July 08, 2008
They've Run Out of News!
Posted By Bob Cesca
We began the day with Morning Joe discussing which script to use for this election: 1976 or 1980.
And tonight, this was also a topic on Hardball.
In other words, two different MSNBC shows today (one of them airs twice) focused on whether to present all further election news through the prism of elections that happened around 30 years ago. Very serious!
July 8, 2008 08:48 PM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Bankrupt
Posted By Bob Cesca
Senator McCain's soul, that is. Senator Obama blasted McCain today for supporting that awful and unnecessary 2005 Bankruptcy Bill. And what was the McBush response?
“Eighteen Democrats and John McCain worked together on the bipartisan Senate Bankruptcy Bill, and Barack Obama’s rigid partisanship and self-promoting political attacks show that he’s a typical politician – which is the problem in Washington, not the solution. The difference is clear, John McCain wants to grow jobs, keep Americans working and out of bankruptcy, while Barack Obama has shown he’ll tax job creating small businesses and Americans making as little as $32,000 a year.”
Senator McCain actually embraced the Bankruptcy Bill today -- a law that makes it a thousand times more difficult and a billion times more humiliating for any of us normal folk whose wives don't run Budweiser to file Chapter 7.
BooMan notes, too, that only 13 Democrats voted for the bill. Bad. Bad Democrats.
July 8, 2008 04:29 PM | Comments (3) | DIGG THIS
They're Effing Pickles, Malkin. Sheesh.
Posted By Bob Cesca
Here's a classic Michelle Malkin post in which she brings us a wingnut two-fer... She starts with some concern trolling, then follows with some outrage over the fact that Senator Obama's kids like Grey Poupon and gherkin pickles in their tuna salad mixture.
First the concern troll remarks:
So, is [the Access Hollywood piece], to borrow a bitter phrase, good for Michelle Obama’s children? Just asking.
Awww. How sweet. Michelle Malkin is concerned about the well-being of the Obama kids. Next thing you know she'll be driving by their house... every day... like a stalker... you know, to check and see if they're safe.
Then the Gherkin-Gate:
Who the hell puts Grey Poupon and gherkins (don’t ask me what those are, I have no idea) in tuna sandwiches for kids?
They've got nothing.
July 8, 2008 01:02 PM | Comments (8) | DIGG THIS
Obama Defends His Progressivism
Posted By Bob Cesca
Senator Obama in North Carolina:
“Look, let me talk about the broader issue, this whole notion that I am shifting to the center,” he said. “The people who say this apparently haven’t been listening to me.”To this, he adds, parenthetically: “And I must say some of this is my friends on the left” and those in the media.
“I am someone who is no doubt progressive,” he said...
And he adds...
Voters should understand, he said, that they rarely will find themselves in 100 percent agreement with him. “But don’t assume that’s because I’m just doing it for “political reasons, he said.“That just means we disagree,” he said.
I don't recall another election in which so many voters decided to stay at home or vote for a third-party just because they disagree with the nominee on a couple of issues. Or maybe there aren't many -- they're just louder this year. I don't know which it is yet.
July 8, 2008 12:43 PM | Comments (3) | DIGG THIS
Oh You Stupid Rednecks
Posted By Bob Cesca
Sacha Baron Cohen is in the midst of filming his next movie, titled "Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt" (actual working title). And it wouldn't be a Cohen film without angry, homophobic hillbillies:
Lured by $1 beer and the prospect of "hot chicks" and "hardcore fights," thousands of Arkansans were duped last month into appearing as extras in comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's latest staged mayhem. Cohen and his confederates organized cage fighting programs on consecutive days in Texarkana and Fort Smith. Both cards ended with two male grapplers (one was identified as "Straight Dave" and wore camouflage) tearing each other's clothes off and, while in underwear, kissing down their opponent's chest. This man-on-man action triggered Fort Smith fans to throw chairs and beer at the ring, according to one cop present at the city's Convention Center.
Oh yeah. That's...that's a beautiful thing. This could actually be funnier than Borat.
Meanwhile, here's a classic...
July 8, 2008 12:05 PM | Comments (1) | DIGG THIS
Public Service = Slavery
Posted By Bob Cesca
Far-right translucent sack of cottage cheese, Jonah Goldberg:
There’s a weird irony at work when Sen. Barack Obama, the black presidential candidate who will allegedly scrub the stain of racism from the nation, vows to run afoul of the constitutional amendment that abolished slavery.For those who don’t remember, the 13th Amendment says: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime … shall exist within the United States.”
I guess in Obama’s mind it must be a crime to be born or to go to college.
He's talking about Senator Obama's plan to engage young people in public service. Somehow this is slavery to Jonah. You know, like those slaves who were drafted to fight in World War II and Vietnam. Asking "what you can do for your country" is slavery.
Then again, Jonah knows slavery -- slavery to cinnamon-buttered anything.
July 8, 2008 11:55 AM | Comments (4) | DIGG THIS
McCain = Bush
Posted By Bob Cesca
This is unbelievable. Also, don't miss the guy in the McBush pea pod costume. Classic.
July 8, 2008 11:44 AM | Comments (4) | DIGG THIS
Tomorrow's FISA Votes
Posted By Bob Cesca
The Senate will be voting on various amendments to the FISA bill tomorrow. Now, Senator Obama isn't responsible for the new FISA bill and he certainly isn't the tie-breaking vote. But if you're interested in contacting Senator Obama, go here and let him know that you support the rule of law.
July 8, 2008 10:38 AM | Comments (0) | DIGG THIS
Bush v. Jefferson
Posted By Bob Cesca
Via Steve Benen, here's President Bush quoting Thomas Jefferson at Monticello:
On the 50th anniversary of America’s independence, Thomas Jefferson passed away. But before leaving this world, he explained that the principles of the Declaration of Independence were universal. In one of the final letters of his life, he wrote, ‘May it be to the world, what I believe it will be — to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all — the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.’”
But the president left out a line. Here's the actual Jefferson quote:
“May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.”
"Monkish ignorance and superstition persuading them to bind themselves." Sounds like #3 was perfectly warning us against #43. No wonder the president left that part out.
July 8, 2008 09:03 AM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
You're On Notice!
Posted By Bob Cesca
Congress is one step closer to smacking down oil speculators:
Before legislators left town, the House overwhelmingly approved legislation that would require a federal regulatory agency to employ its rarely used emergency powers to crack down on any “excessive” speculation in domestic commodity markets.“We put oil speculators on notice,” the speaker said afterward.
If they can pull this off, and gas prices drop before the election -- AND if they can sufficiently take credit -- there's no telling the congressional pickups they'll win in November. But it's hard to envision a bill reaching the president's desk before his too-long super power vacation next month.
July 8, 2008 08:44 AM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
McBush Can't Read, Part 3
Posted By Bob Cesca
Sargent at TPM has a weird video of Senator McCain speaking at a town hall meeting, complete with inappropriate chuckling. How does a guy who is clearly uncomfortable in his own skin get this far in politics? He might actually be more herky-jerky and jittery than President Bush -- and I didn't think that was possible.
July 8, 2008 08:23 AM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Morning Joe
Posted By Bob Cesca
There's a great discussion happening now with Chuck Todd in which they're trying to figure out which script they should use for this election: 1976 or 1980. Weird because I thought they were trying to use the 2004 script. But they seem to be liking the Carter-Ford script from 1976.
And up next on Morning Joe... Suze Orman and her crazy sharp badger teeth to nag me about money.
July 8, 2008 08:05 AM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Morning Awesome
Posted By Bob Cesca
JFK's convention acceptance speech... delivered in a stadium.
July 8, 2008 06:27 AM | Comments (0) | DIGG THIS
July 07, 2008
E-mail Of the Day
Posted By Bob Cesca
On Senator Obama, FISA, etc...
You put it in a better perspective on your blog, but, I feel like my girlfriend just farted for the first time.
I can't argue with that. I just can't.
July 7, 2008 07:57 PM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Another Scary McCain Photo
Posted By Bob Cesca
I saw the following scary photo of Senator McCain over at the Political Carnival...
And I couldn't help but to imagine him making the same face while on the wing of an airplane peeking in the window.
"Oh God! Look! There's a McCain on the goddamn wing!"
July 7, 2008 02:10 PM | Comments (5) | DIGG THIS
Staying Home
Posted By Bob Cesca
I thought I'd share this e-mail exchange with a voter who's thinking about staying home in November. Here's his e-mail:
This 'ain't' what I signed up for. My life is progressive politics and this shit Obama is doing is complete horse-shit. Furthering that bile called faith based initiatives, late term abortions, evangelical ass kissing, the death penalty for any human being let alone for sick ass rapists, FISA (he's telling me 'fuck me' on FISA) and now his out and out childish babblespeak on exiting Iraq (fuck a timely exit, I want out 'now' the body count from staying and exiting like our cloths were burning amounts to the same thing--dead is dead and fuck how you got dead). Don't ask the generals, ask 'them' the people doing the dying how they'd like to exit and they'd tell you they'll all be out by 4pm this sunday left up to them if they had to walk to the Kuwaiti border backwards.Bob, I love your writings, my brother, I read every posting on Huff with your name on it--and think very highly of you, but I'm not going to have the murder of NOT ONE Iraqi on 'my' head when I stand one day before Almighty God because of Obama's bullshit (and I'm a 'black-black man,' the blackest of black men who has waited his whole life for this moment).
I've had enough. I'll be sitting this one out. I'll just have some explaining to do when asked in 40 years did I vote for the first black man to be president. I'll just say 'no' and if they want to know why I'll tell them why. I'm a Liberal Democrat first -- a black man second when it comes to what I believe in.
I know, he doesn't want his presidency 'dogged' by Bush talk 25/8 so that's why he's doing the FISA shit but that's what's happening and there ain't no way around that for the 44th guy in the house -- it comes with being the '44th' president, period. He can't have it both ways. And neither can I.So I'll be sitting this one out and there ain't one fucking word you or (the equally brilliant) Tom Hayden can say that will be changing my mind. Barack Obama can go fuck himself.
And my response:
>>I've had enough. I'll be sitting this one out.
That's a real shame... We won't have another candidate like Senator Obama for a long, long time, especially if he loses. In addition, I think it's important to give the man a chance to actually BE president first. If he governs to the center, then we can pick him apart for it. But meanwhile, this election is too important to put a few statements in the heat of a campaign above the greater history of this moment in time. John Kerry was pro-death penalty, anti-late-term-abortion, pro-faith-based, and he voted for the invasion of Iraq (as did John Edwards). As for Iraq, Senator Obama is our best shot at getting out. Staying home won't absolve any of us from the atrocities of Iraq. However, voting for the best shot at getting out will certainly help.
I'm sure you know that candidates of both parties run to the center during a campaign. Senator Obama needs indepedent voters in order to secure the overwhelming mandate he'll require in order to govern 'his way'. While I disagree with some of his remarks, I'll concede that he knows way more than you and I about how to win an election -- after all, he beat the unbeatable Clintons.
Anyway, let's get him elected, then hold him accountable... because the alternative is more death. McCain wants you to stay home. He's counting on it.
Agree or disagree with Senator Obama's recent statements, I will admit that he has to do something soon to smooth things over with voters like this e-mailer.
July 7, 2008 12:10 PM | Comments (11) | DIGG THIS
High Fructose Folks
Posted By Bob Cesca
It used to be that there was a direct correlation between being skinny and being poor. Not in America.
(h/t Sullivan)
July 7, 2008 10:53 AM | Comments (0) | DIGG THIS
The Summer of Awful
Posted By Bob Cesca
The Optimist Club isn't so optimistic:
They use words such as “terrified,” “disgusted” and “scary” to describe what one calls “this mess” we Americans find ourselves in. … One member’s son is serving his second tour in Iraq. Another speaks of a daughter who’s lost her job in the mortgage industry and a son in construction whose salary was slashed. Still another mentions a friend who can barely afford gas.Joanne Kontak, 60, an elementary school lunch aid inducted just this day as an Optimist, sums things up like this: “There’s just entirely too much wrong right now.”
July 7, 2008 08:51 AM | Comments (0) | DIGG THIS
McBush Can't Read, Part 2
Posted By Bob Cesca
The latest scuttlebutt is that McCain strategists are trying to figure out an alternative to the traditional convention acceptance speech because Senator McCain can't read a Teleprompter. One of the options is a town hall meeting.
I would also suggest perhaps a shuffleboard round-robin or an all-blue stand-up act featuring nothing but jokes about spousal abuse.
McCain Fever! Catch it!
July 7, 2008 08:38 AM | Comments (0) | DIGG THIS
Heavy Mysteries
Posted By Bob Cesca
Archaeologists in Jordan have discovered pre-Jesus tablet that mentions the resurrection of a messiah after three days.
If such a messianic description really is there, it will contribute to a developing re-evaluation of both popular and scholarly views of Jesus, since it suggests that the story of his death and resurrection was not unique but part of a recognized Jewish tradition at the time.
Also... The tablet is in Dan Brown's handwriting. Weird.
July 7, 2008 08:27 AM | Comments (1) | DIGG THIS
Morning Awesome
Posted By Bob Cesca
July 7, 2008 08:17 AM | Comments (1) | DIGG THIS
July 06, 2008
Blood Doping in '90s
Posted By Bob Cesca
The Tour de France started yesterday and Drunk Cyclist has a distressing look at blood doping and Greg LeMond, whose clean career ended early due to the rest of the field discovering EPO.
Imagine being a three-time winner and having the highest VO2 level possible, but still being dropped by a group of riders who are artificially boosting their red blood cell volume. It'd make anyone spiteful and paranoid.
July 6, 2008 08:30 AM | Comments (0) | DIGG THIS
McBush Hates The Bloggers
Posted By Bob Cesca
Now we’ve got the cables. We’ve got talk radio. We’ve got the bloggers. I hate the bloggers. We’ve got all kinds of sources of information.
Amato has the video.
The cables?
July 6, 2008 08:07 AM | Comments (4) | DIGG THIS
Morning Awesome
Posted By Bob Cesca
July 6, 2008 06:31 AM | Comments (1) | DIGG THIS
July 05, 2008
Senator McBush Can't Read...
Posted By Bob Cesca
...a Teleprompter. We knew this, but when it's spelled out in the NY Times, it kinda makes Senator McBush look like a much bigger fool than we had expected.
“I have set before the American people an energy plan, the Lex-eegton Project,” Mr. McCain said, drawing a quick breath and correcting himself. “The Lex-ing-ton Proj-ect,” he said slowly. “The Lexington Project,” he repeated. “Remember that name.”
Remember it... or he'll veto your beer.
July 5, 2008 05:40 PM | Comments (0) | DIGG THIS
John Dean on Obama's FISA Position
Posted By Bob Cesca
This is worth a read. Some history about presidents prosecuting law-breakers from previous administrations:
It certainly would not be unprecedented if an Obama Administration were to hold high officials of a prior administration responsible for their criminal activity undertaken in the name of national security. For example, former Nixon assistant to the president John Ehrlichman said that he acted for national security reasons when he approved a warrantless break-in at Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office; yet he was prosecuted, convicted, and sent to jail for his actions during the Ford Administration. During the Carter Administration, too, former CIA Director Richard Helms was convicted for lying to Congress, which he did for national security reasons; he was given a two-year suspended prison sentence and fined. Former Assistant Director of the FBI Mark Felt (later revealed to be Bob Woodward’s “Deep Throat” source during Watergate) was convicted for authorizing some nine warrantless break-ins of the radical Weatherman groups for national security reasons; while he faced ten years in jail, he was not sentenced to serve any time, but rather fined $5,000, and he was later pardoned by President Reagan.
July 5, 2008 01:20 PM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Open Thread Go
Posted By Bob Cesca
Don't explode this thread in your hand or else it'll be all numb and stingy.
July 5, 2008 11:18 AM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Jesse Helms
Posted By Bob Cesca
Yesterday, I saw the initial announcement of Helms' death on CNN, which was ironic since Helms' most disgusting public display of racism, the "White Hands" ad, was masterminded by Alex Castellanos... who is now a CNN election panelist and advisor to Senator McCain.
Barbeque tastes goooood.
July 5, 2008 07:48 AM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Morning Awesome
Posted By Bob Cesca
MST3K Saturday. "Spring Fever."
July 5, 2008 06:35 AM | Comments (1) | DIGG THIS
July 04, 2008
Mr. And Mrs. Ben Franklin
Posted By Bob Cesca
Oh great. Now there will be more Americans who believe that the real Ben Franklin and the real Betsy Ross were married, too. Others will wonder when Franklin divorced his first wife, Susan B. Anthony.
(h/t Paddy)
July 4, 2008 11:49 AM | Comments (2) | DIGG THIS
Observations
Posted By Bob Cesca
Based on the Huffington Post comments under my new post...
1) There are still plenty of Senator Clinton people who are hoping for an Obama FAIL.
2) Someone employed the tired old "lesser of two evils" line. So very Election 2000 of them.
3) There are too many people who think Senator Obama isn't a smart man.
4) This current Summer is awesome!
5) Too many Democrats are accepting far-right or corporate media frames as reality.
July 4, 2008 09:18 AM | Comments (7) | DIGG THIS
Morning Awesome
Posted By Bob Cesca
July 4, 2008 06:26 AM | Comments (3) | DIGG THIS
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