....I have seen in a long while:
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
This is easily one of the funniest things....
Obama Campaign Files Complaint with Federal Election Commission
This is a story about a 527 group, that ran this ad:
These groups are supposed to be independent of any campaign. I (think I) just heard on POTUS 08 that the head of this group is the son of Hillary Machiavelli's Indiana campaign chair.
I really hope this blows back on her and that next week at this time I am listening to her concession speech.
Hillary Machiavelli Gives Me Another Headache
The New York senator highlighted new oil company profit figuresThis is one of the biggest blunders of her entire life. I am no champion of the oil corporations, as a matter of fact, part of me thinks they should all be nationalized, but I have no idea how you punish a company for record profits. I can already see the Republicans calling this a success tax.
as evidence her proposed windfall profits tax was the answer. “The oil companies
have figured out a way to keep profiting no matter what else happens,” she said.
“Over the last three months, while you were being pummeled by high gas prices,
Shell’s profits rose by 25 percent, and BP’s by 63
percent. So the oil companies are doing very well, and it’s high time that they
helped to relieve the burden of high gas prices on our families and our
businesses.
What about the "regular folk" that have oil corps in their 401k plans that will see their retirement funds drop because of this absurd policy?
Sen. Obama correctly shot back:
Clinton and Republican Sen. John McCain are calling for a holiday on collectingClinton and McCain are short sighted electoral appeasers. This is a tiny Band-Aid at best and will do great damage in the long term. This is the sort of thinking that got us into the gutter in the first place.
the federal gas tax "to get them through an election," Obama said at a North
Carolina rally. "The easiest thing in the world for a politician to do is tell
you exactly what you want to hear."
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Is America ready for a smart President?
Im voting for Barack Obama because he’s brilliant!-Oprah Winfrey
With all the chatter about whether or not the country is ready for a black/female/elderly-psychotic chief executive, the thought has crossed my mind that we may be asking the wrong question. Americans are paying 4 dollars a gallon for gas and talking about Barack Obama's pastor.
Shell and BP are reporting over 17 billion in profits (yes profits- this is money left over after research and development) and we are concerned about Barack Obama's pastor.
We have had over 4,000 of our own killed in a grossly illegal war and occupation and we are concerned about Barack Obama's pastor.
Perhaps Oprah has got it right, and that might just be the problem. Is brilliance a political liability? Professors and students love the guy and he is widely condemned for it. The charge that he is not "ma and pa" enough for far too many has me frightened.
Check out this video of his response to some of this nonsense:
Remember, Obama is the anti-Bush. He is as far from Bush as one can be on many things related to both policy and character, and yet, this is seen as elitism. Why don't we want an elite running our country? Watching the NFL draft this past weekend I was hoping my team would draft some elite players when they were up. I was not hoping they would draft some beer drinking short guy that I could relate too. And I assume most people are like me on that point.
So why don't we want the same from out President?
If this is our criteria we should just make Bush the King.
PS- I know that Nixon does not really tie into this post in any meaningful way, but him bowling makes for one hell of a photo.
Without Comment
Sometimes I'm just left speechless by how classy our election process has become.
From Harper's Weekly:
All three candidates taped messages for World Wrestling Entertainment's "W.W.E. Raw": Clinton declared herself "ready to rumble" for the American people; Obama, echoing former wrestler Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson, asked, "Do you smell what Barack is cooking?"; McCain, speaking with a surly tone, equated the Iraq war with a wrestling match and said that Americans "do not watch wrestling because we're 'bitter,'" but rather because "wrestling is about celebrating our freedom."
Destroying the Democratic Party...
Elizabeth Edwards is supporting Hillary Clinton and is apparently pushing John to also endorse her. Clinton received the support of NC governor Mike Easley today. I can't understand the rationale of jumping on board a sinking ship. I understand Clintonites that you wanted Hillary as the nomination, I really do, but she has lost. The party has spoken. Every bitter week of in-fighting that goes by, McCain only grows stronger as the GOP begrudgingly circles the wagons around their man. This race should be over and you people know that. I'm sorry that Hillary ran a shitty campaign and I'm sorry a lot of the people do not want more Clinton/Bush for another 4 years. It must be tough to watch this young upstart Senator take what should have been hers from the start but that's what happened. We can't change it.
We must begin to concentrate on the real task now. Winning the upcoming presidential election is THE most important job the Democrats have in front of them. For these superdelegates and other important party members to endorse Hillary at this time is killing the party from within. Polls have shown that because the race is still so fiercely battled that supporters of either candidate would vote for McCain if their candidate should lose. 20% is a large chunk of the Democratic vote that will go to McCain all because Hillary will not accept defeat graciously and help Obama defeat their common enemy(McCain). That should terrify any member of the party and yet it only spurs Clinton supporters on. It pushes them to fight to the bitter end.
We need that mentality in the general election, not now. By continuing to support Hillary these people are driving a wedge through the party that the GOP could never have dreamed of doing. Why do you think the right has been all over the airwaves "supporting" Hillary and claiming she's a tough opponent. They hate her guts but they know she will be easier to defeat in November. They would love to see her win the nomination. They have mounds of political dirt ready to fling at her in the fall. They had been planning on running against her from the beginning.
Then something strange happened. A young, intelligent, multi-racial Senator began spreading his word of change and people jumped on board. People who were sick of Bush and his evil regime. People who were tired of being left behind economically while a small few prospered immensely. People who had given up on our country and our government. People who were tired of the establishment political figures of old. They all wanted someone they could trust to do the right thing when the time came. They chose Barack Obama.
Why on Earth would John Edwards endorse Clinton now? Why would the governor of NC do the same? Do these people not see what this is doing to the party as a whole? Do they even care what it is doing? Can they not see what Hillary stealing the nomination would do in November to our country? Do what is right and back the candidate that has won the nomination through the popular vote. Do not let the superdelegates destroy the Democratic party. We have a lot of work ahead of us and it's time to back Obama so we can end this death march. It's time to unite and fight the real enemy of our party and of our country. John McCain.
Oil: What is the Magic Number?
I was having a discussion with a student this morning and we were trying to figure out what would have to happen for Americans to get organized to deal with these gas prices. I paid 3.95 for the cheap stuff in San Diego this morning. Actually, I paid 3.96 when rounding up the nine-tenths of a percent that we pay. That in of itself is amazing. Many of us have already been conditioned to round down this number, but I digress...
Shell and B & P are reporting first quarter earnings of 17 billion USD combined. Chakib Khelil, Algeria’s energy minister (left) and the president of OPEC is warning that crude oil could end up costing over 200 USD a barrel. That would likely mean we are paying over 8 dollars a gallon.
This posses a variety of scenarios, problems and concerns. The first question we must ask is what will it take for us to act? 5 dollars a gallon? 7 dollars a gallon? 8??? What is our price? What is gas going to have to cost before we get organized and do something about it? I am starting to think we are trapped in a game of the Sims whereby the player got up to go to the potty room and forgot about the game. But again, I digress...
McCain and Clinton want to cut a 5 cent gas tax (saving the average American 50 cents to a dollar per week). This is Obama's response:
Bush is blaming the problem on taxes and not his idiotic policies that have expanded our debt thus devaluing the currency we are using to buy crude oil. Not to mention the illegal and boneheaded war in Iraq which lead to a decrease in oil output and regional stability thus pushing prices higher. Not to mention whoring out our manufacturing base to China which is now getting rich and buying gas as it advances toward development and a culture of waste and leisure.
So what are we going to do? Bitch? Send out emails? A quick Google search of "solutions to the gas problem" produces over 5 million returns. I liked the idea that argued we should all boycott Exxon-Mobil until they lower prices. Then when they do, move on to Shell, then Citgo, ect. That might work, and the Internet is a great tool and resource for us to organize. There are sites like http://www.carpoolconnect.com/ that are great for starters. But what is that going to do for food prices? Truckers are paying through the arse to get your local grocer the food they sell you. A carpool is not going to help us there.
Which leads me to another problem in the form of biofuels. Turning food into fuel is a great idea in a society that has a problem with obesity. We have such an abundance of food that it makes sense that we should drive using it. Plus, its renewable! But what about the other parts of the world that rely on these foods to subsist? This is a real crisis. And what happens to the economies of the oil producing countries once we (humans, not just Americans) stop using oil? More instability I suppose. What about the orangutans?!? We abandon them are our own peril.
But hey, enough of the chit chat, did you hear what Reverend Wright said???
Monday, April 28, 2008
McCain Wanted Troops Out of Iraq...
With all the flip flops John McCain has had recently this has to be the most biting of them all. From an interview with MSNBC's Chris's Matthew's in January 2005, McCain claims he wanted to bring the troops home. He also says that our presence in the Middle East should not resemble our presence in Germany and South Korea, something he has coincidentally claimed to be reason for our "100 year" reign of Iraq. Remember this is '05 Johnny boy:
Host Chris Matthews pressed McCain on the issue. "You've heard the ideological argument to keep U.S. forces in the Middle East. I've heard it from the hawks. They say, keep United States military presence in the Middle East, like we have with the 7th Fleet in Asia. We have the German...the South Korean component. Do you think we could get along without it?"
McCain held fast, rejecting the very policy he urges today. "I not only think we could get along without it, but I think one of our big problems has been the fact that many Iraqis resent American military presence," he responded. "And I don't pretend to know exactly Iraqi public opinion. But as soon as we can reduce our visibility as much as possible, the better I think it is going to be."
Stunning. He doesn't "pretend" to know Iraqi public opinion. Which is it Johnny? Should we stay or should we go? Can you ever make a decision that you stand by? Your against a holiday for Dr. King, then for it. Your against torture, then for it. Your against tax cuts, now you want them permanent. Your a pawn. I wonder if the MSM will pick up this story and run for a touchdown like they should. It's right there media! Pick it up and do your damn job!
China Making Free Tibet Flags...
Man Sues Jail for Losing Weight...
McCain and the Media...
John McCain and the media are truly a match made in heaven. They really do make a terrific couple. He's so old and stately and the media's so shy and naive. I mean, how else would you describe being able to say whatever the hell you want and to never be called on it? How else can you say something THIS stupid and not have your presidential candidacy immediately taken away? Behold:
Reverend Wright never compared the Marine Corps with the Roman's that killed Jesus! I mean he might as well have said that Wright personally nailed the last nail to the cross. Sadly, that wasn't the quote that got me fired up.
John McCain can understand why people are upset about Rev. Wright saying the American flag is the same as al Qaeda's?? Where the fuck did you get this whopper from Johnny boy? First of all, I don't remember EVER seeing al Qaeda's flag. Do they really have one? Second, Rev. Wright never said that either. How can you make up two massive lies about someone then claim you understand why "viewing these kinds of comments" would get people riled up? Your a LIAR John McCain.
From the Illiterate Electorate:
See how it works. You can make up any kind of shit and claim it to be true. If the media is going to give him a free ride well then we might as well just hand him the presidential tiara and forget about it. Just imagine for a second if Obama had made the claims that McCain did. Hmmm...
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Stealing Gas...
Apparently the gas crisis has officially gone into the insane column. I drove to the grocery store on Saturday and when I came out I noticed my gas cap was hanging out. I was obviously intrigued and wondered what the hell the deal was. Had my girlfriend filled up the tank and forgotten to close it? No, even Kreplech remembers to remove the gas nozzle and lock the cap (sorry guys, road trip with Kreplech inside joke).
So I forgot about it until I came across an ABC snippet about "gas guzzlers". I wish I could say it was about SUV's but it's about people siphoning gas and even drilling under the car's main tank to steal from people. If only we could declare a national "War on Oil!". Wait, we already have that war going on except we don't have any fucking oil from it! How do you illegally invade a country for oil and not at least get some oil?!?
The story above is real. It was really disconcerting to see my gas cap hanging out and I got lucky as no gas was missing. Maybe someone spooked the would be thief, I dunno. I'm just going to be paying much more attention in regards to where and when I leave my car parked from now on.
Watch your gas tanks Illiterate Electorate!
Karl's Letter
The "great" Karl Rove has written an editorial for Newsweek Magazine that serves as an open letter to Sen. Obama. My heart (a muscle this bastard is seemingly subsisting without) tells me to automatically reject anything he writes or speaks as conspiratorial and crooked. However, our ability to easily write him off has, I believe, allowed him the space to have his favorite retarded puppet serve as the American President for eight treacherous years.
In the column he writes:
Sadly, albeit correctly, he makes some important points throughout the piece. The man understands the American electorate, and if we have learned anything this decade, we should understand that he is not to be taken lightly.Even liberal commentators who adore you warn you can't win with a McGovern coalition of college students and white-wine sippers from the party's left wing. Saying small-town voters cling to guns, faith and xenophobia because of economic bitterness hurt you; it reinforced the growing sense you don't share Middle America's values. So did asking about the price of arugula in Iowa, dismissing the "true" patriotism of people who wear a flag lapel pin, being "friendly" (as your chief strategist, David Axelrod, put it) with a violent, unrepentant '60s radical and having a close relationship with an angry pastor who expressed anti-American sentiments.
You argue the son of a single working mom can't be an elitist. But it's not where you start in life; it's where you end up. After a prestigious prep school, Columbia and Harvard, you've ended up with the values of Cambridge, San Francisco and Hyde Park. So you're doing badly in Scranton, Youngstown and Erie, where ordinary Americans live.
Obama needs to work on his pitch to poor, uneducated middle American voters. There is not getting around that.
For years I have felt that the biggest asset that the right has over the left is that the right takes the time to understand the liberal mind, while those on the left simply turn a deaf ear to anything the right has to say.
Know they enemy, or thy enemy will rule you.
The one thing that makes me most uncomfortable about all of this is his motives. Why is he drawing out a logical and effective road map for Obama? Does he think Clinton has a better chance to win in the fall? Does he still harbor disdain for McCain (I know it rhymes) from 2000? Maybe he thinks Obama can win but will govern like Jimmy Carter, who opened the door for the disastrous Ronald Reagan. In other words, he may prefer 4 years of Obama if it helps elect a more radical conservative than the occasionally moderate McCain.
My guess would be the latter, but I don't know. If I understood Rove, I would have helped beat him over the last 8 years...
Either way, here is a classic video of the turd behind the savant:
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Disgusting...
Friday, April 25, 2008
Barack is Going to Hell...
Not literally of course, I'm referring to his soon to be appearance on FOX News Sunday. I, for the life of me, cannot understand why he would agree to go to Satan's lair but here's hoping he's ready for it. Give 'em hell Barack!
Here's a video of what he's up against:
Rush Limbaugh is a Riot...
For my Friday "news dump" story I give you this quote from fat boy Limbaugh:
Now if that isn't calling for an uprising from the far right, I don't know what is people. For someone who cares for "the sake of this country" to think the "best damn" thing that can happen is for riots at the Democratic Convention is just mind blowing. These people don't care about our country. They only care about power and themselves, period. My head hasn't been able to process the entire scope of what this lunatic is preaching. As bad as the quotes have been from the comedian Rush, this takes the cake in my book:
Here's Keith Olberman today and his take on Rush's "plan":
As the black Mr. Snipes goes to jail.....
...the cops that killed the black Sean Bell are free. This is an injustice of incalculable proportions. Recall, he was the unarmed guy that was shot dozens of times leaving his bachelor party the night before his wedding. This was not even a jury trail. Unreal:
Saying a lack of the witness credibility "eviscerated the people's case," Justice Arthur J. Cooperman returned a verdict of not guilty on all counts for three detectives charged in the shooting death of Sean Bell, who was gunned down outside Club Kalua 17 months ago in a hail of NYPD bullets on the eve of his wedding.As reporters, protesters and onlookers were assembled outside State Supreme Court in Kew Gardens on Friday morning, PBA president Pat Lynch was the first to react to reporters, saying this "was a case where there is no winner and no losers, we still had a death that occurred... we still had officers who had to deal with that death." But Lynch said it sent a message to New York City police officers that says "you will get fairness" which was important to officers out on patrol because "there is never a script... we have to deal with circumstances as they come."
Being a cop is a tough gig, but this is out of proportion. If they had fired one or two shots I could see some kind of case being made, as bent as it still would be. However, from the volume of shots fired, this seems more like a street gang assassination than a cop doing his job.
I won't even touch the race angle, for I believe it is self evident.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wesley Snipes Going to Prison...
NOoooo!!
Wesley Snipes got sentenced to 3 years in prison for failing to file federal income taxes from 1999-2001. He had no previous criminal charges on his record and he had some of his actor pals speak on his behalf to try and lessen the sentence. The judge was unimpressed and gave Snipes the maximum sentence.
I'll say it again because I think of it every time I read these stories. Our president and his crew of flunkies have broken just about EVERY law in the book! Scooter Libby helps Dick out a CIA agent then is found guilty for lying about it and he got his sentence commuted. AG Gonzo basically pleaded the fifth about politics in his department and "retired" ala Karl (turdblossom)Rove and Donald Rumsfeld (shudder).
Wesley Snipes and tax evasion? Maximum 3 years! This is the guy the judge wanted to "make an example of"? It's Blade your honor, he kills vampires and saves humans from near doom. Anyone who says our court system is working fine is either living in a fantasy world or they're white. Most of the time it's both.
Harry Reid is a Pansy...
"The three of us, we may write a joint letter [to superdelegates]," said Reid. "We might do individual letters, we are in contact with each other."...
However, when asked by a reporter if he would be forced to intervene if the undecided superdelegates did not make up their minds, Reid replied "I might have to."
You might have to? On this issue? You've had enough huh, Harry? You let Bush spy, torture, shred the Constitution, escalate a botched invasion...etc, and THIS is where you draw the line?? Your an asshole Harry Reid! There I said it.
John Ashcroft at Knox College...
John Ashcroft is a massive wanker and war criminal as we all know. He spoke at Knox college recently and got very testy when asked about torture by some of the students. He never really answers any questions and instead floats around the issues with political speak. Towards the end of the video he gets asked if he thought the US sentencing Japanese soldiers for water boarding were just sentences. Unfortunately his answer isn't on this video. Thankfully, the girl who asked the question wrote to the Daily Kos and they posted the transcript of her experience at the speech. Scroll past the video for his response to her question.
ME: It will be, sir, just give me a moment. The judgment describes this water treatment, and I quote, "the victim was bound or otherwise secured in a prone position; and water was forced through his mouth and nostrils into his lungs and stomach." One man, Yukio Asano, was sentenced to fifteen years hard labor by the allies for waterboarding American troops to obtain information. Since Yukio Asano was trying to get information to help defend his country--exactly what you, Mr. Ashcroft, say is acceptible for Americans to do--do you believe that his sentence was unjust? (boisterous applause and shouts of "Good question!")
ASHCROFT: (angrily) Now, listen here. You're comparing apples and oranges, apples and oranges. We don't do anything like what you described.
ME: I'm sorry, I was under the impression that we still use the method of putting a cloth over someone's face and pouring water down their throat...
ASHCROFT: (interrupting, red-faced, shouting) Pouring! Pouring! Did you hear what she said? "Putting a cloth over someone's face and pouring water on them." That's not what you said before! Read that again, what you said before!
ME: Sir, other reports of the time say...
ASHCROFT: (shouting) Read what you said before! (cries of "Answer her fucking question!" from the audience) Read it!
ME: (firmly) Mr. Ashcroft, please answer the question.
ASHCROFT: (shouting) Read it back!
ME: "The victim was bound or otherwise secured in a prone position; and water was forced through his mouth and nostrils into his lungs and stomach."
ASHCROFT: (shouting) You hear that? You hear it? "Forced!" If you can't tell the difference between forcing and pouring...does this college have an anatomy class? If you can't tell the difference between forcing and pouring...
ME: (firmly and loudly) Mr. Ashcroft, do you believe that Yukio Asano's sentence was unjust? Answer the question. (pause)
ASHCROFT: (more restrained) It's not a fair question; there's no comparison. Next question! (loud chorus of boos from the audience)
He calls Japanese watering boarding and American water boarding, APPLES and ORANGES!?! These war criminals love their semantics don't they. Is there really a big difference if you "pour" water into someones throat or "force" it in? I guess in Ashcroft's eyes the detainees are just drinking water, that's all. Then after they've had a glass or two they tell us they started the Chicago fire. When will these fuckers be held accountable and be put on trial for war crimes? What is it gonna take?
Politics and Religion...
This rant was brought on after reading an article from CNN's Political Ticker about how McCain might get baptized again. I wanted to share a few of the gimp's answers.
"The message that Dan Yeary conveys of Christian love and redemption is one that I welcome," said McCain.
Are you listening Iraq?? John McCain believes in redemption and you have 100 years to receive it. Just accept Jesus Christ as your saviour it's that easy! Sigh.
"There's enormous implications of that simple phrase," he added, calling it "one of the fundamental principles of leadership."
The old "do unto others..." line. Nice play sir! You have to realize that this only applies to McCain when discussing torture and permanent corporate tax cuts. How is anyone taking this asshole seriously?
Food for Thought
It's common for many Americans to forget that there is a world outside their borders beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, the current food crisis - what the World Food Programme calls a "silent tsunami" - is spreading throughout parts of the world including Africa, southeast Asia and parts of the Caribbean has gone largely unnoticed. Which is particularly startling when you take notice of the fact the current crisis is in part our fault.
Most obvious is the case of Haiti, whose food riots have claimed at least six lives. Already put through the political ringer by the United States over the past two decades, Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and reliant on loans from international organizations, such as the World Bank, to subsist. With the US maintaining a controlling interest in the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, we set the requirements of loans to poor and developing countries. These loans in turn require an opening of trade and investment barriers on the part of the recipient country.
In Haiti's case this means they needed to open their markets to US rice, a product Haiti had been able to export in the past. Up until recently, we could distribute rice much more cheaply than developing countries could grow it and with the end of trade barriers with Haiti, our cheaper rice put local farmers out of business. With a spike in oil and gas prices, food distribution costs have risen as well. The cost of rice has doubled in the past five months - what could be purchased for 90 cents now costs $1.80 in a country where 80% of the population makes less than two dollars a day. Like in the Philippines, Indonesia and several countries in Africa that rely on food imports, riots broke out among people who haven't eaten in days for lack of the ability to pay higher prices.
The crisis is expanding, with Thailand beginning to feel the food shock and the Guardian noting Britain is seeing the greatest inflation in food costs in a generation.
While, according to Reuters, there has been some panic buying on the part of retailers like Sam's Club and Costco, Wired Science makes the case for a vegetarian diet as an activist tool in regard to the issue.
But, this offers little hope for a solution in the short-term for Haiti as the crisis threatens to send a new wave of refugees out to sea, mirroring the politically-motivated flight of Haitians in the past. The UN has set the issue at the top of its agenda for a meeting between agency heads later this month.
Turning back to American politics, it's important to keep in mind who is most likely to tackle the unfairness involved in our current trade policy after the election this fall.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Was it worth it Hillary Machiavelli???
She picked up 9 delegates in Pennsylvania. I hope destroying your party was worth it.
Wexler Grills Mueller...
I'm stunned by FBI director Robert Mueller's "responses" to Congressman Wexler's questions regarding torture. He put on a Gonzo-like clinic on how not to answer questions by answering them. A masterful performance. It goes up there with William H. Macy's character in the movie Fargo. "Ma'am, I'm cooperating....Ma'am! I'm cooperating here". Scroll past the video for some of the greatest non answers EVER!
Here's your country's top cop:
RM Mueller: I can go so far sir as to tell you that a protocol in the FBI is not to use coercion in any of our interrogations or our questioning and we have abided by our protocol.
R Wexler: I appreciate that. What is the protocol say when the FBI knows that the CIA is engaging or the Department of Defense is engaging in an illegal technique? What does the protocol say in that circumstance?
R Mueller: We would bring it up to appropriate authorities and determine whether the techniques were legal or illegal.
R Wexler: Did you bring it up to appropriate authorities?
R Mueller: All I can tell you is that we followed our own protocols.
R Wexler: So you can’t tell us whether you brought it; when your own FBI agents came to you and said the CIA is doing something illegal which caused you to say don’t you get involved; you can’t tell us whether you then went to whatever authority?
R Mueller: I’ll tell you we followed our own protocols.
R Wexler: And what was the result?
R Mueller: We followed our own protocols. We followed our protocols. We did not use coercion. We did not participate in any instance where coercion was used to my knowledge.
What's the secret word of the day Pee Wee? PROTOCOL...aiieiieiieggh!!
Barack Obama Extreme?
Is Obama too extreme for old, rich white people in North Carolina? Apparently so. The North Carolina Republican Party is planning a new ad calling Obama "too extreme.." for their state. Why can't these clowns let the Rev. Wright thing go? Like McCain hasn't had any controversial people in his past? How about Hagee and Falwell too name a few and he still hasn't dropped their endorsements! McCain is claiming that he asked the NC GOP to not run the ad but as of yet they are planning to go with the ad anyway. Apparently the state GOP doesn't really care what their national presidential nominee thinks. Hypocrisy knows no bounds in the Republican party.
Aboutface...
I hate to admit it but I cannot stand Hillary Clinton anymore. I hate her guts and not for any kind of trivial reason either. When the election season started I really was ambivalent towards her. I thought she would make a good president if she won the nomination. After watching her campaign get nastier and nastier in PA, I had to finally come to terms with my hatred. Apparently I'm not the only one because she watched a 20 point lead fall to 10 due to her lack of tact. I want her to stay in the race now. I want her to watch what should have been her nomination from the beginning slowly slip from her grasp like a frozen DiCaprio in Titanic. I want her to feel like she's floating on a board in the middle of the Atlantic ocean shivering and wondering what the hell had happened to her.
I guess the NYT feels the same way:
Voters are getting tired of it; it is demeaning the political process; and it does not work. It is past time for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to acknowledge that the negativity, for which she is mostly responsible, does nothing but harm to her, her opponent, her party and the 2008 election.
If nothing else, self interest should push her in that direction. Mrs. Clinton did not get the big win in Pennsylvania that she needed to challenge the calculus of the Democratic race. It is true that Senator Barack Obama outspent her 2-to-1. But Mrs. Clinton and her advisers should mainly blame themselves, because, as the political operatives say, they went heavily negative and ended up squandering a good part of what was once a 20-point lead."
Remember, they endorsed her as their candidate. Ouch!
Little boy says he will kill President Bush
Ummm....
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Hillary Machiavelli did not win Pennsylvania by 10 points:
Hillary Machiavelli got 54.6% to Obama's 45.4%, with 99.44% of districts reporting. These remaining discricts, from what I heard on the radio, are in the Philadelphia area, which is where he is pulling the most support. So she ends up with a 9% win, in the single digits, and thus lied on every major network this morning by saying she had a double digit victory, which she did not. This point may seem like petty semantics, which of course it is, but it illustrates the central theme of Clinton's campaign, which is to lie and destroy the Democratic party because of petty semantics.
The Russian Eye on Pennsylvania
We here at the IE believe in the opinions of foreigners. That being said, I thought this video might give us a useful view of the Pennsylvania election from the Russian perspective. Spasibo sto chital prochital:
I love this quote: for most people, there can only be one winner.
- Please be sure to participate in the new poll questions on the bottom right...
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Late Night Thoughts on Hillary Machiavelli's Win
I am ok with the outcome tonight. As per some of my earlier posts, it looks like they could split the remaining delegates, both pledged and super, and come out this "process" with a solid, yet slim and definitive Obama victory. I really cannot see any emotions Democrats now hold being relevant this November. Anyone that overestimates the American attention span does so at their own peril. Obama will be fine, and Obama will be the next President. I love the bastard, but I still fear him more than I trust him. I am terrified that I could be as wrong about him as equally intelligent and confident supports of Bush were about their "guy" in the past. It reminds me of a tune off of Faith No More's first record, We Care A Lot:
We care a lot about disasters, fires, floods and killer bees
We care a lot about nasa shuttle falling in the sea
We care a lot about starvation and the food that live aid bought
We care a lot about disease, baby, rock hudson, rock yeah!
That is all. You either get it or you don't. Hell, I'm not even certain as to which camp I land, but I know that I don't know. And as a great military man once said, knowing is half the battle.
The Old and Uneducated Strike Back!
There is about 91% in and the evil doer is up by 10%. Here are a few observations: - Lest we not forget, Pennsylvania is the state that brought us Groundhogs day. They also have the the Great Dane as their state dog and milk as their state beverage. Big dogs and calcium don't lead to good thinking, and the proof is that Obama lost by 10%.
- Tonight means nothing in the long term. Tonight will be forgotten in 2 weeks, when he creams her in the Tar Heel state and ties her in the Hoosier state. It is over for her. Her and her establishment cronies are going to have to hold their noses and eat it for once, like I had to do the last cycle for that turd Kerry.
- I want to personally thank the hiring committee at the University of Millersville for not hiring me! You and your state can eat it...
I leave you with a tribute to Hillary Machiavelli and her people:
"Illiterate peasants"...
It seems that someone is trying to steal our thunder, Illiterate Electorate. Colorado State Rep. Douglas Bruce was barred from speaking Monday when he referred to illegal immigrants as "illiterate peasants". From the Denver Post:
"We don't need 5,000 more illiterate peasants in the state of Colorado," Bruce, R-Colorado Springs, told the chamber to an audible gasp.
Rep. Kathleen Curry, leading the House at the time, immediately barred Bruce from speaking at the podium, an uncommon maneuver.
"How dare you?" she asked Bruce...
Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, said that as the "son of illiterate slaves who built this country" he found Bruce's remark bigoted and said it may prompt an ethics investigation.
"He clearly violated the decorum of the House," said Carroll, the assistant majority leader. "It was premeditated bigotry. Doug Bruce is not a stupid man. He thinks about what he's going to say."
He does have a point when he says we don't need MORE illiterate people in this country, as our educational system has produced plenty. I will however disagree with Rep. Terrance Carroll when he says that Bruce is "not a stupid man". He is clearly a very stupid man.
Early Exit Poll Numbers...
Scroll to the bottom for the latest exit poll numbers.
From CBS:
Now the question I have is would these voters actually vote McCain in November because their candidate didn't win? We all know that Hillary supporters are generally older females and people with lower level education (HS diploma). Obama backers are overwhelmingly younger and college graduates. I can honestly see the older crowd going over to McCain and maybe some of the illiterate ones as well but I find it hard to believe that an educated democrat would switch aisles because Hillary stole the nomination. Am I wrong in this logic? Only time will time I guess.
UPDATE: Numbers show that voter turnout will be at least 52% which would be almost DOUBLE the number from 2004. 17% made up their minds in the last 3 days and 10% decided today.
67% thought Clinton attacked Obama unfairly. 49% thought Obama attacked Clinton unfairly.
UPDATE: Here's a breakdown of exit polling numbers highlighting gender, race, education and income: (From HuffPo)
race and age:
white 18-29 53-47 clinton
white 30-44 53-47 clinton
white 45-59 59-41 clinton
blacks 92-8 obama
education:
high school 65-35 clinton
some college 50-49 obama
college grad 55-45 obama
postgrad 54-46 obama
family income:
under 15K 51-49 obama
15-30k 56-44 clinton
30-50 57-43 clinton
50-75 53-47 clinton
75-100 54-46 obama
100-150 59-39 obama
200 plus 68-32 obama
UPDATE: 5:58 pst. MSNBC just projected Hillary the winner with 3% reporting. What the final number will be is the big question. It's 55-45 right now.
Side note, why does MSNBC feel the need to let Pat Buchanan spew his shit on their airwaves?
UPDATE: 6% in and the margin in 53-47 Clinton. Weeeee this should be an interesting night!
UPDATE: 10% in and we're now back at 55-45. Still closer than I think Clinton wanted so far.
UPDATE: 15% in and the big number is 53-47.
UPDATE: 20% reporting and it's still fairly close at 53-47. Speeches from the candidates will be coming soon.
UPDATE: 38% and the number is 54-46. Go Obama!
UPDATE: Halfway home at 50% reporting and we stand at 54-46.
MSNBC is reporting most of the rural counties have reported and that Philly and the surrounding burbs have not. This tends to look like the number might slide a bit to Obama when it's all said and done. We'll see.
UPDATE: 73% reporting and we're at 54-46.
UPDATE: 85% in and the number is 55-45. It looks like the margin will fall somewhere between 8 and 10. I was hoping for closer to 6 but who am I to bitch. It seems all but hopeless for Clinton in the end.
UPDATE: With 95% reporting it at 55-45, it looks like Hillary will win by 10. Not bad but not nearly good enough. She needed to trounce him in PA and 200,000 or so votes isn't going to do it. Obama will cover that number in NC and then some the polls are showing. He has too much money for you Hillary. You won't win Indiana by a margin needed to catch up. It's time to pack it in and ride off into the sunset.
Hillary Machiavelli on K.O., Pennsylvania Update:
Apparently there are some voting problems going on in Pennsylvania. I assume that this can only help the senator "from" New York, as turnout should be Obama's biggest ally today. Which is bad news for him, as early reports indicate that turnout is by no means overwhelming:
Barack Obama, senator from Illinois, and Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York are fighting a fierce battle for Pennsylvania votes at the same time that nine Republicans and three Democrats are fighting for party nominations for Congress in the 5th district.
At Penn State’s Heritage Hall in the HUB-Robeson Center, where five precincts are voting, lines no longer than 10 or 15 students waited early this morning to vote.
At 9:30 a.m., Mike Gruendler of York, an Obama volunteer, said he estimated about 300 students had already visited the polls, which opened at 7 a.m.
If that estimate is true, and only 300 out of more than 40,000 students (according to Wikipedia, for what its worth). He needs these bastards to come out for him, now...
- This is a great read on the lack of logic that Clinton has incorporated in her campaign's thought processes.
She mentions a gas holiday, just like McCain...Ugg.
- On a lighter note, I just paid $3.91 for a gallon of gas in San Diego.
Pennsylvania Election Day:
So much for not answering hypotheticals...
...now that Hillary has found a loving home at ABC, she is just making them up on her own. Take the statement she made this morning on Good Morning America (and transcribed by Raw Story) for instance:
"I want the Iranians to know, if I am president, we will attack Iran," if they launch nukes against Israel, Clinton said. "I want them to understand that. … We would be able to totally obliterate them. That’s a terrible thing to say, but those people who run Iran need to understand that."
I suppose she's trying to placate her AIPAC supporters and look like the "national security candidate," but it's simply a statement that has nothing to do with reality. According to our own most recent National Intelligence Estimate (PDF), Iran halted their nuclear bomb program in 2003. As it was estimated they were several years from developing a bomb already, that would still be the case now. So, in this hypothetical scenario, just how is Iran supposed to launch an attack on Israel when they don't have the capability? After eight years of bluster and saber-rattling, do we really need such bellicose statements coming from a Democratic candidate?
Monday, April 21, 2008
John Cusack's War Inc.
John Cusack's new movie War Inc. is coming out soon and from the trailer it looks pretty interesting. The story is set in the near future where corporations have taken over running wars completely and the consequences that ensue. The movie was made without big studio money and was inspired by Naomi Klein's amazing book "The Shock Doctrine". He made an appearance today on Crooks & Liars to answer questions about the movie. Here's my favorite comment he posted:
lets start with the fact that in Iraq there are now more contractors than soldiers(180,000 contractors vs. around 140,000 troops). WAR INC just takes this trend to its logical conclusion, a time in the near future when war is an entirely corporate affair.hopefully this can be stopped but there are disturbing virus like built into this system. I.e.–when countries like Britain or Poland pulls troops out of Iraq, in the vacuum they are instantly replaced by mercenary soldiers, often from the same countries, sometimes they are the same guys who just switch from wearing a flag to wearing a corporate logo.this is what Naomi deconstructs so savagely in her book ” the shock doctrine” it is what she calls “corporate mission creep” …and it’s the real story in Iraq.
people have adopted a new narrative that the surge IS working but Iraq is NOT working… Where truthfully neither is working for the US or the IRAQ’S but for BLACKWATER it’s all working great.
Another narrative we can deconstruct — that it’s fitting for private soldiers to fight these wars because the only ones these wars are benefiting are corporations, like Shell and Exxon which have seen their profits soar because the chaos sends the price of oil up. So if these are wars for corporations , it makes sense for them to be fought with corporate armies — which is the way they do it in parts of Africa.This has a sort of horrible logic to it if you could get past the fact that it’s all insane.The problem, though, again, it’s a lie— EXXON ISN’T PAYING BLACKWATER… WE ARE.
(his emphasis)
We should all go check this movie out. I don't know about the rest of the Illiterate Electorate but I haven't been disappointed with a Cusack film in quite some time. I have a feeling John might hit this one outta the park. I will post a review as soon as I see the film.
Lincoln Vs. Douglas - The Issues People Care About
I know it took me long enough, but I finally found the perfect subject matter for my first post at Illiterate Electorate. With last week's debate debacle, Obsidian Wings offers their take on what ABC's Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos, may have asked Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. It's just as thought provoking as you would have imagined.
GIBSON: I noticed, Mr. Lincoln, that your American flag pin was upside down…
LINCOLN: Yes, the wind caught it. Now, as I was saying...
GIBSON: We get questions about this all the time over at Powerline and on Hannity’s talk show. Mr. Douglas has said this is a major vulnerability for you in the fall. So I’ll ask again – do you love America?
LINCOLN: (scowling with a forced smile). Yes.
GIBSON: If your love for America were ice cream, what flavor would it be?
LINCOLN: (pausing with disgust and turning back to camera) Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new -- North as well as South.
DOUGLAS: He didn’t answer the question Charlie. This fall, that question is going to be on the minds of the American public. I’ve proudly stated that my love for America is Very Berry Strawberry.
Mike Moore for Obama:
Finally, I want to say a word about the basic decency I have seen in Mr. Obama. Mrs. Clinton continues to throw the Rev. Wright up in his face as part of her mission to keep stoking the fears of White America. Every time she does this I shout at the TV, "Say it, Obama! Say that when she and her husband were having marital difficulties regarding Monica Lewinsky, who did she and Bill bring to the White House for 'spiritual counseling?' THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT!"But no, Obama won't throw that at her. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be decent. She's been through enough hurt. And so he remains silent and takes the mud she throws in his face.
That's why the crowds who come to see him are so large. That's why he'll take us down a more decent path. That's why I would vote for him if Michigan were allowed to have an election.
Here is the story about Wright at the White House.
- In other news, Sen. Obama picked up another superdelegate today....
GOP Truth Evasion
I just had to post this despicable filth from the homepage of the Republic National Committee website (hyperlink omitted purposely). We can see "swift boat" politics starting before the Democrats have even chosen a nominee. This is misleading imagery meant to mobilize a nearly illiterate voter base. Who taught these people how to surf the internet?
The good news: if you can read this, you probably get the point.
The bad news: republicans can't think read.
Late Late Music...
"Polar Opposites" from Modest Mouse. It's from my favorite Mouse album, "The Lonesome Crowded West". Enjoy.
Robertson, Sharpton Global Warming...
It's kind of odd watching Pat Robertson actually agreeing that global warming is real, let alone a problem. I'm not quite sure how to think about this advertisement. I mean it's Pat effing Robertson! The guy who dropped this bomb:
Now is it God that will bring "earthquakes, tornadoes...etc" or will it be global warming Pat? I just want to know if I need to stock up on duct tape or not.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Irony of the Clinton/Moveon.org thing...
As many of you are by now aware, Hillary Machiavelli has been very critical of the group moveon.org in recent days, which is interesting because the group was formed to halt the impeachment of her husband for lying about cheating on her.
Well, wouldn't ye of guessed that something like this would have had to surface:
I am almost as baffled by her supporters as I am by those that are still standing by Bush. There is a fine line between loyalty and stupidity, and it seems clear to me which side of the line supporters of both are currently standing.
- Here is a good piece of journalism on the race in Pennsylvania from our friends on the other side of the pond:
American Terrorists...
Wow. Where to begin.
Hannity needs to go away. Now. Seriously people, I can't take this fascist, right wing propaganda anymore. "Liberal" mainstream media my ass! Hannity is once again laying down the strategy for the GOP candidate. We all know about how he got Georgie Jr. ( Stephanopoulos IS tiny) to ask some "tough" questions for him in the ABC debacle debate. Here's nutbag(Newt) talking to crazytown (Hannity). Enjoy?
Here's my favorite Newt quote:
We admire terrorists people!! Only if they're home grown though as we don't want to send any more jobs overseas. Newt gets the wanker of the weekend award! Well done sir!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Weekend Google Data:
Just some quick Google facts for you:
- When doing a Google search for Hillary Clinton is a liar, 343,000 responses came up.
- When doing a Google search for Barack Obama hates America, 406,000 responses came up.
I find it strange that there are over 73,000 more responses for the Obama phrase, which I think most people assume is false, and Clinton's, which has been confirmed on numerous occasions.
- Random thought: Why do people get shit for making up words...doesn't someone have to do it?
Friday, April 18, 2008
Colbert, Edwards with Ed-Word!
Tonight's Colbert Report was amazing. I really dug John Edwards doing "the word". Enjoy.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Success=Success...
When questioned today about the never ending occupation of Iraq, "resident" Bush gave an interesting answer. Take note of the new plan for Bushco which is, "Hey, history will judge me later bro, peace out bitches!". This kinda talk will only grow as his time wanes.
Alrighty then! Who knew that all you had to do to set the bar for success is whatever you say it is. Pretty sound reasoning there. However, as he always does, Bush saves the best for last.
It hasn't be easy?? It hasn't been like gluing a model airplane together? It's taken longer than you anticipated Mr. Prez? REALLY? But it's been worth it? I can't believe I just quoted the president of the United States saying that the Iraq occupation has been "worth it", I agree Sal Kilmister...I'm speechless.