On the Hilary Snub at the State of the Union Address

This is rather telling:



She's turning, so is Barack.  She shakes Ted Kennedy's hand.  Nobody's being snubbed.

Except -

SEN. CLINTON: Well, Chris, I reached out my hand in friendship and unity and my hand is still reaching out. And I look forward to shaking his hand when I see him at the debate in California. But what is important here is that any differences between us as Democrats pale in comparison to the differences between us and the Republicans, and I think we will have a unified Democratic Party... We will come together, not only as a party, but as a country in this election year, and I am confident that we are going to present a very strong case to the American people as to why Democrats should once again be in the White House.

From an appearnce on Fox news.

Something strikes me as - odd. I guess I'll have to decide if I'm trusting Ms. Clinton, or my lying eyes?

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Trying the war in Iraq to the recession

There are some thoughts that while war is usually good for the economy, the war in Iraq has been incredibly bad for ours.

An approach I agree with.

We could be using $500+ billion spent to balance the budget.  But we spent it on the war.

We could be spending $500+ billion to shore up our freeways and bridges, to increase public transportation so people spend less money at the pump and have more money for other goods.  But we spent it on the war.

We could be spending $500+ billion to provide health care to every child in the nation so parents wouldn't fear going bankrupt if their child gets sick.  But we spend it on the war.

We could be spending $500+ billion on sending every eligible high school graduate to college, thereby turning out a nation of the most educated, competitive people in the world.  But we spent it on the war.

We could be spending $500+ billion on increasing teacher pay, building up all of our schools across the nation so that no child is "left behind" by actually making sure they complete high school and are ready for the job market.  But we spent it on the war.

And of course, we could have thousands of young men and women not be maimed or injured or traumatized.

But we spent them on the war.

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Edwards to drop out?

My wife will be a little sad, but Edwards may be dropping out.

if so, the question is: who benefits? Certainly not the American people - Edwards ran a strong race. I didn't alwys agree with his tactics, but I respected his message. I just thought someone else could do more.

Whomever he gives his support to of the remaining candidates will get a big boost - including those delegates. My personal bet is that he'll hold out until after Tuesday, if not until the convention.

At the same time, does him not in the race at all help Clinton or Obama? Does his being out put more anti-establishment vote into the Obama camp. or does it put more rural white voters her way?

People have been arguing over it either way for some time. I'll be honest: I don't know.

Part of me is glad he's out, to let the two contenders duke it out. Part of me is sad he's gone - I believe him to be a good man who can still do a lot of service for his country, and I applaud his efforts.

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Proof that I am a jerk

Dude: You know, Obama voted present 29 times on pro-choice issues. Sounds like he's not really pro-choice.

Me: Actually, in Illinois Senate, "present" means "no". Planned parenthood asked democratic senators to vote "present" to kill some very rotten anti-abortion bills to support Illinois senators in problem districts. By voting "present", the bill could be defeated without the pro-choice senators facing election issues back in their area. He explained that after the Clinton's misrepresented his votes.

Dude: If Obama didn't want people misrepresenting his record on voting "present" issues, he should have explained himself before other people started making accusations. Then he wouldn't have to explain it to people.

Me: I never thought of it that way.

Dude: I didn't think so.

Me: By the way, your Mom's a big whore.

Dude: What? She is not!

Me: Well, you should have explained that before I started making accusations. Then you wouldn't have to explain how your mom isn't really a big slut who does everybody.

Dude: You're a jerk.

Me: Yeah. I've heard that. Usually from people who make stupid statements.

Republicans showing their true colors

I had a coworker tell me that Obama was a muslim, secretly out to destroy the US.

Rush Limbaugh plays "Obama the Magic Negro", considers it funny, and acts shocked that anybody calls it racist.

Then, you've got a small town that publishes an article by YoMama Bin Barack that is full of some of the most racist shit I've seen in some time.

It seems the closer the nation as a whole grows to actually embracing people regardless of race, the more the entrenched, hard core Republicans fight like cornered rats. At first their racism was subtle - oh, we don't *really* need Affirmative Action - we're equal now! (Tell that to magazines, CEO's, the majority of executives, nearly every politician, and every president).

We don't *need* to investigate reports of voter surpression for minorities (instead, let's go after them for voter fraud, even though we can't prove it!).

Now they're being more blatent. I say let them. Shine the light on them so everybody can see.

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Clinton: The rules don't apply to me

Months ago, Michigan and Florida decided that they were going to move up their caucus. For right or wrong, the Democratic party warned them if they did that, their delegates would be stripped.

They did it, and the delegates were stripped. From there, it was agreed that no Democratic candidate would campaign in MI or FL. Their names would not appear on the ballot in MI - they had to be on FL to keep them on the ballot in November.

Unless - you're Hilary Clinton. I can't decide I'm going to link to a Fox News article, but long story short, she's coming to Florida. Oh, but she's not "campaigning". She's just here to "make sure the voters are heard".

She now claims that since she won in MI (amazing what happens when you're the only one who doesn't remove your name from the ballot), MI should could and the delegates assigned.

Just - I can't believe the hubris. Everybody else plays by the rules. Nevada, the Culinary Union gets special permission to hold votes in their casinos *months* before the election - then Bill Clinton defends the Teacher's Union lawsuit that would prevent it (just after the Culinary Union endorsed Obama).

It's getting harder and harder for me to keep liking her as time goes on.

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Ted Kennedy's speech

Here's the transcript At Huffington Post.

Excellent stuff. And you read between the lines, you can really see where he reads between the lines at how pissed me got at the Clinton campaign.

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The definition of conservative compassion

Turns out that the original term comes from a book which basically says to get rid of compassion to deal with the poor, since that will make them raise up and get jobs, the lazy bums.

There it was. The whole time. Compassionate Conservatism boils down let the suckers starve, and they'll get their act together. Anything else is false compassion that lets them rot.

Hm. Took this long.

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A response to "But Clinton was attacked by Obama first!"

I'm sorry - but I call bullshit.

It was the Clinton campaign that started with frankly lie filled fliers in NH, claiming that Obama wasn't "really" pro-choice by distorting how Illinois politics works.

It was the Clinton campaign that went through grade school records to try and prove some strange "master plan" by Obama to become President.

It was the Clinton campaign that started reminding people starting in NH that "Oh, hey, did you know his father was a Muslim? His middle name is Hussein? How about that?"

It was Bill Clinton that justified the Teacher's Union trying to sue to remove the Culinary Union's ability to vote at their jobs outside their district when they had approval *months* before - only to change when they gave their endorsement to Obama.

It was the Clinton campaign who had not one, not two, but *three* different members remind people "Hey, you know that 30 years ago, Obama did drugs! Hey, Bill didn't inhale, so it's OK!"

It was the Clinton campaign that told people that even referencing how past political leaders of the Republican party meant that you were disloyal to Democratic ideals.

It was Bill Clinton who all but said that SC didn't matter because, well, you know, Jesse Jackson won in 84 and 88 - those black people must just vote for black people without thought, huh? Of course, he ignored that Bill Clinton won SC in 92, that Edwards won SC in '04, so saying that SC just "doesn't matter" would certainly piss me off if I lived there - and may explain why the polls went from 50% to Barack from black voters, 10% of white voters, jumped to 80% of black voters and 26% for white voters - people were pissed.

I used to support Hilary. I used to respect her. But with all of the bullshit her group has been throwing for months now, she lost me. I'll go to Edwards, I'll go to Obama - but if she's going to lie and deceive now, I'm not going to trust her with the white house.

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Watching Ted Kennedy speak

You know, if John F. Kennedy was really more charismatic than Ted Kennedy, I can see why people flocked to him. I'm watching it now - first Robert, then Caroline. Fine speeches.

Then Teddy - and it was like the sun before the moon. It really is a good speech, it's thrilling, it hits the points of experience, gets in very subtle digs, he knows how to play the crowd.

And then I think about the Obama speeches, and he's still better. Damn - makes me wish I had been alive during the JFK days to hear him talk live to compare.

I don't know if he can win. I don't know if he can beat Hilary's head start. But damn - between Teddy and Obama and the like, he's going to give her one *hell* of a fight.

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A Macacca moment?

You've probably seen it by now -



It's been on the news. Over and over again.

Bill Clinton could have said "Well, John Edwards won South Carolina in 2004, and he ran a good campaign." You know who else won South Carolina?

Bill Clinton, in 1992, if I remember correctly.

But the importance is the moment, where Bill is basically sayiing "Well, South Carolina doesn't matter, because we expected the black vote to go here." This moment stung in the minds of people - here in Florida, I know a lot of black people pissed by it when I was going door to door to remind them to vote on Tuesday (even though the vote "doesn't matter").

It was almost a moment like this one:



Allen started with "Oh, I'm Mr. Positive - and here's Macaca over here!"

It was played over. And over. And over again, and it probably lost Allen the election, and his chances at running for president some day himself.

I can't help but wonder if this isn't Bill Clinton's Macaca moment. It's been on the news over. And over. And over again. And then afterwards, when Ms. Clinton gave the congratulations that lasted 5 seconds.

It almost smacked of "Well, South Carolina - we didn't think it was worth fighting for. I wasn't even in the state at the time when it was over."

I don't know if it will last until next Tuesday. I don't know if Clinton will "sweep" Florida, or just barely win it. But I think that this clip of Clinton's Macaca moment will hurt them for a loooooong time.

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And - more stupidity

Hey, did you know that both Obama and Malcom X used "bamboozled" and "hoodwinked" in speeches! OMG!

I guess Obama, talking to a black crowd, used language that everyone understood. OMG, he's using the race card!

Or, he probably really wanted to say "Hey, don't believe that fucking shit coming from the Clinton campaign that I love Reagen or I'm not really pro-choice." But I don't think that would have made for nice TV coverage.

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Oh, for the love of God!

We're not down to political discourse of Huckabee critisizing Romney because the man wants to eat his fried chicken without the skin?

Good god. Next thing, it'll be Edwards hair or if Hilary "really" cried or if McCain secretly has "liberal tendencies-

Hm.

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I can't decide if this is good or bad

New home sales - biggest drop ever

I'm saving my money. I'm going to save every penny. So next year, I can get that house and keep it. But dang - I feel really bad for everybody else.

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Montel Williams is the man!

Being invited on Fox News to talk about Heath Ledger? Not bad.

Being invited onto Fox News and slamming them about not covering a single killed soldier in Iraq - pure pwnership.

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An intersting perspective on our first "black president"

Turns out that famous Toni Morrison quote about how Bill Clinton is our first black president? Turns out it wasn't exactly a compliment:

A look at the context of the words at the source is illuminating. Morrison began by describing a nation glued to unseemly details of Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, as Kenneth Starr pursued his investigation and Republicans cheered him on. She questioned the pitch of Starr-fueled hysteria, and said: "Years ago, in the middle of the Whitewater investigation, one heard the first murmurs: white skin notwithstanding, this is our first black President. Blacker than any actual black person who could ever be elected in our children's lifetime. . . .The always and already guilty 'perp' is being hunted down not by a prosecutor's obsessive application of law but by a different kind of pursuer, one who makes new laws out of the shards of those he breaks." - Source: Salon

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Split the white guy vote?

MSNBC just reported an interesting statistic:  while Ms. Clinton got 36% of the white vote, between white *males* Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton got the exact same numbers.  It's not surprising she got a bump from the ladies - but it's interesting that guys were pretty split.

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Obama is projected to win South Carolina

It took 60 seconds to call the result.

According to MSNBC, it looks like Obama is going to win South Carlina by "big numbers", possibly as large as 49% to 37%!

Some other interesting numbers they just put up on the screen:  81% of African Americans voted for Obama opposed to 24% of white voters.  Ms. Clinton got 36% of white voters, and only 17%.

Personally, I think this will destroy the comments of "Oh, South Carolina are going to vote for Barack because of black voters - white people won't vote for him".  At 24/36/29 split for Obama/Clinton/Edwards,  it would seem that nearly the same number of white people in SC liked Obama almost as much as Hilary or Edwards.

The numbers are also showing major changes within the last 3 days.  3 days ago, Mr. Obama was at 50% for black voters, 10% for white.  That changed in a major way within a few days - and I think the negative attacks of the Clintons hit the news cycle, and it's been the big cycle for the last few days.

Hold on to your seats, folks.  I'm going to go sign up to go door to door and help spread the word in Florida.  Yeah, I know - Florida doesn't count, but if I can help deliver the vote to a guy who doesn't lie about his opponent, then I can live with that.

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I need this to save you - unless it's not exactly how I want it

President Bush has been telling people that if he doesn't get the updated FISA bill, that terrorirsts are gong to start using their cell phones, buildings will collaspe everywhere, and someone will start engaging in sex with Big Bird. No, not Mr. Snuffleufflgus - but terrorists.

No, not terrorists!

But - if that FISA bill doesn't include immunity for the telecoms - the ones that didn't bother to ask the government for a warrant, and instead turned over private information without a pause, well, then he'll veto it.

Oh, and if Congress and Senate passes a 30 day extension of the current FISA system, then he'll veto that as well.

So, terrorists are going to kill us starting Monday. Unless he gets the bill *exactly* the way he wants it, with *exactly* the immunity for telcos he wants. Otherwise, well, I guess he'll just let the terrorists win.

I'm trying to remember - when he said that you're either "with us or against us", was he talking about America, or just his personal interests?

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Shun! Shun the Unbeliever!

It now seems that in the Republican and Democratic race to become President, that the biggest sin you can commit is to -

Actually talk to a Democrat or a Republican.

Remember when Mr. Obama got flack for daring to say that Reagen's power was in uniting people behind him - even if it turns out he was leading them into a big incinerator with the promise of cake?

Well, evidently, Romney is hopping mad because McCain has actually talked to Democrats. From the article:

In a new Web ad released Friday, Romney's campaign is highlighting McCain's willingness to work across the aisle, and his strong relationships with some Senate Democrats.

Oh, no! You mean, instead of saying (like Dick Cheney did) that all you need is a 50.1% majority and you can do whatever you want, that a *real* leader tries to do things that we can all agree upon, things that help a true majority of people and unite them?

Obviously, McCain is a dirty, filthy traitor to the Republican party, and by Romeny's standards, is worthy only of death. Or, something like that.

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