Gold Star Winner: September 30, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)

Democratic Nominee for President

Today Senator Obama addressed the bailout bill the failed to pass through the House (but probably will eventually in one form or another), as well as McCain's accusations that he had been "phoning it in" from the sidelines:

"I don't think me calling House Republican members would have been that helpful.  I tend not to be that persuasive on that side of the aisle."

It's the truth.  And it gets Barack his first Gold Star.  In the spirit of Rosh Hashanah, mazel tov.

"Gotcha" Journalism Returns... Except it Doesn't

Over the weekend, Sarah Palin was asked a question regarding Pakistan by a voter in Philadelphia, and she responded that she believes the United States has the right to launch an attack within Pakistan's borders if it's clear they are harboring terrorists...... which happens to be the same position Barack Obama supports, a position that John McCain mocked and derided in Friday night's debate.

McCain was forced to do damage control with George Stephanapoulos on Sunday, and both McCain and Palin told Katie Couric last night that the incident was an example of modern-day "gotcha" journalism.... except that the incident was with a voter, not with a journalist.

If anyone comes across a scenario in which Palin actually does speak to a journalist, let me know.  It will be a first.

Gold Star Winner: September 29, 2008

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)

Big Bailout Supporter

Openly Gay Member of Congress

Here's Frank on the House GOP's claim that the bailout bill failed because they were miffed at a partisan speech on the House floor by Nancy Pelosi:

"Here's the story.  There's a terrible crisis affecting the American economy.  We have come together on a bill to alleviate the crisis.  And because somebody hurt their feelings they decide to punish the country.  I mean, I would not have imputed that degree of pettiness and hypersensitivity... But think about this: Somebody hurt my feelings so I will punish the country.  I mean, that's hardly plausible.  And there are 12 Republican members who were ready to stand up for the economic interests of America but not if anybody insulted them... I think they are covering up the embarrassment of not having the votes... I'll make an offer.  Give me those 12 people's names and I will go talk uncharacteristically nicely to them and tell them what wonderful people they are and maybe they'll now think about the country."

Well said, Barney, and congratulations!

Palin and Fey

I'm watching Keith, and they're making a good point, one I've thought of before:

Saturday Night Live has a long history of satirizing politicians.  Will Ferrell's George W. Bush, Dana Carvey's George H.W. Bush, Chevy Chase's Gerald Ford and Darrell Hammond's everybody come to mind as the most memorable impersonations.  But until Tina Fey played Sarah Palin, never before had there been a mainstream comic who looked and seemed exactly like the person he or she was personifying.

In her first outing as Sarah Palin, Tina Fey hit the nail on the head so well that, had you been flipping through channels, you could have easily mistaken her for the real Sarah Palin, and not some caricature (though Palin herself is pretty close to caricature these days).  In her second outing, making fun of the Couric interview, the SNL writers didn't really have to come up with anything new; most of what Fey said - to enormous laughter - were words that Palin herself had spoken exactly!

It's not good for Governor Palin - or the McCain campaign - that the real Sarah Palin and Tina Fey's Sarah Palin are quickly becoming virtually indistinguishable.  Palin can do a lot to help repair her image - or at least change the conversation - on Thursday night, but much of the damage may already be done.  The candidacy of this woman to be Vice President is either hilarious, frightening or - if you're like me - both.  While Tina Fey is hilarious and dead-on in her impersonation, here's hoping that she'll be searching for a new role to play come November 5th.

Why It Failed

Nate Silver has a good explanation as to why the bailout failed:

Among 38 incumbent congressmen in races rated "toss-up" or "lean" by Swing State Project, just 8 voted for the bailout as opposed to 30 against: a batting average of .211.

An evil, mean Nancy Pelosi?  No.  A group of politicians worried they won't be re-elected.

The Bailout Fails

So the largest bailout in American history fails to pass the House of Representatives, 228-205.  About 60% of Democrats voted for it, about 75% of Republicans voted against it.

Amazingly, the GOP is blaming the Democrats - and a supposedly mean, partisan speech by Nancy Pelosi - for the failure of the bill.  How does the party that votes "nay" by roughly 2 to 1 blame the OTHER guys for the bill's failure?

What the incident says to me is that there is no leadership among the Republicans in the House, and that apparently John McCain has no sway among his party's congressmen and women.  Remember that it was Mac who rode into Washington last week like a knight in shining armor - "suspending" his campaign in the process - to try to get House Republicans on board with the bailout.  He clearly failed - again - to show any kind of real leadership or responsibility on an urgent matter facing the country.

Palin as Eagleton

As Sarah Palin's star has precipitously fallen over the past few weeks, talk has inevitably turned - among conservatives and liberals alike - to the prospect of Palin withdrawing herself from the race, a la Thomas Eagleton in 1972.

I don't think this is going to happen, even if Palin at Thursday night's debate proves herself to be even less prepared than what she revealed in the Gibson and Couric interviews.  McCain, I believe, will have to grin and bear it and ride out the wave until November 4, because removing Palin from the ticket would devastate the base and completely ruin the Republican chances.  It could also hurt with downballot races, as Nate Silver points out here (among other things) in a great post on this subject.

But, who knows, maybe it will actually happen.  It would certainly be the icing on the cake to the farce the McCain campaign has become.

Ra-Ra for Rachel

Another write-up on one of my heroes, Rachel Maddow, host of self-titled shows on MSNBC and Air America Radio and the first openly gay woman to host a television program of its kind.

I am thrilled by her successes and thankful that we lefties have her to listen to.  She is brilliantly smart, wickedly funny, unapologetically liberal, and thoroughly charming.  She's no whiny Sean Hannity or blubbering, blabbering Rush Limbaugh.  She's a peach.

Yay!

Back (and Better Than Ever?)

Okay, so I'm back on the East Coast.

Since I left the tri-state area for the rocky hills of the Bay Area, crazy things have happened.  Sarah Palin spoke to Katie Couric, John McCain kinda-maybe-not really suspended his campaign, Barack Obama won the first presidential debate, the Mets blew another shot at the postseason and the Phillies are once again National League East champions.

Being on the West Coast is always a therapeutic experience for me.  The air is fresher and the mood is calmer than the frantic, frenetic East.  San Francisco itself is a truly incredible city: it is a a progressive, modern, urban environment sprawled atop a breathtakingly beautiful natural environment; in many ways, I find it to be the Last Great Hope for America.  Its citizens are friendly, open-minded, informed and diverse.  Everyone seems to be in a good mood. I would be too, I suppose, if I lived there.

But I'm back now, and I feel refreshed and recharged from the experience, and also from the things that happened while I was gone.  I am at an all-time high in confidence that Barack Obama will be our next President, and am eagerly anticipating the Phillies' second-straight postseason appearance.  With the economy in ruins and the future of our country seemingly hanging in a tenuous balance, the world at large seems to be on the precipice of disaster.  But from my relatively small, singular vantage point, things right now are looking up.  And that I will cherish.

It's good to be back.

Live-Blogging the First Presidential Debate

9:37 PM. Obama effectively plays the "...but you guys have been in power for eight years, you idiot" card.

9:32 PM. I'm sorry, but McCain does not look good.

9:25 PM. McCain seems feisty, but effective; Obama seems strong and decisive. They both seem pretty populist to me thus far.

9:16 PM. Obama uses his "tax cut for 95% of working families" line. According to what I've read, it'd actually be more like 87%.

9:13 PM. McCain returns to one of the themes of his convention speech: Republicans "came to change Washington, and Washington changed us."

9:11 PM. Obama haaaaaaaaates trickle-down economics.

9:08 PM. McCain: "I warned about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, too!"

9:04 PM. Strong opening by Obama, with a nice jab at Bush/McCain.

Paulson Pleads

Just heard this amazing anecdote on CNN Headline News:

At some point within the last 24 hours, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson actually got down on one knee and begged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to save the bailout deal.

Pelosi replied, "It's not me that's killing the deal, it's House Republicans."

She's right.

McCain... Ew

Greetings from beautiful Berkeley, CA.  During the past three days, I have been out and about throughout virtually the entire Bay Area.  Crazy place.  But good.

Anyway, I'm back for a special "West Coast post" to basically say this: fuck you, John McCain.

I'm sure by now you've heard about the fact that McCain is suspending his campaign and calling for Friday's debate to be postponed.  This is such a cheap political stunt that it makes the Palin pick rosy by comparison.  I mean, come on.  Mac wants no campaign ads (for either side) running, no presidential debate and no campaigning until Congress and the president agree to a deal on the bailout.

No offense, but since when did John McCain need to show up in the Senate for anything to get accomplished?  He hasn't even been there in five months.  And how stupid does he think we are?  Oh yeah, suspending your campaign and wiping out an opportunity for you and your opponent to debate the huge issues facing this country is exactly what we want from a president.  You're right, John - in this moment of national crisis, you should basically stop running for president.

Wouldn't it be more "country first" to come up with a solution to the fiscal crisis and then campaign valiantly around the country for said proposal?  Or to change the tenor of Friday's debate to be more about the economy than foreign policy, which is supposed to be the main issue on the bill?  Or to... I don't know... just shut the fuck up, admit you're a douchebag and let Huckabee or some other yahoo just fill in as the GOP nominee for the final six weeks?

I'm tired and less than coherent at the moment, but I hope I'm coming through on what should be a fairly obvious point by now: McCain is a tired, old, dumb, cynical jerk.  He gave us Sarah Palin and now he's checking out because........???  Because his NOT campaigning somehow means the bailout deal will come to fruition faster?

Gee, I'm sure this has NOTHING to do with his fading poll numbers.

I can't wait for November 4, and I hope Obama blows this guy out of the water.  What a disgusting troll of a candidate; what a disappointment of a human being.

Break's Over

Maureen Dowd envisions a conversation between Barack Obama and Josiah Bartlet, the president from my all-time favorite television series, The West Wing.

Hotel California

I'm leaving for San Francisco in the morning, and will be gone until Saturday.

I'll try to keep up relatively regular blog-posting (and Gold Star-awarding) throughout the week, so keep checking back for updates! :)

It is also my intention to live-blog the first presidential debate between Obama and McCain on Friday September 26th.

But until next Saturday, I'll be California dreamin'.  Au revoir!

Gold Star Winner: September 19, 2008

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)

"Democratic women, we wear lipstick too!  What we don't need to get is four more years of a George Bush soundalike.  And we don't need another George Bush in earrings being the number two slot.

Stay sassy, Babs.  Nicely done.

Obama on the Rise

It's now evident in all the polls, both nationally and at the state level.  McCain's convention bounce is gone, replaced by a surge in support for Obama:

...probably at least half of this bounceback for Obama is merely the more-or-less inevitable consequence of McCain's convention bounce ending.  But the fact is that Obama is in a stronger position now than he was immediately before the conventions.

Yes we can, and at this moment I feel better that we will than at any other time since July.

Krugman on the Crisis

Paul Krugman's op-ed in today's New York Times looks at how the government can get us out of this mess, and just how bad it is:

Thus, banks are normally able to borrow from each other at rates just slightly above the interest rate on U.S. Treasury bills.  But Thursday morning, the average interest rate on three-month interbank borrowing was 3.2 percent, while the interest rate on the corresponding Treasuries was 0.05 percent.  No, that's not a misprint.

[Emphasis mine.]  To quote almost everyone from the Star Wars canon, "I have a bad feeling about this."  But we'll see what happens.

Obama Ad: "Who Advises"

Where's Dubya?

Just wanted to point out something that Chris Matthews harped on on Hardball last night, and that I just read in MSNBC's FirstRead blog this morning:

When we were in the run-up to the Iraq War, President Bush was everywhere, giving speeches to the country, promoting the cause with the citizenry and overall doing - at the time anyway - a pretty good job of "selling" the war.

As Alan Greenspan said, this current economic crisis is a once-in-a-century event and Bush is nowhere to be seen!  He's essentially leaving it up to Congress and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson to take care of this mess.

Ugh.  I don't know why I should be surprised, after almost eight years of watching this incompetent bastard screw literally everything up.  But he is, after all, the first American President with an MBA.  You'd think he'd at least have some clue as to how to begin to solve this.

You know what?  I take that last sentence back.  I want him far away, far far far far far away from any crisis.  He's like the anti-King Midas: everything he touches turns into Iraq.

Four more months... four more months... four more months... four more months...

"Complete Meltdown"

Apparently the financial situation is deteriorating so quickly (don't know why this should come as any surprise) that it will probably cost up to $1 trillion when all is said and done to alleviate the situation.  And even then, we're not out of the woods.

Here's Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL):

I figure it will be at least half a trillion.  But if you look at what the Fed has already done [by rescuing insurance giant AIG], and the extension of power to treasury with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, I believe we're talking about a trillion dollars.

And here's Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT):

...We're literally maybe days away from a complete meltdown of our financial system, with all the implications, here and globally. ... What you heard last night is one of those rare moments - certainly rare in my experience here - was that Democrats and Republicans decided we needed to work together, quickly."

This is some crazy shit.

MIA

Hey gang.  Sorry for the lack of posts today (I know you're all weeping).  I had to do two chocolate demos today.

Speaking of, I calculated that, in the past year, I have given samples of cacao to probably between 5,000 and 6,000 people.

Shameless plug - check out the sweetriot website to learn about more of the yummy goodness I work with!

Gold Star Winner: September 18, 2008

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)

One of, Like, Six Republicans Against the Iraq War

Dan's Favorite Republican

"She [Sarah Palin] doesn't have any foreign policy credentials.  You get a passport for the first time in your life last year?  I mean, I don't know what you can say.  You can't say anything... I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia.'  That kind of thing is insulting to the American people... I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States."

Amen, Chuck.  And congratulations.

Todd Palin Refuses to Testify

Alaska's "First Dude" - and the potential Second Man of the U.S. (gulp) is not going to comply with a subpoena issued by the Alaska legislature in the Troopergate scandal.

Sarah Palin herself is also refusing to cooperate with the investigation, saying that it is "tainted" by partisanship.

Right.  We're supposed to believe that Palin, the pure, noble-hearted reformer, is throwing away her chance to prove her innocence because she is just so disgusted by a supposedly partisan investigation (that's actually a bipartisan investigation with which she cooperated before she was on McCain's ticket).

My question: if she's as innocent as she says she is, then what do she and her husband have to hide?

And it really pisses me off when people just ignore subpoenas.  This bitch is Bush all over again.

Gold Star Winner: September 17, 2008

Martha Stewart

Jack (or Jill?) of All Trades

Bazillionaire

Today on her daytime TV show, Martha was asked how she would feel about having a technologically-challenged person like John McCain serving as President of the United States.

"I would feel weird - really weird, because I think you have to keep up with whatever's there.  And whatever's prevalent.  And communication's changed so much."

Amen, Lady Martha!

Where in the World is Carly Fiorina?

After her twin gaffes yesterday - one of which earned her a Gold Star here at the Danifesto - Carly Fiorina has "disappeared" from the McCain campaign for a while.

Maybe she'll be staying in one of McCain's seven houses?

Speaking of Palinoia...

Late last night I linked to Nate Silver's post at FiveThirtyEight that cited Palin's falling favorability numbers in the Research 2000/Daily Kos poll: she had fallen from +17 to +1 in six days.

And on the seventh day, I will indeed be resting... more comfortably than I have in a while, as that same poll now shows her favorability at -1.

In other words, she's dropped 18 points in a week.

It's just one poll, but hey, it serves to back up the trend that I think is beginning to take shape in the media narrative and the presidential daily tracking polls (i.e. Obama back on top - by two! - in Gallup today).

The Economy: It's Stupid.

I'll be the first person to admit that I'm somewhat of a simpleton when it comes to the financial crisis.  Before this week, I had never really heard of Lehman Bros. and all I knew about AIG was that Stockard Channing did the voiceovers for their commercials.  But now I know two things:

1. Wall Street - and this economy - are in serious trouble.
2. The financial industry has basically been taken over by the federal government.

This is scary on many levels.  For one thing, it seems like this problem should have been avoidable if sane, reasonable people had been in charge.  The very basic cause for what's happening is that banks and other companies loaned out lots and lots of money to people, many of whom can't afford to pay it back.  Hence, everybody's going bankrupt, and now the Fed is paying $85 billion to bail out AIG, after bailing out Bear Stearns earlier this year and letting Lehman Bros. die this week.

The past eight years, which, contrary to McCain's campaign have indeed been dominated by the Republicans, have shown us that a) you can't spend more money than ever AND lower taxes at the same time, and b) you can't deregulate the financial industry - somewhere, someone has to be looking over something!

The Republicans have made a habit of expanding government where we don't need it (spending, Iraq, Patriot Act, etc.) and cutting government where we do (not funding veterans, no oversight for Wall Street, 47 million Americans without health insurance, etc.).

I'm sure one of you out there is a Republican.  Explain to me why, after royally fucking everything over the past eight years, you deserve four more years in the White House?

De Ja Vu in New York?

Are the New York Mets in the process of collapsing in September, and thus losing another division title to the Phillies, for the second season in a row?

2008 gets weirder and weirder.

Call it a Status Update

Okay, I'm officially starting to kinda like - and I said kinda like - New Facebook.

Gold Star Winner: September 16, 2008

Sorry this one is a little late.  The Gold Star Winner for Monday, the Sixteenth of September in the Year of Our Lord 2008 is:

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina

McCain-Palin Campaign Surrogate

During an interview with a St. Louis radio station this morning, Fiorina was asked if she thought Sarah Palin has the experience to run a major corporation - say, Hewlett-Packard.

Fiorina's response?

"No, I don't."

In fairness to Fiorina (alliteration!), she went on to blab about how she's not running to be a CEO (riiiight, she's just running to be VP - totally less important), and also pointed out that McCain, Obama and Biden also apparently do not have the experience to run a corporation.

That's great, Carly.  But I don't care about that.  You get today's Danifesto Gold Star for these three beautiful, bluntly honest little words:

"No, I don't."

and Yes. We. Can.

Alaskan Women Against Palin

This is pretty sweet:

On the same day Sarah Palin held a "Welcome Home" rally with no more than 1000 supporters in Anchorage, an "Alaskan Women Reject Palin" rally was held just a few miles away and attracted more people - about 1400 to be exact.

It was the biggest political rally in the history of the state of Alaska.

Palinoia Sets In

(Note: That's to be pronounced like "paranoia," only it's "Palinoia."  As in, "I'm paranoid of Palin.")

FiveThirtyEight, one of the best sites on the web, had some interesting numbers on Sarah Palin's favorability ratings as they currently stand.  According to the Research 2000/Daily Kos poll, her numbers are down from a +17 six days ago to a +1 today.  Diageo/Hotline has it at +12, down from +24 last week.

If you trust polls and aren't a Sarah Palin fan, then you had a pretty good day today (unless you work on Wall Street).

Regardless of numbers, I think the Palin craze - and I understand I am not at all an impartial observer here - is indeed coming back down to earth.  I think the narrative that is forming right now in the media is one of "Okay, soooo... who the fuck is this chick again?"  Think about it: less than three weeks ago, she burst onto the scene, and predictably, a lot of the initial reaction was positive ("OMG!  She's a mom!  She's a normal person!  She cooks mooseburgers!") and the novelty of it at all was overwhelming and inspiring.  But now, as we digest seemingly one Bush-like scandal after another, the juxtaposition of her as a sweet, "normal" gal with some kooky beliefs and shady, unethical behavior seems to be leaving people somewhat skeptical or, in my case, downright spooked.

I will say this: after her interviews with Charlie Gibson proved that, though articulate and attractive, she knows nothing about basic issues and can't perform without a script, I'm not as worried about her debate with Biden anymore.  I don't think Biden will wipe the floor with her, but I'm less afraid of her coming across as charmingly competent as I was a few days ago.  I don't think she's not intelligent; I just think she doesn't know.  And I think that is becoming increasingly obvious with each passing day.

For All You Wayward 20-Somethings...

I just wrote and deleted two entire posts in which I tried to unpack my thoughts and feelings on being a flummoxed, sometimes-directionless twentysomething.  It's too much to fit into one post.

Anyway, I don't know if it's this election, or the change of seasons, or just some transitional energy in the universe, but I've felt a kind of alien fluidity and upheaval in my life lately that I don't think is specific to me.  I feel like the "WTF" moments I have on a daily basis are pretty common to the early-twentysomething crowd.

So if anyone else out there is feeling this way, let me just take a moment to say that I get it.  I know how you're feeling even if no one else does.  And shit is fucked up right now, but the path will eventually be clear and, when it is, I'll see you at the top.

Partying Like it's 2004

In a blow to my wildest dreams (in which Obama wins the presidential election with 400+ electoral votes, including wins in North Dakota, Montana, Georgia and Mississippi), Dan Balz of the Washington Post opines that this election will probably be fought in the same old states: your Pennsylvanias, your Michigans, your (yawn) Ohios of the world.

Thoughts on Richard Gere

Why does he keep making the same movie over and over again?

Doesn't Nights in Rodanthe look like the absolute WORST movie ever?

And why does none of this seem to bother him?

Ugh.  It's all been downhill since Runaway Bride.  And even that was a stretch.

Sarah Palin IS Lindsay Lohan...

...because she installed a tanning bed at the Governor's Mansion in Alaska.

OMG.  Tina Fey is running for Vice President on the Lindsay Lohan ticket.

McCain is a Copycat

This presidential campaign is really weird and getting weirder.

The ridiculousness coincided with the selection of Tina Fey as our next Vice President.  Over the past three weeks, McCain has started running on a campaign of "change" - oh, excuse me, "reform" - and has said he and Vice President Tina Fey will "shake up" Washington and change how business is done....... while proposing to do exactly the same things George W. Bush has done.

Now he's even got commercials running that call Obama "more of the same" and refer to Barack as "not the change we need."

This is slightly insane at first read because, like most of the things John McCain has said lately, it's not true.  But it's totally, wholly insane when you ponder it some more because those slogans are literally the exact same slogans Obama is using against McCain!

Therefore, McCain is copying the attacks Obama is using against him, and using them against Obama in a way that makes....... no sense.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then John McCain must really love Barack Obama.  They should make out.

(And thanks to my friend Alex who first pointed this out to me a few days ago.)

Hoping for History

When politics dies down (after the election), I hope to devote this blog more to a mix of not just politics and news but some other things I like too, mainly sports and particularly baseball.

The baseball season has entered its homestretch and, with the Yankees out of it and the Phillies' usual late-season dance of being out of contention one day and suddenly back in it the next day, let me say this:

I hope the Tampa Bay Rays make the World Series this season.

I didn't say win it, because that would be too weird, and they still might face the Phillies, whom I would obviously want to win.  But this is by far the best story of the baseball season - and maybe the best story of the past 20 baseball seasons - and I hope it continues deep into October.

Lindsay Lohan, Political Analyst

Aw, well it turns out Lohan and I have at least one thing in common: she doesn't like Sarah Palin either.

Gold Star Winner: September 14, 2008

Senator Joe Biden (D-DE)

Democratic Nominee for Vice President

One of Dan's All-Time Favorite Politicians

Fucking Cool as Hell

"So folks, I believe that's a metaphor, a metaphor for what the country is looking for.  They're looking for a sleepover with people they like."

Joe, you crack me the fuck up.  I love you, man.

(Note: This might serve as the Gold Star Winner for Monday as well.  I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I don't know how successful I'll be in finding some clever yuks, but I'll do my best.)

Is McCain Lying About His Crowd Sizes?

As Fox News would say, you decide.  It would make sense, seeing how he lies about everything else.

(Hat tip: Talking Points Memo)

Waterworld?

As worried as I am about the environment, these floating cities actually look pretty cool.

Just spare me the Kevin Costner, please...

(Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan)

Sarah W. Palin

If you haven't yet gotten a chance, you should check out the Sarah Palin article in today's New York Times.  It's pretty discomforting, though I have to say that nothing shocks me about this woman anymore.

I already felt like our little moose-hunting gal was just George W. Bush in Kawasaki glasses and a skirt - religious fanatic, fake conservative, no concept of foreign policy, basically ignorant, yet wrapped up in an appealing (to some) folksy package.  But this article increased that perception tenfold.  It's not just her beliefs that echo Bush, it's her borderline-fascist behavior, as well, and that's more bone-chilling:

Interviews show that Ms. Palin runs an administration that puts a premium on loyalty and secrecy.  The governor and her top officials sometimes use personal e-mail accounts for state business; dozens of e-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that her staff members studied whether that could allow them to circumvent subpoenas seeking public records.

Rick Steiner, a University of Alaska professor, sought the e-mail messages of state scientists who had examined the effect of global warming on polar bears.  (Ms. Palin said the scientists had found no ill effects, and she has sued the federal government to block the listing of the bears as endangered.)  An administration official told Mr. Steiner that his request would cost $468,784 to process.

When Mr. Steiner finally obtained the e-mail messages - through a federal records request - he discovered that state scientists had in fact agreed that the bears were in danger, records show.

"Their secrecy is off the charts," Mr. Steiner said.

First of all, why would a request by a university professor to look through some e-mails cost almost half a million dollars?!?  Is this some kind of joke?  Seriously.  I'm wondering if there actually is some crazy-yet-logical explanation behind what seems to be a total crock.  If there is, then I'll breathe a sigh of relief.  Otherwise, it seems like they just made that number up out of thin air.

 

Second of all, how about all this secrecy shit?  Who does it remind you of?  Hmmm....

The similarities between the fake reformer currently in the White House and the fake reformer from Wasilla are breathtaking.  First it was the policies, now we find out it's the behavior - secrecy, obsessive cronyism, disdain toward progressives and severe isolation.

What's next?

The Inaugural Danifesto Gold Star

This is the first in a series that I will be continuing from here on out.  Every weekday (and possibly weekends too) I will be awarding a special Danifesto Gold Star to the person who gives the day's best quote.  I'll judge quotes based on both content and context.  If you ever come across a quote that you think is worthy of such an esteemed honor, send it my way!

And without further ado, the very first Danifesto Gold Star goes to....

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

In response to Sarah Palin's fake complimenting of Hillary Clinton, Congresswoman Schultz offered the following statement:

"Sarah Palin should spare us the phony sentiment and respect.  Governor Palin accused Senator Clinton of whining and John McCain laughed when a questioner referred to her by using a demeaning expletive.  John McCain and Sarah Palin represent no meaningful change, just the same failed policies and same divisive, demeaning politics that has devastated the middle class."

Well said.  Thank you Debbie, and congratulations on being selected to receive the first Gold Star in the history of The Danifesto.

Searching for Barack Obama

Yesterday, I went to Ground Zero (only about a five-minute walk from my apartment) in a valiant attempt to see Barack Obama, who visited the site yesterday with McCain to honor the victims of 9/11.

It should be noted that I walk past the World Trade Center all the time on my way to and from the subway, but I've never been there on September 11.  It was a very sobering feeling being right across the street on this particular day: seeing so many policeman milling about, barricades set up everywhere and families of the victims with young kids and single mothers and fathers.  Very, very sobering.  It was a good reminder of the sheer luck and wonder involved simply with being alive and the good fortune to have not lost anyone on that horrible day.

Anyway, the main mission of the afternoon was to catch a glimpse of Barack Obama.  As might have been expected, no one knew what the fuck was going on.  I talked to at least four or five different cops who all gave me conflicting reports on where he would be, when he would be there and if he'd even be there at all.  It was truly the deaf leading the blind.

To make a long story short, I never got to see him.  I do, however, have a hilarious story from my travels and travails of the day, and that's why I'm writing this post.

There was a woman, a family member of one of the victims, who set up shop on Broadway with a bunch of signs and photographs shortly after a quasi-parade of protesters (the people who thought 9/11 was an inside job, etc.).  She basically was telling the crowd that, if we elect Barack Obama, we somehow elect the mindset of those crazy protesters, and therefore we will all become part of a Muslim socialist nation that looks a lot like Europe.  Now, I of course failed to see the logic in this woman's argument (for a number of reasons - I mean, where in Europe are there any Muslim socialist nations?).  I stood there in the front of the crowd, proudly wearing my Obama shirt, as she yapped about "freedom" (and how, somehow, the GOP is in favor of that) and tried to make everyone afraid of Islam - and, thus, Barack Obama.  Because Barack Obama is Muslim.  And socialist.  And European!

Anyway, after about five minutes of this bullshit, I escaped in a brave effort to find more intelligent life.  I failed, and ended up returning to this same spot about an hour later.  Now, I was pleased to see, this woman was holding a sign that said "Drill Baby Drill" and was trying to get the crowd going in a chant: "McCAIN AND PALIN FOR A SAFE AMERICA!  McCAIN AND PALIN FOR A SAFE AMERICA!"  The crowd didn't really seem to be buying it.  I turned to some guy who was standing next to me and said, "This woman is a fucking idiot."  This woman, who is clearly voting Republican and I'm sure voted for Bush at least once, had in her hand a copy of the Constitution, as if to imply that somehow the Republican Party - which brought us Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and the Patriot Act - was the party of civil liberties.

My first instinct was to throw up, but luckily I didn't follow through on that.  So I decided to do the only thing I was capable of doing at that point - I screamed.  Pushing away all self-consciousness, I started yelling, "OBAMA!  OBAMA!  OBAMA!  OBAMA!  OBAMA!  OBAMA" at the top of my lungs to drown this woman out.  Lo and behold, most of the rest of the crowd joined in with me!  (Ah, New York...)  So there we were, us vs. this stupid woman, a meek "McCAIN!" vs. a robust "OBAMA!"  It was a hilariously wonderful release of the pent-up frustration I have for every stupid McCain supporter who still thinks the Republicans offer small government and guarantee on personal freedoms.  I was giddy afterwards.

So, I didn't get to see Barack. But I did get to shout his name in the face of a woman so ignorant and ill-informed that she dared chant the names of McCain and She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named four blocks from my apartment in broad daylight.  Not in my neighborhood, bitch.

The Bush Doctrine?!?

Look, guys, I'm not trying to go all "Northeastern elite liberal leftist" on you, but if you're running for Vice President - with the potential to be President - of the United States, then you need to know what the Bush Doctrine is.

The Bush Doctrine is more than just a symbol of the bone-headed and deadly foreign policy conducted by the Bush Administration; it will probably go down as one of the most significant developments in the use of American power around the world.  It says that we can attack other nations preemptively.  That was the rationale behind invading Iraq, which we all know turned out swimmingly.

Last night, Sarah Palin clearly didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was.  Charlie Gibson asked her what she thought of it.  "In what respect?" was her reply.  Excuse me?  In how many "respects" can you interpret a pretty straightforward philosophy of how to conduct our foreign policy?  This was, of course, just something she spit out because she clearly didn't know what the fuck she was talking about.

This is all fine if you're actually a hockey mom with five kids and are just an ordinary person who is vastly unqualified to be President or Vice President.  But Sarah Palin is one of these normal, unprepared, ignorant people who might just find herself in the White House in a few months.  As if Troopergate, the banning books scandal, her lies and hypocrisy and her ridiculous Creationist views didn't already disqualify her from seeking this job, her answer on the Bush Doctrine last night does the trick.

McCain/Palin's New Logo

(Hat tip: Talking Points Memo)

Obama on Letterman (Updated)

I haven't written about this stupid "lipstick on a pig" faux controversy, but I'm assuming by now everyone in the Western World has heard about it.

Letterman started his interview with Obama tonight asking about the statement.  I gotta tell ya, I think Barack has a chance to turn this thing on its head and hit McCain with the very "lipstick" madness he started.  Obama made the point that, had he meant it this way, Palin would be the "lipstick" and McCain's failed policies would be the "pig."  The fact that the McCain campaign is now pretending to be the movement for "change" is, of course, ludicrous.  Obama is right: by dressing McCain up with Palin, and the two of them posing as maverick reformers, the campaign has indeed become "lipstick on a pig."  Why not run with this meme, now that it's entered the lexicon?

Talking Points Memo has already started to do this.  They've superimposed the "McCain/Palin" logo - same font and all - on a picture of an adorable pig wearing lipstick.  It's a PERFECT analogy for the campaign.  The Obama campaign should start running ads and printing literature with the very same McCain/Palin/Lipsticked Pig logo used by TPM.  It's brilliant.  It's simple, eye-catching and it turns their campaign into what the Obama campaign wants to turn it into: a joke.

Obama can't get overly angry because he won't look good doing it, plus it clearly makes him uncomfortable.  Obama can't simply do nothing because that would be political suicide.  But turning McCain/Palin into a joke would be the gift that keeps on giving.  And the "lipstick on a pig" analogy is so ridiculous and funny that, in my mind, it just might work.

UPDATE: Okay, so I just read the whole post over at TPM (instead of just looking at the image in passing), and it turns out Josh Marshall had basically this same idea a few hours ago.  They're even selling t-shirts!  In all honesty, though, I hadn't read that post until after I saw the Letterman interview, which is where I thought up of the - very similar - concept on my own.  But those guys rock, and deserve the credit!  I hope it takes off.

Going Green

The city of San Antonio has come up with an innovative program that will help turn smelly sewage into renewable energy.

Enough natural gas will be produced to fill 1,250 tanker trucks a day.

Sweet!  Can't wait till Mayor Bloomberg puts those windmills on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Thoughts on 9/11

Seven years ago tomorrow, the men and women of the United States Congress stood together on the steps of the Capitol and sang "God Bless America."  It was an incredible display of unity and bipartisanship on perhaps the worst day in this nation's history.

Seven years later, it feels like we are right back where we were on September 10, 2001 - maybe even that we're worse off.  George W. Bush, besides simply squandering the international goodwill generated after 9/11, has pushed a mantra that only a great fascist dictator could find attractive - he has not only disagreed with intelligent dissent, he has sought to quash dissent altogether.

If you've disagreed with this president's actions, either at home or abroad, you've been branded a 21st-century Benedict Arnold.  This all started with Bush's "You're either with us or you're against us" and "Bring 'em on" mentality that he foisted upon the rest of the world, the same way guys with really small dicks are usually obnoxious.  We were going to unleash war, Bush said, wherever and whenever we wanted - and as Heidi might say on Project Runway, "you're either in you're out." (Supply your own cute German accent.)

The problem is twofold: one, as we have all learned, Bush is all smoke and mirrors.  We never went to go get Osama bin Laden (which our allies and enemies would have approved of), instead opting to alienate everyone but Tony Blair in a ludicrous attempt to bring "freedom" to Iraq.  (This, of course, was never about Saddam Hussein, it was about oil.)  Six years and a shitload of $4.00-a-gallon tanks later, we are entangled in more problems than - well, ever.

But that's not even the biggest problem, at least not in the greater scope of human history.  The biggest tragedy of the Bush administration is the "with us or against us" mentality Bush and the Republicans have used to rationalizes every fucked-up thing they've done.  They turn anyone who disagrees with them into a traitor.  Just because I think this president (and vice president, and former secretary of defense, etc. etc. etc.) is a lying, conspiring scumbag doesn't make me a traitor.  Just because I didn't support this ridiculous war doesn't mean I don't and won't always support the troops.  Just because I don't seek to politicize 9/11 along with the Republicans (i.e. their 2008 convention video, their 2004 convention IN NEW YORK CITY, et. al.) doesn't make me un-American.

In fact, it makes me more American, dare I say.  Disagreement, dissent, discourse - this is what makes for a successful democracy.  You cannot have democracy without active participation of all the players involved - Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, white, black, Latino, Asian, Native American, male, female, straight, gay, young and old.  The rights of those in the minority are as important - if not more important - than the robust power of the majority.  The voices of the people - all the people, even if they passionately disagree - are vitally important, even if the president is the ultimate "decider."

Dissent is essential to this country and to the future of this world.  That's why Palin's adventures in book-banning scares me so much.  We can move forward, together, in this country but only if we air our differences - frequently.  And we must be allowed to do so.  Disagree, disagree, disagree - and then agree to disagree, and have firm faith that we are all Americans first, and we can all still be Americans even while thinking the other guy is totally fucking nuts.

Quote of the Day

"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." -Louis Brandeis

Speaking of McCain Being Alone...

Looks like Johnny didn't do well in his first solo appearance since the convention.

Palin Watch, Day 13

The moose-hunting Creationist is returning home to Alaska tonight, where she'll be greeted with a welcome ceremony in Fairbanks.

Looks like McCain is on his own for a few days.  It'll be interesting to see if the enormous crowds and enthusiasm they've been generating dissipates a bit.

In Bed with Big Oil

Literally.  It turns out that Interior Department officials were caught having sex with and receiving gifts from energy companies with whom they were doing business.

And by "energy companies," we of course mean primarily oil and gas corporations: Shell, Hess Corp., Chevron and Gary-Williams Energy Corp.

Nice.

Sleepless Over Sarah

I've been having some really strange nightmares lately, and I'm constantly waking up tired or kinda freaked out from said nightmares.  I honestly wonder if it has anything to do with the downward spiral in my optimism over this election, ever since She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named appeared.

I can't stress enough how much this upsets me.  Sarah Palin, for many people, is still a complete unknown, and she has no qualifications other than the fact that she is Christian and, gosh, people seem to like her.  For comparison's sake, Barack Obama is no longer a complete unknown.  He has been running for almost two years, has given countless interviews on every subject known to man and has appeared in more than 20 presidential debates (with three more to come).  He also has, by the way, the votes of more than 18 million Americans to serve as proof that he is ready.  And I believe that his qualifications - civil rights attorney, constitutional law professor, biracial, young, not of Washington, pragmatic, even-tempered - are exactly what we need in our president at this moment in time.

By contrast, everything I have learned about Sarah Palin is deeply upsetting and unsettling.  This woman is backwards, backwoods religious yahoo.  The woman tried to ban books, for crying out loud.  And her record is a complete farce.  The "reformer" actually increased property taxes in Wasilla, was in favor of earmarks and, of course, keeps flagrantly lying about that Bridge to Nowhere.  Yet, right now, McCain and Palin are winning.  Somehow, someway, they are ahead - because people are going to vote for her because she seems like an ordinary person.

She is an ordinary person.  That's what's so scary.  She'd make a great neighbor, I'm sure.  But this woman could be Vice President or President in five months' time.  It's scary and more than a little sad.  What is happening to this country?  Our first Vice President was John Adams.  Our next Vice President might be Sarah Palin.

Now I know why I'm having so much trouble sleeping.

Questions for Palin

Madame Moose Hunter will be interviewed this week by Charles Gibson, a journalist in whom I have absolutely zero confidence will ask her anything remotely substantive.  As Keith Olbermann mused a few nights ago, the questions will probably be something like this:

1. Do you believe you were a victim of sexism?
2. Do you believe you were a victim of sexism?
3. Do you believe you were a victim of sexism?

Maureen Dowd, who's been firing on all cylinders ever since Palin joined the race, has some questions of her own.

Sad, But Possibly True

And, if true, John McCain will be the next President:

"This election is not about issues.  This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates." - Rick Davis, John McCain's campaign manager, speaking a few days ago.

Unlikely Cheerleaders

McCain and Palin take a time-out to praise President Bush's plan to withdraw 8,000 American troops from Iraq by February.

I'm sorry, John, but I thought you were, like, super-duper opposed to bringing any troops home before "victory" was won? (What victory looks like when you're fighting a faceless enemy, let me know.)

And Sarah, honey - well, I'm glad you know what Iraq is now.  I-R-A-Q.  See, it's this big country in the Middle East where we're fighting a war we should never have started.  Your position is to be IN FAVOR of the war, so no more talk about an exit plan, 'kay?  That would pretty much be in direct contrast to the argument put forth by the guy at the top of your ticket!

Sigh.  Will someone take her back to Alaska, please?

Green Fashion

Oh by the way, it's Fashion Week.

And, in great news, it seems like green is in - and possibly here to stay - among many designers at Bryant Park.

As Tim Gunn would say, "This is gorrrgeous!"

Libertarians for Obama?

Alex Tabarrok at Marginal Revolution makes the case that, if you're a libertarian (socially liberal people who are fiscally conservative and want the government to get the fuck outta their lives), you should vote for Obama.  I was really struck by this quote in particular:

A country cannot long combine unlimited government abroad and limited government at home.  The Republican party has become the party of war and thus the party of unlimited government.

Agreed.  George W. Bush, the Republican, has presided over the biggest government in the history of the United States - unprecedented spending, unprecedented deficits, unprecedented abuse of American power abroad and here at home.  Ever hear of the Patriot Act?  Small government, my ass.

The Republicans know nothing but their own thirst for power.  Their entire party - and the McCain campaign by extension - has devolved into a foolish sideshow of pandering hypocrites.  They have encouraged the big government road this President has gone down, and then they have the nerve to declare themselves the party of "change," blame the Democrats for the failures of the last eight years and proclaim that they want smaller government.

We can't let these guys win.  The only thing scarier than the Republicans trying to run on "change" and their laughable claim that they are fiscal conservatives with an eye on small government is the fact that, right now, millions of Americans believe them.  And that is just ridiculous.

My Thoughts Exactly

"You can put lipstick on a pig.  It's still a pig." -Barack Obama, speaking today in Lebanon, VA.

The World Wants Obama

Duh.  Didn't the 200,000 screaming Germans give it away?

I know that there are those on the right (and maybe in the left and middle, too) who don't take any value from the fact that just about the entire world wants to see Barack Obama elected President of the United Srates.  The only country where it's a horse race is this one.  God love Reagan Democrats and the Electoral College!

Seriously, though.  Think back to July when Obama went on his "world tour."  He was greeted by tens of thousands of adoring fans waving American flags in Berlin.  John McCain has of course twisted this into "Obama is just a celebrity" (this is before the moose-hunting hockey mom/tabloid target was on the ticket) and tried to use Obama's popularity against him.  But isn't it nice when other countries wave American flags instead of burn them?  Why do people not see this as one of the incredibly inspirational and transformational aspects of Obama's candidacy that it so clearly is?

The biggest issues in this election have to do with the economy here at home - gas prices, taxes, etc. - and that is definitely the way it should be.  We have to tend to our business here first.  But, seriously, America, you can elect someone who will instantly put us in good standing again with literally the entire world, or you can elect someone whom people either dislike or are apathetic towards.  It may not directly affect your wallet, but it is an important difference between these two men.

(Image: ABC News)

This is Not an Ego Trip (Updated)

I recently came across a blog - written by a friend of mine - who believes that liberal bloggers (is that even what I am?  I've been doing this for, like, two seconds) are basically kooks who have nothing to say and only desire to go on ego trips from the safety of their own homes.

I suppose I agree with the "kook" point, at least in my case, although he didn't refer to us as that directly.  And I won't be so bold to think he was writing solely about me - in fact, when he posted this particular entry, I didn't even have this blog up yet - but, nevertheless, I took offense to one issue he raised in particular.

He seemed to think that blogs, particularly liberal blogs, serve no real purpose other than to satisfy the egos of said bloggers.  Really?  I read Talking Points Memo, Ezra Klein, Matthew Yglesias, Open Left, Talk Left and Daily Kos multiple times daily.  Those are really popular liberal blogs that I'm pretty sure don't exist simply for ego-stroking.  They serve to inform, to communicate and to rally people together for a common purpose.  Hey, I even read conservative blogs, too - in fact, there are links to Andrew Sullivan and Daniel Larison on this site's blogroll, and, while you won't find a link here, I often find myself perusing Red State to see how the other half lives.

That, however, is besides the point.  The point is this: there's nothing private, or "safe," about posting your thoughts and feelings on the internet and putting them out there for billions of people to see.  You can go ahead and disagree - in fact, please do, as it's the only way one ever really learns anything - but don't ever bash people for letting their opinions be heard.  Everyone has a right to express themselves.  You notice I'm not saying that this friend of mine should stop blogging altogether.  I'm calling for him to stop insinuating that these blogs don't matter and that liberal bloggers should just keep their mouths shut.

They call us progressives for a reason.  Because without the whistleblowing of the left, nothing would ever get accomplished.  Criticize the content all you want; don't you dare criticize people's God-given right to speak, write or blog about issues that matter not just to me and you, but to every citizen of this country and the world.

UPDATE: The air has been cleared, and I was probably misinterpreting what he meant.  But my overall point remains the same - people need to be allowed to state their opinions - and disagree with others - in whatever forum possible.  That's the most important aspect of a democracy.

"I disagree heartily with everything you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -Voltaire

Barack's Education Plan

I have always felt that the best way to achieve lasting progressive change is through education reform.  You gotta get people while they're young.

This is another reason why I love Barack Obama.  He understands the importance of education.  I mean, think about it: the guy, brilliant as he is, wouldn't be where he is today without working his way through two of America's best schools, Columbia and Harvard.  He has already stated that he is in favor of a college tuition tax credit in exchange for public service.  Brilliant.  Today he announced some more specifics of his education program:

Today he proposed programs that would provide $500 million in matching funds for investments in technology, increase access to Advanced Placement courses in high schools and double funding for charter schools.

He also wants to provide parents with a report card to help them keep abreast of their child's educational development, institute pay-for-performance programs for teachers, in addition to help for struggling teachers.  He also pledged to report to the American people yearly on the state of the country's schools.

I love it.  Of course, here's where the Republicans say, "but how are you gonna pay for it?"  Well, I'd start by withdrawing troops from Iraq, an endeavor that currently costs us $10 billion per month.  Then they'd say, "but you'd leave Iraq in ruins!"  Really?  Tell that to your Republican president, who today announced he plans to bring home 8,000 U.S. troops by February.

No Child Left Inside

The House of Representatives is voting this week on a bill that would help strengthen environmental education and increase overall environmental awareness among children.

Among other things, it would provide for $100 million over the next four years in grants "to ensure the academic achievement of students in environmental literacy through the professional development of teachers and educators and outdoor learning experiences for students."  Yay!  If I had my way, way more than $100 million would be allocated to this exciting program.  But I'm just a latte-loving leftist.

The website linked to above says the House will vote on the bill either today or tomorrow.  According to the House Majority Leader's office, it doesn't look like it's on tap for today.  Let's hope they get to it tomorrow.

The Palin Who Cried Wolf

Remember what I said about Sarah Palin being a broken record?  The madness is continuing.  The woman either doesn't know that everyone is catching on about her "bridge to nowhere" bullshit, or doesn't care that everyone is catching on about her "bridge to nowhere" bullshit.  Either way, it's pretty fucked up.

Once again, she's yip-yapping about her stalwart opposition to the bridge.  It's simply not true.  Today she took her act to Ohio:

"I told Congress thanks but no thanks for that 'Bridge to Nowhere' up in Alaska.  If a state wanted a bridge, we were gonna build it ourselves."

You know what's even more fucked up about this whole thing?  It's not just that she's lying, but that quote is literally the same quote that she has repeated now in at least half a dozen stops on the campaign trail.  She continues to read from the same script.

Palin has nothing else.  She cannot speak the truth, and she cannot speak without a prepared speech.

No way, no how, no McCain, and NO PALIN.

Tom Brady Out for the Season

And fantasy owners everywhere cry their eyes out.

Palin Watch, Day 12

Hey, remember when She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was all like "I'm a fiscal conservative!  Vote for me!"  Well, it turns out that, once again, she's lying.

During her first 19 months as governor (of the 47th largest state out of 50), Palin billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home.  This was charged to an allowance that is supposed to cover things like meals and expenses that pile up while she is on official state business.  And let's be real here, people: there was no official "state business" occurring during those 312 nights at Palin's home in Wasilla - unless, of course, you count the conception of baby Trig and her presumed discovery that Bristol was pregnant.  Lord knows she's made them campaign business thus far.

The Lies They Tell

Halle-fucking-lujah.  Ed Rendell, among others, are finally calling out the McCain campaign for flat-out lying.

It's really kinda breathtaking.  Last week, you had Mitt Romney at the RNC lashing out at "eastern elites" with a straight face, you've got Palin parading all over the country touting her opposition to the bridge to nowhere (after she was for it; in fact, she campaigned for it) and now McCain is running an ad that blames the Democrats for the failures in Washington the last eight years.

Gee.  I'm pretty sure there's been a Republican president the past eight years, not to mention a Republican Congress for the bulk of that time.

As Barack said in his acceptance speech, it's time for them to own their failure.  And it's time for us as voters to hold these hypocrites accountable for the havoc they have wreaked upon us.

No way, no how, no McCain and no Palin.

Sarah Palin: Trojan Moose?

Arianna Huffington says that Palin is nothing more than a Trojan Moose (love it) distracting us from four more years of Bush:

The point is that Palin, and the circus she's brought to town, are simply a bountiful collection of small lies deliberately designed to distract the country from one big truth: the havoc that George Bush and the Republican Party have wrought, and that John McCain is committed to continuing.

Every second of this campaign not spent talking about the Republican Party's record, and John McCain's role in that record, is a victory for John McCain.

I get what she's saying.  But the problem is that it's people like Sarah Palin who are exactly what is wrong with the Republican Party.  The fact that this nutcase could not only be nominated, but in turn be adored by the Far Christian Religious Right, shows how much peril this country is in.  Sarah Palin is not John McCain, and, yeah, we're running against John McCain.  But Sarah Palin is actually more of the last eight years than John McCain is.  Sarah Palin is George W. Bush in designer glasses and a skirt (with a creepy bearskin rug).  People have to be enlightened to just how disgusting and dangerous this woman is.  So I will continue to spread the word of the hate-mongering, ignorant kook that she is, and I hope everyone else who loves this country and is worried about its future will do the same.

Hey Facebookers

If you're a Facebook junkie (like me), you should check out my anti-Sarah Palin group.  In fact, you should join.

Link is here.  122 members and counting!

Oh, and for the record: the list of books Palin allegedly tried to ban that is circulating the web is fake.  But the claim that Palin tried to fire her librarian for not agreeing to her demands are real.  The following is from Time Magazine:

Stein says that as mayor, Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times.  "She asked the library how she could go about banning books," he says, because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them.  "The librarian was aghast."  That woman, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn't be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor.

Palin Watch, Day 11

The problem with the Sarah Palin Saga is that it is a horrifying combination of the following:

1) Sarah Palin is only on the ticket because she is a woman.

2) Sarah Palin is also a scary right-wing nutjob.

3) Sarah Palin has no qualifications for the job.

4) Sarah Palin was never properly vetted by John McCain.

5) Sarah Palin has answered ONE question from a reporter since becoming McCain's running mate.

6) Sarah Palin could conceivably be President of the United States in January.

Add all those up and you have:

7) Despite all these things, the McCain-Palin ticket is currently LEADING in the polls.

People get the government they deserve.  But does anyone possibly deserve this?

(Image: The Telegraph)