Saturday, November 09, 2002
Sully Watch takes a break from Sully watching to tell us the story that no one is talking about -- Dems win the governorship in Cheney's home state.**
*Of course, it isn't really Cheney's home state, which means at the very least we should have Vice President Lieberman now.
*Of course, it isn't really Cheney's home state, which means at the very least we should have Vice President Lieberman now.
Miss those Buy American bumper stickers...
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Division of Family Services has a contract with call takers who aren't in Missouri, have never been to the state, and have barely even heard of Missouri,
KMBC's Jeremy Hubbard reported Thursday.
"I was upset about it. I was just adamant," said Joyce Stewart, who called the hot line.
Stewart said that she noticed something strange on the other end of the phone when called a hot line with a question about her Missouri food stamps and noticed an Eastern accent.
"I just asked them, 'Where do you live?' And she said, 'I live in such or such India.' And I said, 'The country of India?' And she said, 'Yeah.' I said, 'Oh my goodness,'" Stewart told Hubbard.
The person Stewart was talking to wasn't in Jefferson City or St. Louis, but likely Bombay or Calcutta, and doing business for the state of Missouri.
Hubbard said that he wanted to see for himself if Stewart was correct, and called the hot line, too.
Well, now that we have Senator Chambliss we can look forward to quick implementation of his bold new plans for Homeland Security.
'Just turn (the sheriff) loose and let him arrest every Muslim that crosses the state line."
Still waiting for the double standards folks to condemn that one.
UPDATE: Well, Ari did have this to say at the time.
Q Saxby Chambliss, who is running for the Senate in Georgia, has
apologized for comments he made to some Georgia law enforcement
personnel, where he's quoted as saying, to deal with security issues in
Georgia, "just turn the sheriff loose, and have him arrest every
Muslim that crosses the state line."
Now, when John Cooksey, a Republican from Louisiana also running for
the Senate, made some similarly inopportune comments, the White
House criticized those. Do you have some words also for Saxby
Chambliss? And the President has gone out of his way to admonish
leaders to show tolerance to Muslims around the country. How would
you react to these comments?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President does not share those remarks. As you
know, the President has been very clear about the need for all
Americans to be tolerant. That's one of the finest traditions of our
nation.
Q Does it, in any way, disqualify him as a candidate seeking the
Republican nomination for the Senate?
MR. FLEISCHER: Voters of Georgia are the determinant of that. I could
share with you the President's message.
'Just turn (the sheriff) loose and let him arrest every Muslim that crosses the state line."
Still waiting for the double standards folks to condemn that one.
UPDATE: Well, Ari did have this to say at the time.
Q Saxby Chambliss, who is running for the Senate in Georgia, has
apologized for comments he made to some Georgia law enforcement
personnel, where he's quoted as saying, to deal with security issues in
Georgia, "just turn the sheriff loose, and have him arrest every
Muslim that crosses the state line."
Now, when John Cooksey, a Republican from Louisiana also running for
the Senate, made some similarly inopportune comments, the White
House criticized those. Do you have some words also for Saxby
Chambliss? And the President has gone out of his way to admonish
leaders to show tolerance to Muslims around the country. How would
you react to these comments?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President does not share those remarks. As you
know, the President has been very clear about the need for all
Americans to be tolerant. That's one of the finest traditions of our
nation.
Q Does it, in any way, disqualify him as a candidate seeking the
Republican nomination for the Senate?
MR. FLEISCHER: Voters of Georgia are the determinant of that. I could
share with you the President's message.
Onward to Tehran!
Frankly, I worry about Iran's threat to our national security more than Iraq's, but as with the former maybe there's a better way to go about it than attacking and threatening to attack them. In the case of Iran the fear is not so much of being attacked by the state, but of angering its population, aligning them with their unpleasant government and theocratic leaders, and encouraging some particularly excitable ones to take things into their own hands. I can talk about root causes now 'cause Hitchy-poo says its okay.
To anyone who knows a damn thing about computers, does this make *any sense*?
On Tuesday night, VNS realized its spanking-new operating system didn't work as well as it hoped. Like a crew facing a possible shipwreck, it looked for cargo to throw overboard. The most obvious thing to jettison was some of the exit polling data. It takes a lot of computer hardware and operators to process the huge amount of data—why did black women in Arkansas over 35 vote for that candidate—that goes into an exit poll. Dumping that data would allow VNS to keep churning out basic horserace numbers from the polls.
For polling analysts at the networks and academics who thrive on postelection studies of the exit polls, this may be a huge loss (though one network executive is pretty sure the data can eventually be retrieved for the cause of scholarship).
But that lost data did not have any impact on the fundamental question of calling the election. For the purpose of declaring winners and losers, the networks appear to have had all the data they normally have
I just can't imagine any circumstances under which a) it would be *necessary* to delete for all eternity, with no backups or copies or original source intact, a bunch of data so to crunch the numbers. And, b) even if it was necessary, the value of projecting elections 5 minutes early versus the historical value of all the other data...what a ridiculous call to make.
This is just too weird.
On Tuesday night, VNS realized its spanking-new operating system didn't work as well as it hoped. Like a crew facing a possible shipwreck, it looked for cargo to throw overboard. The most obvious thing to jettison was some of the exit polling data. It takes a lot of computer hardware and operators to process the huge amount of data—why did black women in Arkansas over 35 vote for that candidate—that goes into an exit poll. Dumping that data would allow VNS to keep churning out basic horserace numbers from the polls.
For polling analysts at the networks and academics who thrive on postelection studies of the exit polls, this may be a huge loss (though one network executive is pretty sure the data can eventually be retrieved for the cause of scholarship).
But that lost data did not have any impact on the fundamental question of calling the election. For the purpose of declaring winners and losers, the networks appear to have had all the data they normally have
I just can't imagine any circumstances under which a) it would be *necessary* to delete for all eternity, with no backups or copies or original source intact, a bunch of data so to crunch the numbers. And, b) even if it was necessary, the value of projecting elections 5 minutes early versus the historical value of all the other data...what a ridiculous call to make.
This is just too weird.
The party of personal responsibility:
"My tenure at the SEC has been shorter than I expected," Pitt said in a speech to the Securities Industry Association annual meeting in Boca Raton, Fla.
"I hope my successor isn't greeted with the same climate of attack and partisanship," he said. "It's easy to find fault, and it's easy to criticize. In a partisan environment,
criticism often devolves into attack. This doesn't help anyone. In fact, it's not just unproductive, it's counterproductive."
People close to Pitt said his comments yesterday fit with what he has said in private since he announced his resignation on election night. They said he has taken no
responsibility for the problems he compounded through his actions.
"There has never been a Washington contretemps based on so much nothing," Pitt told friends about his unceremonious departure. "It is very tough. It is disappointing."
"My tenure at the SEC has been shorter than I expected," Pitt said in a speech to the Securities Industry Association annual meeting in Boca Raton, Fla.
"I hope my successor isn't greeted with the same climate of attack and partisanship," he said. "It's easy to find fault, and it's easy to criticize. In a partisan environment,
criticism often devolves into attack. This doesn't help anyone. In fact, it's not just unproductive, it's counterproductive."
People close to Pitt said his comments yesterday fit with what he has said in private since he announced his resignation on election night. They said he has taken no
responsibility for the problems he compounded through his actions.
"There has never been a Washington contretemps based on so much nothing," Pitt told friends about his unceremonious departure. "It is very tough. It is disappointing."
Instapundit is now going on about double standards. Which wingnut blogger has come out against Jonah Goldberg's deeply disturbing comment? Any? One? Step right up..
IS JOHN MUHAMMED A THREEFER? [Jonah Goldberg]
We know the Sniper is a Nation of Islam Muslim (which is to say he belongs to a cult that uses Islamic jargon). We know he's black. But I've got this nagging feeling we might find out that he also practices an alternative lifestyle -- I mean besides from all of the murdering. There's just something about this Batman and Robin act -- Malvo is his "ward"? --- that strikes me as odd, in a specific way. Call it a hunch. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Posted 10:26 AM | [Link]
As Signorile says:
IS JOHN MUHAMMED A THREEFER? [Jonah Goldberg]
We know the Sniper is a Nation of Islam Muslim (which is to say he belongs to a cult that uses Islamic jargon). We know he's black. But I've got this nagging feeling we might find out that he also practices an alternative lifestyle -- I mean besides from all of the murdering. There's just something about this Batman and Robin act -- Malvo is his "ward"? --- that strikes me as odd, in a specific way. Call it a hunch. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Posted 10:26 AM | [Link]
As Signorile says:
A "threefer." I think that says it all about how much sport these guys take in bashing whole categories of minorities. It’s like: Gee, we might be able to smear homos now, in addition to Negroes and towelheads! Fun times, dude!
It’s also interesting that Goldberg delights in speculating—based on absolutely nothing—that murder suspects might be homosexual, but wasn’t compelled to tell us that 9/11 hero Mark Bingham was gay in those first days following the tragedy, when Goldberg penned columns about his helping to steer Flight 93 away from Washington. It’s at those moments, when a hero is to be lauded, that guys like Goldberg tell us that we dwell too much on sexuality, you see. But at these moments, when it’s about a couple of infamous alleged murderers, he’s just got to let us know about his "nagging feeling" about their "alternative lifestyle." Score another hit for the sniper pundits.
Brew has this suggestion:
Perhaps not a bad idea -- but nonetheless a gamble. Some claim that Britain's Victorian era sodomy laws were put in to derail a law increasing the age of consent for women, and that gender was inserted into the Civil Rights Act as an attempt to do the same. Sometimes these things backfire.
The long run plan isn't just to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the issue to the states. It's to declare the fetus a legally a person at which point abortion would be murder. Any legislation that gets passed in this directed makes it that much easier.
I'm much less optimistic about the Choice issue being a winning one for Democrats. It's pretty clear that the majority of American's favor choice, but it also has always seemed to be that a lot of these people are in favor of their OWN choice, not other people's. As is generally the case with issues surrounding pregnancy and child-raising, people are all-too-willing to feel they have the right to tell other people how to do it. So, while people think abortion should be legal, I'm not sure people get the whole personal Choice concept on this issue.
How could the Democrats reinvigorate this natural wedge in the Republican Party? I would suggest they begin by putting the abortion issue in play. The GOP controls the White House, the Senate, and the House. While they all campaign as friends of religious right, is there any doubt that this is simply a ruse by the GOP to attract their votes? After all, two years ago, the GOP also controlled the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. While the plutocrats were quickly rewarded with a massive tax cut, I don't seem to recall the religious right being similarly rewarded with a ban on abortion.
Call their bluff. Have a few maverick Democratic Congressman from rural Southern districts introduce legislation banning abortions, all abortions, including cases of rape and incest. The remainder of the Democrats would be free to keep a safe distance. Then dare the GOP to pass it. They never will, because they know the minute they do, the gender gap becomes unbridgeable, and they become the permanent minority party. But in the meantime, as they bottle it up in committee, watch them squirm as the religious right grows increasingly incensed at the great betrayal. Which feeds directly into Sun Tzu's next bit of wisdom:
Perhaps not a bad idea -- but nonetheless a gamble. Some claim that Britain's Victorian era sodomy laws were put in to derail a law increasing the age of consent for women, and that gender was inserted into the Civil Rights Act as an attempt to do the same. Sometimes these things backfire.
The long run plan isn't just to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the issue to the states. It's to declare the fetus a legally a person at which point abortion would be murder. Any legislation that gets passed in this directed makes it that much easier.
I'm much less optimistic about the Choice issue being a winning one for Democrats. It's pretty clear that the majority of American's favor choice, but it also has always seemed to be that a lot of these people are in favor of their OWN choice, not other people's. As is generally the case with issues surrounding pregnancy and child-raising, people are all-too-willing to feel they have the right to tell other people how to do it. So, while people think abortion should be legal, I'm not sure people get the whole personal Choice concept on this issue.
O. Dub points me to this comment by Instapundit:
What astounds me about the Left over the past few months is the way in which racism, antisemitism and homophobia have become the stock-in-trade of its house provocateurs."
Hey, a Threefer!
What astounds me about the Left over the past few months is the way in which racism, antisemitism and homophobia have become the stock-in-trade of its house provocateurs."
Hey, a Threefer!
GOP gets ready to roll on president's policies
Could anything be more tasteless than this? My God, where is the outrage?
"We're ready to go to work," said Lott, who was in his office at 7 a.m. Wednesday when he took a congratulatory call from the president. "As I've said to others, 'Let's roll.'
"We're ready to go to work," said Lott, who was in his office at 7 a.m. Wednesday when he took a congratulatory call from the president. "As I've said to others, 'Let's roll.'
Friday, November 08, 2002
Guest conservative commentator Snotglass weighs in:
You liberals are dividers...
Our elected President, George W. Bush, won an overwhelming mandate from the American electorate on November 5th for his agenda of compassionate conservatism. Despite the deliberate distortions of the liberal media and pathetic attempts by the Democrat Party to shamelessly manipulate the tragic death of Senator Wellstone for partisan advantage, patriotic American voters rejected the failed policies and empty promises of the liberal lunatic fringe.
Recent analysis by the prestigious Victor Lustig Institute for Conservative Policy at the Heritage Foundation has conclusively determined that the American electorate has thoughtfully accepted President Bush's package of carefully articulated economic plans, comprehensive tax cuts and bold foreign policy. Echoing the landslide endorsement of the President's visionary message by the American electorate, today the United Nations unanimously resolved to support the President's War on Terror by approving the Bush administration's long-term plan to liberate and bring the fruits of democracy to the oppressed Iraqi people.
Independent research conducted by veteran United Nations observer Jonah Goldberg reveals that despite the initial hesitation of the Security Council, the President's message ultimately resonated with council members.
You liberals need to support the efforts of our elected President.
Tinfoil Hat Happy Hour Friday
Well, fearless readers, I'm off for the evening most likely. It's Friday and that means it's happy hour. But, I leave you with this question -- why on Earth would Voter News Service hire Battelle Memorial Institute, a military contractor and general depository for current and former spooks, to create its new exit poll computer system?
Battelle's one of those nasty little outfits. Do a search on it and you'll find all sorts of stuff on the conspiracy theory pages. But, you'll also find out some interesting things in the 'legitimate' press, such as this story published on 09/04/01 in the New York Times.
Cheers!
Battelle's one of those nasty little outfits. Do a search on it and you'll find all sorts of stuff on the conspiracy theory pages. But, you'll also find out some interesting things in the 'legitimate' press, such as this story published on 09/04/01 in the New York Times.
Cheers!
Andy Sullivan does his duty for the Reverend Moon here. But, hey, I actually learned something - Providence elected a gay mayor.
Zizka on what I consider to be about the most shameless moment in recent media history - the spinning of the Wellstone memorial and the Mondale campaign.
Between Hitchens being told by his new right wing drinking buddies than maybe we should think about about that whole "root causes" thing to General Myers saying maybe we're gonna have to like help rebuild Afghanistan and stuff if we want to like stop terror in Afghanistan...
Sheesh.
Sheesh.
Road to Surfdom on Hitchens v. Hitchens.
D.J. says in comments:
What Chomsky said then is what Hitchens is admitting now. The US has supported repressive Arab dictatorships and it's not surprising that when democracy is crushed, Islamic fundamentalists (some of whom we supported) rise to fill the gap. Chomsky and Hitchens were in complete agreement that bin Laden himself had no interest in the well being of oppressed Arabs or starving Iraqi children and that 9/11 was a crime against humanity. They were in agreement that bin Laden wanted to impose a monstrous Islamic theocracy on the Arab world. And evidently they were in agreement on root causes as well.
Hitchens had every right to disagree with Chomsky about the war in Afghanistan. He had no right to shriek against views he privately held himself. An honest person would have said "Yes, it's true that there is an element of blowback here, and we have to face up to how our policy of supporting dictators and thugs has contributed to the growth of these monsters who just hit America, but nonetheless, right now we have to strike back." But Hitchens isn't honest. He's a publicity hound who knew how much attention he'd draw with his attacks. Orwell on his better days admitted that when he criticized pacifists, he had no right to distort their views. Hitchens is more like Orwell on his worst days, when he used the "objectively pro-fascist" formulation.
People who agree with the Hitchens style of argument post 9/11 are "objectively pro-propaganda" and in favor of distorting their opponent's views rather than fighting fairly. They shouldn't complain when Republicans do it against Democrats, or vice versa. Hey, this is fun. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on poor Hitch.
D.J. says in comments:
What Chomsky said then is what Hitchens is admitting now. The US has supported repressive Arab dictatorships and it's not surprising that when democracy is crushed, Islamic fundamentalists (some of whom we supported) rise to fill the gap. Chomsky and Hitchens were in complete agreement that bin Laden himself had no interest in the well being of oppressed Arabs or starving Iraqi children and that 9/11 was a crime against humanity. They were in agreement that bin Laden wanted to impose a monstrous Islamic theocracy on the Arab world. And evidently they were in agreement on root causes as well.
Hitchens had every right to disagree with Chomsky about the war in Afghanistan. He had no right to shriek against views he privately held himself. An honest person would have said "Yes, it's true that there is an element of blowback here, and we have to face up to how our policy of supporting dictators and thugs has contributed to the growth of these monsters who just hit America, but nonetheless, right now we have to strike back." But Hitchens isn't honest. He's a publicity hound who knew how much attention he'd draw with his attacks. Orwell on his better days admitted that when he criticized pacifists, he had no right to distort their views. Hitchens is more like Orwell on his worst days, when he used the "objectively pro-fascist" formulation.
People who agree with the Hitchens style of argument post 9/11 are "objectively pro-propaganda" and in favor of distorting their opponent's views rather than fighting fairly. They shouldn't complain when Republicans do it against Democrats, or vice versa. Hey, this is fun. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on poor Hitch.
I'd hate to be the significant other of any of the warbloggers after they see these pictures. Instant Viagra.
Ballot Glitches.
Ballot glitches reverse two election results
ABILENE -- A Scurry County election error reversed the outcomes in two commissioner races.
A defective computer chip in the county's optical scanner misread ballots Tuesday night and incorrectly tallied a landslide victory for Republicans. Democrats actually won by wide margins.
The problem was discovered when poll workers became suspicious of the margins of the vote, County Clerk Joan Bunch said. By Wednesday morning, the votes had been counted twice by hand and once again by scanner with a replacement chip.
Republican Robbie Floyd lost to Democrat Jerry House, and Republican Keith Hackfeld lost to Democrat Chloanne Lindsey.
What the hell is a 'defective computer chip.'
Ballot glitches reverse two election results
ABILENE -- A Scurry County election error reversed the outcomes in two commissioner races.
A defective computer chip in the county's optical scanner misread ballots Tuesday night and incorrectly tallied a landslide victory for Republicans. Democrats actually won by wide margins.
The problem was discovered when poll workers became suspicious of the margins of the vote, County Clerk Joan Bunch said. By Wednesday morning, the votes had been counted twice by hand and once again by scanner with a replacement chip.
Republican Robbie Floyd lost to Democrat Jerry House, and Republican Keith Hackfeld lost to Democrat Chloanne Lindsey.
What the hell is a 'defective computer chip.'
The Self-Made Pundit has this to say:
So let me get this straight. Bush thinks that a Republican campaign is positive even if it implies that the Democrats lack patriotism and insinuates that a decorated, triple amputee war veteran is soft on Osama bin Laden. I shudder to think what Bush would consider a negative campaign.
While Roger Ailes offers this:
Yeah, you couldn't turn on the television before the election without the liberal media reminding you of that quote.
So let me get this straight. Bush thinks that a Republican campaign is positive even if it implies that the Democrats lack patriotism and insinuates that a decorated, triple amputee war veteran is soft on Osama bin Laden. I shudder to think what Bush would consider a negative campaign.
While Roger Ailes offers this:
"In Georgia, U.S. Representative Saxby Chambliss, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security suggested that the Sheriff of Lowndes County be 'turn[ed] loose' to 'arrest every Muslim that crosses the state line.'"
Yeah, you couldn't turn on the television before the election without the liberal media reminding you of that quote.
Mr. Hinky Dinky writes to George Will:
Dear Mr. Will:
I just wanted to write and tell you that your article on the November 7, 2002 episode of The Washington Post is both entertaining and quite sexy! Kudos, my good man. Never in my life have I achieved an erection while reading another man's writings (heh! my participles don't dangle that way), but when you wrote, "small undulations of the electorate have been having big consequences for a generation," I nearly blew my considerable load!
You can rest assured that there will be no more internet porn for me, Mr. Will. I'm reading you from now on. With phrases like "cumulative shift," "electoral spankings," "Dick Gephardt," you had me living inside a fantasy of Lovelacian proportions.
Now I don't get off too much on domination or snuff fantasies, Mr. Will, so I would appreciate it if you'd exclude the following phrases in future articles, "rendered incoherent, "boundless subserviance," and "eight-year domination." That's not to say that it was bad writing, by any means, I'm just not into that is all.
On the other hand, feel free to talk more about the Republicans "regaining control of the Judiciary Committee's gavel." That sounds like it might warrant a whole article all on its own!
But please don't let my criticism of your domination and snuff fantasies ruin your day. Suffice it to say that when I was reading your article, I spanked my monkey so hard that PETA protested. Heh! Heh! Heh!
Thanks again for the dandy stress reliever, Mr. Will.
Sincerely,
Mr. Hinky Dink
P.S. At the end of your article you wrote, "Tuesday's ripples will radiate for years." Are you expecting a nuclear war, or something? If so, please write about that. Missiles are sexy!
Brad DeLong says:
So from my perspective--in my issue areas--this generation of Bushies are zero for four. Not only are they doing all the bad things that Republicans usually do, but they are doing none of the good things that Republicans are supposed to do...
So from my perspective--in my issue areas--this generation of Bushies are zero for four. Not only are they doing all the bad things that Republicans usually do, but they are doing none of the good things that Republicans are supposed to do...
Thursday, November 07, 2002
In case any of you left wing homophobes and/or anglophobes want to have some fun with Andy and Hitchens, give'em a call tomorrow during their CSPAN performance from 8-10 AM.
Krugman's up.
It's not just Sept. 11. As Jonathan Chait points out in The New Republic, the Republicans also have a huge structural advantage. They can spend far more money getting their message out; when it comes to free publicity, some of the major broadcast media are simply biased in favor of the Republicans, while the rest tend to blur differences between the parties.
But that's the way it is. Democrats should complain as loudly about the real conservative bias of the media as the Republicans complain about its entirely mythical liberal bias; that will help them get their substantive message across. But first they have to have a message.
Since the 2000 election, and especially since Sept. 11, much of the Democratic leadership has argued that the party must play it safe — don't criticize the Bush administration too much, don't propose anything drastic that will offend corporations and the wealthy. What we should have realized, and what Tuesday's election disaster confirms, is that this plays right into Republican advantages. Talk radio and Fox News let the hard right get its message out to its supporters, while those who oppose the juggernaut stay home because they don't get the sense that the Democrats offer a real alternative.
Garrison Keillor is an angry man. (premium, sorry).
Minnesota should be ashamed, as should Georgia.
Norm got a free ride from the press. St. Paul is a small town and anybody who hangs around the St. Paul Grill knows about Norm's habits. Everyone knows that his family situation is, shall we say, very interesting, but nobody bothered to ask about it, least of all the religious people in the Republican Party. They made their peace with hypocrisy long ago. So this false knight made his way as an all-purpose feel-good candidate, standing for vaguely Republican values, supporting the president.
Minnesota should be ashamed, as should Georgia.
Make sure to catch up on Sully Watch. They read Andrew Sullivan, supporter of NAMBLA and the sexual abuse of children, so we don't have to.
TBogg is having some fun with Ben "boy-toy" Shapiro.
In Deuteronomy 15:15-17, the Bible describes a seemingly strange ritual. If a man marries a woman to whom he was engaged and then accuses her of not being a virgin prior to marriage, the parents of the woman must bring proofs of her virginity to the elders of the city. Why is this the job of the parents? Commentators explain that if the accusations are true, the parents must shoulder the responsibility.
If The New York Times is correct, and today's teenage girls aggressively pursue sex, it is a reflection of the feminist movement, which has castrated parents' ability to raise their children properly. And it's the promiscuous girls and their unwanted children who pay the price.
Mr. Hinky Dink writes to Bill O'Reilly:
Dear Mr. O'Reilly:
Watching your program last night ispired me to compose this missive. Your idea to seal the borders of this great country with our military is nothing less than brilliant! I mean nothing will make our whacky neighbors to the north and south shake in their foreign made, girlie boots like amassing our troops on their borders. Heh! Heh! That should make them toe the line! I mean, who do these bozos and bozitos think they are anyway? All they do is sit there and bad mouth us, and if you ask me, that's unAmerican!
Jesus H. Christ in a pickle bucket! A thought just occured to me and I really do think you're onto something here. Not only can we keep out the commie foreigners, we can also keep in those damned liberal kooks who might want to go to Canada, now that we've got a real party running the country. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for them leaving this great nation, but I want to make sure they get an ass-kicking before they go!
I'll tell you, I thought my idea was smart until I heard yours. I was thinking that instead of doing Hands Across America (remember that liberal, tolerance-inspired spectacle?), we could do Hands Around America. Yes, sir. We'd all join hands and form a giant ring around this country. That way we could just let in the people we wanted by yelling, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send all your pretty women and conservative law and order types over!" Heh. But I have to admit, putting troops on the border makes a lot more sense.
Keep up the good work Mr. O'Reilly. You are one very entertaining son of a gun, and you sure do yell good!
Sincerely,
Mr. Hinky Dink
P.S. You should try to take that Brit Hume's place on Fox News. He reminds me too much of Droopy the Dog.
Dear Mr. O'Reilly:
Watching your program last night ispired me to compose this missive. Your idea to seal the borders of this great country with our military is nothing less than brilliant! I mean nothing will make our whacky neighbors to the north and south shake in their foreign made, girlie boots like amassing our troops on their borders. Heh! Heh! That should make them toe the line! I mean, who do these bozos and bozitos think they are anyway? All they do is sit there and bad mouth us, and if you ask me, that's unAmerican!
Jesus H. Christ in a pickle bucket! A thought just occured to me and I really do think you're onto something here. Not only can we keep out the commie foreigners, we can also keep in those damned liberal kooks who might want to go to Canada, now that we've got a real party running the country. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for them leaving this great nation, but I want to make sure they get an ass-kicking before they go!
I'll tell you, I thought my idea was smart until I heard yours. I was thinking that instead of doing Hands Across America (remember that liberal, tolerance-inspired spectacle?), we could do Hands Around America. Yes, sir. We'd all join hands and form a giant ring around this country. That way we could just let in the people we wanted by yelling, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send all your pretty women and conservative law and order types over!" Heh. But I have to admit, putting troops on the border makes a lot more sense.
Keep up the good work Mr. O'Reilly. You are one very entertaining son of a gun, and you sure do yell good!
Sincerely,
Mr. Hinky Dink
P.S. You should try to take that Brit Hume's place on Fox News. He reminds me too much of Droopy the Dog.
I don't want to hear another thing about Democrats paying off homeless people..
The Maryland state prosecutor is investigating allegations that up to 200 of Washington's homeless people were illegally paid $150 and bused to Prince George's County polling places on Election Day to hand out leaflets promoting the Republican candidate for governor.
State election law bars political candidates from paying people to work for them in a partisan manner on the day voters go to the polls. So-called "walk-around money" has been banned since the 1970s.
If this is real:
From: Jeb Bush
To: [summer's email address]
Date: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 3:56 PM
Subject: RE: Congrats!
To my friends on FR:
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support in this election.
I am very grateful.
Jeb Bush
Jeebus.
From: Jeb Bush
To: [summer's email address]
Date: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 3:56 PM
Subject: RE: Congrats!
To my friends on FR:
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support in this election.
I am very grateful.
Jeb Bush
Jeebus.
Betty Bowers says what needs to be said:
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christian
Righteousness:
Praise the Lord that the GOP is so powerful that we can ruin the economy and threaten to spill the blood of American soldiers for no reason other than to keep our approval rating aloft – and still win! Need we have any more proof that our glorious regime is a miracle?
Praise!
Since I last wrote to you, the Russians actually did what President Bush claimed Saddam Hussein would do – used gas on civilians. I am told that it was worse than the night Viktoria Brezhnev wore a whole bottle of White Shoulders to the Bolshoi! And the Washington snipers have been captured. And what is the lesson we have learned from that -- other than affirmative action has finally allowed Negroes to be serial killers, too? Well, as my friends at the NRA were quick to conclude: Guns don't kill people, Chevrolet Caprices do!
Betty Bowers is a better Christian than you.
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christian
Righteousness:
Praise the Lord that the GOP is so powerful that we can ruin the economy and threaten to spill the blood of American soldiers for no reason other than to keep our approval rating aloft – and still win! Need we have any more proof that our glorious regime is a miracle?
Praise!
Since I last wrote to you, the Russians actually did what President Bush claimed Saddam Hussein would do – used gas on civilians. I am told that it was worse than the night Viktoria Brezhnev wore a whole bottle of White Shoulders to the Bolshoi! And the Washington snipers have been captured. And what is the lesson we have learned from that -- other than affirmative action has finally allowed Negroes to be serial killers, too? Well, as my friends at the NRA were quick to conclude: Guns don't kill people, Chevrolet Caprices do!
Betty Bowers is a better Christian than you.
Wednesday, November 06, 2002
Mark Morford's Word of the Day:
== THE DAILY WORD ==
It's almost like learning something
conenose \'kon-'noz\ noun (ca. 1891) Any of various large bloodsucking bugs and esp. some assassin bugs (genus Triatoma) including some capable of inflicting painful bites
Usage example: Like a drunken swarm of teething screeching winged conenose did the GOP swoop into power as their hordes of bored, rich, old white men ripped off their shirts and smeared war paint on their boil-crusted chests and proceeded to dance on the hopes and dreams and peace-craving souls of millions of misguided citizens, as Lynne Cheney twitched and giggled in horrific ecstacy..
== THE DAILY WORD ==
It's almost like learning something
conenose \'kon-'noz\ noun (ca. 1891) Any of various large bloodsucking bugs and esp. some assassin bugs (genus Triatoma) including some capable of inflicting painful bites
Usage example: Like a drunken swarm of teething screeching winged conenose did the GOP swoop into power as their hordes of bored, rich, old white men ripped off their shirts and smeared war paint on their boil-crusted chests and proceeded to dance on the hopes and dreams and peace-craving souls of millions of misguided citizens, as Lynne Cheney twitched and giggled in horrific ecstacy..
Voting Machine Company Demands Removal of Internet Articles
I'm not making any accusations, and nor is this web site. But, Houston we really have a problem. For some reason bringing up the possibility of using electronic voter machines as a means for carrying out election fraud is dismissed as 'conspiracy theorizing.' It's no more conspiratorial than accusing people of voting twice, or registering dead people, or illegal immigrants, or whatever. It's just potential *a much more efficient* way of carrying out voter fraud. Once you acknowledge that people are willing to do it, there's no reason to think they wouldn't do it on a massive scale using technology if possible.
FACT: These machines have no paper trail and no way to audit the results meaningfully. The only check one can do at all is to compare the vote tallies with the registration books.
FACT: They use proprietary hardware and code. No way to open up the black box, so to speak.
FACT: There are potentially some scary connections between the voting machine manufacturers and prominent Republican players.
As I said, I'm not making any accusations regarding the previous election. The last fact obviously concerns 'my side.' Nonetheless, everyone - Democrat and Republican - should be concerned about these machines. If not for honesty's sake, then for concern about the potential for bipartisan corruption.
Along those lines:
FACT: These machines have no paper trail and no way to audit the results meaningfully. The only check one can do at all is to compare the vote tallies with the registration books.
FACT: They use proprietary hardware and code. No way to open up the black box, so to speak.
FACT: There are potentially some scary connections between the voting machine manufacturers and prominent Republican players.
As I said, I'm not making any accusations regarding the previous election. The last fact obviously concerns 'my side.' Nonetheless, everyone - Democrat and Republican - should be concerned about these machines. If not for honesty's sake, then for concern about the potential for bipartisan corruption.
Along those lines:
More than 100,000 votes went missing on Tuesday between the time they were counted by electronic machines and the time they were reported on cable-access television and on the Supervisor of Elections web site.
A glitch in the vote reporting system left a 104,000-vote difference between Tuesday night's totals and those reported late Wednesday.
...
Supervisor of Elections Miriam Oliphant said the problem was ''small,'' but admitted she didn't know what prompted it. ''That's what the technical folks, the [Election Systems & Software] people, are trying to figure out,'' she said.
Guess Gephardt saw the writing on the wall..
Pelosi v. Frost.
Go Pelosi.
Guess it's shaping up as a match between a fighter, Pelosi, and Frost, who thinks that the Dems' mistake was, as Digby put it, "not giving him [Bush] a big slurpy blow job."
Some said Gephardt will support Frost.mmm
Pelosi v. Frost.
Go Pelosi.
Guess it's shaping up as a match between a fighter, Pelosi, and Frost, who thinks that the Dems' mistake was, as Digby put it, "not giving him [Bush] a big slurpy blow job."
Some said Gephardt will support Frost.mmm
Mr. Hinky Dink writes to Chris Matthews:
Dear Mr. Matthews:
Thank you for putting that white-haired, liberal, anti-American, bleeding-heart know-it-all, Phil Donahue, in his place the other night. Boy did you sit him down in the corner for a well-deserved time out! Heh! Heh!
I mean, Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick made of flubber! How dare he question the greatness of this country? How dare he ask purposefully tough and needlessly thought-provoking questions? Who does he think he is, anyway? The second coming of Edward R. Murrow, or something?
He should know by now that it's his job to keep us entertained. And I'll tell you one thing, Mr. Matthews, it is not very entertaining to hear someone speak out against ! Now, speaking out against democRATS, socialists and commies, that's something else entirely. Take Rush Limbaugh for instance, now there's entertainment you can set your watch to!
Now I don't mean to leave you out of that equation, Mr. Matthews. Sometimes you entertain me almost as much as Rush does! But I think you might need to hire some new writers, no offense. This anti-war schtick you've been doing lately is not only un-American, it's also boring me to tears. I'm practically crying like onion-peeling bitch, here!
If you like, I could send you some writing samples. I have one piece called "Nuke those Godless devout Muslims" that, I think, would be a hoot to see on your show.
Thanks again for putting Donahue in his place! But next time, please tell him that it's Rush's job to give us the facts. You guys on MSNBC should just stick to the
entertainment business!
Sincerely,
Mr. Hinky Dink
P.S. Isn't hue just another word for pink? Heh! You should call him "Donapinko" the next time you see him.
P.P.S. I can't wait to read your book!
Dear Mr. Matthews:
Thank you for putting that white-haired, liberal, anti-American, bleeding-heart know-it-all, Phil Donahue, in his place the other night. Boy did you sit him down in the corner for a well-deserved time out! Heh! Heh!
I mean, Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick made of flubber! How dare he question the greatness of this country? How dare he ask purposefully tough and needlessly thought-provoking questions? Who does he think he is, anyway? The second coming of Edward R. Murrow, or something?
He should know by now that it's his job to keep us entertained. And I'll tell you one thing, Mr. Matthews, it is not very entertaining to hear someone speak out against ! Now, speaking out against democRATS, socialists and commies, that's something else entirely. Take Rush Limbaugh for instance, now there's entertainment you can set your watch to!
Now I don't mean to leave you out of that equation, Mr. Matthews. Sometimes you entertain me almost as much as Rush does! But I think you might need to hire some new writers, no offense. This anti-war schtick you've been doing lately is not only un-American, it's also boring me to tears. I'm practically crying like onion-peeling bitch, here!
If you like, I could send you some writing samples. I have one piece called "Nuke those Godless devout Muslims" that, I think, would be a hoot to see on your show.
Thanks again for putting Donahue in his place! But next time, please tell him that it's Rush's job to give us the facts. You guys on MSNBC should just stick to the
entertainment business!
Sincerely,
Mr. Hinky Dink
P.S. Isn't hue just another word for pink? Heh! You should call him "Donapinko" the next time you see him.
P.P.S. I can't wait to read your book!
Uncle Alan came swooping in to give the economy a post-election bump. A 50 basis-point cut in the federal funds rate has shocked us all. The breathless headline writer over at yahoo, desperate to pump this story up, reports that stocks have rallied. Well, as I predicted just a few minutes before (about the only thing I've gotten right lately) it caused a momentary surge, followed by a quick plunge, and last I checked stock prices are basically flat - rising less than a 1% at most. Well within the normal intra-day trading range. Perhaps the market had already factored in the Greenspan Effect and the Republican Sweep Effect - who knows? But in any case it's difficult to imagine that there's anything the Randroid-in-Chief can do at this point. The market isn't the economy and the economy isn't the market, but it definitely hasn't launched a wave of unquenchable optimism on the Street.
I'm always a bit amused by certain commentators who seem to think that Fiscal stimulus is "old fashioned Keynesianism" while Monetary Stimulus is... well, I don't know what. I think Good as opposed to Bad. The truth is, they're both old-fashioned Keynesianism as every former econ undergraduate who fondly remembers staying up late playing with their IS-LM curves should realize. Economists are all Keynesians now, broadly speaking, except maybe Wanniski, Gilder, and Friedman. We can debate the relative effectiveness of one or the other, and we should. Consumers are only maybe going to see slightly lower interest rates for home mortages, though even that is highly unlikely given that increasing deficits are driving up long term interest rates. It might help keep some automakers in their 0% financing programs for a little longer. But the only real possible channel for stimulus is the business investment channel. But, there too, it isn't clear that with substantial overcapacity and looming uncertainty there's going to be much of that either. Brad DeLong thinks it might help just a bit next (2003) Christmas. Couple more lumps of coal in everyone's stocking at least. Maybe it's time to start throwing money from helicopters.
But, never fear, President Cartman has a couple of cunning plans that seem to go over well with his libertarian-conservative base. One of which is -- government subsidized terrorism insurance! There's an idea. Actually, it may not be a bad one, but I'm glad people have come around to the possibility of serious market failure in insurance markets. Maybe we can start talking about health insurance... but I digress.
The other cunning plan is to make tax cuts that mostly come into effect years from now "permanent," including of course the estate tax. I'm not surprised this one is popular with his ideological base of course. I'm sure some unproductive junior members of the leisure class are pretty jazzed about it too -- a couple hundred of them more per year might just be able to never work again. Soon as Dad kicks off, anyway. As for the other tax reductions, I bet the 1% of the population that's going to find their wallets a bit fatter 3-4 years ago, if we're all still here anyway, are putting in their private jet orders as we speak. Or, perhaps ordering some tasteful knockoffs of Roman sculptures to put in the front lawns to replace the pink flamingos. Ah, the high class and refined tastes of the nouveau riche. Trailer trash with money. Shudder. Maybe they'll have the cleaning woman in a couple more times per week, too. Trickle down, trickle down.
Then there's the war. Hey, that seems to have maybe done the trick 60 years ago or so. Perhaps what's good for Halliburton IS what's good for America.
I'm always a bit amused by certain commentators who seem to think that Fiscal stimulus is "old fashioned Keynesianism" while Monetary Stimulus is... well, I don't know what. I think Good as opposed to Bad. The truth is, they're both old-fashioned Keynesianism as every former econ undergraduate who fondly remembers staying up late playing with their IS-LM curves should realize. Economists are all Keynesians now, broadly speaking, except maybe Wanniski, Gilder, and Friedman. We can debate the relative effectiveness of one or the other, and we should. Consumers are only maybe going to see slightly lower interest rates for home mortages, though even that is highly unlikely given that increasing deficits are driving up long term interest rates. It might help keep some automakers in their 0% financing programs for a little longer. But the only real possible channel for stimulus is the business investment channel. But, there too, it isn't clear that with substantial overcapacity and looming uncertainty there's going to be much of that either. Brad DeLong thinks it might help just a bit next (2003) Christmas. Couple more lumps of coal in everyone's stocking at least. Maybe it's time to start throwing money from helicopters.
But, never fear, President Cartman has a couple of cunning plans that seem to go over well with his libertarian-conservative base. One of which is -- government subsidized terrorism insurance! There's an idea. Actually, it may not be a bad one, but I'm glad people have come around to the possibility of serious market failure in insurance markets. Maybe we can start talking about health insurance... but I digress.
The other cunning plan is to make tax cuts that mostly come into effect years from now "permanent," including of course the estate tax. I'm not surprised this one is popular with his ideological base of course. I'm sure some unproductive junior members of the leisure class are pretty jazzed about it too -- a couple hundred of them more per year might just be able to never work again. Soon as Dad kicks off, anyway. As for the other tax reductions, I bet the 1% of the population that's going to find their wallets a bit fatter 3-4 years ago, if we're all still here anyway, are putting in their private jet orders as we speak. Or, perhaps ordering some tasteful knockoffs of Roman sculptures to put in the front lawns to replace the pink flamingos. Ah, the high class and refined tastes of the nouveau riche. Trailer trash with money. Shudder. Maybe they'll have the cleaning woman in a couple more times per week, too. Trickle down, trickle down.
Then there's the war. Hey, that seems to have maybe done the trick 60 years ago or so. Perhaps what's good for Halliburton IS what's good for America.
Free Pie has the symbolic voting irregularity story. She was initially prevented from voting because her assigned polling place was inside a gated community. She lives outside of it.
skippy has a must read on Kristoff. This quote in particular makes the point:
if you're going to berate the left for sinking to the level of the right, you had better say something to the right first.
if you're going to berate the left for sinking to the level of the right, you had better say something to the right first.
US STOCKS FALL ON ELECTION NEWS
Stocks are down right now. Not much. Nobody knows why. Nobody ever knows why. But, the thing is - if the Democrats had held on or made gains, what I wrote above would have been the headline. This morning when the Dow was up a whopping 18 points the headline was something like "STOCKS SURGE DUE TO REPUBLICAN VICTORIES."
Liberal media my not so fat white ass.
Liberal media my not so fat white ass.
Johnson has pulled barely ahead...
Now with all precincts reporting he's "won." Don't know about recounts or whatever yet.. It's close.
Now with all precincts reporting he's "won." Don't know about recounts or whatever yet.. It's close.
Tuesday, November 05, 2002
Fly Over Country is your place for OK politics. And damn if Largent isn't going to lose. Wow. Not the most important race, but weird. Here's his report:
Largent lost this race for three reasons:
1) Most important reason, he ran a race that treated the Governorship as already his. Meaning, he didn't run a race. Brad Henry out hustled him.
2) The Independent/Crazy Guy, take your pick, drew votes from Largent.
3) The voting on the whether to ban cockfighting in OK. Southeastern/Eastern OK, where most of the cockfighting takes place is HEAVILY Democratic, and a lot of people got out to vote against the ban who probaly voted for Henry.
So, there's your instant analysis.
Largent lost this race for three reasons:
1) Most important reason, he ran a race that treated the Governorship as already his. Meaning, he didn't run a race. Brad Henry out hustled him.
2) The Independent/Crazy Guy, take your pick, drew votes from Largent.
3) The voting on the whether to ban cockfighting in OK. Southeastern/Eastern OK, where most of the cockfighting takes place is HEAVILY Democratic, and a lot of people got out to vote against the ban who probaly voted for Henry.
So, there's your instant analysis.
People still voting in Broward. Is this where I get to mount congressional investigations into whether or not the media calling the race early discouraged anyone from voting?
Get your Cleland numbers here...
Up, with gap widening, but still too early to say anything.
now behind..
now ahead....
cleland's behind. gap increasing.
DeKalb starting to come in. Things improving..not sure it'll be enough.
Looks like Cleland is going down.
Up, with gap widening, but still too early to say anything.
now behind..
now ahead....
cleland's behind. gap increasing.
DeKalb starting to come in. Things improving..not sure it'll be enough.
Looks like Cleland is going down.
In Indiana's 7th, Julia Carson is closing after being behind in early counting....and now pulling ahead.
I agree with TAPPED's take on Kristoff's stupid column.
UPDATE: I think MWO captures it perfectly:
The most mind-boggling but amusing passage of all in Kristof's piece:
It's true that Democratic politicians like Tom Daschle haven't joined the conspiratorial hysteria, but that's because they're ducking controversial
issues and are frightened of offending centrists.
In other words, those liberals who concoct assassination conspiracy theories are kooks... but those liberals who do not adopt and perpetuate them are
cowards!
UPDATE: I think MWO captures it perfectly:
The most mind-boggling but amusing passage of all in Kristof's piece:
It's true that Democratic politicians like Tom Daschle haven't joined the conspiratorial hysteria, but that's because they're ducking controversial
issues and are frightened of offending centrists.
In other words, those liberals who concoct assassination conspiracy theories are kooks... but those liberals who do not adopt and perpetuate them are
cowards!
Democratic Underground has a nice little election form up. Haven't tried it, but would probably print out nicely so you can play at home.
Digby tells us how to save ourselves:
Between Kristoff, Noonan,Vest and Novak this week, it's clear that we on the wicked left have finally gone too far with our mean spiritedness and that the GOP (and certain columnists) have decided to stage an intervention.
You see, this outpouring of worry about vicious leftist rhetoric is not meant as chastisement, but rather as a heartfelt concern for our political viability. These folks are unselfishly committing themselves to the heartbreaking task of reforming our malevolent liberalism into the respect for civil discourse that defines the tolerant right.
Sometimes this will require tough-love, so we should get prepared. They must first open our eyes, and those of everyone around us, to the true nature of our poisonous evil. This is going to take years of repetition and confrontation. (This method has been successful in clinical studies, such as the famous "Liberal Media" experiments of the 80's and 90's.) We must steel ourselves to hearing over and over again how cruel, rancorous and vindictive we are.
Once we accept our own malignant natures, the next step is to take positive steps to change. When we see one of our own doing anything that could be construed as being less than deferential, we should give them a stern lecture in public, apologize profusely to the GOP victim and then shun the miscreant.
In this, we can take a page from our elected representatives like Joe Lieberman and Diane Feinstein who are way ahead of the rank and file in GOP behavior modification. (Unfortunately, some have still not learned that voting against the President is a base character attack. Even a "good" Dem like Max Cleland has to be shown the dangers of letting his natural vindictiveness emerge, as when he voted to maliciously obstruct GWB’s Homeland Security bill. A little reminder of his uncanny likeness to Osama and Saddam was unfortunately necessary to reel him back from the brink of unbridled partisanship.)
Remember, GOP luminaries like Limbaugh and DeLay didn't get to where they are today by demeaning the opposition or treating them disrespectfully and if we wish to remain viable in the American body politic it behooves us to listen to those dispassionate non partisan Republicans and thoughtful members of the press who care enough about our welfare to shine a light on our odious behavior in the hopes that we will see the error of our ways.
Thank God for good people like Peggy Noonan. Perhaps we Democrats CAN be saved.
Between Kristoff, Noonan,Vest and Novak this week, it's clear that we on the wicked left have finally gone too far with our mean spiritedness and that the GOP (and certain columnists) have decided to stage an intervention.
You see, this outpouring of worry about vicious leftist rhetoric is not meant as chastisement, but rather as a heartfelt concern for our political viability. These folks are unselfishly committing themselves to the heartbreaking task of reforming our malevolent liberalism into the respect for civil discourse that defines the tolerant right.
Sometimes this will require tough-love, so we should get prepared. They must first open our eyes, and those of everyone around us, to the true nature of our poisonous evil. This is going to take years of repetition and confrontation. (This method has been successful in clinical studies, such as the famous "Liberal Media" experiments of the 80's and 90's.) We must steel ourselves to hearing over and over again how cruel, rancorous and vindictive we are.
Once we accept our own malignant natures, the next step is to take positive steps to change. When we see one of our own doing anything that could be construed as being less than deferential, we should give them a stern lecture in public, apologize profusely to the GOP victim and then shun the miscreant.
In this, we can take a page from our elected representatives like Joe Lieberman and Diane Feinstein who are way ahead of the rank and file in GOP behavior modification. (Unfortunately, some have still not learned that voting against the President is a base character attack. Even a "good" Dem like Max Cleland has to be shown the dangers of letting his natural vindictiveness emerge, as when he voted to maliciously obstruct GWB’s Homeland Security bill. A little reminder of his uncanny likeness to Osama and Saddam was unfortunately necessary to reel him back from the brink of unbridled partisanship.)
Remember, GOP luminaries like Limbaugh and DeLay didn't get to where they are today by demeaning the opposition or treating them disrespectfully and if we wish to remain viable in the American body politic it behooves us to listen to those dispassionate non partisan Republicans and thoughtful members of the press who care enough about our welfare to shine a light on our odious behavior in the hopes that we will see the error of our ways.
Thank God for good people like Peggy Noonan. Perhaps we Democrats CAN be saved.
Signorile has a great column about the Sniper Pundits.
That's Andrew Sullivan's good friend Jonah Goldberg.
Over at National Review Online, meanwhile, Jonah Goldberg is gleeful that the sniper suspects are both Muslim and black, and is hoping they turn out to be homosexual as well.
"IS JOHN MUHAMMED A THREEFER?" he asked last week. "We know the Sniper is a Nation of Islam Muslim (which is to say he belongs to a cult that uses Islamic jargon). We know he’s black. But I’ve got this nagging feeling we might find out that he also practices an alternative lifestyle—I mean besides from all of the murdering. There’s just something about this Batman and Robin act—Malvo is his ‘ward’?—that strikes me as odd, in a specific way. Call it a hunch. Not that there’s anything wrong with that."
A "threefer." I think that says it all about how much sport these guys take in bashing whole categories of minorities. It’s like: Gee, we might be able to smear homos now, in addition to Negroes and towelheads! Fun times, dude!
That's Andrew Sullivan's good friend Jonah Goldberg.
Counterspin Central brings this prime example of gay-baiting to our attention.
"Democrat Bill McBride's gubernatorial campaign accused Republican Gov. Jeb Bush's campaign Monday of producing a misleading telephone message that implies McBride supports gay marriage.
But the Bush campaign denied that the calls were approved by the campaign and said they were the work of the former head of the Christian Coalition of Florida, who had been hired as a private contractor by the Republican Party of Florida.
The recorded phone message by Republican strategist, Ralph Reed, former head of the national Christian Coalition, urges potential Florida voters to choose Bush because "he is the only candidate who is pro-life, and the only candidate who supports traditional marriage."
The message ends with "This call is paid for on behalf of Jeb Bush Campaign, Republican."
oooh that Ralph Reed needs a good cockpunching.
"Democrat Bill McBride's gubernatorial campaign accused Republican Gov. Jeb Bush's campaign Monday of producing a misleading telephone message that implies McBride supports gay marriage.
But the Bush campaign denied that the calls were approved by the campaign and said they were the work of the former head of the Christian Coalition of Florida, who had been hired as a private contractor by the Republican Party of Florida.
The recorded phone message by Republican strategist, Ralph Reed, former head of the national Christian Coalition, urges potential Florida voters to choose Bush because "he is the only candidate who is pro-life, and the only candidate who supports traditional marriage."
The message ends with "This call is paid for on behalf of Jeb Bush Campaign, Republican."
oooh that Ralph Reed needs a good cockpunching.
Monday, November 04, 2002
Damn.
For those who found something to criticize about the tribute to Paul Wellstone (always fun to piss on a dead guy's family and friends ), that's something you can embrace, cheer, and roll around in, to the disgust the rest of us.
Several speakers at the Republican gathering took time to mock their Democratic opponents.
"I know we could have thousands (here) if we just had a memorial service," said U.S. House Majority Whip Tom DeLay of Sugar Land.
The comment drew hoots from those who recognized DeLay's reference to the funeral of U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., which critics contend resembled a Democratic political pep rally with 20,000 attendees.
For those who found something to criticize about the tribute to Paul Wellstone (always fun to piss on a dead guy's family and friends ), that's something you can embrace, cheer, and roll around in, to the disgust the rest of us.
Tbogg brings us this by the almost always intelligent Dahlia Lithwick:
The reason Bush v. Gore doesn't create a precedent for the court to jump into midterm election battles is that Bush v. Gore deliberately and reflexively didn't create a precedent for anything. Remember the court's brazen limitation of its holding: "Our consideration is limited to the present circumstances, for the problem of equal protection in election processes generally presents many complexities."
Even the staunchest defenders of the majority decision in Bush v. Gore defend it only on the grounds that the presidential election needed to be resolved quickly and definitively, not because they believe its holding was consistent with the court's federalism, equal protection, or voting jurisprudence. So who could expect the court to apply this reasoning to any future cases? Even the majority knew they were just making it up!
Krugman has the definitive election day column.
Of course, some pundits tell you that not much is at stake in this particular election, that the parties aren't really very different on the issues. I don't know what planet they are living on: in reality, the parties are further apart than they have been since the 1930's. The fact that anyone imagines otherwise is a tribute to the timidity of the Democrats, who are afraid to say what they really think, and the subterfuge of the Republicans, who show a disciplined willingness to pretend to hold positions they actually abhor.
Not only are there huge substantive differences between the parties, the background to this election means that it may determine the shape of America for decades to come.
TAPPED notes that right wing columnists are almost as disingenuous as their politicians.
They're trying to tar democrats as the party of dirty tricks so when the enormous shenanigans they pull are revealed they'll pull the 'everyone does it' defense. The examples used by one Jonathan Last are truly ridicuolus.
They're trying to tar democrats as the party of dirty tricks so when the enormous shenanigans they pull are revealed they'll pull the 'everyone does it' defense. The examples used by one Jonathan Last are truly ridicuolus.
Buzzsawed journalist Jason Leopold posts all of his sources for his Enron reporting here. Draw your own conclusions.
NATIONAL STONEWALL DEMOCRATS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 04, 2002
CONTACT: John Marble (202) 625-1382
johnmarble@stonewalldemocrats.org
DEMOCRAT TARGETED WITH GAY-BAITING PHONE CALLS
WASHINGTON, DC - Below is the text of an autocall that was recently sent to independent voters in New Hampshire. The call targets Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Fernald. Fernald's Republican opponent, Craig Benson, supports repealing state non-discrimination laws which include sexual orientation, and has stated his intent to reinstate the state ban on gay adoptions. It is unclear at this point who paid for the phone calls.
TEXT OF AUTOCALL
An important message in the race for Governor.
Mark Fernald is a strong Democrat who will continue to fight for a 4% income tax, and an increase in state government spending.
Mark Fernald is the only candidate who supports legalizing homosexual marriage, like the state of Vermont.
And led the fight against efforts to make our children say the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom.
So, if you want a true Democrat who will keep fighting against the Republican agenda, on Tuesday, vote for Mark Fernald.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 04, 2002
CONTACT: John Marble (202) 625-1382
johnmarble@stonewalldemocrats.org
DEMOCRAT TARGETED WITH GAY-BAITING PHONE CALLS
WASHINGTON, DC - Below is the text of an autocall that was recently sent to independent voters in New Hampshire. The call targets Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Fernald. Fernald's Republican opponent, Craig Benson, supports repealing state non-discrimination laws which include sexual orientation, and has stated his intent to reinstate the state ban on gay adoptions. It is unclear at this point who paid for the phone calls.
TEXT OF AUTOCALL
An important message in the race for Governor.
Mark Fernald is a strong Democrat who will continue to fight for a 4% income tax, and an increase in state government spending.
Mark Fernald is the only candidate who supports legalizing homosexual marriage, like the state of Vermont.
And led the fight against efforts to make our children say the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom.
So, if you want a true Democrat who will keep fighting against the Republican agenda, on Tuesday, vote for Mark Fernald.
Let's talk about some real "race-baiting," or at least its equivalent. Drudge publishes a big headline saying that Pryor had an illegal immigrant do some housecleaning for him. The woman doesn't even speak English! he trumpeted for all to see. The Moonie Times publishes an article, headlined "Pryor admits hiring immigrant." My god! An immigrant. Finally, we have the punchline to the story from the Pryor campaign:
LITTLE ROCK, AR - Early Monday morning the Mark Pryor for U.S. Senate campaign obtained a sworn affidavit from Hortencia Osorio stating that while working for the Pryor family she was a legal resident of the United States and provided documentation to the Pryor family proving such.
The next paragraph includes a phone number taken off Osorio's caller ID which is the number of the person who called offering her money for the story. I won't post it in case I have any excitable readers, but the number is of the president of the DeQueen Rotary club, as anyone adept with google can discover on their own.
UPDATE: Now they're pushing the tax question. If they paid her over $1300 over the course of a year, hey may have a wee problem. Otherwise, he doesn't.
LITTLE ROCK, AR - Early Monday morning the Mark Pryor for U.S. Senate campaign obtained a sworn affidavit from Hortencia Osorio stating that while working for the Pryor family she was a legal resident of the United States and provided documentation to the Pryor family proving such.
The next paragraph includes a phone number taken off Osorio's caller ID which is the number of the person who called offering her money for the story. I won't post it in case I have any excitable readers, but the number is of the president of the DeQueen Rotary club, as anyone adept with google can discover on their own.
UPDATE: Now they're pushing the tax question. If they paid her over $1300 over the course of a year, hey may have a wee problem. Otherwise, he doesn't.
That Chavez sure is stifling dissent.
Though his supporters obviously need a time out.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Police firing tear gas clashed Monday with rock-throwing government supporters who tried to stop thousands of opposition marchers from delivering more than 2 million signatures demanding a vote on Hugo Chavez's presidency.
Just four blocks away from the opposition march's goal - the downtown National Elections Council - police battled dozens of pro-government "chavistas" who detonated powerful fireworks and set fire to roadblocks. One group tried to hijack a bus to block the march.
Though his supporters obviously need a time out.
Coleman Shocker!!!
Politicizes deaths of his two children!!!
Mentions them in debates, uses their corpses to sway voters!!!
Could there be anything more disgusting than exploiting the death of your own children for politics?!??!?!
developing....
Now, wasn't that silly?
Mentions them in debates, uses their corpses to sway voters!!!
Could there be anything more disgusting than exploiting the death of your own children for politics?!??!?!
developing....
Now, wasn't that silly?
More election shenanigans.
Cummings also held up a flier that Democratic campaign volunteers said they found posted in some Northwest Baltimore neighborhoods, including on the doors of Pimlico Middle School.
The unsigned flier read: "URGENT NOTICE. Come out to vote on November 6th. Before you come to vote make sure you pay your parking tickets, motor vehicle tickets, overdue rent and most important any warrants."
D-Squared makes this observation:
Still on reduced service at the moment, I'm afraid ... but one for my American friends who got terribly wound up by the whole flap over Anne Coulter's book suggesting that if you didn't give suitable front-cover honours to the death of Dale Earnhardt (for my core Brit readers; sort of the poor man's Michael Schumacher), you were an elitist liberal who hates America.
Just thought it might be fun to have a look around some of the publications which Ms. Coulter inhabits, see whether in your opinion they were suitably fawning in their eulogies to Jam Master Jay, and if not, to ask them why they hate black people so much ... in my experience, nothing annoys a racist more than being called a racist.
Still on reduced service at the moment, I'm afraid ... but one for my American friends who got terribly wound up by the whole flap over Anne Coulter's book suggesting that if you didn't give suitable front-cover honours to the death of Dale Earnhardt (for my core Brit readers; sort of the poor man's Michael Schumacher), you were an elitist liberal who hates America.
Just thought it might be fun to have a look around some of the publications which Ms. Coulter inhabits, see whether in your opinion they were suitably fawning in their eulogies to Jam Master Jay, and if not, to ask them why they hate black people so much ... in my experience, nothing annoys a racist more than being called a racist.
Make sure to check coverage of Election problems over at The Election. Otherwise you'll miss anger-inducing posts like this one:
Unless turnout is ridiculously low, there is no way that voters in Broward county will have enough time to vote using the new touch screen machines. It is estimated that it should take on average 15 minutes per voter. There are 987,000 registered voters in the county. There are 5765 machines. With, say, 500,000 voters turning out that means 86 voters per machine. With polls scheduled to be open for 12 hours, that means that just over half of voters would have time to vote - assuming an even distribution of voters across machines. Election officials in Florida have declined to allow paper ballots to supplement the machines in case of long lines, and two congressmen are taking it to Ashcroft and possibly to federal court.
Full details are here.
UPDATE: Mark Kleiman and Alex Frantz have more on this.
Unless turnout is ridiculously low, there is no way that voters in Broward county will have enough time to vote using the new touch screen machines. It is estimated that it should take on average 15 minutes per voter. There are 987,000 registered voters in the county. There are 5765 machines. With, say, 500,000 voters turning out that means 86 voters per machine. With polls scheduled to be open for 12 hours, that means that just over half of voters would have time to vote - assuming an even distribution of voters across machines. Election officials in Florida have declined to allow paper ballots to supplement the machines in case of long lines, and two congressmen are taking it to Ashcroft and possibly to federal court.
Full details are here.
UPDATE: Mark Kleiman and Alex Frantz have more on this.
The bloviator on MSNBC just claimed that Mondale missed a campaign rally so he could 'bone up on his speech.'
Here's the truth.
Here's the truth.
As Democratic candidate Walter Mondale's commercial flight was about to take off from Fargo to the Twin Cities, it was ordered to stop. The pilot explained to passengers that a runway had been shut down at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and that the delay might be as much as an hour.
The runway had been closed to all but Air Force One as President Bush flew in for a rally in St. Paul for Republican candidate Norm Coleman.
Sunday, November 03, 2002
Pundit Pap discusses Stewart v. Kurtz.
I predict that never again will Kurtz risk booking someone who is outside the sacred big media brotherhood, who doesn't have to operate according to their oath of Omerta, wherein you speak ill of your press brethren under penalty of death. It's just too risky to have someone on that doesn't give a rat's ass about whether Sally Quinn is going to invite them to her next party, or about the disapproval of big shot media figures, or that coming right out and telling the truth might jeopardize his or her 6- and 7-figure TV gigs -- and perhaps most importantly, couldn't care less if Karl Rove gets pissed.
Such is the state of our current media that a comedian is the only one saying what desperately needs to be said about the steep decline in our nonfunctioning media
I predict that never again will Kurtz risk booking someone who is outside the sacred big media brotherhood, who doesn't have to operate according to their oath of Omerta, wherein you speak ill of your press brethren under penalty of death. It's just too risky to have someone on that doesn't give a rat's ass about whether Sally Quinn is going to invite them to her next party, or about the disapproval of big shot media figures, or that coming right out and telling the truth might jeopardize his or her 6- and 7-figure TV gigs -- and perhaps most importantly, couldn't care less if Karl Rove gets pissed.
Such is the state of our current media that a comedian is the only one saying what desperately needs to be said about the steep decline in our nonfunctioning media
Jesse from Pandagon has set up a site called 'The Election' to cover troubling aspects of the current election - in particular voting irregularities and problems. I'll be helping out too, so stuff along those lines will be posted up over there for now.
Roses Pritchard has the must-read tale of "Funeralgate" - the Bush scandal that wasn't breathlessly reported by our liberal media, despite his having lied under oath. It's timely, as it involves Cornyn as well.
Foreign Nucelar Interests Give Money to Republicans
NUCLEAR firm BNFL has given more than $1million of taxpayers' cash to President George Bush's Republican party and US lobbyists.
The state-owned company used the money - about £660,000 - to push its nuclear agenda in the US.
BNFL, which manages fuel and waste and runs Britain's oldest nuclear reactors, announced record annual losses of £3.6billion up to March. And last month it had to be bailed out by a £500million Government handout.
Umm..is that legal?
I can't stress enough the need for everyone to read the exchange behind Kurtz and Stewart. Some of this I put below already, but what the hell.
First, Howie tries to insult Stewart:
If Kurtz would watch he'd know that Stewart is a far better interview than any of the monkeys on Howie's network.
Here's Howie not understanding the the show's producers are ultimately responsible for what goes on their networks:
Here's Howie not understanding that Stewart does, in fact, run a comedy show:
And, I already put this up below, but here is Howie not understanding that journalists have an implicit responsibility:
Well, there's almost the whole thing. But read it! Read it! It's great. And I missed the goddamn replay.
First, Howie tries to insult Stewart:
KURTZ: The other night on "The Daily Show" Senator John Edwards. Why would a guy who is, you know, clearly planning to run as president come on and answer your inane questions?
If Kurtz would watch he'd know that Stewart is a far better interview than any of the monkeys on Howie's network.
Here's Howie not understanding the the show's producers are ultimately responsible for what goes on their networks:
KURTZ: What should happen to all of these experts who came and filled the airwaves with all of these predictions that turned out to be completely and totally wrong?
STEWART: Well, it's not their fault.
KURTZ: It's not their fault?
STEWART: No.
KURTZ: Shouldn't they have to resign from the talking head society?
STEWART: Shouldn't CNN have to pay a penalty for putting them on the air? You're Paulie Walnuts. You're vouching. You brought a guy in, and you put him on the air and you vouched. You said, "No, Tony, this guy, he's good people, he's credible." So whatever they say, I mean, they're called profilers.
If you watched the coverage, you would have thought that that's what the police do, is they literally have two guys sort of almost like psychics sitting around going, "What do you think he is?" "I don't know, maybe he's white, maybe he's black. Maybe he's with al Qaeda, maybe he's Son of Sam."
They're actually following real leads. I don't understand the idea of -- you know I heard a guy talking -- actually on your show -- saying, "Well, the public really wanted information. They had a real thirst for information. So because we didn't really have that much information, we had to just speculate."
KURTZ: We made it up. STEWART: Right. Which seems insane. That's like saying, "You know, the kids were real thirsty, and we didn't have any water, so we just gave them beer, because we figured that would work."
(LAUGHTER)
KURTZ: Well, you're right. The cable folks who put these folks in front of the camera have to bear some of the responsibility.
STEWART: Not some, all.
KURTZ: All right.
STEWART: Not some. They bear all of the responsibility. You cannot -- I'm not even sure what the reasoning was behind just putting people on who didn't know anything.
I mean, you know what was my favorite part was the hand wringing. People would do this, "Now, I know that we're not supposed to speculate, you know, obviously, people are nervous and it would be irresponsible to inflame passions by speculating, seriously, though, do you think it's terrorism?"
I mean, it was...
Here's Howie not understanding that Stewart does, in fact, run a comedy show:
KURTZ: I went to one of your tapings this week.
STEWART: Yes, you did.
KURTZ: And I can reveal -- can I say this?
STEWART: By the way, I didn't care for the heckling.
KURTZ: All right. I can reveal that all those -- you go to those live correspondent reports standing in front of the Capitol, out in North Carolina.
STEWART: That's exactly right.
KURTZ: They're right on the stage there with you.
STEWART: Yes.
KURTZ: Isn't that kind of dishonest?
STEWART: Our budget is to the point where we can only afford the picture of North Carolina. We can't actually afford the trip. So we put them in front of a just a green screen of that.
KURTZ: So you don't, you're not confusing yourself with a quote, "real journalist"?
STEWART: No. You guys are...
KURTZ: You're just making fun...
STEWART: You guys are confusing yourselves with real journalists.
KURTZ: Oh boy, you're loaded (UNINTELLIGIBLE) today.
And, I already put this up below, but here is Howie not understanding that journalists have an implicit responsibility:
KURTZ: There's a new thing out called...
STEWART: What?
KURTZ: There's a new thing out called remote control. We'll have to get you one.
STEWART: But you're the news. That works for entertainment. People need you. Help us. Help us.
Well, there's almost the whole thing. But read it! Read it! It's great. And I missed the goddamn replay.
Sunday morning election stuff...
Charles Eicher has some important discussion about electronic voting machines.
PLA has its senate predictions up.
PLA has its senate predictions up.
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