Mac vs PC

Very clever "No on Prop 8" ad...


Another plea to my readers: Keep these fascists from writing hate and discrimination into our state's constitution. Please give anything you can to the No on Prop 8 folks.

"Dramatic Johnny"

Watch this clip first, then the one below it. Hilarious!!




(Shout out: John Aravosis)

Unpatriotic and Beyond Vile, Part 6

Everything these people say turns my stomach, but the kid holding the kid at 0:30 is particularly scary.

(Shout out: Gil)

M = W

Brilliant!

"I am not President Bush?"

Hmmm...

Best Analysis of Tonight's Debate

There were obvious flashes of anger and aggression, when it looked as if Mr. McCain might actually cross the vertical split-screen line separating the combatants and wring Mr. Obama’s neck.

...Toward the end of the debate, I saw Mr. McCain use the universal “air quotes” gesture, a clear sign he was mocking something Mr. Obama had said. It almost didn’t matter what.

Mr. Obama, for his part, either listened stolidly, scribbled notes or smiled at his opponent with that Ronald Reagan “There you go again” smile.

For much of the time Mr. McCain was on the attack, Mr. Obama just sat there absorbing the blows as if wearing body armor. Which, in a sense, he was, in the form of a double-digit lead in national polls.

And this guy watched the debate with the TV volume on mute !

Debate # 3

I'm SOOO glad these debates are over. If you count the primary debates of both political parties plus the four debates of this general election campaign, there have been between 45 and 50 of these damn things - and my brain hurts from thinking about them all.

As for tonight, once again Barack Obama won - hands down. Obama was clearly, plainly, and without a doubt cool-headed and presidential; while McCain came across as cranky and way out of focus. The Republican candidate attempted to throw tons of dirt at his Democratic opponent tonight, only to find that Obama didn't take the bait, causing McCain a great deal of frustration throughout the entire affair.

If McCain was hoping for a "game changer," he didn't get it. If anything, this debate will solidify Barack Obama's comfortable lead in the polls. Don't get me wrong...by any measure Obama is not guaranteed victory on November 4th (with 20 days to go, anything can happen), but I feel very confident. Because following 8 years of incompetence, American voters weren't looking for a debate on fucking William Ayers and Joe the plumber. They wanted substance and gravitas, not negativity and crankiness.

Obama won the debate, hands down.

American voters agree. Insta-polls show Obama winning rather easily:

CBS:
Obama 53%
McCain 22%

CNN:
Obama 58%
McCain 31%

Then there was this...


Uhhh...Sen. McCain...the Secret Service would like to speak with you please.

Ok...enough of the debates. On to the last 19 days. Upward and onward...Obama for President... know hope!

Gov. Palin's "Qualifications"

Not safe for work...but absolutely roll-on-your-ass hilarious!!

"Don't know much about geography"

Uhh...Gov. Palin...New Hampshire is on the opposite side of the country from the "great northwest." (That crowd was ready to throw her off the stage!)

Unfair, Unnecessary, and Wrong

A pretty heavy-handed slap at those who want to write discrimination into the California State Constitution...


PLEASE...click here and throw a few bucks to No on 8 folks.

Permission to Marry

This ad was produced in 2006, but has the perfect tone for the fight against Proposition 8 here in California:


Please...if you haven't already...throw a few bucks their way. Defeating this hate-filled constitutional amendment is crucial.

Straight Talk

Sarah Palin: Palling Around With Secessionists

I report, you decide...


I repeat what I've said before, the Palins should not be let anywhere near Washington, DC. Why someone isn't challenging their security clearances is beyond me!

Asshole of the Year

A new father in Tennessee secretly changed the name on his baby girl's birth certificate to "Sarah McCain Palin," in tribute to the Republican presidential ticket.

He made the change without consulting with the baby's mother, who had decided on Ava Grace.

How much you wanna bet that this dick-wad will be regret his compulsive decision on the morning of November 5?

B.S.

Via the Daily Dish:

[This image is not from] a lone protestor or crowd member. Not a fringe nut on Free Republic. [It's on] the official Republican website in the state capitol of the most populous state in the Union.

Yet, when presented with proof that the Palins have ties to a radical fringe secessionist political party in Alaska, the Republican Party calls the reporting a "smear campaign."

The next time they update the definition of "hypocrisy" in the dictionary they ought to add "see Republican."

The Palins Are Secessionists

The mainstream media is finally focusing on the Palins involvement with the Alaska Independence Party - a party that exists solely for the purpose of seceding from the United States.

It's about eleven-minutes long but I highly urge you to watch the report. CNN does a great job of connecting the dots that link the A.I.P. to the mindset of people like Timothy McVeigh, and then right to the doorstep of Todd and Sarah Palin.


A secessionist on the Republican ticket? Worse yet, in the White House?

The nation's first Republican president is rolling over in his grave.

What Is In the Florida Water?

Rep. Tim Mahoney (Democrat-FL), the guy who won the state's congressional seat in the 16th district after Republican Mark Foley admitted to a "sex-texting" scandal with teenage congressional pages in 2006, has admitted to extra-marital affairs with two women.

As I've said before, these extra-marital things don't bother me anywhere near as bad as they do most Americans. But this is one of those situations where the candidate campaigned on a promise to return moral and family values to the congressional district following the embarrassment of the Foley situation. You don't do that and then turn around and dip your stick in a woman you're not married to.

I think it's safe to say that FL-16 can be moved from the Democratic column back to the Republican column on Election Day.

The stupid idiot.

No Longer Toss-Ups

Some mainstream media outlets are still categorizing some states as "toss-ups" in the Electoral College, despite current polling that shows Barack Obama with comfortable leads in each of them. While these states can't be described as "solid Obama" (although they do come awfully close), polling margins easily put them in the "lean Obama" category.

Pollster.com plots all of the state-by-state polling and then calculates a "regression trend estimate" (rather than averages). The site's current figures for the so-called "toss-up" states?

Michigan:
Obama 55.8%
McCain 37.4%

Pennsylvania:
Obama 52.7%
McCain 40.2%

Minnesota:
Obama 49.8%
McCain 44.4%

Florida:
Obama 51.2%
McCain 44.4%

Wisconsin:
Obama 50.4%
McCain 43.6%

Virginia:
Obama 50.3%
McCain 46.5%

Colorado:
Obama 51.7%
McCain 43.7%

CNN, NBC, and the Washington Post, among others, need to stop categorizing these states as "toss-ups." I fully understand that the numbers could change over the next three weeks, but at this point the states are not toss-ups. They are, at the very least, light blue.

Based on the Pollster.com numbers, this is how I think the electoral map looks as of this morning, with the green states falling into the "toss-up" category as I define it (both candidates under 50% and within three-points of each other):


Obama/Biden: 333 electoral votes
McCain/Palin: 155 electoral votes
Toss-ups: 50 electoral votes
(270 needed to win)

McCain could win all six of the states I see as "toss-ups" (a pretty tall order) and he would still lose the election.

Side note on Minnesota: While the Pollster.com number has Obama just under 50%, several recent polls show Obama pulling away big time. One poll has the Democrat up 51-40, another 54-40, and yet another 55-37. The last couple of elections were close in Minnesota, but this is a state that hasn't gone Republican in a presidential election since 1972. In fact, it was the only state that voted for Democrat Walter Mondale in the 1984 Reagan landslide. I would call that "reliably Democratic," wouldn't you? And with Obama's current numbers showing a rout in the North Star state, I would say it is safe to move it from the "toss-up" category and into the "solid Obama" column.

"On such a timeless flight..."

This live performance of Elton John's "Rocket Man" is far and away my favorite version of the song. Performed at Wembley Stadium in the U.K. during 1984's "Breaking Hearts" tour, John's vocals are spot on and Davey Johnstone's guitar playing is absolutely stellar. The section from 4:32 to 5:45 will give you goose-bumps!

Your Song of the Day is "Rocket Man" by Elton John...

It Was 1960

The electoral map from yesterday's "Which Election Was It?" post is from the election of 1960 in which Sen. John Kennedy (Democrat-MA) took on the sitting two-term Republican Vice-President Richard Nixon.

Kennedy argued that under Eisenhower and the Republicans, America was falling behind the Soviet Union in the Cold War, both militarily and economically, and that as President he would "get America moving again." Nixon called Kennedy young and inexperienced and then touted the "peace and prosperity" Eisenhower had brought the nation.

Kennedy won a paper-thin popular vote plurality (112,827 votes more than Nixon) and a rather wobbly Electoral College victory. He won 20 states worth 297 electoral votes. Although the Democrats won the state of Mississippi, all 8 of the state's electors cast ballots for segregationist Harry Byrd when they met in December (even though Byrd's name didn't appear on a ballot). Six of Alabama's 11 Democratic electors joined Mississippi, as did one of Oklahoma's Republicans.

In the end Kennedy received 303 electoral votes, Nixon received 219, and Byrd tallied 15.

Mid-Week Brain Break

A continuation of last week's Mid-Week Brain Break, this is part 2 of the "Dallas" cliffhanger clips. These scenes document the steep and rapid fall of the one time king of nighttime soap operas, beginning with the infamous "dream episode" that brought Bobby Ewing back from the dead, and ending with one of the worst series finales in the history of television.

CBS News/NY Times: Obama Leads By 14 !

A new poll, released this afternoon, from CBS News and the New York Times :

Obama 53%
McCain 39%

Wow! If this is an accurate reflection of where American voters stand right now, then the McCain/Palin ticket is indeed in dire straits. I doubt it will really happen, but if McCain tallies less than 40% of the vote without a substantial third party candidate in the mix, then the Republican Party is set to spend some serious time in the political wilderness.

National Polling, 3 Weeks Out

Although it's the state-by-state polls we need to keep our eye on, the overall national numbers are looking mighty nice for the Democratic ticket:

Democracy Corps:
Obama 50%
McCain 40%

DailyKos/Research 2000:
Obama 52%
McCain 41%

Gallup:
Obama 51%
McCain 42%

Zogby:
Obama 49%
McCain 43%

Rasmussen:
Obama 50%
McCain 45%

Job Well Done?

Think about the coming election this way...the Republicans currently running the executive branch of our government want us to pat them on the back, say "job well done," and then reward them with another term in the White House.

The election of the Republican ticket - John McCain and Sarah Palin - would do just that. And so the question to voters is: Can America really afford four more years of incompetence and failed leadership?

Obama Pulling Away In Key States

Several new polls have been released over the last day or two that show Barack Obama pulling away in key Electoral College states:

Colorado:
Obama 52%
McCain 43%

Michigan:
Obama 54%
McCain 38%

Wisconsin:
Obama 54%
McCain 37%

Ohio:
Obama 50%
McCain 45%

North Carolina:
Obama 49%
McCain 46%

Virginia:
Obama 51%
McCain 44%

Florida:
Obama 51%
McCain 46%

Nevada:
Obama 49%
McCain 46%

These are very encouraging numbers, but we have 21 days to go and in politics that is a lifetime. Things can turn on a dime, so there should be no rest for the Obama campaign between now and Election Day. They should continue to run the disciplined campaign they've been running, and they should continue to fight as if they're 10 points down.

As for the map, Pollster.com, an independent web site that tracks just about every poll out there, shows Barack Obama leading in states with a total of 320 electoral votes (50 more than the 270 needed for victory), McCain leading in states totaling 155 electoral votes, and seven states listed as "toss-ups" that total 63 votes. (Pollster lists Virginia as one of the toss-ups but I tend to disagree with that assessment at this late date. Obama has been ahead in every single Virginia poll - save one - since mid-September; and he has led by over 8 points in several of them.)

So...according to Pollster's analysis, even if John McCain were to win all of the toss-up states and then move one or two medium-sized states away from Obama, the Republican ticket still loses.

Advantage: Obama. But the last three weeks are critical, there's still one more debate to go, and this is, after all, America. I'll believe an Obama victory when I see it.

"Deceiving and Unscrupulous"

Quote of the Day:

McCain lacks the character and temperament to be president. And Palin is simply a disgrace.

-Liberal hawk Christopher Hitchens, in his endorsement of the Obama/Biden ticket.

Hitchens characterizes the epitome of those on the left of the political spectrum who supported George W. Bush's re-election in 2004 based on the sole issue of the war against terrorism.

His view of the Republican Party today?

...the Republican Party has invited not just defeat but discredit this year, and that both its nominees for the highest offices in the land should be decisively repudiated, along with any senators, congressmen, and governors who endorse them.

Sarah In Wonderland

The Anchorage Daily News published a devastating editorial for Sarah Palin and her "Orwellian" reaction to the "Troopergate" verdict:

She claims the report "vindicates" her. She said that the investigation found "no unlawful or unethical activity on my part."

Her response is either astoundingly ignorant or downright Orwellian.

Page 8, Finding Number One of the report says: "I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act."

In plain English, she did something "unlawful." She broke the state ethics law.

...Palin's response is the kind of political "big lie" that George Orwell warned against. War is peace. Black is white. Up is down.

...[her behavior] wasn't appropriate, especially for someone elected as an ethical reformer. And her Orwellian claims of "vindication" make this blemish on her record look even worse.

You asked us to hold you accountable, Gov. Palin. Did you mean it?

Bottom line: Gov. Palin, read the report. It says you violated the ethics law.

Americans need to wake up! This woman, and her running mate at the top of the Republican ticket, should be defeated soundly three weeks from today.

Christianist Fascism

Listen to this blow-hole spew a threat to the Christian God and then tell me that G.O.P. doesn't stand for "God's Own Party."

RED ALERT: NO ON PROP 8

Hey folks...I know I've written posts on this a couple of times already, but we're in serious crunch mode. Proposition 8 is gaining traction here in California and those of us against it need your help to keep it from passing.

Prop 8 would write discrimination and hate into the state constitution by stripping the right to marry from gay and lesbian couples. Passage of this amendment would be several devastating steps in the wrong direction, and could set the simple idea of equal rights under the law back a generation.

Please...EVEN IF YOU DON'T RESIDE IN CALIFORNIA...I beg of you to throw a few bucks to the No on Prop 8 team. I know times are tough, I know the economy has you scared shitless. But even $5, $10, or $20 would be appreciated. Every little bit helps.

Click here and ... please ... help us defeat hate here in California.

Pathological

Friday's report from the Alaska State Legislature:

I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.

Rather straight forward and simple: Palin broke the law by abusing her power as Governor.

How did Palin react?


The Republican campaign has really gone into psychotic mode. They're living in an alternative universe where up is down, day is night, and light is dark. They are pathological and extremely dangerous. And Americans should reject this ticket outright...in a big way.

"Epiphany"

Now More Than Ever

Dawn In San Francisco

The view from my desk each morning is of San Francisco's East Bay. On clear mornings like this, the view is breathtaking and provides the perfect start to the coming week.

6:52am, San Francisco

Krugman Wins Nobel Prize for Economics

Although he has been a columnist for the New York Times since 1999, and a professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton for a long time, many Americans have only recently begun to know Paul Krugman, as he has been all over the television since the beginning of the Republican-fueled economic meltdown.

It was announced today that Mr. Krugman has been awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize for Economics for his analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity.

First Al Gore, and now Paul Krugman?

Larry must be absolutely giddy.

And Sean Hannity's wife is currently scrubbing the exploded mess that was her husband's head off the kitchen walls.

Little Miss Chloe

Gettin' mighty comfy before an afternoon nap...

A hilarious picture of Chloe's reaction to the takeover of her "mobile home" during a recent stay at Uncle Larry and Uncle Trevor's can be seen here.

Un-American and Beyond Vile, Part 5

Karen Tumulty, reporting from Virginia:

With so much at stake [and Obama leading in Virginia by a wide margin], and time running short, [Virginia Republican Party Chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick] did not feel he had the luxury of subtlety. He climbed atop a folding chair to give 30 campaign volunteers who were about to go canvassing door to door their talking points -- for instance, the connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden: "Both have friends that bombed the Pentagon," he said. "That is scary." It is also not exactly true -- though that distorted reference to Obama's controversial association with William Ayers, a former 60s radical, was enough to get the volunteers stoked. "And he won't salute the flag," one woman added, repeating another myth about Obama. She was quickly topped by a man who called out, "We don't even know where Senator Obama was really born." Actually, we do; it's Hawaii.

When asked about Frederick's remarks, Grandpa Bush-Bitch said he'd have to "look at the context."

What the fuck!?

Republicans For Obama

Meet John Huston, a retired U.S. Navy Admiral, a registered Republican...

...and a man who plans to vote for the candidate he feels is built in the Kennedy and Reagan mold. On November 4th, Mr. Huston will vote for Barack Obama.

Which Election Was It?

A young upstart Democratic United States Senator ran against a sitting two-term Republican Vice-President, arguing that the United States was falling behind and losing focus in the Cold War against Communism after eight years of GOP rule.

On Election Day the Democrat won one of the slimmest popular vote margins in the history of the nation - and a comfortable, but fragile, Electoral College victory.


Democratic ticket: 303 electoral votes (and 49.7% of the national vote)
Republican ticket: 219 electoral votes (and 49.5% of the national vote)
Independent: 15 electoral votes

The independent really wasn't an official candidate. When the Electoral College met in December of this election year, all of Mississippi's 8 electors, plus 6 of Alabama's 11, and 1 of Oklahoma's eight, cast ballots for a racial segregationist rather than the Democratic or Republican candidates.

The answer as to "Which Election Was It?" tomorrow.

"Who Is Barack Obama?"

That's the question John McCain keeps asking his scary supporters on the campaign trail.

The answer, Senator, is relatively simple.

Barack Obama is the guy who is currently kicking your ass:

Obama/Biden 53%
McCain/Palin 40%

The McCain Campaign, In 57 Seconds

Un-American and Beyond Vile, Part 4

Here is the absentee ballot that was mailed to voters in Rensselaer County, New York (note the spelling of Obama's last name):

According to county election officials, "it was a typo that made it by three rounds of proof-readers."

"All of whom are fascist McCain supporters," they failed to add.

Un-American and Beyond Vile, Part 3

Press play, let the clip load, and then fast forward to the 3:00 mark. At around 3:08 listen to what a McCain supporter's little girl says about Barack Obama...


Think about this for a moment: How do you think these Fascist freaks would react if an Obama supporter said something similar about John McCain? Their heads would explode. But you know, that's the thing. Obama supporters would never tell their children that "you need gloves to touch" McCain.

"My friends"...the McCain/Palin ship is sinking fast. Not just in the polls, but in class, decorum, and patriotism.

Reject them outright on November 4.

No on Palin

A conservative votes against McCain...because of Sarah Palin:

In the end, I couldn’t do it. My California ballot arrived in the mail today, and I opened it fully intending to vote for John McCain. I filled out the state propositions first — yes on 8, no on everything proposing a new bond or new spending — then the local offices, straight Republican excepting Kevin Johnson for (nonpartisan) Sacramento mayor. Finally, the vote for President of the United States: an academic exercise in California, where Barack Obama will surely win by a crushing margin. But good citizenship demands voting as if it matters. Do I believe in John McCain? Not as much as I used to. Do I believe in Sarah Palin? Despite my early enthusiasm for her, now not at all. Do I believe in the national Republican Party? Not in the slightest — even though I see no meaningful alternative to it. So, my choice for President in 2008, scrawled in my ballot as an act of futile protest, is Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. If nothing else, I am confident this is the first of several votes I will cast for him in years to come.

Side note: While I appreciate the vote against McCain (even if it wasn't for Obama), this guy's "yes" vote on Prop. 8 slays me (even if it doesn't surprise me). I still don't see how denying gay men and women the right to marry is "conservative." Since when is writing discrimination into the state constitution a "conservative principle"?!?

Make no mistake - the Republican Party of 2008 is NOT the Republican Party that elected Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. That Republican Party no longer exists.

Hockey Mom "Booed"...

...at a hockey game.

Un-American and Beyond Vile, Continued

These vile human beings keep pouring into McCain/Palin campaign events and saying things like:

- Rape victims "should pay double" for their own rape kits.
- "Commie faggot!"
- Rape victims "should die".

If I were John McCain, I would tell these Fascist nuts that I don't want their vote...

Eye Candy

Judging from the view behind this hot hunk of man-flesh, he lives in my neighborhood. I've never seen him, but you better believe I'll be on the look out!

Abuse of Power

Via TPM:

On a 12-0 vote, the Alaska legislative panel investigating "Trooper-Gate: released its report late Friday, despite week's of effort by the McCain campaign to head off the probe. Among the findings: Palin abused her power as governor and fired public safety commissioner Walt Monegan in part because he refused to terminate Palin's ex-brother-in-law.

After eight years of some of the worst abuses of power in the history of our great nation, can America really afford to have Sarah Palin anywhere near the White House?

Matt Lauer Is A Wanker

Ugh!

Rolling the Dice

How She and America Would React...

...if the Republican ticket wins and she has to take the helm:


(Shout Out: Daily Dish)
(Clip from the film "Airport 1975")

Bush to Address Nation...Again

From MSNBC:

In a new effort to calm the crisis, President Bush will make a statement on the economy Friday in the Rose Garden.

Good Gawd...please don't. You only inject more fear into the process.

And, quite frankly, you're useless at this point.

Add that to your utter incompetence and I think most Americans would rather you just sit up in the White House residence, read "My Pet Goat," and await the arrival of Barack Obama on January 20th.

But until then...don't touch anything!

Un-American and Beyond Vile

When I see shit like this I am truly embarrassed to be an American.



WHAT.

THE.

FUCK!!

John McCain: Not Fit To Be President

Can America really afford someone with his temperament in the Oval Office?

John McCain: Coward

Quote of the Day:

In my neighborhood, when you've got something to say to a guy, you look him in the eye and you say it to him.

-Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden, calling Republican John McCain on his despicable, vile, and slanderous attacks against Barack Obama.

Quote of the Day #2:

John McCain is not man enough to own his shit. John McCain will not openly confront Obama with his smears and lies and innuendo. John McCain will not come out and talk about Ayers, he has to be asked. That is why he goes to places like Fox News, so he can be asked. What a coincidence.

John McCain is a coward.

John McCain would rather hide behind his wife and Sarah Palin than say it himself.

...John McCain just wants to throw shit out there, and "raise questions" about Obama, and hope his supporters connect the dots, because he is too much of a coward to directly push this toxic stew.

-John Cole, letting all out in a way Biden wouldn't be able to.

Quote of the Day #3:

Several [right wing] bloggers dropped this turd on the sidewalk in May; the usual suspects have now discovered the pile and, after shoving some candles into it, have decided that it's a heap of birthday cake.

-Dave Noon on the whole sordid mess.

A Plea To My Readers

This new ad calls the Fascists who are attempting to write hate and discrimination into the California State Constitution on their shitty lies...



The situation is critical, folks. The "No on Prop 8" movement needs your help. Please...I know times are hard, I know you've got a lot to worry about financially...but this is so very important. If you only give $5 or $10...every little bit helps. Please throw a little bit their way.

You can access their donation page by clicking here.

End-of-the-Week Levity

The Simpson's take on "Harder Better Faster Stronger" (originally done by the adorably sexy Jay and Jay)...

Old Fart

Does this old fart realize that John McCain's mortgage proposal is about as Socialist as you can get!?!

(You only need watch the first minute of this clip.)

"What the Fuck?"

Kos posted this clip tonight and he's right...whoever put it together needs to put their stamp on it at the end.

It's pitch perfect "in a sinking economy."

Obama's North Carolina Ad

Recent polling indicates Barack Obama has a very good chance of winning North Carolina's 15 electoral votes next month, and as such he's airing a very strong ad in the state...


Sort of reminds you of the kind of ad Reagan would have run against Carter, doesn't it?

Song of the Day

This track isn't well known here in the states, but it's a classic in the truest sense of the word. From 1972, enjoy "Woman" by Barrabas...

Maverick!

Here is a killer new ad from San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein, & Partners. (This was not produced in conjunction with the Obama campaign.)


During the V.P. debate last week Sarah Palin said the word "maverick" so many damn times I almost expected James Garner to walk out on that stage.

Palin's Debate Flow Chart

ROTFLMAO!


(Shout out: Maya)

"This Year"

This ad was released a couple of days ago, but I like it and am posting it here for those who haven't seen it...

Mid-Week Brain Break

This one is dedicated to my mom.

As the new TV season gets underway, many shows return to resolve season finales from last spring. Although cliffhanger season-enders are commonplace these days, that wasn't the case back in the 60s and 70s. That is, until a show called "Dallas" started leaving viewers on the edge of their seats at the end of each season beginning in 1979.

This week's Mid-Week Brain Break highlights the first seven "Dallas" cliffhangers (the show would last 13 seasons). This clip includes the infamous "Who Shot J.R.?" episode.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"

The movie's release date has been pushed back to summer of 2009, but for those looking for a glimpse, here is the trailer...

Critical Situation

After several polls showed California's Proposition 8 losing comfortably in November, a new poll conducted by KPIX-TV (CBS 5) and SurveyUSA shows the proposed amendment to the state constitution winning 47% to 42%.

This amendment would prohibit couples from getting married in the state of California - it would deny equal protection under the law - it would write discrimination into the state's constitution.

The situation is critical, folks. The "No on Prop 8" folks need your help. Please...I know times are hard, I know you've got a lot to worry about financially, but this is so very important. If you only give $5 or $10...every little bit helps. Please throw a little bit their way.

You can access their donation page by clicking here.

Again...it's crunch time...the situation couldn't be more critical. Please...do what you can. And forward this post on to everyone you think can help out. Thanks.

Meeting Juliana

Ok...I finally hooked the camera into the iMac and have some pictures from last week's Chicago visit. My new niece, Juliana Sophia, is an absolute joy. Adorable, gorgeous, with a smile that would melt your heart. Mom and Dad are holding up despite a case of colic, and her Grandmother and Aunt are there whenever they can to lend a hand. This past weekend her Uncles helped out where we could, and gave my sister some much needed down time by treating her to a nice lunch (sans Juliana) near downtown Chicago.

Anway...here are a few select pics of my sister's Little Angel...

Heh !

Obama, Hands Down

Two of the best moments from last night's debate, courtesy of TPM. Both, I think, were rather fatal to McCain's candidacy...

Yowza!

I saw this a couple of weeks back and meant to post it and didn't. Jack Cafferty tells it like it is regarding Sarah Palin...


He's more than right, you know. If George W. Bush has us aimed for the proverbial cliff, John McCain and Sarah Palin will drive us over it simply by being elected. Because once they've won the White House - another four years of Republicans at the helm - there'll be no turning back.

Debate #2

If you were playing a drinking game where you did a shot every time John McCain said "my friends," then you're good and sauced right now.

Sigh.

I hate these "town hall" formats. They are not debates, they are...well...they're stupid. And Tom Brokaw was an absolute joke as moderator. In fact, he was so bad that Obama wound up taking control of the format on a couple of occasions.

Ok...now that my whining is out of the way, here are my initial thoughts:

Obama won this debate, hands down. (And, for the record, CNN's "dial voters" - undecideds who rated what each candidate was saying in real time - were constantly giving Obama positive ratings as opposed to McCain's negative ratings.) On each and every issue - the economic crisis, energy, health care, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Russia - Obama looked presidential at each and every turn. He was intelligent, cool, and collected. McCain, on the other hand, was crotchety, incoherent (did he really bring up hair plugs?), and seemed really out of it.

In the end this debate will probably not alter the state of the race all that much. Whether it increases Obama's already comfortable lead in the polls we won't know until the end of the week. But one thing is for sure...McCain's poor performance won't increase his numbers one bit. In fact, they may just head down.

Other reactions from around the web...

Andrew Sullivan:

This was, I think, a mauling: a devastating and possibly electorally fatal debate for McCain. Even on Russia, he sounded a little out of it...All I can say is...this has not just been an Obama victory. It has been a wipe-out. It has been about as big a wipe-out as I can remember in a presidential debate. It reminds me of the 1992 Clinton-Perot-Bush debate. I don't really see how the McCain campaign survives this.

John Aravosis:

[Obama] was smart, measured, and presidential. He presented details when details were called for, and cut down McCain politely and devastatingly when the situation demanded (I'm beyond impressed with Obama's ability to criticize McCain in a manner that doesn't come across as negative). McCain was cranky and bitchy. He was wooden and uncomfortable.

Markos Moulitsas:

Anyone watching CNN on a hi-def TV could see the dial focus group of a bunch of Ohio undecided voters. And throughout the night, it often seemed that Obama would break the darn meter, his ratings going through the roof. McCain, on the other hand, was the king of the flatline. I swear, you could see the downticks every time McCain said "my friends" -- a tell to the audience that he was about to serve another heaping dish of B.S.

(Photo: ABC News)

The Undecided Voters

These screen shots confirm the general reaction to tonight's debate. Obama made mince meat out of McCain...

"That One"

Could McCain's disdain for Obama be any more obvious??

Ten Trillion...and Counting

As if you need another reason to throw the Fascist-Republicans out of the White House...


Let me be very clear: If you love your country...if you love your children and would rather they not face a bleak economic future...then this shit has got to stop. The Republican Party is not - and never has been - the party of fiscal discipline. The presidency of George W. Bush has proven that fact beyond a reasonable doubt.

As it is, the next couple of generations face a daunting task cleaning up the mess of the last eight years. Don't make it worse by rewarding these failed leaders with another four.

Secret Service Will Follow Up On Obama Threat

From Radar Online:

The Secret Service is following up on media reports today that someone in the crowd at a McCain/Palin event suggested killing Barack Obama, according to Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley. The shout of "kill him" followed a Sarah Palin rant on Obama's relationship with radical Chicagoan Bill Ayers.

Good.

Now...Sarah Palin and John McCain need to strongly denounce such bullshit. By not doing so they come awfully fuckin' close to condoning it, don't you think?

Food for thought: Not only would Barack Obama have publicly denounced any threat by one of his supporters against the Republican ticket, he more than likely would have done so right then and there...you know...as it was happening. Palin just smirked and carried on with her speech.

Fuckin' bitch on wheels.

No. Wait. That's wrong.

Sorry...

...bitch on heels.

Song of the Day

"Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads...


(Shout out: Adam)

Li'l Bill

This kid is brilliant! BRILLIANT, I say!


(Shout out: Dan Savage)

Polls, Polls, and More Polls

A slew of new polls show Barack Obama with a comfortable advantage over John McCain with 28 days to go.

National:

CNN/Opinion Research:
Obama 53%
McCain 45%

Gallup:
Obama 50%
McCain 42%

Rasmussen:
Obama 52%
McCain 44%

DailyKos/Research 2000:
Obama 52%
McCain 41%

The news is just as good in the all-important state contests:

Ohio:
Obama 51%
McCain 45%

Florida:
Obama 52%
McCain 45%

Colorado:
Obama 51%
McCain 45%

Missouri:
Obama 50%
McCain 47%

North Carolina:
Obama 50%
McCain 44%

With these new numbers, if the election were held today the Electoral College map would look something like this:


Obama 365
McCain 173
(270 electoral votes need to win)

28 days is a long time in politics, and the desperate bottom feeders running the McCain campaign are obviously getting deep into the gutter in an effort to turn Americans against Obama. As such, I expect the race to tighten by November 4th. But still, at this point, Obama has some pretty hefty momentum.

Fascist Gutter Trash

The rabid Fascist Republicans - the candidates and their most passionate supporters - are scraping the bottom of the gutter at this point. They see their campaign for the White House losing ground and now their true colors really show - they have all become the most un-American scum we've seen in any presidential campaign in the history of our nation.

Example 1: When John McCain tries to stoke racial fears and asks "Who is the real Barack Obama?" a supporter in the crowd screams, "Terrorist!"


When you watch that clip you know damn well John McCain heard the horrid response from the crowd - it shows in his facial reaction. Yet, rather than denounce such maniacal hate, the Republican presidential candidate simply ignored it and moved on.

Remember, this is the same man who refused to school a woman who asked "How do we beat the bitch?" during the early part of the primary season, when it looked like Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic nominee. The man is a low life...plain and simple.

Then there's example 2: If and when I find the video I will post it. But yesterday during Sarah Palin's campaign stop in Florida, two things happened. First, when the Moose-Pie MILF started whining about her "gotcha" questions from Katie Couric and the "mainstream media," the crowd started booing the press corps assigned to the campaign stop, throwing things at them and telling a black camera man to "sit down boy."

What did Palin do? She smiled, and continued with her remarks.

THEN, when she brought up the William Ayers thing, someone in the crowd yelled about Obama, "Kill him!"

Kill him?

WHAT. THE. FUCK!?!!

Why isn't this front page news? Why didn't Palin stop her speech right there? WHY DID SHE GRIN WICKEDLY AND CONTINUE WITH HER SPEECH? AND WHY DIDN'T THE SECRET SERVICE IMMEDIATELY FAN INTO THE CROWD TO FIND THE UN-AMERICAN ASSHOLE WHO MADE THE THREAT? The last time I looked, threatening to to kill a presidential candidate is a pretty serious crime.

Are these the tactics the McCain/Palin camp have resorted to? Threats of murder without one word of denunciation from the candidates.

You know...I've resorted to calling these Republicans "Fascists" over the last couple of years simply to remind readers that many of their policies restrict individual liberty and are extremely un-American. But when their supporters start to threaten the lives of their opponents - and the candidates essentially egg them on - then it is obvious that the candidates themselves should just drop the name "Republican" from their party banner and replace it with "Fascist." Because that is what they are. Plain and simple.

Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt wouldn't recognize their party today - and are rolling over in their graves.

Eye Candy: Castro Street Fair Edition

URL Change

HEADS UP readers... beginning Tuesday morning, the URL of this blog will change:

www.usofwayne.blogspot.com

As the old Ma Bell operator used to say, "please make a note of it."

Little Miss Chloe

With her new toy, "Britney." (Thank you Uncle Trevor and Uncle Larry!)

Landslide In Virginia?

Is Barack Obama about to hand John McCain his ass in Virginia? A new Suffolk University poll suggests that such a scenario is possible:

Obama 51%
McCain 39%

It's been said that if Obama wins Virginia on Election Night then John McCain's path to 270 electoral votes becomes almost impossible. Yes...but there are scenarios where McCain could win without Virigina, although each scenario is pretty far-fetched. But...

...if Obama beats McCain by 12-points in Virginia (a state that has gone Republican for president in every election from 1968 to 2004), then you can bet the Democratic ticket will coast to a national victory pretty easily on November 4th.

The Suffolk poll isn't necessarily an outlier. Two additional polls, done over the past week, show Obama with similar leads:

SurveyUSA:
Obama 53%
McCain 43%

CNN/Time:
Obama 53%
McCain 43%

We're still 29 days out, and things will more than likely tighten up as we approach Election Day. But these polling numbers leave me very optimistic.

Not So Straight Talk

America's Choice

Pretty cut and dry, if you ask me...

30 Seconds of Sarah

Fascist Republican Sumbags

The V.P. Debate

Real brief, then I have to run...

Joe Biden won the debate hands down. He was presidential, steady on his feet, and didn't get caught up in his own words, as he so often does.

Sarah Palin, on the other hand, was impolite ("Can I call you, Joe?" What the fuck! No, GOVERNOR PALIN, you should call him SENATOR BIDEN!), was the typical Fascist-Republican (refusing to answer the questions posed by the hapless moderator and instead hammer unrelated talking points again and again and again), and by the end of the night proved she wasn't ready for the job. Her performance may not change any minds, but if there were any undecided voters out there, she did nothing that might cause them to cast their ballot for the Republican ticket.

Insta-polls taken immediately after the debate show the voting public agreeing with my assessment:

On the question of who won the debate...

CBS:
Biden 46%
Palin 21%

CNN:
Biden 51%
Palin 36%

Other reactions from around the web...

Matt Yglesias:

I think a visitor from Mars watching this debate would have been struck by the fact that Sarah Palin could barely get a paragraph out without mangling what she was trying to say...if you already had some serious doubts about her, I think she scarcely put those doubts away.

Ezra Klein:

...she used her closing statement so defensively. But whatever: Good for her. She should give up on politics and get a talkshow. Otherwise, she should learn how to answer the press's questions.

Noam Scheiber:

When Palin started off, you thought, "Wow, she seems so fresh - so human and easy to relate to. How can we compete with that?" Then, as the debate wore on, you thought, "Hmm, okay, she still seems human, but not quite what I'm looking for in a vice president." And, by the end, as the vacuous answers piled up, it was more like, "Good God, keep this woman away from the Oval Office."

Two New Polls and a Map

Two new polls, taken before the V.P. debate, show Obama with an increasing lead.

DailyKos/Research 2000:

Obama 51%
McCain 40%

CBS News:

Obama 50%
McCain 41%

That lead is showing itself in the all-important state-by-state contests. If the election were held today, the electoral map would look something like this:



Obama/Biden 354
McCain/Palin 184
(270 needed to win)

And Obama is closing in on McCain in Missouri and Indiana, which would mean an additional 22 electoral votes.

Most presidential elections get closer by Election Day, and I'm sure this race will be no different in that regard. But right now, things still look mighty good for Sen. Obama.

Meeting Juliana

I haven't been able to upload pictures, but Juliana Sophia is an absolute angel. She curled up on my chest yesterday afternoon and slept for an hour-and-a-half. She's got a pretty nasty case of colic, unfortunately...and that can reek havoc on any household...but mom and dad are doing the best they can with the help of Grandma Renee and Auntie Noel. And while I'm here I'll pitch in where I can.

But all-in-all, it's good to see family...and meeting my niece has been an experience I won't soon forget.

Like Thelma and Louise

Ben responds to yesterday's post about America's sudden decline:

I'm beginning to believe we have fallen victim to our own conventional wisdom. It is heavily touted among Republicans, and even acknowledged among many Democrats...that Ronald Reagan played a pivotal role in the fall of the Soviet Union. How did he do it? Our Star Wars program along with other costly buildups forced the Soviet Union into a race that they could not economically afford. The consequence proved fatal to the Soviet Union; perhaps it was not the only nail in the coffin, but it was probably the final nail.

Over the past eight years the cards have been turned on the United States. We have been placed in a position of attempting to compete in a race to fight terror, among a largely unknown enemy. The United States is pouring billions of dollars into efforts to protect national security - attempts that remain unproven and devastating to our economy.

Was there no lesson that Ronald Reagan taught us? Did we not learn that a country fighting to stay ahead of an unknown threat is destined for self economic destruction?

It might take a Republican to understand the economics of a Republican, but it takes a Democrat to point out just how wrong they are. I suppose better the Democrats point it out now, instead of the terrorist mostly laying in wait...watching and laughing as we create our own demise.

I largely agree with the assessment that much of our downturn can be traced back to the irresponsible costs of the Iraq War. Had we kept our focus on Afghanistan, the costs might not have been as high. Had George W. Bush not insisted on keeping his 2001 tax cuts in place after 9/11, he would have been able to pay for his war.

But Ben's arugument that we are in this mess because of our attempts to defeat terrorism isn't all of it. This economic collapse is also the work of Republican led efforts to de-regulate everything. In this instance, as with the terror-fighting efforts, the Republicans (and by extension, since they continually vote for them, Americans) don't seem to have learned their lesson. I am by no means an expert on economic issues, but it seems to me that without the proper safeguards in place the economic atmosphere is ripe for collapse. We learned this the hard way in 1929, and so, starting with the 1932 election (FDR), we began a very long, hard road to recovery. We altered course yet again when we saw the looming storm in 1992 - after 12 years of Republican rule. Yet that was only a temporary fix, because in 2000 we reverted back to a Republican presidency. The result was disastrous; America's course was changed and we began a horrifying journey toward oblivion. And when we had a chance to stop the coming calamity in 2004, we opted to leave Mr. Bush in place. And now...here we are...like Thelma and Louise...flying off the proverbial cliff.

The current meltdown and the coming recession (depression?) should serve as a hard lesson for every American. Republicans are not fiscal conservatives. They are not steady stewards of our economy (nor foreign policy for that matter). The current administration has been more reckless with our tax dollars than all of the administrations before it combined. In fact, I'd say their economic performance on all fronts borders on criminal.

And if you think for a minute that a John McCain presidency would be any different, I have a lovely bridge in Alaska I'd like to sell you.

Off to Chicago

Brent and I are off to Chicago for a few days to see my family and meet our new niece, Juliana. I'll check in when I can (probably after the Biden vs Palin debate), but pardon me in advance while blogging is light. I'll be back in full force on Monday.

American Life In Decline

Quote of the Day:

The banking and financial industries will be brought to their knees in the coming days -- but at the same time, I think that we are seeing ... the end of America's role as the world's consumption engine.

The quality of life for the average American will decline, but the trend towards more and more capital dependence on other nations is probably going to begin to reverse itself -- or at least significantly slow.

...George W. Bush's demands early in his administration for unprecedented powers and budgetary authority amidst unprecedented secrecy and non-transparent government was never effectively challenged by the [Republican] Congress that should have fought for its own constitutional prerogatives...

...But now the marketplace of power in the world and of the global financial order has brought this administration to a devastating conclusion ... and Americans are going to pay a long-term price for the reckless stewardship of America's [economy].

-Steve Clemons, serving up the hard medicine that Americans can't seem to wrap their brains around.

Two Words...

Train.

Wreck.

It Was 1824

Yesterday's "Which Election Was It" post is from the presidential contest of 1824. From Wikipedia:

In the presidential election of 1824, John Quincy Adams was elected president on February 9, 1825 after the election was decided by the House of Representatives. The previous few years had seen a one-party government in the United States, as the Federalist Party had dissolved, leaving only the Democratic-Republican Party. In the 1824 election, the Democratic-Republicans splintered and four candidates sought the presidency under the party banner. The faction led by Andrew Jackson would evolve into the Democratic Party, while the factions led by John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay would become the Whig Party.

When no candidate received the necessary 131 electoral votes to claim victory, the presidential election was thrown to the U.S. House of Representatives. As per the Constitution's Twelfth Amendment, only the top three candidates in the Electoral College were candidates in the House election: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and William Harris Crawford. Left out was Henry Clay, who just happened to be Speaker of the House. Clay detested Jackson and threw his support to Adams. Thus, John Quincy Adams, son of the nation's second president, was elected by the United States House of Representatives as it's sixth president on February 9, 1825, on the first ballot.

Post Turtle

Heh!

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being President. The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Palin is a post turtle."

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle was.

The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle."

The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. "You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her up there to begin with."

(Gracias: Mr. Bill)

McCain's Judgment

It's not what America needs as we move into the the next decade.


(Hat tip, Ben.)