Friday, October 31, 2008

Quote of the Day

"Look, of course not." - - former Secretary of State Lawrence "The Burger has Eagled" Eagleburger, a supporter of McSleazy, when asked whether Gov. You Betcha is ready to step in as President should the need arise. Eagleburger, Secretary of State for Bush 1 for a time, also said that You Betcha would only make an "adequate" commander-in-chief, and that "I devoutly hope that she would never be tested." Us, too.

Check please!

Another Day, Another Smear

The McSleazy campaign continues to flail around in its waning days, desperate for something to stick to Sen. Obama because talking about the economy is a loser for them. The latest attempt to change the subject is the flap over Columbia University Professor Rashid Khalidi, an American-born scholar of Palestinian ancestry who is a leading advocate for Palestinian rights. According to the LA Times, Khalidi "lavished praise on Obama" at a farewell dinner when Khalidi left the University of Chicago several years ago. A tape of that dinner was provided to the Times on condition that it not be released. Today's WaPo editorializes that McSleazy's attacks "are increasingly reckless," and blasts his comparison of Khalidi to neo-Nazis as a "vile smear."

Now the McSleazy campaign is insinuating all kinds of nefarious doings (as they tried with William Ayers). What they didn't count on was having to defend McSleazy himself, whose International Republican Institute provided $448,000 in multiple grants to a Palestinian research group co-founded by. . .(drum roll please). . .Rashid Khalidi!

So while Obama (as an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago) had a collegial relationship with Khalidi, McSleazy had a financial one, through the "Institute" that he chaired at the time. Boomerang!!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Paging "Joe the Plumber", Paging "Joe the Plumber"

What happened to Joe the (not really a) Plumber at McSleazy's campaign rally today in Ohio? He was a no show, and it resulted in an embarrassing moment for McSleazy. On top of that, his campaign had to bus in some 4,000 kids from local schools to create a "crowd." Sad.

The smell of impending defeat. Bwahahahahaha!

A Picture Worth 1,000 Words


The quiet hope of generations of dreams deferred.

(Getty images photo)

Quote of the Day


"It's almost like he's a little grumpy with me now." - - 13 year-old Elizabeth Conway, a reporter for Scholastic Kid covering the McNasty campaign.

Next thing you know, McNasty will be shouting, "get off my lawn, you damn kid!"

A Guide To Rethug Voter Suppression

Voter suppression is denying a legitimate citizen his or her right to vote. In recent elections, this has been a Rethuglican tactic to minimize votes in Democratic precincts, and it ranges from distributing fake "voter information" in minority neighborhoods (Virginia) to purging voter registration lists for people whose homes have been foreclosed (Michigan). It's deeply un-American and anti-democratic to deny citizens rights that were guaranteed under the Constitution and paid for by our troops in wars. It's funny how you're not hearing about this in our stellar mainstream media as much as the phony ACORN drama.

Talking Points Memo has a guide to current attempts by Rethugs to deny registered voters their right to vote. This is not about ACORN canvassers turning in registrations for "Mickey Mouse" or "Fred's Tavern" (see our post of October 22), because "Mickey Mouse" won't be showing up to actually vote. This is about what happens when legitimate voters try to cast their votes and are denied. It's chilling, and it's one more reason not to be intimidated by these cynical thugs, who are going down to defeat on Nov. 4.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Rethug Economic Royalists


An op/ed in today's WaPo by three stooges... er "scholars" at the far right American Enterprise Institute (Alan Vicard, Alex Brill, and Arthur Brooks) takes great issue with Obama's tax plan. Why? Well, because it doesn't "reduce the tax penalty on work and saving." Translation? The tax cuts for the wealthy will end! The "entrepreneurs" will have less incentive to earn and create jobs! There will be no Trickle Down!

This last bastion of the four- decade- old right-wing economic ass-hattery known as "Trickle Down economics" has been all but routed following the debacle of the last eight years (stagnant growth, except in the gap between the rich and the middle class) and the catastrophe of the past few months. But, just under this Trickle Down Triplets' op/ed is a partial rebuttal by Harold Meyerson, from which we would like to quote:

"...[T]he coming Republican calamity is a consequence of public anger at the economy that predominantly Republican perspectives and policies have shaped over the past four decades, in which the vast majority of Americans no longer share in the prosperity of good times and get clobbered when the economy turns bad."

Amen.

(Photo: Messrs. Viard, Brill and Brooks of the American Enterprise Institute)

More "Country First" Republicans

More Republicans to be added to the list of those breaking ranks and supporting Obama in the national interest:

Charles Mathias - former U.S. Senator, Maryland

Linwood Holton - former Governor, Virginia (and current Gov. Tim Kaines' father- in- law)


Holton announced his support months ago, Mathias in an op/ed in yesterday's WaPo.

Quote of the Day

"Though for a time they prospered, in the end the infection must prove fatal. This unholy union is now reduced to a mashup of Dixiecrat legatees and fellow travelers: prairie gunslingers, anti-tax fetishists, end times Rapturists, militiamen and Millenarians, jingoists and misanthropes, survivalists and skinheads, and the odd secessionist witch doctor." - - Thomas Yunck, via the Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan, describing the make-up of the current Palin base of the Rethuglican Party.

In the 1960s, following the success of the Civil Rights Act and the enactment of many "Great Society" programs, many Southern right-wing Dixiecrats flocked to the Rethuglicans, who then implemented Nixon's "Southern Strategy" to create a reactionary electoral bloc that would last 30 years.

Credit Where It's Due


Every so often, we're surprised at a gesture or turn of events that gives us some hope for decency. Yesterday's announcement by Gov. Crist of Florida that he would extend voting hours from 8 to 12 hours per day was one of those times. Also, we saw on Crooks and Liars that Fux News (!) anchor Sheppard Smith pushed back hard on phony plumber Joe Whatshisname when he claimed that a vote for Sen. Obama was a vote for the "death of Israel." Smith's closing statement rebutting the charge is worth watching. Good for him. (We also recall that Smith's in-person coverage of Hurricane Katrina was honest and passionate; he kept demanding that Federal resources be rushed to New Orleans).

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Payback's A Beotch

Florida Rethug Gov. Charlie Crist has decided to extend voting hours in Florida an extra 4 hours a day to allow for the increased number of voters. Florida Rethuglicans are angry, because limiting/suppressing the vote is to the Rethugs' advantage. Typically, the greater the turnout, the better for Democrats. Crist was on McSleazy's short list for VP candidates, but was passed up for the eminently qualified former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Ouch!!

Looks like Charlie's sending McSleazy a message: "So you think Alaska's more important than Florida? See ya November 4!"

Running Out Of Time


With the election 7 days away, and early voting going strongly in favor of Obama, the McSleazy campaign is banking on "blue" state Pennsylvania's 21 electoral votes to counter the Obama tide in such formerly "red" states as Virginia (Obama ahead by 8) and Colorado (Obama ahead by 5). But it's not working.

McSleazy's desperate campaign is throwing mud (labeling Obama as "socialist" or "Marxist"), knowing that their message on the economy, tax cuts for the wealthy, taxing health care benefits, cutting Medicare, etc., won't sell to the American people because it's a continuation of Dumbya's classic Rethug philosophy: every man and woman for themselves.

"Whack Job"


The impending doom of the McAngry/You Betcha ticket is fracturing their campaign, as we noted on October 25. McAngry staff and You Betcha staff are openly sniping at each others' leader anonymously, with a top McAngry advisor now saying that You Betcha "is a whack job." Why? Because she supported the secessionist Alaska Independence Party? Wanted rape victims to pay for their own rape kits? Believes creationism should be taught in public schools? Thinks she's absolutely qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency when 22 months ago, she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska? That only puts her square in the middle of the far-right, whack job Rethug base. So, more accurately, she's Queen of the Whack Jobs.

Monday, October 27, 2008

"Internet Tubes" Guilty














Rethug Sen. Ted "Internet Tubes" Stevens of Alaska has been found guilty of 7 felony counts in connection with his corruption trial in Federal court. Stevens was up for reelection, but now faces likely defeat by Democrat Mark Begich.

On a positive note, this will give Stevens plenty of free time to study "the internet tubes."

Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye



The election's not over by any means, BUT:

Polls nationally and in battleground states continue to show Sen. Obama with a solid lead over Sen. So Long McAngry. Eight days left until the election; however, states allowing early voting are indicating heavy turnouts among newly registered Democrats and independents voting for Obama.

Note to Sen. McAngry: why not try the "angry Negro" strategy, and have McAngry jumped by Obama supporters? Ooops, looks like he's trying that (photo).

UPDATE: Even the race in his home state of Arizona is getting closer, with McAngry having a 4 point advantage (depending on the poll). His "ground game" seems to be, er, weak, while Obama's is surging.

"Country First" Republicans

We thought we should recap the current list of conscientious Republicans who have announced their support for Sen. Obama:

Colin Powell - Secretary of State (Bush 43) and Chairman of Joint Chiefs (Bush 41)

Scott McClellan - Bush Press Secretary

William Weld - former Massachusetts Governor and Romney supporter

Arne Carlson - former Minnesota Governor

Larry Pressler - former U.S. Senator, South Dakota

Lincoln Chafee - former U.S. Senator, Rhode Island

Christopher Buckley - former National Review contributor & conservative family scion

CC Goldwater - Barry Goldwater's granddaughter, who endorsed for her family

Charles Fried - former McBush legal advisor, and Reagan solicitor general

Matthew Dowd - 2004 Bush campaign strategist

Susan Eisenhower - Ike's granddaughter


(Note to Sen. McSleazy: you can have Lieberliar; we'll take these honorable Americans.)

Another Rethug Jumps Ship


Former South Dakota Senator Larry Pressler has announced that he is abandoning the Ship of Fools and is backing Sen. Obama for President. Pressler said he anguished about the decision, but said that John McErratic's "handling of the financial crisis made me feel nervous."

Pressler, the first Vietnam vet to be elected to the Senate, has also donated $500 to the Obama campaign.

(photo: McErratic's senior campaign advisors, who are saying "we have Sen. Obama just where we want him.")

Crowds

Sen. Obama drew an estimated 100,000 people at a rally on the State Capitol grounds in Denver yesterday, then traveled to Ft. Collins, CO and spoke before an estimated 45,000 people.

Sen. McAngry, meanwhile, drew a crowd of 2,000 for a "rally" in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (His appearance on yesterday's Meet the Press was a disaster; he was "flustered looking" according to the WaPo, mangled his message, couldn't remember the names of all five of the Secretaries of State that support him, and couldn't manage to separate himself from his record of support for Dumbya).

Propaganda + Ignorance = Gun Sales


Apparently, the scare- the- bejeebers- out- of- the- Rethug- base- about- Obama tactics being employed by McDesperate and his well-clothed running mate is the best thing to have happened to gun sales in a long time. In today's WaPo, a window into the unseemly connection between Rethug scare tactics and gun sales is opened in "Gun Sales Thriving in Uncertain Times." Among the reasons (though reasoning is far from what's going on here):

"I think right now people are scared Obama is going to take their rights away...He's definitely anti-gun, despite what you see in the mainstream media," says one pistol-packin' mama.

"What I hear a lot is fear that Barack will win the election and tax everything to the point that you can't afford anything," says a well-informed gun store salesman.

"With the stock market crash and people out of work, and the illegal aliens in this area, the probability of civil disorder is very high," offers a prudent yahoo ready to head for his family's bunker.

We ask you: what do you think you have more to fear: the Democrats or this bunch of loony people with their guns and ammo ready to shoot at their imaginary boogeymen?

(Photo: Rethug weapons expert Harry Simian prepares to ward of hordes of Obama rioters.)

Saturday, October 25, 2008

The "Diva"


"She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone. She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else." - - a McAngry advisor, complaining about Gov. You Betcha's departures from the McAngry script and her maneuvering to be the post-election Rethug Party leader.

Mutiny on the Titanic

It looks as though the recriminations are beginning in the McAngry/You Betcha campaign, now that most polls show that they're heading for defeat. Gov. You Betcha is upset that her handlers haven't allowed her to be herself (bwahahaha, that would work!), while McAngry loyalists are beginning to weave the message that You Betcha was ineffective in courting Hillary voters and independents, and was generally. . . uh. . . .STUPID.

The fact is, the more the public saw of You Betcha, the more they thought she was unqualified. And the more they questioned McAngry's judgement in selecting her. There's enough blame to go around, and they should both share in it.

The Face of the Rethug Base

A video from a recent McSleazy rally in Colorado. The hatred and delusion is sickening. "Country First" apparently means "kill everybody that disagrees with me."

They need their asses kicked, hard and continuously.

Friday, October 24, 2008

McSleazy Worker Admits Hoax


Pittsburgh police now say that Ashley "Toad" Todd, a McSleazy campaign worker from Texas, lied about being assaulted by a black man who was angry that she had a McSleazy bumper sticker on her car. "Toad" apparently scratched a "B" into her cheek and faked a black eye to claim that those angry Obama supporters want to "kill whitey." One clue as to Toad's guilt was that the "B" very lightly scratched into her face was backward - - as though she was looking in a mirror when she was doing it. Brilliant!

Toad is now an honorary member of "'Morans' for McSleazy."

UPDATE: It appears that McSleazy's Pennsylvania campaign was pushing the story early, with incendiary "information" that proved to be false.

(photo: Miss Pinocchio 2008)

Former Rethug Govs. Weld and Carlson For Obama

Former Rethuglican Governors William Weld (MA) and Arne Carlson (MN) have endorsed Sen. Obama for President, adding to his growing list of Rethug endorsements.

Also, Charles Fried, a McAngry legal advisor, has asked the McAngry campaign to remove his name as an advisor and has endorsed Obama. Fried was the Solicitor General under President St. Ronnie Raygun.

ABANDON SHIP!!!

Did McAngry Think With His, Er, "Little McAngry"?


Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker raises the interesting question of whether the key part of McAngry's "decisionmaking" about Gov. You Betcha was more erotic than political.

"McCain the mortal couldn't mind having an attractive woman all but singing arias to his greatness. . .Will he join the pantheon of men who, intoxicated by a woman's power, made the wrong call?"

Short answer? YES.

Bwahahahahaha. Oh, and Sen. McAngry? We doubt that Caribou Barbie's into geezers. "Thanks, but no thanks."

Joke of the Year

And yes, we're talking about Gov. You Betcha! Check this out! (Updated daily until Nov. 4) Click on the various items in the Oval Office.

(H/t to Stinky)

Quote of the Day

"Conservatism has finally crashed on problems for which its doctrines offered no solutions. . . and on its refusal to acknowledge that the 'real America' is more diverse, pragmatic and culturally moderate than the place described in Palin's speeches or imagined by the right-wing talk show hosts." - - E. J. Dionne, writing in today's Washington Post.

NY Times Endorses Obama

It was inevitable, but good to see nonetheless. In a lengthy editorial this morning, the NY Times endorsed Sen. Obama. The editorial goes on at length about Obama's superior positions on the economy, national security, health care and many other issues. It praises his steadiness and judgement, as contrasted with McAngry's, who comes in for some major criticism for his ugly campaign, his inconsistency, and his poor judgement in picking Gov. You Betcha as his running mate.

The Times' endorsement of Obama follows the endorsements of a number of major papers: the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Constitution, and over 100 others, many of which traditionally lean Rethuglican.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Opie, Sheriff Taylor, and the Fonz Endorse


A nice nostalgic endorsement from our Mayberry Happy Days.

How sweet.

Why We Have Hope


Here's Sen. Obama appearing before a crowd of nearly 13,000 in Richmond, Virginia.

It's worth remembering, from time to time, the difference between the messages of the two major candidates.

Goldwaters for Obama

Barry Goldwater is a name synonomous with "conservatism" over the past 50 years. He represented the libertarian part of the conservative movement, representing Arizona for many years and running for President in 1964.

Now his grandaughter, CC Goldwater, and her siblings are announcing their support for Sen. Obama. Read her explanation of why the McAngry/You Betcha ticket is a betrayal of the conservatism that her grandfather practiced.

A Truly Lame Duck


Last Friday's disastrous appearance by mega-wingnut Rep. Michelle "I See Anti-Americans" Bachmann on "Hardball" has had the effect of altering what was once a sure thing for her re-election into a toss-up. Her rant included an invitation to the media to investigate Congress and identify "anti-Americans" there. She also said that Sen. Obama had "anti-American" views, which she later lied about, saying her comments were "misconstrued." Uh huh. We can safely assume that anyone who disagrees with this lunatic is "anti-American."

Her diminishing chances seem to be the result of her Minnesota constituents seeing her loony beliefs put in words, and then her lying about what she said -- despite the comments being on video tape. It's even too much for the National Rethuglican Congressional Committee, which yesterday pulled its financial support. Meanwhile, her Democratic opponent, with the improbable but highly Minnesotan name of Elwyn Tinklenberg, has received over $1 million in donations in the past 5 days, and is looking to upset the mega-wingnut on November 4. We can only say to Elwyn, "Go get her, you anti-American!"

(photo: She won't be smiling for long)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Vote Suppression, Rethug Regression

As Bob Herbert noted in the NY Times, the ACORN "controversy" is a smokescreen for the Rethugs to challenge legitimate minority and other Democratic voters in the upcoming election. The small sample of voter registration forms made out to "Mickey Mouse" or "Snoop Dogg" have been flagged by ACORN prior to submitting to local Board of Elections. Will "Mickey Mouse" show up to vote? Riiiiigght! It's a consistent tactic of the Rethugs in their attempts to steal elections.

Here's a good synopsis of the Rethuglican game plan. Keep votes down, especially among young, minority, and elderly Americans, and the Rethugs keep their claws on the levers of power.

"The 'Socialist' Scare"

Ruth Marcus has an op/ed in today's WaPo, "The 'Socialist' Scare." In it, she skewers McSleazy's campaign tactics of trying to paint Obama as un-American:

"There is an ugliness to the McCain campaign's closing days...And McCain is the stoker in chief of the argument that Obama is Eugene V. Debs revisited."


And, just to illustrate the point of the type of person McSleazy is aiming his message at, Marcus quotes a Thomas Jacoby, "a 62-year-old contractor" from Woodbridge, VA:

"I make over $250,000 a year, between my wife and I...I don't want to share it with anybody."

Jacoby, it seems, was responding to McSleazy's claim that essentially Obama's tax relief for those making under $250,000 a year is "spreading the wealth." That's been McSleazy's trope since he started using the "Joe the Plumber" inanity. Well, someone should tell Jacoby ("Jack the Ass"?) that if everyone had his 'tude, there would be no military, no highway system, no Social Security, no Medicare/Medicaid, because those are some of the things you get when you "share" with your fellow countrymen. As Ruth Marcus quotes Oliver Wendell Holmes: "Taxes are the price of a civilized society."

Look Who's Supporting McAngry


It looks like McAngry has picked up the key endorsement of al Qaeda. The pro-terrorist web site al-Hasbah thinks that McAngry's plan for perpetual war in the Middle East will fatally weaken the U.S. economically and militarily, and inspire generations of Muslims to take up arms against the U.S.

Probably won't see this endorsement in any of McBombbombbomb's ads anytime soon.

Polls

Despite the erroneous statements by the barbeque media who are hoping for a McAngry "surge," two polls released in the past few hours say that Obama has a strong lead:

-- The NBC News/Wall St. Journal poll has Obama leading McAngry by a 52 to 42 point margin, an increase for Obama over their last poll.

-- The same poll shows that 52 percent of Obama's supporters are "enthusiastic", while only 26 percent of McAngry's are "enthusiastic."

-- The ABC News/ Washington Post poll has Obama leading McAngry by a 53 to 44 point margin.

Thirteen days to go before change.

Income Redistribution, Rethug Style


Yesterday, the story broke that Gov. You Betcha and her family have been outfitted with a wardrobe from Saks and Nieman Marcus, courtesy of the Rethuglican National Committee. The cost was a measly $150,000. So much for the Joe the Plumber vote; what plumber's wife shops at Saks? (OK, maybe John Gotti's wife did).

So much, too, for the phony Rethug "concern" about struggling middle-class families and people who are facing foreclosure. That $150,000 would sure have helped some of them. And the donors to the Rethug party must be feeling, uh, punked, thinking that their dollars were going to fight Commies and "terrists" on our beaches. Now, the Rethug party is saying the clothes will go to charity after the election: it's their trickle-down theory in practice.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Cheers!


The libertarian website Reason has a nice story about how McMoneybags is able to afford 8 homes, 13 cars, and a grand life style: marry a beer heiress! The beer distributorship scam is particularly rewarding in Arizona, where the Cindy Hensley McCain fortune was made. Love those $500 Ferragamo loafers, McMoneybags! Socialism for the wealthy!

CHEERS!

Colorado "Gone" For McAngry


CNN is reporting that senior advisors to McAngry are effectively conceding Colorado to Sen. Obama. "Gone" was the quote of one advisor to describe McAngry's chances of winning the state. McAngry pulled out of Michigan some weeks ago, conceding that state's electoral votes to Obama. What happened to his "never surrender" mantra?

The report also says that Iowa and New Mexico are also becoming unwinnable for McAngry. Maybe next, Virginia and Florida. Tsk tsk. And after McAngry's run such a dignified, positive, and honest campaign.

Another Rethug Abandons Ship

Rethug foreign policy heavyweight Kenneth Adelman has said he's supporting Barack Obama. Going back to the Nixon/Ford administration, Adelman has advised presidents on foreign policy and nuclear arms control. Adelman told New Yorker Magazine that, "when the economic crisis broke, I found John McCain bouncing all over the place. In those first few crisis days, he was impetuous, inconsistent, and imprudent, ending up just plain weird. . .I've concluded that that's no way a president can act under pressure."

McShame, ACORN, and Vote Supression

Today's column by Bob Herbert in the NY Times illustrates the Rethuglican Party's attempt, once again, to suppress votes. The phony ACORN "scandal" was puffed up by McShame and the Rethugs in an attempt to call the election results into question, and to provide cover for their election day vote suppression. In the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, the Rethugs used ham-fisted tactics of limiting the number of voting machines in Democratic districts, posting flyers in those districts with false voting information, and stationing off-duty police carrying their service revolvers outside minority voting precincts.

The ACORN nonsense is the vanguard of this year's vote suppression activity. Some ACORN canvassers were poorly chosen and paid by the number of registration sheets they could produce. So some "registered" such shadowy characters as "Mickey Mouse" and "Fred's Tavern." By law, ACORN is required to turn in ALL registration sheets, and to flag the suspicious or incomplete ones. ACORN in fact identified the vast majority of bogus registrations themselves. Local Boards of Elections screen the registrations for errors and duplications. Who in their right mind thinks that someone calling themselves "Mickey Mouse" or "Fred's Tavern" would show up to actually vote?

This is another example of the Rethugs thinking that the American people are too stupid to understand their game.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Endorsement Tally

Editor and Publisher ia keeping a tally of newspaper endorsements for Obama and McSame. 112 to 39, Obama vs McAngry. Rather lopsided for Obama. Dirty elite media!

Quote of the Day

"You know, you really have to work hard to violate Governor Palin's standards on negative campaigning." - - Sen. Obama today, in Tampa, Florida,speaking about You Betcha's earlier "criticism" of McAngry's tactics.

Another Republican Jumps Ship


You can now add radio/ tv personality Michael Smerconish to the list of those thinking Republicans who'll be voting for Obama. This is the first time in 28 years "Smerc" will be voting for a Democrat for President.

What's At Stake

Yesterday's endorsement of Sen. Obama by Gen. Colin Powell had a story about a Muslim American serviceman who died in Iraq. It's instructive that it took a retired four-star Army General and former Secretary of State to note that our country's military is made up of a diverse group, and that demonizing Muslim-Americans for political gain is a loser in the long run. His endorsement was more about the failure of the McAngry campaign to stop the virulent negative attacks against Obama for somehow being "different" than the majority. In fact, the McAngry campaign is encouraging the despicable theme, because, you know, "Country First."

Obama's Haul


The Obama campaign announced yesterday that it received a mind-boggling $150 million in campaign contributions in September. By comparison, he collected $66 million in August. With this vast haul, he can afford to spend, for example, $5 million in reddish West Virginia and elsewhere to keep McAngry running around to defend his shaky base. In many states, he's outspending McAngry on TV advertising by 3 or 4 to 1.

Andrea "Ms. Greenspan" Mitchell said yesterday on Meet the Press that Obama could buy so much airtime that McAngry would be shut out of the TV markets. Might not be a bad idea for McAngry; have you seen his latest, in which he begins, "The last eight years haven't worked very well, have they?" No, they haven't, Einstein, and thanks for voting with Dumbya over 90% of the time.

Meanwhile, McAngry announced that he will be holding a bake sale next Thursday in Cowpie, Oklahoma. Mmmm. Love that earthy flavor!!

Rethug Consulting Firm Hired to Kill Freddie Mac Dereg

There are reports today that Rethug consulting firm DCI was paid $2 million 3 years ago to kill legislation that would have regulated and trimmed Freddie Mac, the recently bailed out mortgage lending giant whose questionable lending practices contributed to the catastrophic housing/ credit meltdown. DCI's chief executive, Doug "It Hasn't Been A" Goodyear, is an active Rethug consultant, having recently been paid to manage the Rethug hate fest in September.

Remember this the next time you hear McSleazy or his cohorts yapping about "Obama's buddies at Fannie and Freddie," since they're firm believers in the notion that if you repeat a lie often enough, enough people might believe it.

(H/t to Tokyo correspondent and new hubby Brian)

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Beck To Leave CNN; Corporate IQ Immediately Jumps


CNN Headline News resident loon Glenn "Bushel-And-A" Beck will soon be resident no longer. Beck is moving from the Fox-lite network to the real deal, GOP-TV, er, Fox "News." Beck said he'd be more comfortable at the monolithically right-wing Fox, where you don't have to think, you just follow orders.

(Photo: Beck clutching his...uh...mike. Yeah, that's it!)

Our Barbeque-Lovin' Media

TPM has a wonderful summary of the status of some of the media's best known McBush barbeque lickers. We would only note one missing acolyte: the WaPo's "Dean" David Broder. No doubt Broder's not in the group because he never left McBush's barbeque brotherhood.

Dumb Ass of the Month


The hands-down Hackwhacker Dumb Ass of the Month? Who else but Rethug Rep. Michelle Bachmann (Crackpot-MN), who thinks Congress should be investigated so all the anti-Americans can be flushed out. Watch the clip, listen to her modest proposal, check out her eyes, and then tell me she doesn't belong in a soft room with no sharp objects. More evidence, if any is needed, that the inmates have taken over the Rethuglican Party.

Powell Endorses, Wingnuts Cry "Race!"

Well, as was speculated earlier, Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama today on "Meet the Press." And as suspected, the wingnut wurlitzer is in full attack mode. It's all about race, they say. Don't listen to Powell's reasoning! It's just racial solidarity!

In their reaction, the wingnuts have only served to prove Colin Powell's point about the Rethuglican Party: they're not about inclusion, they're not about the issues; they're about winning no matter what lies, what inconsequential associations, what smears they have to dump on the voting public. What a pitiful, hateful bunch they are.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

"Wow"


A rally for Sen. Obama drew an estimated 100,000 in St. Louis today. Obama's opening comment on the crowd size? "Wow."

Missouri is a swing state that is a toss up at this point. Obama's message at the rally was that McAngry was clueless about middle class problems and would extend the same tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans that Chimpy has. Now the trick is to keep the heat up on McAngry's dishonest campaign until November 4.

Oh No, Not You Again


Follow up stories on the economic situation of "Joe the Plumber" have noted that he's not a licensed plumber, he makes around $40,000 per year - - not $250,000 - - and he voted Republican in last spring's Ohio primaries. Far right bloggers, in particular the unhinged Michelle "Stalkin'" Malkin, are crying foul that their fictional "average plumber" turns out to have a different story than the one that McAngry was telling.

Having Stalkin' Malkin indignantly lecture reporters about prying into the personal life of a private citizen is one of the all-time great examples of hypocrisy. The New Republic's Jonathan Cohn recalls Malkin's literally stalking the family of 12 year-old Graeme Frost last year during the debate on expanding the children's health insurance program. Far right bloggers were especially vicious and dishonest about the Frost family's situation, as the media later reported.

But now, when it comes to some truth telling about someone they've served up in a political context, they're waving their little pitchforks in phony "outrage". And Stalkin' Malkin is leading the hypocrites' parade.

And Now, The LA Times

The Los Angeles Times has endorsed Sen. Obama "without hesitation" in an editorial in this morning's paper. They rebuke McAngry for his shift back to policies he once spoke out against, and for his irresponsible selection of Gov. You Betcha as his running mate. The editorial concludes by saying of Obama, "he represents the nation as it is, and as it aspires to be." It's worth reading the entire editorial.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Historic Endorsement

"We are proud to add Barack Obama's name to Lincoln's in the list of people the Tribune has endorsed for president of the United States." - - Chicago Tribune's editorial endorsing Obama, the first time since its founding in 1847 that the conservative Tribune has endorsed a Democrat.

Kraphammer Sheds a Tear for Obama


Wingnut columnist Charles "Kraphammer" Krauthammer is melancholy this morning. He writes in his column about how saddened he is that Obama(!) is playing the race card(!). Whether Kraphammer's sensitive ears have not picked up the loud dog whistling going on in and around McCrappy's campaign ("not one of us," "who IS Barack Hussein Obama?" etc.), or whether he knows full well what's going on and is laughably choosing to try to turn it around on Obama, well I think we know the answer to that one.

Kraphammer concludes that he thought Obama had earlier presented himself as "... a healer, a man of a new generation above and beyond race..." but, alas, not so: "I once believed him."

That's funny, because we never believed you.

(Photo: Kraphammer ready to hit the frying pan with the McCrappy campaign.)

Quote of the Day

"In the end the Palin candidacy is a symptom and expression of a new vulgarization in American politics. It's no good, not for conservatism and not for the country. And yes, it is a mark against John McCain, against his judgement and his idealism." - - conservative Peggy Noonan, writing in the Wall Street Journal.

If The Election Were Held Today. . . .

CNN's electoral map says that Sen. Obama would have more than the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. The key state that's moved into Obama's column is Virginia, where multiple polls are showing him with a double digit lead.

It's way too early to break out the champagne. The McAngry campaign and their loathsome allies in hate radio and the wingnut blog world will be doing everything they can to lie, cheat, and steal their way to reverse the trend. They can't talk honestly about the economy, because of their complicity in creating the mess we're in, so they have to distract and deceive. It's in their political genes.

WaPo Endorses Obama


Occasionally, the Washington Post does the right thing, and reminds us of the old Post before Fred Hiatt and other neocon wannabees were brought on board. The Post endorsed Obama this morning "without ambivalence," saying that McAngry's choice of Gov. You Betcha was irresponsible, given her unpreparedness to be President. Referring to Obama, the editorial says, "he is deliberate but not indecisive; eloquent but a master of substance and detail. . .he has inspired millions of voters of diverse ages and races. . .we think he is the right man for a perilous moment."

Score one for the WaPo.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Plumbing the Depths


Looks like "Joe the Plumber" isn't a plumber after all. And he'd actually benefit from Sen. Obama's tax policies more than McAngry's. Imagine that.

Quote of the Day

"We have had 30 years of class warfare, in which the wealthy strip-mined the middle class. The wealth has been spread upward." - - TIME Magazine's Joe Klein, reacting to McAngry's remark about Obama wanting to spread the wealth and engage in class warfare.

McAngry's Presidential Moment



(photo: Reuters)

Three Strikes. You're Out.


The third and final Presidential debate ended with Sen. Obama winning in post-debate polls conducted by both CNN and by CBS. The CNN results had viewers awarding the debate to Obama by 58 to 31. Sixty six percent had positive views of Obama, compared to 49 percent for McAngry. CBS' poll of undecided voters had similar results: Obama won the debate among them by a margin of 53 to 22. That makes the third debate that viewers said Obama won.

The most striking thing about the debates continued to be the difference in the candidates' personality and demeanor. Obama was calm, rational, and informed. McAngry was aggressive, snarling and seething with hostility that showed in the way he glared at Obama. And did you notice McNasty's rapid blinking? Weird.

Given the fact that one of these men will have their finger on the nuclear trigger, isn't it past time to ask if something strange is going on in McAngry's noggin? Some unresolved Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or related mental illness? Everyone has some temper to deal with, but this guy is a ticking time bomb. Remember what his Rethuglican colleague of nearly 30 years, Sen. Thad Cochran said just last January about McAngry?

"The thought of his being President sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Powell to Endorse Obama?


For those who think endorsements matter, this could be a big one for Obama. It's being reported that former Secretary of State Colin Powell is set to endorse Obama after tonight's debate. I'll leave it to the reader to decide if this is good, bad or indifferent, but (regardless of whatever baggage Powell brings from the Bush Assministration connection) he is a known and respected figure in the military and foreign policy world, and an endorsement would mean a final stamp of approval for Obama's national security cred. Let's see if it happens and how the McAngry camp reacts.

Dems Behaving Badly, Florida Edition


In the interest of fair play, we occasionally have to point to a Democrat who exhibits behavior that is, shall we say, bad. Case in point, Florida Rep. Tim Mahoney, who succeeded Rethug Rep. "Paging" Mark Foley (what's in the water in that district, anyway?). Mahoney has admitted to having an affair with a woman, but not that he paid her hush money and then arranged to get a job for her with his campaign advertising company. Well, it appears the story doesn't end there. Rep. Mahoney is apparently one randy, ethically challenged dude, since a second affair has now been alleged. Mahoney's in a tough reelection fight with Tom Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steeler Rooneys. Maybe this is one seat the Democrats deserve to lose.

(Photo: Rep. Mahoney watching his marriage and career go bye-bye.)

Greed You Can Believe In, My Friends


The Tax Policy Center, a non-profit organization, points out that two-thirds of McAngry's capital gains tax cuts would benefit millionaires. Two-thirds. Well, yes, they are in McAngry's base, but it seems idiotic to propose during a time when the MIDDLE CLASS is hurting for relief. It would also provide an incentive for rich investors to cash in their investments to take advantage of the lower capital gains tax rates, thereby taking capital out of the market when the market needs capital. Here's hoping this comes up at tonight's debate, and that McAngry tries to defend it.

Our Broken Media, Cont'd.

Matt Yglesias has a good take on the state of the media covering the Presidential campaign. Concerned about how policies will impact their lives, especially economic policies, the public is focused on serious issues, and not obvious diversions. The political media, on the other hand, largely remains obsessed with those shiny diversions and the superficial, "game" aspects of the campaign. They find policy "boring," and they're too lazy to educate themselves. They'll want to make the race seem highly competitive for ratings purposes, despite Obama's lead, even if it means using outdated polls or spreading the crap that's coming out of the right wing noise machine/McAngry campaign. The public deserves a serious political media, but we're unlikely to see it anytime soon.

Latest Poll

The New York Times/CBS poll now shows Sen. Obama with a 53 to 39 percent lead over John McAngry, with three weeks left to go before the election. The angry, personal attacks against Obama by McAngry and Gov. You Betcha that have prompted calls of "kill him" and "terrorist" from their crowds seem to have backfired. McAngry's negative ratings have gone up too, with 21 percent saying their view of McAngry has dropped. Sixty one percent feel that he's busy attacking Obama rather than explaining what he would do as President.

Of course, explaining what he would do as President would allow voters to see that there's a miniscule difference between McAngry and a third Bushit term.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Buckley Out At National Review


Christopher Buckley, son of right-wing icon William F. Buckley, has resigned his position at the National Review, a magazine that his father founded in 1955. Citing hate mail from wingnuts unhappy with his endorsement of Sen. Obama, Buckley said that a virtual "fatwah" had been issued against him by far right wingnuts. Paraphrasing St. Ronnie Raygun's comment about the Democratic Party, he said, "I haven't left the Republican Party, it left me." It now belongs to the "kill him" fringe of delusional nutbags. They can have it.

You Betcha's Brazen Lie


The Troopergate report released last Friday said that Gov. You Betcha abused her authority by pressuring State officials to fire her estranged brother-in-law. The report also found that You Betcha violated section 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act in permitting the pressure to continue on several State employees. In simple terms, she violated a state ethics statute.

You Betcha, however, has been lying openly about the report's findings, declaring that the report vindicates her claim that she didn't do anything wrong. She's apparently assuming that people who see the tape of her lie will accept it and not bother to read the report (or see newspapers, magazines, radio and TV news, for that matter). After multiple occasions where she's lied about something (her support for the Bridge to Nowhere, that she battled against earmarks, etc.), her dishonesty has become pathological. Small wonder that she has the lowest positive ratings among the four candidates.

UPDATE: The Anchorage Daily News has You Betcha in their sights.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Quote of the Day

"We've got them just where we want them." - - John McCain't, talking about his awesome campaign that has put him 10 points down roughly three weeks before the election.

If you want "them" sitting on your chest, hitting you on the head with a hammer then, yes, you've got them there.

McNasty's Losing Strategy


Since the last debate, John McNasty's campaign has resembled an angry lynch mob rather than a Presidential campaign. As we've noted previously, the winguts have been shouting "kill him" and "traitor" and "off with his head" when Sen. Obama's name is mentioned at McNasty and You Betcha campaign "rallies". Their innuendoes that Obama's "not one of us" and that he's "hiding something" threw gasoline on the fire that hate radio and the wingnutosphere started. Now they've been burned by the public's distaste for the hate spewing from the "rallies." It was getting so you'd have to cover the kids' ears when video clips of their "rallies" would appear on TV.

It's a losing strategy, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, which has McNasty losing to Obama among likely voters, 53 to 43 percent. In addition, McNasty's favorability ratings are also heading for the dumpster, with 45% saying that they have an unfavorable impression of him, vs 33% for Obama. Also, 59% feel that McNasty has mainly been attacking his opponent rather that addressing the issues, while only 26% feel that way about Obama.

Krugman Wins Nobel

Good news that Paul Krugman, economics professor at Princeton University and progressive op-ed columnist for the New York Times, won the 2008 Nobel Prize for economics, it was announced today. Krugman is a strong critic of the Rethug/McSame economics model, which is characterized by corporate breaks for exporting jobs, tax cuts for the wealthiest, and deregulation of the economy.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

No Joy in Mudville


All in all, a disastrous weekend in football:

Michigan 7 (at home!), Toledo (!) 10

Wisconsin 7 (at home!), Penn State 48

Redskins 17 (at home!), Rams 19

But...

Obama 51%, McSleazy 42%

Lucky in politics, unlucky in football -- at least for this week.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Words Of Reassurance


"It is important [that Americans] know that the leader of the free world has his full attention focused on helping solve this problem." White House Press Suckertary Dana Perino, commenting on the Preznit's invaluable efforts on the economic crisis.

"His full attention" means that he should have plenty of time to pursue his other interests.

"Abuse Of Power"

An investigative report released yesterday concluded that Gov. You Betcha abused her power as governor in seeking the removal of her ex-brother in law from the Alaska State Police. The 263 page report wraps up weeks of investigation, and concludes that You Betcha violated state ethics laws in using her power for personal purposes. The investigation had been authorized by a bipartisan committee of the Alaska State Senate, and was approved for release by a unanimous vote of 8 Republicans and 4 Democrats. You Betcha and her husband kept changing the story as to why State Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan was terminated; now it's evident that he was fired because he refused to remove the ex-brother in law from his position.

We already have seen an Assministration that is contemptuous of the law, and that believes that laws are meant only to serve them. Now, we have a candidate for vice president who apparently thinks the same way. One of many reasons why You Betcha's unqualified for that office.

Friday, October 10, 2008

A Buckley For Obama

Christopher Buckley, libertarian son of conservative icon and founder of the National Review, William F. Buckley, has endorsed Sen. Obama for President. Saying that his father, "spent my life separating the Right from the kooks", it appears that the kooks are now in charge. He lambastes Palin as "an embarassment, and a dangerous one at that," and asks of McNasty, "what on earth could he have been thinking?" He says "this campaign has changed John McCain. It has made him inauthentic," and that his "ninth inning attack ads are mean-spirited and pointless."

Good for him.

Management 101


Check out this hilarious reading of the actual minutes from a Wasilla City Council meeting from 1996. It's great to know McAncient values this solid management experience of his running mate!

"Hey, who ate the last Chip Ahoy?"

Out Of Ideas, Full Of Rage


As so many sources have pointed out over the past four days, the McNasty/You Betcha campaign rallies have turned into orgies of fear and hatred, stoked by slimy, "dog whistle" statements by the two candidates. Videotape has been playing endlessly of McNasty and You Betcha hearing calls from the audience of "kill him" and "terrorist" when they mention Sen. Obama. Yesterday in Wisconsin, a nutbag in the audience said he was "angry" and proceeded to rage against what he said was America's drift toward "socialism." On another appearance in the state, when McNasty mentioned that he wanted Democrats and Republicans to work together, the crowd was silent.

With McNasty running as much as 11 points behind in the daily Gallup tracking polls, their strategy has been clear ever since the economy took a nose dive: it's a loser for them to talk about the economy, so talk about "character" - - i.e., smear Sen. Obama. Egged on by a rabid core of right wing e-mailers and bloggers, and the vile hate radio dominated by the likes of Rush Limpballs, Heil Hannity, and Michael "Wiener" Savage, the low information voter wants McNasty to "take the gloves off." The extreme irony is that these same low information voters are the ones paying the highest price for eight years of Rethug rule, from their stagnant incomes, and lost retirement funds, to their family members sent to patrol the streets of Baghdad while bin Laden remains free. Some will eventually learn the hard way, and some will never learn. "Morans."

Thursday, October 9, 2008

A Matter of Character


The McNasty campaign is on a mission to turn the attention of the voters away from the tanking economy and on to the "character" of Sen. Obama, trying to portray him as "different," "foreign", and "untrustworthy." Here's a video compilation of people who have worked with McNasty, including a former Senator and a former head of the Arizona Republican Party, who believe that McNasty's rage is a disqualifier for the Presidency. It's very disturbing, and you have to wonder why the mainstream media isn't pursuing it. Oh, wait. The barbeque. Never mind.

Pure Poetry


As read by Keith Olbermann on last night's "Countdown", a great poem from Monty Python immortal John Cleese on Fux News' Sean "Heil" Hannity. (Hannity's was parading anti-Semite Andy Martin on his show the other day to spread false crap about Sen. Obama).

Ode to Sean Hannity

Aping urbanity
Oozing with vanity
Plump as a manatee
Faking humanity
Journalistic calamity
Intellectual inanity
Fox Noise insanity
You're a profanity
Hannity

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Georgia On His Mind


Sen. McNasty likes to talk about the conflict this summer between Russia and Georgia over the contested area of South Ossetia. He wants people to think that he was a champion of freedom in the region. But, as we see, he was far more involved in inciting the government of Georgia in provoking an incident with the Russians, who were acting as "peacekeepers" in South Ossetia (big mistake). His foreign policy advisor, Randy Scheunemann, was a paid lobbyist for the Georgian government, and had an interest in bringing the conflict to the attention of America. It's a story of miscalculation, arrogance and stupidity.

In other words, it's got McNasty written all over it.

Post Debate Results

The verdict from viewers on last night's Presidential debate/townhall meeting shows Sen. Obama clearly won. Some numbers:

-- Obama won the debate by a margin of 54 to 30;

-- As to who seemed to show the most leadership, Obama won 54 to 43;

-- Obama won on who can best handle the economy, 59 to 37.


The last number is particularly significant, because voters have the economic crisis as their number one issue, and McNasty is increasingly viewed as connected with the problem and not the solution.

There was also a moment when McNasty referred to Sen. Obama as "that one," pointing to but not looking at Obama. Commentators at MSNBC and CNN brought that incident up, saying that it was a significant blunder by McNasty, who needs undecided independents that are turned off by that kind of behavior.

Trains



Tip of the hat to our lovely Portland Correspondent Claire.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Inside McSame Headquarters. . . .


"Maverick, maverick, maverick."

Yuck Yuck Yuck


"An American Carol" is a wingnut movie that purports to satirize Michael Moore and progressive issues. However, it's opened in theaters to absolutely atrocious reviews, and is tanking at the box office. What's going on?

Ah ha! The wingnuts have an explanation: it's a conspiracy of hundreds of movie theater workers across the nation, who are tricking moviegoers into not seeing this craptastic movie! The movie's makers (who should be hiding in embarrassment) are looking for the usual suspects in this conspiracy! "We are investigating", says the film's website ominously.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

How about investigating why people think your waste of film is a total concrete balloon of humor?

McPenguin

If they ever do a Batman sequel with the Penguin, we have a natural to play the Penguin. "Eh? Eh?"

Monday, October 6, 2008

What A Guy


The WaPo has a disturbing account of McNasty's first marriage that reveals a lot about this clown's character. His first wife, Carol, had suffered a near-fatal car accident while McNasty was languishing in a North Vietnamese prison. She held on with their 3 kids while her husband was a prisoner of war. Their marriage lasted until the late 1970s, when a 43 year old McNasty found Cindy Hensley, a 25 year old heiress to a beer fortune, while he was still married to Carol. Their affair wrecked his 14 year marriage to Carol.

"McCain didn't hesitate to bring his marriage to a swift end. . . he and Cindy received a marriage license in Maricopa County, AZ. . . .four weeks before his divorce from Carol was final."

When McNasty ran an 8 minute video celebrating his past at the Rethuglican fib-fest in St. Paul, Carol McCain, mother of his children, was never mentioned.

And now this cheating hypocrite has the gall to attack Sen. Obama's character.

"Hi Guys (wink wink)"


With a few days behind us to digest Gov. You Betcha's folksy performance at the VP debates, some are just now noticing (!!) that she avoided answering questions altogether (McSame's history of deregulation), or simply gave answers that didn't relate to the question (her weaknesses). The inartful dodging is probably why only 21% of undecided voters in the CBS poll said she "won" the debate with Sen. Biden.

Another feature of You Betcha's performance that's getting panned more was her winking from time to time. Many people - - especially working women - - are finding this behavior inappropriate for someone in a leadership position, much like the female flirt in the office who gets ahead on her physical features alone. The winking didn't help You Betcha come across as a serious person for many, and the "too cute for prime time" act may have worn out its welcome with all but the hardcore winger wankers.

(photo: Gov. You Betcha showing her VP qualifications of winking and talking at the same time)

Quote of the Week

"There's no question that we have to change the subject here." - - a senior Rethuglican operative talking about the impact of bad economic events on the McSleaze campaign. As noted in the post below, they're going to throw whatever crap they can come up with at Obama, because they can't win on the merits. Like in 2000 and 2004.

"Past Associations"



Courtesy of Gov. Who? this weekend, we know the Rethugs (McSleazy campaign and their 527's) are going to start their desperate 30-day smear campaign on Sen. Obama by raising his "past associations" (silly, discredited linkages to Ayers, Wright, etc.) in an attempt to turn attention away from their disastrous economic policies. As we know, it's all they know how to do.

Well, the Obama campaign is getting out in front (hallelujah!) by raising the mother "past associations" for McSleazy: the Keating 5 scandal - involving issues that actually have a bearing on what this election is about: McSleazy, his judgement and ethics, and the current financial meltdown and the culture of greed that McSleazy has been a part of for over a quarter century.

Have at him!

(Photo: the Smear Machine Express back in the ditch)