Clinton and the Gays

It seems another key Clinton demographic group is abandoning her for Obama.

(Hat tip Chris, by way of Beth.)

The Hagee Issue

Josh Marshall, putting the endorsement of Sen. John McCain by anti-Semitic homophobe, John Hagee into perspective:

Let's be clear what happened here. John McCain solicited the support and endorsement of Hagee and then he held a joint appearance with Hagee in which he formally endorsed him. In these terms, Obama has no connection whatsoever to Farrakhan. He's just someone who said positive things about Obama. So the premise for even asking Obama is dubious in itself, whereas McCain has openly embraced Hagee.

McCain's general election campaign is certainly off to quite a shitty start, isn't it?

Emmys Consider New Award

News Item: The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (the folks who hand out the coveted Emmy Awards) have announced that they may add a new category to the awards mix next year...Best Reality Show Host.

That sound you hear is the blood rushing from Ryan Seacrest's over-sized head to his now very hard penis.

Come Back, Joe

It's no secret that my first choice for the Democratic presidential nod was Sen. Joe Biden. In my opinion, he personified both Barack Obama's hope for change and bipartisan cooperation with Hillary Clinton's claims of experience. This guy has both qualities in spades over any of the candidates in either party. But after a dismal showing in the Iowa caucuses in January, Biden ended his quest for the presidency.

Whether we have a President Obama, a President Clinton, or even a President McCain next January, I think Joe Biden's presence in the cabinet of the next administration would prove to be beneficial to the country and to the globe.

Here is a major reason why I believe this. His knowledge of the most pressing international affairs is beyond reproach...

Afghanistan’s fate is directly tied to Pakistan’s future and America’s security. When President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan concluded that we were not serious about finishing the job in Afghanistan, he began to cut deals with extremists in his own country.

As a result, the border area remains a freeway of fundamentalism: the Taliban and Al Qaeda find sanctuary in Pakistan, while Pakistani suicide bombers wreak havoc in Afghanistan.

...If Afghanistan fails or Pakistan falls to fundamentalism, America will suffer a terrible setback. The candidates should tell Americans how they will handle what may be the next president’s most difficult challenge.

Chris Dodd For Majority Leader

And when the next president nominates Joe Biden to their cabinet, I would really like to see that nomination guided to the Senate floor for confirmation by a new Senate Majority Leader. Harry Reid has proven hapless and ineffective in his role.

Who should replace him?

Without a doubt...Sen. Chris Dodd, of Connecticut.

Storm Warning

So, voters head to the polls in Ohio, Texas, Vermont, and Rhode Island on Tuesday to cast votes in their presidential nominating contests. Conventional wisdom has it that Sen. Hillary Clinton will need to blow Sen. Barack Obama out of the water by significant margins in both Ohio and Texas in order to have any realistic chance at the Democratic nomination.

Clinton leads in Ohio polls, but her margin has dwindled from 17-points at the beginning of February to just one-point this weekend. In Texas, Obama has taken a 16-point lead for Clinton and turned into a 4-point lead for himself. Will it be enough to put him over the top in the Lone Star State?

I have to tell you...I'm nervous.

There has been early voting in Texas for the last couple of weeks, and those votes usually benefit Sen. Clinton. However, there have been reports that Obama's ground operation there has been stellar and that that may keep a strong early vote lead for Clinton pretty low - or erase it all together.

I am no expert on the voting trends of Texas, but despite Obama's slight lead in polling and the reports of a solid get-out-the-vote operation, there is something in my gut telling me that Texas could very well swing to Clinton on Tuesday night. I don't know if it's a distrust of the polling numbers or what, but I guess I just won't believe Obama will win until I actually see raw vote numbers.

Pins and needles, I tell ya...pins and needles.

As for Ohio, I am fairly certain Clinton will win there. And while I don't think her victory margin will be double-digit, I think it will be a bit more comfortable than current polling predicts.

Whatever happens in both states, the nomination will still be Obama's to lose. The delegate count still favors his candidacy. But if Clinton wins both big states, even by small margins, the pereception of a revitalized Hillary candidacy will knock Obama down a few pegs.

The Clinton Bridge

Quote of the Day:

If the Clintons were the bridge to the 21st century, Obama IS the 21st century.

-Representative Chet Edwards (Democrat-TX), as quoted by Kevin Cokely, anchor/reporter for KXAS-TV in Dallas, Texas.

And there is the key point in this primary campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Given an intelligent, inspiring, patriotic Democrat against a 72-year-old Republican who is SO yesterday, Americans will go with inspiration.

But put a yesterday Democrat up against the same yesterday Republican...well...just remember...this is a country that has voted for a Republican president in 7 of the last 10 presidential elections (6 if you factor in the popular vote in 2000).

Say it with me: Obama for president.

"Gay Chicken"

Where were these games when I was a kid!?

WTF !?

Umm...it's March 1st? Where did February go?

Hell!

Where did January go?

End of the Week Levity

A classic laugh riot from the foul mouthed kids of "South Park," Colorado...

(NOT safe for work!)

Ellen on Larry

Ellen DeGeneres will take time out of her show today to make viewers aware of the horrible murder of a 15-year-old gay junior high school student in Oxnard, California earlier this month. And she nails it.

GOOD. FOR. HER.

There's Nothing to See Here

News item: Oil topped $102.00 a barrel this morning.

President Bush, yesterday:

Wait, what did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gasoline? I hadn't heard that?

In case any of you ever wondered what it would look like like if J.R. Ewing and Office Barbrady conceived a child...just look at the miserable imbecile currently residing in the White House.

The Flag Flap

Rep. Jack Kingston (Republican-GA) shows Republican hypocrisy in spades:



Can we put this idiotic non-issue to rest now, please?

"You Know I'm Right"

From Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times:

On the campaign trail, Democratic front-runner Sen. Barack Obama...drew wild cheers as he told a mostly African-American crowd that parents need to shape up, turn off the TV, help their kids with their homework and stop letting them grow fat eating Popeyes chicken for breakfast.

It's not good enough for you to say to your child, 'Do good in school,' and then when that child comes home, you got the TV set on, you got the radio on, you don't check their homework, there is not a book in the house, you've got the video game playing.

So turn off the TV set, put the video game away. Buy a little desk or put that child by the kitchen table. Watch them do their homework. If they don't know how to do it, give them help. If you don't know how to do it, call the teacher. Make them go to bed at a reasonable time. Keep them off the streets. Give ' em some breakfast. Come on. ... You know I am right.

I am a strong believer in the theory that American parenting has become a joke and that something has to be done about it. But what to do? I am not a parent and never will be, so I haven't thought about a solution all that much. But a president who can inspire from his bully-pulpit is an excellent place to start.

"I'm a Proud Liberal Republican"

The dispirited Senator from Arizona, handing already weary conservatives more fodder:

Carrico Out

I was shocked to see Robbie Carrico ousted on tonight's "American Idol." He wasn't the best, but he wasn't bad enough to go home so early in the season. I wasn't as shocked to see Jason Yeager go, but I think the "Vote for the Worst" crew are calling in for the hapless, messy Danny Noriega. Me thinks he is this year's Sanjaya.

I am more than happy to see Alexandrea Lushington and Alaina Whitaker go home. They were among the worst of the week.

"Dignity and Respect"

Heading into the final weekend before big primary votes in Ohio and Texas, the Obama campaign has bought major ad buys in four major gay newspapers: Outlook Weekly of Columbus, the Gay People's Chronicle of Cleveland, the Dallas Voice, and OutSmart of Houston.

Here is a generic copy of the ad, courtesy of Andy Towle:

Staring at the Ceiling

Quote of the Day:

Hardly a case goes by without eight [Supreme Court] justices peppering lawyers with questions. Left, right and center, the justices ask and they ask and they ask. Sometimes they debate each other, leaving the lawyer at the podium helpless to jump in. Leaning back in his leather chair, often staring at the ceiling, [Clarence] Thomas never joins in.

-Mark Sherman, of the Associated Press, on the fact that Thomas hasn't asked a question from the bench for at least two years.

I have read somewhere, although I can't find where, that Thomas rarely - if ever - writes opinions; that he does so only when forced (ie: the sole dissent).

Either way, the hapless Thomas must make the Bush family proud.

"Idol," Week 2: The Girls

Another crappy night for the girls...

Carly Smithson
"Crazy On You"
Randy and his freekin' "pitch" critiques! She nailed this! I think this was a great song choice for her voice. Nice way to start the night. Fantastic job!

Syesha Mercado
"Me and Mr. Jones"
Apparently I'm not hearing what the judges are hearing tonight. I thought this was a fabulous, strong take on a classic R&B tune. The night got better with this performance. Nice arrangement, top-notch vocals.

Brooke White
"You're So Vain"
Yeah...I'm definitely not on the same page as the judges tonight. She was SO off on the chorus of this song. She seemed to be ok in the verses, but man...she fell really flat elsewhere. A bit disappointing...at least the way I heard it sitting here on my sofa.

Ramiele Malubay
"Don't Leave Me This Way"
Not the best performance; rather average, actually. She can definitely sing, but his was only an ok performance.

Kristy Lee Cook
"You're No Good"
Like Ramiele before her, Kristy Lee was only average tonight. She'll be back next week, but she won't be the biggest vote getter of the night.

Amanda Overmyer
"Carry On My Wayward Son"
That hair! There's something almost parody-like about it. I mean, it's like Whitesnake fucked Cruella Deville and Amanda was the spawn. The dancing was a bit much, as well. Honey, the 80s are over...come...join us here in the 21st century. Vocally she was strong in places, missed the mark in others.

Alaina Whitaker
"Hopelessly Devoted To You"
It's the night of mediocity. And the sad thing is, as in seasons past, one of these average-josephines will probably win the competition. That said, this was nothing special. Alaina didn't do herself any favors tonight.

Alexandrea Lushington
"If You Leave Me Now"
What an odd choice of song. I mean, it might have worked if she changed the arrangement a bit, but she used the exact original layout and it didn't work. It sounded like off-key karaoke. My judgement...it was the 2nd worst of the night. She may very well have knocked herself out of the contest with this.

Kady Malloy
"Magic Man"
What was with the oversized bedazzled dress? What a rag! As for the performance...like nails on a chalkboard. Crappy all around. She beat out Alexandrea for worst of the night with this hack job. She may sqeak through tomorrow night (never discount the teen-boy-masturbatory-vote), but if it were up to me she would be sent home.

Asiah Eepherson
"All By Myself"
Yet another odd song choice...and then she dropped the ball with it. Off key, lazy, and the vocal olypmics crap at the end doesn't make up for it. One of three worst of the night.

David Hernandez Tends Bar

And what is sure to make Larry both moist and hard at the same time, the current "American Idol" contestant works at the gay club in Phoenix known as Burn.

Photo proof from the guys at VoteForTheWorst.com, by way of Andy Towle...