Obama Victory: The Aftermath

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

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Gold Star Winner: November 12, 2008

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)
Used to Have a Mullet
"Rising Star" in the Republican Party... Whatever That Means

Here's T.Paw at today's Republican Governors Association conference in Miami:
“'Drill baby drill' by itself is not an energy policy.”

Yes! Thank you, Tim. Personally, I'd go one step further and say "drill baby drill" even as part of a broader package is still not an energy policy. But I'm just a crazy, tree-hugging, environment-loving, natural resources-saving leftist. Anyway, I thank the governor for at least taking one step away from the Far Right's oil-loving descent into idiocy. "Drill baby drill" is indeed not an energy policy, and Pawlenty's comments today are what I would call "straight talk," or at least a start.

That being said, somewhere, Sarah Palin is crying.

Politicians Who Have Smoked Pot

A list.

(Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan)

Mormons, Gays and 2012

The Mormon Church is getting a big round of applause from the Far Right for their efforts - $30 million worth of efforts - in helping Proposition 8 pass in California. First Read ponders if that could have any effect on the level of social conservatives' support for Mitt Romney, if he does as expected and seeks the presidency again in 2012.

I'm sorry, but what kind of fucked-up fantasy land are Republicans living in if, as a result of Mormons' efforts in barely passing a gay marriage ban in a state unwinnable in a presidential contest, they all go out and support Robot Romney for president?

Yes, I believe that the insanity on the Right may get worse before it gets better. Perhaps they'll be a reasonable political party again by... oh, 2024, or something like that.

Sarah Palin Alert: God & 2012

GOV. PALIN (R-AK) ASKS GOD TO LET HER KNOW IF THERE IS AN OPEN DOOR FOR HER REGARDING THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

"You know, I have -- faith is a very big part of my life. And putting my life in my creator's hands -- this is what I always do. I'm like, OK, God, if there is an open door for me somewhere, this is what I always pray, I'm like, don't let me miss the open door.

Show me where the open door is. Even if it's cracked up a little bit, maybe I'll plow right on through that and maybe prematurely plow through it, but don't let me miss an open door.

And if there is an open door in '12 or four years later, and if it is something that is going to be good for my family, for my state, for my nation, an opportunity for me, then I'll plow through that door."

Girl, you crazy.

Putting the "Young" in "Cy Young"

Tim Lincecum, all of 24, won the National League Cy Young Award today.

This means that, according to the BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America), the San Francisco Giants ace was the best pitcher in the NL this year.

That's probably true, though I would have loved to see Brad Lidge of the *ahem* WORLD SERIES CHAMPION Philadelphia Phillies get the award. He did go 41-for-41 in save opportunities this season (and then 7-for-7 in the playoffs).

Obama Transition's Rules for Lobbyists

Here they are:

• Federal Lobbyists cannot contribute financially to the transition.
• Federal lobbyists are prohibited from any lobbying during their work with the transition.
• If someone has lobbied in the last 12 months, they are prohibited from working in the fields of policy on which they lobbied.
• If someone becomes a lobbyist after working on the Transition, they are prohibited from lobbying the Administration for 12 months on matters on which they worked.
• A gift ban that is aggressive in reducing the influence of special interests.

This strikes me as about as aggressive a president or president-elect could be when it comes to steering clear of lobbyists. Unfortunately, you can't simply get rid of them. Washington would cease to function. Personally, I'm comfortable with these guidelines. I think Obama is sincere about not wanting to be beholden to lobbyists and special interests. Of course, we'll see what happens come January 20th.

(For that list, hat tip to Marc Ambinder.)

Hope & Change? Try My 50-State Strategy.

David Plouffe, David Axelrod and President-elect Obama himself all deserve an enormous amount of credit for competing in, and winning, such traditionally Republican states like Virginia, North Carolina and Indiana. But Howard Dean, the outgoing DNC chair, wants some credit, and he also had a large part do with the Democrats' electoral success.

Remember, Dean was the guy who, in the year 3 B.B.O. (Before Barack Obama, also known as 2005), implemented a 50-state strategy at the DNC, meaning Democrats were finally going to start competing in states they hadn't competed in since like the James K. Polk administration.

As Adam Nagourney points out in the article I linked to above, I think this year represented a perfect storm for Democrats which helped make a 50- (or 30-, or -25) state strategy possible. Consider this:

1. Lots of people everywhere, including independents and Republicans, were pissed off at George W. Bush and, by extension, the GOP.
2. The long primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Obama meant that Obama, the eventual nominee, had spent time, resources and committed staff in basically all 50 states.
3. Obama had a simple yet compelling message, along with a shitload of cash (that helps).
4. Changes in demographics worked in the Democrats' favor.

So, yeah. Everybody deserves some credit - Plouffe, Axelrod, Obama, Dean, even John McCain (which is not to take away anything from Obama's brilliantly run campaign). "The fundamentals of the economy are strong" ... Sarah Palin ... suspended campaign ... Sarah Palin ... Joe the Plumber ... Sarah Palin ... you get the point.

Scenes From "The West Wing"