Joe Scarborough: Only stupid people didn't want to hear about Wright

I was just about to leave for work, and then I heard this. I kept backing up to get the transcript down, because I don't want to misquote him.

Joe Scarborough: The thing is, we told the truth yesterday. And it enraged a lot of people, we got emails that [unknown] "why are you focusing so much on Reverend Wright" - you know, we were focusing so much on Reverend Wright because Reverend Wright made news. And stupid people don't like that fact. If stupid people like a candidate, and news comes up that they like, then stupid people like to attack the people that are bringing them the news. Stupid people like shooting the messengers. Well stupid people are happy today because Barack Obama stopped acting stupid. He distanced himself from Reverend Wright. He did what he should have done months ago back in Philadelphia, and I think he hit all the right notes. Because of it, this issue is behind Barack Obama. Hilary Clinton and John McCain - they can't attack him any more.

What. A. Line. Of. Bullshit.

Evidently, I'm a stupid person. Because I wanted to hear about if the "gas tax vacation" that Senator Clinton and Senator McCain proposed is a good idea, or one that will leave 300,000 construction workers out of work. I must be a stupid person, because I wanted to hear how the John McCain health care plan will compare to the Obama/Clinton health care plans.

I must be a really stupid person, because I'm more interested in Pentagon employees and contractors being used as fake independent mouthpieces on news channels, giving a biased view of the news that helped to propel the Iraq War. I must be incredibly stupid, because I want to hear about how McCain is holding back the new GI Bill, and if his reasons make sense, or if they're just partisan crap.

I must be the dumbest person alive, because I want to hear about what's going to be done about house foreclosures, about whether capital gains taxes kicks in for those who make more then $200,000 or above, and whether student loans are going to be there for my children, or will only the rich get to send their kids to college. Or how Bush is trying to blame Democrats who have been in office for 18 months and who's children's health care initiatives he vetoes are to blame for the deregulation that caused our financial markets to act like a train running off the rails.

So thanks, Joe - I never knew how stupid I was because I didn't want to hear 4 straight hours of Reverend Wright, and wanted to hear about the issues.

Why doesn't he just go away?

This is what I'm hearing this morning. "Reverend Wright is going to speak soon. Why won't he go away? Doesn't he realize he's hurting Obama? He's mocking former Presidents by pointing how how they can speak with different dialects, but only black people are told they are speaking badly. Why does he keep speaking?"

Then - the killer. "We've been getting lots of emails saying we're talking Wrights words out of context - but irregardless, what do you think this is going to do to Obama's presidential aspirations?"

That's what it's come down to. "Sure, maybe we're taking his words out of context. I mean, he's not mocking former Presidents, he's pointing out the culture divide that one group of people get to speak in an 'improper' way while another group are told they speak bad English - and the only difference is the color of their skin. But still, we're only talking about how he's mocking former Presidents, because that's controversial. And yes, we pretty much just admitted we take his comments out of context - but who cares? I mean - look, angry black man speaking? Why doesn't he just speak like us and then sit down and be quiet like us? How dare his church has its own way of communicating and culture! OMG - doesn't he realize that racism ended that second the Civil Rights bill passed!"

Wright is a man who helped operate on a President of the United States (Johnson's heart surgery). He served his country in war. He preached a gospel that told Black people they had a role in the Christian gospel, that as former slave people and an oppressed people, they could understand the Good News of Liberation from Sin in a way that other people could not. That the black community had to stand on their own two feet. That there is injustice still in the world, and he must speak out on it.

And for that- he's told he should go away. Told "Why now? Why are you speaking on race relations now? Didn't you hear Obama's speech that we should all just sit down and get along?"

Only - that wasn't Obama's speech on race. He said we should talk about our differences. That we should have a dialog about what has gone right and wrong in America. That we shouldn't just sit down and shut up about our anger, but really talk about it. See why we are so angry, and what can be done to fix it.

The point of which was missed by so many. All they heard was "Oh, we should all hold hands and get along." No! No, we need to say things like "Hey, I get that you're pissed off, but it's not my fault - my parents were immigrants." Or "Look, maybe I wasn't a slave, but that's why my grandparents couldn't own land, so while your forefathers got rich, mine got squat. And yeah, its rather unfair."

Wright is actually doing what Obama talked about - speak out about his feelings, and hopes, and dreams, and frustrations. Instead, the media is bogging down into "Why doesn't he go away? Just shut up, put up with your anger, and we'll all get along!"

I'd say Wright should be out everywhere, speaking as much as he likes. Why now? Why not a year when Obama has the presidency than come out and talk about race?

Because then it's going to be "Why now? I mean, Obama just took office. How about next year? Or the year after that? Or the year after that - no, wait, it's an election year - go back into hiding, Wright!"

My wife says I can buy an Xbox 360

I just have to come up with the $150 for it, she'll kick in the other $300.

...

Tempting. Actually, it would cost just a little more, since I'd want to buy 4 controllers for it (so I could play Rez with total massage mode), and play "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" with my kids.

That's right - I want to buy a 360 mainly for downloadable games. Well, and "Culdcept Saga", just because I love those weird card games like that.

The result of 8 years of Bush

All laid out in black and white.

Does there need to be any more indictment than this? Torture memos, inept wars, bad economy - what more do we need? Seriously - what good can be said about this President - save by a fellow church member who told me "Well, he said what he was going to do, and then he did it. He said he was going to invade Iraq, and he did."

Yeah. I guess he did. Heck of a job there.

Questions we won't see asked of McCain

Sure, during a Democratic debate it's perfectly reasonable to bring up every Republican talking point - at least if you ask ABC.

But I'm going to bet McCain won't be asked any of these questions live on air.

Just a guess.

Iraqi, al Qaeda - it's all the same, right?

Well, if you're John McCain you think so.

The difference between "Tough" and "Stupid"

I caught a little Tim Russert today, and heard this gem from one of the guests David Gregory. His theory was that ABC, before the Worst Debate Evah, decided that the Super Delegates would want to hear the kind of crap that the Republicans would dish out, so they thought it was a good idea to ask about Wright and Ayers and flag pins and stuff like that.

Then he tells Mr. Russert that hey, they were just asking tough questions, and every politician should expect that. What's the problem?

I don't mind tough questions - I mind dumb ones. "Hey, this guy in your neighborhood and works on a charity board by you who gave you $200 for your campaign - did you know he was tied to a terrorist group 40 years ago?" That's - a dumb question. May as well say "Hey, we noticed that there's a pedophile warning list about these two guys in your neighborhood. Why haven't you shown up to drive them out of town?"

Flag pin? Seriously? When McCain, Clinton, both of the moderators, and 99.9% of the country doesn't wear a flag pin - you're going to ask why don't you wear a flag pin? Or if your paster - a Vietnam war *volunteer* soldier - in a time when black men couldn't fucking eat at certain restaurants or use the same toilet as a white man - loves his country?

These are not tough questions. Tough questions are "Explain exactly what your beef is with NAFTA and how you're going to fix it." "What will you do to get the Isreal/Palestinian on track, and how will you deal with Jewish voters who think you may be too critical of Isreal?"

So on and so forth. But "Why don't you wear a flag pin made in China to show that you really, really, really love our country - instead of working in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago instead of getting rich?" - that's a stupid question. And Gregory is stupid for suggesting it's anything but.

The best video today

A Catholic priest versus a Fox news reporter on Reverend Wright.

Hot diggity damn on a stick - this is the best thing I have seen today. Big thanks to Mr. Gallant for the info.

Baracky?

I thought this was cute. Silly, but cute.

Distractions about - distractions

Last night I stayed up late and caught "The Colbert Report". Obama was on, and he and Colbert put "Political Distractions" on the "On Notice" board. Since the debate on Wednesday, we've heard a lot of talk about how awful the debate was, how stupid the questions were, how horrible the moderators were.

This morning on Morning Joe, the topics of discussion:

"Obama literally brushes off his shoulder after the debate - does that make him look elitist?"
"Bill Clinton says that Obama should stop whining about the debate, since Hilary Clinton never whined about how she was treated by the press (only she did)"
"How the debate was actually a good one for the candidates"
"Funny speeches on the Congressional floor"
"Why don't we ever talk about the issues?"

And - we have our problem solved. Why don't "the issues" get covered? Because, well, issues are hard. We could talk about the huge losses being posted *today* on Wall Street. Or how Republicans may be pulling back on needing immunity for telecoms in the FISA bill. Or the recently released choreographed torture information from the White House. Or anything fucking else other than whether or not distractions in a political debate are a big deal.

Nope - time to circle the wagons - or, in my case, turn off the TV.

Where is al Qaeda again?

So, we're pretty sure that al Qaeda is in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And where *aren't* we putting in funds to pursue al Qaeda? Uh - Pakistan.

Ever think the Bush administration just *doesn't* want to catch this guy?

You asking questions - why do you hate America?

Once again, the question of are you patriotic enough has raised its head. This time, Obama was asked if Reverend Wright "loves America".

A man who *volunteered* to serve in Vietnam, and somehow, he "doesn't love America" because he said something you like.

Yeah.

McCain's economic campain laid out

Long story short: McCain's economic plan sucks.

Even worse, this "remove the Gas Tax during the summer" is a great way to make people burn *more* gas - and make oil companies richer, instead of investing in roads, public transportation, etc.

Debate comments with coworkers

Me: Did you see the debate last night?

Coworker: Yeah - man, they were really dumping crap on Obama, weren't they?

Me: I kind of thought so, but hey - I'm biased.

Coworker: Nah - you're not that biased. They pretty clearly didn't like him or something. But I liked how he turned it around with that "Well, your husband pardoned him, so you have a closer relationship with him than I do" comment.

Me: What killed me is how he kept offering her an olive branch - trying to say that her comments on Bosnia don't matter, that her cookie comments in the 90's are being used as "elitism" just like his "bitter" comments are now.

Coworker: I noticed that. I thought it was nice of him.

Me: Then Senator Clinton tried to jab it up his ass and twist it sideways with the "Oh, you don't pick your uncle, but you do pick your pastors.", and "I think we need *more* vetting of Obama - especially over the next 5 days before the PA election!". Nice of her.

Coworker: And - that's a mental image I won't get rid of all day.

The Bullshit debate

Tonight on ABC - there wasn't a debate.

It was a roast. It was two moderators asking about pastors, flag pins (and why aren't you wearing one?), Weather Underground members (did you know a person convicted of bombings 40 years ago supports you?) - 60 straight minutes of attacks on two candidates.

ABC spewed more conservative talking points and horse shit than I've ever seen a so-called news program do. I felt more like I was watching a Jerry Springer rerun - I kept waiting for them to hand chairs to the candidates and ask them to "go at it".

And when they finally got to the real questions about policy, they had to rush through them because they had wasted so much time on the pointless crap of the first hour.

This will likely go down as one of the worst debates ever, and a reason why the Women League of Voters should get control of the debates back (like they had back in 1992, and committed the unpardonable sin of allowing a third party candidate onto the stage with the Democrat and Republican nominee).

If journalists want to act like biased hacks, it would have been better to have had no debate at all, instead of this complete and utter horse shit.

Persona 4 pictures

Did I ever mention I love games with cute girls in classes? Well, looks like Persona 4 is going to deliver.

Jed Report "Bosnia and Back Again"

Ouch.

New housing bill with - tax cuts for corporations?

While people are starting to have problems paying their mortgages as the short term "teaser" interest rates vanish, turns out the bill is full of "billions of dollars in tax breaks — for automakers, airlines, alternative energy producers and other struggling industries, as well as home builders".

Er - huh?

Fingerprints are not personal data?

US Attorney General Chertoff doesn't think that fingerprints are personal data.

After all, you leave fingerprints on everything they touch - so its perfectly reasonable that the government can share your fingerprints with whomever it wants! While we're at it, why not sharing your DNA with anyone who thinks they should have access as well - I mean, you leave DNA *everywhere*, so why make that personal?

And when you have a conversation with someone you think is a private discussion in your home - that can't be personal because those sound waves are out for anyone to hear! If you didn't want people to know what you were saying in the privacy of your home, you should have done it telepathically!

Best. Olympics. Ever.

Or - just the opposite. What does it say when the Olympic torch has to be relayed without the public being allowed to even witness it?