity for the current state of the Republican Party.

Quite frankly, the McCain-Palin campaign needs to be put out of its misery. I'm looking forward to the Obama-Biden campaign doing just that in 40 days.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

They Didn't See This Coming?

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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Saturday, September 13, 2008

In Fairness, They Were Probably Counting One Campaign Supporter For Each Of Palin's Faces

UPDATE: Look how that nose keeps growing! Not only is Palin back to her favorite "thanks, but no thanks" and "I put it on eBay" lies regarding the bridge and jet issues, but yet another new lie about crowd size emerges...

"Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki said on stage that 10,000 people were in the crowd [of an event Saturday], but parks officials said the pavilion held only 3,500 people."

It's time to start referring to the entire Republican Party election effort as a dangerous, dishonest propaganda campaign that is nothing short of antithetical to our American democracy.

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'McCain-Palin Size Crowd-Size Estimates Not Backed By Officials'


"Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Senator John McCain has drawn some of the biggest crowds of his presidential campaign since adding Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to his ticket on Aug. 29. Now officials say they can't substantiate the figures McCain's aides are claiming.


McCain aide Kimmie Lipscomb told reporters on Sept. 10 that an outdoor rally in Fairfax City, Virginia, drew 23,000 people, attributing the crowd estimate to a fire marshal.


Fairfax City Fire Marshal Andrew Wilson said his office did not supply that number to the campaign and could not confirm it. Wilson, in an interview, said the fire department does not monitor attendance at outdoor events.


In recent days, journalists attending the rallies have been raising questions about the crowd estimates with the campaign. In a story on Sept. 11 about Palin's attraction for some Virginia women voters, Washington Post reporter Marc Fisher estimated the crowd to be 8,000, not the 23,000 cited by the campaign."


Springfield Vote To Determine Election

This is actually quite insulting to Grampa Simpson and Maude Flanders.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Your New Clothes, Empress Palin

It appears that in our American democracy a vice presidential nominee must face the press and the public in answering substantive questions regarding the policies they represent and the issues we face in our country and around the world...ohhh boy, that's not good for a certain someone.

Hey 'pitbull', or 'barracuda', or 'mighty moose', or whatever the hell you call yourself today...I think your lipstick just got smeared. And now, the real Sarah Palin everyone!

I'd actually feel pity for Palin, considering the unthinkable position she's been put in by a hyper-politically-calculating John McCain, if she wasn't so overtly dangerous to our country in her own right. No, instead I feel just a bit of pity for a public that doesn't immediately laugh off the stage the nonsensical creation that is the current Republican Party platform.

It is blatantly obvious to all those that have been following his career and his campaigns that John McCain powered the 'Straight Talk Express directly into a ditch at the start of this election season. The day McCain announced Palin as his running mate, I claimed that the proverbial bus just burst into flames, and I stand by that claim. With each passing day between now and November 4th, I expect it will become more and more apparent that this election boils down to a simple, yet vital, choice between a genuine, galvanizing opportunity for American progress on the one hand, and a smoldering political wreckage on the other.
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Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Exploring The Internets

Have some free time to check out useless websites, you say? Well then, take a look at this bunch of internet gems...

--> Yearbook Yourself.....think Elf Yourself but with yearbook photo templates from the past fifty years of fashion styles. Very groovy, baby.

--> Cake Wrecks.....pretty self explanatory. It's a blog of cakes, very horribly crafted cakes. And it's hilarious.

--> The Answer.....amazingly so, this website provides an existential answer for all mankind. Just give it a roll, and you'll see what I mean.

Monday, September 08, 2008

'The Rachel Maddow Show'

For months now, my wife and I have been talking about how Rachel Maddow should clearly have one of the weeknight television slots on MSNBC...ask, and ye shall receive! With The Rachel Maddow Show at 9pm and Countdown with Keith Olbermann at 8pm, now every weeknight will provide a 2-hour safe zone for liberals and their hairbrain schemes for progress in American society.

And, by the way, I recognize just how weird it is to be using the phrase "my wife and I". Next thing you know my wife and I (there it is again!) will be worrying about utility bills and spending our Saturday nights at Home Depot...oh my god, we've done both of these things!

Friday, September 05, 2008

Fired Up, Ready To Go


Sixty more days of local events like these, with speeches like these delivered in towns all across America, delivered not just by Barack Obama, but by Joe Biden (as seen above), by Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton, by Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson, by Ed Rendell and Bob Casey, by Claire McCaskill and Kathleen Sebelius, by Jim Webb and Patrick Murphy, by Tim Kaine and Evan Bayh, by Caroline Kennedy and Susan Eisenhower, by Ted Kennedy and Al Gore...that is a winning campaign on November 4th.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Partisan-Charged Republican Party, Meet Obama-Biden Grassroots Fundraising

Let it be known that when John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the Republican Party throw hyper-partisan rhetoric at the Obama-Biden ticket, they do so at their own peril. Since Sarah Palin's degrading debut last night at the Republican convention, the Obama-Biden campaign has raised more than $10 million in donations from more than 130,000 donors, a single-day record for the campaign. Meanwhile, the McCain campaign has managed to raise about $1 million over the same period of time. Newsflash McCain campaign: if the throwing of red meat to your conservative base is going to bring you a 10:1 fundraising disadvantage and continue to turn off Independent voters, you may want to reconsider such a strategy.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

An Unprecedented New Low For American Politics

Last Thursday, the country and the world heard what was universally heralded as one of the greatest political speeches of our generation's time, as delivered by Barack Obama accepting the Democratic nomination for the presidency.

Tonight, the country and world witnessed Sarah Palin deliver one of the most disgusting, disrespectful, dishonest, divisive political performances of any generation's time.

Sarah Palin, John McCain, and the Republican Party should be ashamed, and the American people outraged.

[UPDATE: The American people respond strongly, at least in a focus group panel of Independent Michigan voters...

The Detroit Free Press invited a panel of Michigan voters to weigh in on Gov. Sarah Palin's speech last night. Their reactions run the gamut, but the independents didn't seem to care for her very much.


Ilene Beninson, 52, Berkley independent: "Her speech contained few statements about policy or the party platform. … I am not convinced that Palin's experience as a mayor or governor in Alaska meet the qualifications to be vice president much less one stroke or heart attack away from being commander in chief.”


Mike Kosh, 38, West Bloomfield independent: “The way it looks to me, she's the Republican vice presidential nominee for one reason: Because Hillary wasn't selected.”


George Lentz, 66, Southfield independent: “I was completely underwhelmed. She was a Republican novelty act with a sophomoric script. It was not even a speech I would expect for someone running for the local PTA, much less for vice president.”


Diane Murphy, 42, Sterling Heights independent: “It appears that once she makes up her mind, that is the end of it. We live in a gray world, not every answer is black and white.”


Jan Wheelock, 58, Royal Oak independent: “Nothing worked for me. I found her barrage of snide remarks and distortions to be a major turnoff. She is not a class act. The most important point she made is that she will be an effective attack dog.”]


Tuesday, September 02, 2008

'Palin Daughter Pregnancy Is Private Matter, Media Should Respect That Privacy' Says McCain Campaign

So, then, one might ask why exactly if this is supposed to remain a private matter is Levi Johnston, the boyfriend of Governor Palin's daughter and alleged father of the pregnancy, currently en route from Alaska to St. Paul to be present at the Republican Convention? This must be one of those "special" private matters (kind of like John McCain being a POW...say, you haven't heard about that yet?) that when discussed in a negative light pertaining to the larger political issues of a campaign they become "off limits", but can be unquestionably exploited by the campaign itself in whatever perverse manner they desire. In this particular case, it appears they believe having little Levi around the convention will make all those "family values" Republicans proud, continuing to miscalculate, in my judgment, precisely how damaging the ever-expanding media coverage of the dozens of news stories one could collectively refer to as 'Palin-gate' will be to their campaign in the longer-term of the general election.

Monday, September 01, 2008

Next Topic For Cindy McCain: '...And The Iraq, Everywhere Like, Such As...'

Nice to see that even Cindy McCain got the memo that Fox News and the McCain campaign are to share the same set of talking points, as good practice for the standard operating procedure of a McCain presidency. Take a look.