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if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2008 / Open Thread

Open Thread

by John Cole|  February 20, 20087:30 pm| 183 Comments

This post is in: Election 2008, Previous Site Maintenance

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James Wolcott:

In my wild imaginings, I can’t help but hypothesize that Cindy McCain’s Hitchcock blondness–a taut cross between Tippi Hedren in The Birds and Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest–is being high-buffed as a visual counterpoint to her presumptive rival for role of first lady, Michelle Obama. The more vanilla ice that Cindy McCain gets, the blacker Michelle Obama looks, making McCain the more traditional, formal, supportive, standing-behind-her-husband-speaking-only-when-it’s-appropriate classic model–the eternal prom queen presiding over the receiving line.

She has already been deployed by the McCain campaign as an editorial counterpoint, taken out of her cellophane wrapping long enough to soundbite that, unlike Michelle Obama, she’s always been proud of her country, always will be.

In this clip, McCain delivers the patriotic rejoinder with a plucky little hand gesture reminiscent of Liddy Dole at her most down-homey, but the more interesting bit is when she and her husband are asked to elaborate, and she simply repeats what she said before with a distinct lack of oomph, as if she’s afraid of going off-script and straying off-message, having not rehearsed a more fleshed-out follow-up.

Discuss. All I have to add is that unlike that faux stiff martinet Cindy McCain, I haven’t always been proud of my country, but I still love it. I will be even prouder when the current GOP and their bullshit games like this are banished to the wilderness.

*** Update ***

You know one thing I am proud of- so far Barack and Michelle have not played the bullshit game. I have not seen them rushing to cameras wearing flag lapel pins dressed in red, white, and blue while singing the Star Spangled banner to demonstrate how much they love the country. All I have seen is a minor clarification from both when asked by reporters. More of that, please. Ignore these petty gasbags.

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Previous Post: « Round 1
Next Post: Some Analysis, Please »

Reader Interactions

183Comments

  1. 1.

    demkat620

    February 20, 2008 at 7:35 pm

    Yeah, she’s gonna be a lot of fun to watch. She makes Lynne Cheney look almost human.

  2. 2.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 20, 2008 at 7:41 pm

    I want to be the first to say: “Stepford.”

  3. 3.

    TheFountainHead

    February 20, 2008 at 7:41 pm

    She’s so proud of her country and her drugs and her country and her drugs and her country and her drugs…

  4. 4.

    MikeF

    February 20, 2008 at 7:41 pm

    I have rarely been proud of my government, but I had always been proud of my country until fairly recently, the last few years, since most people did not protest Bush’s repeated illegal actions.

    “If the Goverment is a car setting out to give every one a ride to work, then for 40 years the Republicans have been puncturing the tires, pouring sand in the gas tank, stealing the distributor cap, and, whenever they can get their hands on the wheel, driving it straight into the nearest ditch and then, pointing to the wreckage as the tow truck backs up to it, saying, ‘See, this proves that people were meant to walk.’
    And they do this so that they don’t have to chip in on gas.” – Lance Mannion

  5. 5.

    Quackers

    February 20, 2008 at 7:42 pm

    Kind of odd to see this posted. Last night McCain was on TV giving his acceptance monologue in Wisconsin and there was Cindy at her usual few paces behind. For a few seconds the camera focused on her and I got a jolt when it looked like her eyes were pure white with no irises. It was like something from Night Of The Living Dead. Must have just been a weird camera angle or something, but she looked really bizarre and downright creepy.

  6. 6.

    Dug Jay

    February 20, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    Re Quacker’s comment about Cindy McCain, I had a somewhat similar revelation while watching Michelle dissemble on what “she really, really, really meant” about her previous statement of never before having been proud of her country. To put this in a “John Cole-type of statement,” the lady looks as if she’s as high as a kite on something. The eyes were as blank as those of Bart Simpson.

  7. 7.

    DrDave

    February 20, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    The NY Times is reporting that his senior staff is keeping McCain away from a 40 year old female lobbyist with whom he may have or may have had a romantic relationship. Which McCain and the lobbyist both deny.

    Discuss that!

  8. 8.

    DrDave

    February 20, 2008 at 7:53 pm

    with whom he may have or may have had a romantic relationship

    with whom he may or may not have had a romantic relationship.

    My bad.

  9. 9.

    Jager

    February 20, 2008 at 7:54 pm

    McCain met Arizona’s Budweiser Princess when she was 25 years old, he was still married to the woman who stuck with him while he was the Hanoi Hilton…Cindy was everything he wanted, young, hot and rich! (very rich as her family sold every Bud product in the state of Arizona) Cindy’s money and his fame put him in office and my friends in Arizona are just starting to smell his bullshit after all these years.

  10. 10.

    PeterJ

    February 20, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    How about this photo of Cindy McCain.

    I doubt McCain would even look at other women, she looks ready to administer some serious punishment.

  11. 11.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    February 20, 2008 at 8:06 pm

    keeping McCain away from a 40 year old female lobbyist

    WTF? He’s the boss, and they’re possibly keeping him away from someone he’s romantically involved with?

    Assuming this is the case, is his senior staff a bunch of domineering puppetmasters, or is McCain a weak-willed twit?

  12. 12.

    Bob In Pacifica

    February 20, 2008 at 8:06 pm

    I’m white and Cindy and John look even whiter. 100% whiter. Do they put powder on their faces like the old French aristocracy? Do they only go out at night anymore?

  13. 13.

    Ryan S.

    February 20, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    Was anybody watching Hardball when it got yanked of the air for the GOP scandal Du jour? Strange

  14. 14.

    TheFountainHead

    February 20, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    Yeah, I was soo happy to see Tweety get yanked.

  15. 15.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    Well, as you may have observed, I have been telling people here that McCain is a trainwreck. But even I am surprised at this breaking story about him.

    This might overshadow the “my wife has always been proud of her country” meme, though, eh?

  16. 16.

    cbear

    February 20, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    McCain is toast.

    Anyone who sees a picture of the female lobbyist in question will assume the story is true. She could be Cindy McCain’s younger sister.

    Absolutely fucking wonderful.

  17. 17.

    Gus

    February 20, 2008 at 8:18 pm

    Quackers, I’ve had the same experience just about every time I’ve seen McCain speaking when his wife is in the background. The camera is not good to Cindy. Her eyes look positively reptilian.

  18. 18.

    John Cole

    February 20, 2008 at 8:20 pm

    I hate stories like this and have no desire to write about it. Unless they have info about him doing something illegal with the lobbyist, this sniffs of nothing more than a driveby smearing. You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front fucking page news. I don’t like this at all.

  19. 19.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 8:22 pm

    John, you really kick ass lately. Seriously, your posts are an oasis of sanity in an otherwise crazy world these days.

  20. 20.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    February 20, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    Anyone who sees a picture of the female lobbyist in question will assume the story is true. She could be Cindy McCain’s younger sister.

    Not going to happen. She’s going to get an expenses paid trip to Aruba until December. Or The Isle of Yap, if she resists.

  21. 21.

    PeterJ

    February 20, 2008 at 8:24 pm

    O’Reilly did everything he could to get Obama to agree to appear on Fox News. And then he did this…

    One step forward. Two miles back.

  22. 22.

    borehole

    February 20, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    Great. I spend the better part of a decade telling conservatives they’re paranoid twits for thinking the NYT’s out to get them, and now this?

    Can someone please explain why they sat on this for eight years and just broke it now, hot on the heels of Michellehatesamericagate? Otherwise I’ll be forced to agree with people I’d really rather not agree with.

  23. 23.

    Gus

    February 20, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    What John said. I didn’t care what Clinton was doing with Monica, and I don’t care what McCain is doing outside of his marriage. Unless, she was able to procure favors with her, uh, favors. If it can be proved that her clients benefited from McCain’s position, then we have a story.

  24. 24.

    PeterJ

    February 20, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    Also, McCain might not be on the Indiana ballot in May (not that it really matters, he will have won by then), but I guess it’s yet another story about how the GOP fixes things for McCain in the primaries…

  25. 25.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front fucking page news. I don’t like this at all.

    Well, we don’t know it all yet, but …. first, I think it will turn out to be more about the woman being a lobbyist and what, if any, favors might have been involved. Remember, this is a guy who has spent a decade trying to convince people that he wasn’t on the take in the Keating scandal, and I can assure you, he never convinced me.

    Second, the NYT is not a scandal sheet. I doubt that they’d have run with this story if there were not plenty to it. I think I’d wait a while before deciding what this is, and what it’s about.

    If it’s about nothing but his private life, then I will not care to see him pilloried. If it’s about his job as a US Senator …. that’s different.

  26. 26.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 20, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    Republicans lacking Dick control? That’s news?

    You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front fucking page news. I don’t like this at all.

    John, for the first time I disagree with you. The McCain narrative is that he’s decent, honorable, honest and heroic. Cheating on your spouse is none of these.

  27. 27.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 8:33 pm

    O’Reilly did everything he could to get Obama to agree to appear on Fox News. And then he did this.

    I’m torn, really, between loving the antics of the stupidass people, on the one hand, and wondering why they have been winning politically, on the other.

    My god, these people are a bunch of stupid assholes. And they currently run our country.

  28. 28.

    bdr

    February 20, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    Stop hating on Cindy. Period.

  29. 29.

    tom.a

    February 20, 2008 at 8:38 pm

    I recall Barack being derided months ago for not wearing a US Flag pin as is required by the Constitution, he had something snarky too say such as there are better ways to support the troops then wearing a pin.

    I do find it odd how glaringly pale both the McCain’s are, might not hurt either of them to get a little sun on occasion.

  30. 30.

    SamFromUtah

    February 20, 2008 at 8:41 pm

    so far Barack and Michelle have not played the bullshit game.

    And for this I too applaud them.

    Michelle – whatever the pressure, don’t go and bake a batch of cookies!

  31. 31.

    Hypatia

    February 20, 2008 at 8:42 pm

    Yeah, she’s gonna be a lot of fun to watch. She makes Lynne Cheney look almost human.

    Cindy McCain had a serious stroke a few years ago, as I’m sure many of you know. It left her moving stiffly at times, and my understanding is that she continues to have problems with short term memory loss and other difficulties.

    I like Wolcott’s blog but I think he should have better things to do than make fun of Mrs. McCain’s hair. Also, she ‘stands behind’ her husband because she’s often quite literally supporting him as he descends from planes or doing anything else that his war injuries make difficult for him.

  32. 32.

    Sasha

    February 20, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    Considering the upcoming shotgun marriage McCain has with the theocon wing, the revelation that he “pulled a Clinton” could really send the social cons into Huckabee’s warm embrace.

  33. 33.

    cbear

    February 20, 2008 at 8:45 pm

    You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front fucking page news.

    Agreed. Except we didn’t make the rules that govern modern politics…you know, the “Blue Dress” rules, the “it would be irresponsible not to speculate” rules. The fact of the matter is that every goddamn Dem or liberal has had to play by those rules since the goopers put them in play in the 80’s, while the Rethugs have gotten a free pass.
    Now that the shoe is on the other foot–FUCK EM.
    I’m hoping that we get 24/7 coverage of the whole gruesome affair, complete with pictures, used rubbers, wetsuits, dildos, etc., etc..

    To be clear, I could give a rat’s ass whether your candidate, or mine, is fucking ocelots—as long as it’s consensual (and not my ocelot), but it’s about goddamn time that a gooper had to play by gooper rules.

  34. 34.

    Sasha

    February 20, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    Michelle – whatever the pressure, don’t go and bake a batch of cookies!

    Unless they’re Magical Unity Cookies, of course.

  35. 35.

    Jake

    February 20, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    In my wild imaginings … being high-buffed as a visual counterpoint to her presumptive rival for role of first lady, Michelle Obama.

    That’s some pretty fucking wild imaginings. Can we leave the potential first ladies’ grooming and satorial decisions out of this?

    [Crickets chirp]

    You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front fucking page news. I don’t like this at all.

    Nope, nope, nope and also so very wrong. When your party makes a point of sticking its nose in other people’s lives and screaming SINNER, you have to be prepared to take it on the chin (so to speak) when there’s the least whiff of impropriety in your life. So far no one has mentioned that McCane dumped his first wife after she got a face full of windshield. But if his staff is in a panic because he’s been seen within two miles of a woman who isn’t his wife its because the Straight Talk Maverick Express is still playing by the same shitty rules. Fuck them. Fuck him.

    Looks like for McCain, blondes are an “intolerable risk.”

  36. 36.

    SamFromUtah

    February 20, 2008 at 8:49 pm

    Unless they’re Magical Unity Cookies, of course.

    That goes without saying!

    Or if she just likes to bake cookies. I’m cool with that too. She just shouldn’t do it solely to prove the proper Stepford credentials.

  37. 37.

    Tsulagi

    February 20, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front fucking page news.

    My wife would wholeheartedly agree with you. She’d go for it being in the obituary column.

    Tough break for McCain. I think for the general this puts the all important Dobson endorsement in play.

  38. 38.

    JL

    February 20, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    McCain is running a campaign on ethics in government, I though that the NYTimes article addressed that. If he was doing favors for an attractive lobbyist, then I think that’s news.

  39. 39.

    libarbarian

    February 20, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    When your party makes a point of sticking its nose in other people’s lives and screaming SINNER, you have to be prepared to take it on the chin (so to speak) when there’s the least whiff of impropriety in your life.

    McCain has never been a real culture warrior or putting himself forward as a paragon of family values. If this were Santorum or another holier-than-thou moralist I’d agree but not with McCain.

    If they BOTH deny it we should leave it alone until there is actual evidence.

  40. 40.

    borehole

    February 20, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    Hypatia–

    Classy.

    Boy, it feels weird to use that term unironically.

  41. 41.

    4tehlulz

    February 20, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    McCain campaign issues nondenial denial.

  42. 42.

    Path

    February 20, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    And it looks like Michelle Malkin has once again made a fool of herself!

  43. 43.

    Martin

    February 20, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    Can someone please explain why they sat on this for eight years and just broke it now, hot on the heels of Michellehatesamericagate? Otherwise I’ll be forced to agree with people I’d really rather not agree with.

    (sorry to jump in)

    That’s the real news here. I’m guessing someone had it in a file, got pissed at McCain capitalizing on Reallyproudgate by piling on what are still perceived to a pair of upstanding citizens and decided to demonstrate what happens to people that act like assholes when they go on offense.

    That’s not to say that the media is going to protect Obama in any way, but even the media must have some decent individuals in it. And you don’t need to agree with those people because the reality is that the media protected McCain by sitting on this for 8 years.

  44. 44.

    Dan

    February 20, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    I didn’t give a sh*t about Clinton’s affairs and I don’t give a sh*t about McCain’s affairs. Frankly, that’s business that belongs between them and their spouses.

    But I’m sad to report that I am experience an unseemly bout of schadenfreude over this. A not entirely respectable corner of my brain really wants the Mccain allegations to be true, if only so that I can watch all of the blowjob-impeachers tie themselves up in knots of self-justification.

    Help!

  45. 45.

    Dan

    February 20, 2008 at 9:13 pm

    Hmm…apparently that disreputable corner of my brain has bad grammar too. Ah well.

  46. 46.

    4tehlulz

    February 20, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    it’s about goddamn time that a gooper had to play by gooper rules.

    PotD

  47. 47.

    Harley

    February 20, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    Actually, so the story goes, the Times has been sitting on this story for some time — in fact a quick Google dug up an evangelists for Mitt site — heh — that floated both the rumor, and an explanation for the paper’s refusal to run with it (McCain threatened to sue). Something clearly happened between then and now, but I’m guessing it had more to do with legal jeopardy than any desire to help out Michele Obama.

  48. 48.

    Gus

    February 20, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    Dan after swiftboating a bona-fide war here 12 years after using the “Clinton’s a draft dodger” line, I don’t think they’ll have too much problem tying themselves in self-justification knots.

  49. 49.

    cbear

    February 20, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    From the McCain statement:

    John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists.

    Why shore thing, John. BTW, does that “24 year record” include the Keating 5, the lobbyist-run campaigns, or the see no evil, hear no evil, exclusion of Rove et al in the Abramoff affair.

    Somehow I think we may see a number of statements become, ahem, “inoperative” in the following days/weeks.

  50. 50.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 9:26 pm

    If Cindy McCain’s going to take potshots at Obama’s wife, then she deserves all the scrutiny she gets, stroke sob story or no.

    Sorry but I’m not giving this vicodin addict a pass for engaging in partisan smears.

  51. 51.

    PeterJ

    February 20, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    The McCain campaign is using almost the same response to the story now that he used back in December.

    He recycles, that’s good. Maybe he can run as candidate for the Green Party if the GOP decides to return him.

  52. 52.

    Kirk Spencer

    February 20, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    …for not wearing a US Flag pin as is required by the Constitution,…

    uh, tom.a? I don’t think the constitution you’re using is the same one I’m looking at.

  53. 53.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 9:31 pm

    There’s a pretty decent lunar eclipse out here, now.

  54. 54.

    t jasper parnell

    February 20, 2008 at 9:35 pm

    This (from the NYT article) would appear to be more than a blue dress, no?

    A champion of deregulation, Mr. McCain wrote letters in 1998 and 1999 to the Federal Communications Commission urging it to uphold marketing agreements allowing a television company to control two stations in the same city, a crucial issue for Glencairn Ltd., one of Ms. Iseman’s clients. He introduced a bill to create tax incentives for minority ownership of stations; Ms. Iseman represented several businesses seeking such a program. And he twice tried to advance legislation that would permit a company to control television stations in overlapping markets, an important issue for Paxson.

  55. 55.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    February 20, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    And it looks like Michelle Malkin has once again made a fool of herself!

    Whoa! This is almost as good as the cheerleader video.

  56. 56.

    Tsulagi

    February 20, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    Actually, so the story goes, the Times has been sitting on this story for some time—in fact a quick Google dug up an evangelists for Mitt site

    If there is any real substance to this McCain bimbo eruption, and the NYT sitting on the story since December before the primaries began, you just know what Mitt the Family Values Mormon will be thinking while looking at that $40 million hole in his checkbook: FUCKING COCKSUCKERS! You know, there just might be a God.

  57. 57.

    Sasha

    February 20, 2008 at 9:50 pm

    If there is any real substance to this McCain bimbo eruption, and the NYT sitting on the story since December before the primaries began, you just know what Mitt the Family Values Mormon will be thinking while looking at that $40 million hole in his checkbook: FUCKING COCKSUCKERS! You know, there just might be a God.

    Y’know what would be fun? McCain withdrawing from the race because of the scandal (“to spend time with his family”, natch) and have Romney unsuspend his campaign and drag it out with Huckabee.

  58. 58.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    Actually, I think the Times was right to sit on this. This might have been enough to kill McCain’s candidacy had it been released in December. As it is, it may hurt him but it may be something he can recover from.

    I don’t like McCain and I think this shows he’s a hypocrite (I’m referring to the favors not any extracurricular activities). But it would have been kind of fucked up to spike his entire candidacy based on this.

  59. 59.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 9:55 pm

    Well, I really want McCain as the GOP candidate. I think he is a passle of trainwrecks, and can bring in that 35% popular vote total I really want to see.

  60. 60.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 9:59 pm

    So, no one cares about eclipses.

    I usually don’t go for snarkiness about people’s looks, but that description of her hair is just spot on. I mean, who wears this kind of hairstyle?

  61. 61.

    4tehlulz

    February 20, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    This just shows the Times’s hostility to true conservatives like Mitt Romney.

    /Hewitt

  62. 62.

    myiq2xu

    February 20, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    Republicans lacking Dick control? That’s news?

    When they cheat on their wives with other women it is.

    Kinda like “man bites dog.”

    Now if he was caught wide-stancing in a men’s room, there wouldn’t be anything unusual and newsworthy about that.

  63. 63.

    borehole

    February 20, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    His point, Kirk.

    And Martin, yeah, that’s what I’m saying. I’m not interested in the reporters’ lofty intentions–I am, however, very interested in not providing reactionaries with ammunition. Their delusions are pretty damn sturdy even without an Exhibit A to point to.

    Don’t Marsh out here, people. McCain can and should be beaten with a pretty low loss of soul on our side. And beating up on his wife for being a junkie is just fucked up, not to mention that it won’t help.* It humanized fucking Limbaugh, for Christ’s sake.

    I already know these people are hypocrites, so I don’t really think worse of them when they turn out to be SAD hypocrites.

    Plus she’s not the candidate. A minor quibble, perhaps, but it bears mentioning.

    *By my own logic as a knee-jerk hater of concern trolls and sanctimony in general, someone should tear me a new one for this. I do think that about Cindy though.

  64. 64.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 10:04 pm

    Come on, Jen, what kind of woman cares about eclipses? It’s totally a guy thing, like scotch and science fiction. You’re totally busted here.

  65. 65.

    scrutinizer

    February 20, 2008 at 10:05 pm

    So, no one cares about eclipses.

    Meh. Too cloudy here to see anything. On the other hand, after reading about delegatehub, ALP, and Clinton ignoring her campaign volunteers (again), I bought the MUP a bag of oats. My first time ever contributing to a primary election.

  66. 66.

    Krista

    February 20, 2008 at 10:07 pm

    So, no one cares about eclipses.

    I do! I’m glad you reminded me — just went to check it now. I’d watch it for longer, but the only good view I have of it is while standing on my step, and it’s freaking cold out right now.

  67. 67.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 10:07 pm

    If she’s going to say all this “I’m proud” shit, then she deserves to be trashed for being a junkie. Sorry, but that’s how it goes.

    I’m not into trashing family of candidates, not at all, but she can’t pull this stunt without taking some flak.

    And it’s not like we’re peering into her windows checking out her countertops here.

  68. 68.

    myiq2xu

    February 20, 2008 at 10:07 pm

    Stop hating on Cindy. Period.

    Yeah, let’s get back to hating on Hillary

    She deserves it

    BTW – Periods are sexist

  69. 69.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    Gorgeous eclipse out here in the desert.

  70. 70.

    Mary

    February 20, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    I care about eclipses, but I didn’t know about it until I read these comments. I just ran outside and only saw a bit of cloud scudding across the moon — missed it! #pouts#

  71. 71.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    Props to Krista for going outside, at night, in Canada. I hope you have an awesome eclipse, and I wish you could vote here. Ever thought of becoming a frostback? I mean, assuming you’re healthy, of course.

  72. 72.

    myiq2xu

    February 20, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    Y’know what would be fun? McCain withdrawing from the race because of the scandal (“to spend time with his family”, natch) and have Romney unsuspend his campaign and drag it out with Huckabee.

    If drag is involved they better bring Guiliani back too.

  73. 73.

    Krista

    February 20, 2008 at 10:15 pm

    It’s totally a guy thing, like scotch and science fiction.

    /looks at bookshelf, sees Arthur C. Clarke and Sheri S. Tepper. Looks at liquor cabinet, sees Glenfiddich and Talsiker. Looks down own top, sees breasts. Is confused.

  74. 74.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 10:16 pm

    Krista, you are *torturing* these guys.

  75. 75.

    Krista

    February 20, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    Ever thought of becoming a frostback?

    A what, now?

  76. 76.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    Gorgeous eclipse out here in the desert.

    Bullshit on that too. Everyone knows you live in Hoboken.

  77. 77.

    Mary

    February 20, 2008 at 10:20 pm

    Wait a second — it’s supposed to be in full eclipse in Toronto between 10:00 and 10:51. I guess that fluffy, purplish-coppery effect is what a lunar eclipse looks like. (I think I saw my last lunar eclipse at a very special three day party in high school, but my memory’s a blur for the whole thing).

  78. 78.

    Ninerdave

    February 20, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    My view of the eclipse is eclipsed by clouds…bummer.

  79. 79.

    Mary

    February 20, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    (Not that cold here, Krista. I’ve been outside in just a t-shirt and jeans. Of course, I’m too cheap to even heat my house in the winter, so I’ve acclimated, I guess. Except for my nipples:-)

  80. 80.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 10:25 pm

    Um, okay, breasts … nipples ….

    To heck with the eclipse. I’m staying right here ….

  81. 81.

    Krista

    February 20, 2008 at 10:25 pm

    Woman, it’s -12 in Toronto! Put some damn clothes on!

  82. 82.

    Innocent Bystander

    February 20, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    It occurs to me that the RW Wurlitzer might have gone horribly off-key with their baritone, Bill O’s comment about lynching Michelle Obama.

    Think about it. Michelle makes a point that many of us share, that it’s been a hell of a long time since we’ve found anything to celebrate with regards to this country’s priorities and values in its recent history –

    VietNam, Nixon’s impeachment, Guns for Hostages, Reagan_-Bush, Bush, 1st Iraq War, S&L taxpayer bailout, Iran Contra, BCCI, RW Death squads, the Hunting of a President, the Inquisition, the stolen election….and lets not even bother with what’s gone on since 2000. There does seem to be one common thread that runs through this – Republicanism.

    Michelle was politically incorrect..it’s not American that she lost pride in…it was Republican owned and operated America that she had a problem with.

    So what does Bill O’Reilly have to say about that? Well, if there’s something to her opinion…lynch her! Way to go BO…you just reaffirmed and validated Michelle’s premise.

  83. 83.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 10:29 pm

    Frostback is from…Colbert? Jon Stewart? Like a wetback, but from Canada. Oh wait.
    According to wikipedia it already existed.
    Sheesh.

  84. 84.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    Garrison Keillor, no less. Who knew?

  85. 85.

    Mary

    February 20, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    I’m originally from Québec, so really, this is nothing.

    Wait, let me rephrase that before TZ keels over …

  86. 86.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    Too late.

    { smelling salts aroma }

  87. 87.

    Krista

    February 20, 2008 at 10:34 pm

    Frostback is from…Colbert? Jon Stewart? Like a wetback, but from Canada.

    Heh. That’s amusing.

  88. 88.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 10:34 pm

    I’m also looking at audible.com….a review of Dreams From My Father made me think of a previous thread…

    As a bi-racial woman, born just 2 years before him, it was very affirming to hear about the doubts and questions of “who am I?”

    NRO says “A COMMUNIST, that’s who.”

  89. 89.

    Dan

    February 20, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    Actually I think the wife junkie angle is a valid one for attacking McCain, but NOT because his wife was a junkie.

    Because of his response

    Here’s an anti-drug crusader whose own wife was given the velvet glove treatment (unlike ordinary addicts who get smacked upside the head by The Book) and how does he respond?

    Punish addicts with harsher punishments. (friends and family excepted of course)

    bit of background from our old friend, the agitator

    http://www.theagitator.com/2008/02/03/cindy-mccains-painkiller-problem/

  90. 90.

    myiq2xu

    February 20, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    Michelle was politically incorrect..it’s not American that she lost pride in…it was Republican owned and operated America that she had a problem with.

    I seriously hope no one believes that Michelle Obama has never been proud of her country until now. It was obvious from the beginning that wasn’t what she meant.

    But it was a stupid thing to say because the wingnuts would go apeshit over it, as they have.

    The Obama’s are in the spotlight now, and they better not forget it.

  91. 91.

    Jen

    February 20, 2008 at 10:39 pm

    But it was a stupid thing to say because the wingnuts would go apeshit over it, as they have.

    The apeshit part is certainly true.

    You know what I think? I think these folks get tired. They’re out there campaigning 18 hours a day, talking to people about 17 hours a day. I think she got tired, and was speaking without a script, and said something inartfully that wasn’t exactly what she meant, and it’s time to move on. If I had a microphone in front of me all day, the villagers would never let their pitchforks down.

  92. 92.

    Neal

    February 20, 2008 at 10:40 pm

    NYT held out on this one a while back. I remember when it was on Drudge before. Neat.

    The eclipse was nice.

  93. 93.

    Dan

    February 20, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    One of the things that I really like about Michelle Obama is that she’s a pretty straight shooter.

    I think we all need to just accept the fact that Michelle Obama is going to say things that piss off the hyper-sensitive pc-patriot police on a regular basis.

    So.Be.It.

    Let them whine and cry about their scraped knees. It’s time for the adults to get back to business.

  94. 94.

    PeterJ

    February 20, 2008 at 10:55 pm

    NYT held out on this one a while back. I remember when it was on Drudge before. Neat.

    The Washington Post sat on the story. The New York Times sat on the story until The New Republic was going to write a story about them sitting on the story. Also, the LA Times seem to have sat on the story too, unless there’s another sex scandal involving a presidential candidate.

  95. 95.

    demimondian

    February 20, 2008 at 11:01 pm

    Oh, sorry, I was outside looking at the eclipse — I watch every one of them I can, in memory of my grandfather, an astronomer, who took me outside whenever we were together for one back when I was a boy to watch eclipses large and small.

    It was lovely for a few minutes, then the clouds moved back it. Still, I got to see totality, and think of grandpa for a bit.

  96. 96.

    jake

    February 20, 2008 at 11:01 pm

    McCain has never been a real culture warrior or putting himself forward as a paragon of family values.

    Dogs. Fleas. Fuck him.

    Some Republicans have distanced themselves from the bullshit and if McCain were one of those, I’d be willing to cut him some slack. Instead we’ve got a guy who has said gays in the military pose an intolerable risk but would leave the poor, fragile, will fall apart if exposed to a kweer military in Iraq for 100 years.

  97. 97.

    demimondian

    February 20, 2008 at 11:02 pm

    Feh — John McC with a lobbyist? Why is that a surprise? Can anyone say “Keating Five”?

  98. 98.

    The Other Steve

    February 20, 2008 at 11:03 pm

    But it was a stupid thing to say because the wingnuts would go apeshit over it, as they have.

    The Obama’s are in the spotlight now, and they better not forget it.

    I don’t understand.

    Why is it so wrong to be proud of your country?

  99. 99.

    NonyNony

    February 20, 2008 at 11:04 pm

    I hate stories like this and have no desire to write about it. Unless they have info about him doing something illegal with the lobbyist, this sniffs of nothing more than a driveby smearing. You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front fucking page news. I don’t like this at all.

    And if John “Straight Talkin’ Maverick” McCain had been an honorable man during the Clinton impeachment vote and told his party they were being a bunch of jackasses, I’d agree with you. In general, I think that, so long as it is actually part of his or her private life, romantic entanglements among consenting adults should be kept private – even among politicians and celebrities.

    But instead he voted guilty on the articles of impeachment against Clinton. He participated in trivializing one of the most important responsibilities Congress has by using it to score political points against the other political Party – using the President’s private sex life as a target. And, not coincidentally, poisoning the well so that it became that much more difficult for the next president to get impeached when it needed to happen since it would look like “political payback” if the Congress did their goddamn duty.

    If he’s yet another Republican hypocrite on the sex thing, then frankly he gets what he deserves on this. Man of honor my ass. Any Republican who voted guilty on the Clinton impeachment vote deserves to have all of their sexual laundry aired in public. Every bit of it. They deserve it even more if they have the gall to attempt a presidential bid themselves.

    Also – she’s a lobbyist. A lobbyist. If he’s having an “inappropriate romantic relationship” with a lobbyist then it kind of shows that he hasn’t learned a goddamn thing since he got caught with his hand in the lobbyist cookie jar during that little “Keating Five” affair. If this is all true, then it shows that he’s not only a lying hypocrite but also that he has worse judgment than Hillary Clinton as far as who he surrounds himself with. Which makes him even less qualified for the Presidency than I would have thought a week ago.

    (And I even voted for him in the 2000 primary. Of course, even with the lying, the pandering, the flip-flopping and the hypocrisy, he’d still have been a better president than Bush has been.)

  100. 100.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    Bay Buchanan: “(This is important because) this is not the Democratic party, it’s the party of values.”

    Good god, can you believe these fucking smarmy fucking fools?

    The party of values.

    { shakes head }

    Unfuckingbelievable. You can’t make these assholes up.

  101. 101.

    myiq2xu

    February 20, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    The Washington Post sat on the story. The New York Times sat on the story until The New Republic was going to write a story about them sitting on the story. Also, the LA Times seem to have sat on the story too, unless there’s another sex scandal involving a presidential candidate.

    The real question is: Who gave the order to sit on it, and why did they decide to run the story now? The decision was made higher up than the newsroom.

    I doubt it has anything to do with another organization geeting the “scoop.”

  102. 102.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    And I even voted for him in the 2000 primary.

    Me too.

  103. 103.

    SteveinSC

    February 20, 2008 at 11:14 pm

    The eclipse sucked here in SC. Just fuzzy brown. Not the dramatic black-as-six-foot-up-a-mule’s-ass. I want my money back.

    I think, however pale, male Insane McCain stays out of the sun since I read he has problems with cancerous moles. Some of which can be, shall we say, for keeps.

  104. 104.

    jake

    February 20, 2008 at 11:14 pm

    Gorgeous eclipse out here in the desert.

    That’s not an eclipse! Look outside, the moon is just a crescent and the rest is dark red. You know what that means: Islamofascists is done taken over the moon! Code Brown! Code Brown!

    Hey, that’s still less idiotic than the fact I noticed the moon was near full last night, noticed it was no where near full when I left work tonight and had to come here before I thought “O yers, it’s an eclipse.”

    /Geritol moment.

  105. 105.

    DougJ

    February 20, 2008 at 11:17 pm

    Bay Buchanan: “(This is important because) this is not the Democratic party, it’s the party of values.”

    She said this about the McCain thing? Good God.

  106. 106.

    SteveinSC

    February 20, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    My god you’re right. I’ve got the missus outside beating on pots to drive the

    Islamofascists is done taken over the moon! Code Brown! Code Brown!

    away.

  107. 107.

    demimondian

    February 20, 2008 at 11:20 pm

    looks at bookshelf, sees Arthur C. Clarke and Sheri S. Tepper. Looks at liquor cabinet, sees Glenfiddich and Talsiker. Looks down own top, sees breasts. Is confused.

    Kris, is there somebody in your shirt with you? That would explain the breasts.

  108. 108.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 20, 2008 at 11:20 pm

    If I recall correctly, the NYT sat on the NSA warrantless wiretapping story until after the 2004 election. The timing of these jokers’ bouts of journalistic ethics is more than a bit suspicious.

  109. 109.

    myiq2xu

    February 20, 2008 at 11:24 pm

    Islamofascists is done taken over the moon! Code Brown! Code Brown!

    Is a “code brown” when the President shits his pants?

  110. 110.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 20, 2008 at 11:27 pm

    DougJ Says:

    Bay Buchanan: “(This is important because) this is not the Democratic party, it’s the party of values.”

    She said this about the McCain thing? Good God.

    As a good and truthful Republican, Bay was honor bound to tap out what was in her heart.

  111. 111.

    myiq2xu

    February 20, 2008 at 11:27 pm

    If I recall correctly, the NYT sat on the NSA warrantless wiretapping story until after the 2004 election. The timing of these jokers’ bouts of journalistic ethics is more than a bit suspicious.

    The NYT might have run the story because some other rag was about to print it, but that doesn’t explain why they sat on it in the first place.

    And if it wasn’t up to their “journalistic standards” (chortle, snicker, guffaw) to run originally, what changed?

  112. 112.

    jake

    February 20, 2008 at 11:28 pm

    My god you’re right. I’ve got the missus outside beating on pots

    I’m either glad or concerned that I’m not the only one who knows about banging on pots to drive the evil spirits away. I was forbidden to use the pots and I couldn’t find a goat so I sacrificed my neighbor’s dog that flips out when ever it sees, smells, hears or thinks it sees, smells or hears anything within 500 yards of the house. It seems to be working but I’ve got my neighbor on stand by. Just in case.

  113. 113.

    C. elegans

    February 20, 2008 at 11:31 pm

    I do find it odd how glaringly pale both the McCain’s are, might not hurt either of them to get a little sun on occasion.

    Except… doesn’t McCain have skin cancer? ZOMG!1!! You’re trying to KILL JOHN MCCAIN, aren’t you?

  114. 114.

    zzyzx

    February 20, 2008 at 11:36 pm

    The real effect of the timing is how it effects the Democratic side. Clinton was talking about going negative; if this story stays active for a week or two, there won’t be any room in the news cycle for a minor scandal until after TX/OH. Moreover, she’d have to find something worse that this for it to make a dent with voters now.

  115. 115.

    SteveinSC

    February 20, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    I couldn’t find a goat so I sacrificed my neighbor’s dog

    I knew a Chilean guy who used to play soccer with a bunch of Greeks. They tried to barbeque lamb one time and the local people (Hampton, VA) thought the Greeks were cooking a dog and called the police.

  116. 116.

    ThymeZone

    February 20, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    She said this about the McCain thing? Good God.

    She is always good for a laugh.

  117. 117.

    rawshark

    February 20, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    A cloudy sky is very rare in Phoenix. So is a lunar eclipse. Both on the same night? That’ll never happen.

  118. 118.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 20, 2008 at 11:58 pm

    uh, tom.a? I don’t think the constitution you’re using is the same one I’m looking at.

    Probably not. tom.a is using the King James Version of the Constitution:

    …

    11th Commandment: Thou shalt not bite the dick of another republican unless thy position in the holy pecking order is higher than the pecker of the peckee.

    12th Commandment: Thou shalt wear and worship Old Glory, the sacred symbol of the preferred nation of God, and thou shalt mercilessly berate any offspring of Satan who doth not abide by this Commandment.

    13th Commandment: If thy gender be male, and thou hast a wide stance, thou shalt keep thy gayness in a closet (or a ‘safe’ mens room).

    …

    See, it is right there… ;)

  119. 119.

    CaseyL

    February 21, 2008 at 12:02 am

    While y’all were nattering away on whether McCain’s Lobbyist Connection is or is not a schadenfreude moment, I was at Greenlake looking through telescopes.

    Seattle’s Astronomical Society was out in force, with telescopes and binoculars of various powers aimed at the moon, Saturn, Regulus, the Plaeides (sp?), and whatever else in the sky looked interesting. A really impressive crowd of regular folks – looked like a couple hundred – went from ‘scope to ‘scope, lining up politely to have a look.

    There’s something really thrilling about seeing Saturn’s rings “live and in person,” even through a layperson telescope. And the Plaiedes, which look like a distant milky smear to the naked eye, are an exquisite cluster of stars through the scope.

    A marvelous way to spend the evening.

    About McCain… I’d feel sorrier for him if he was less of a sell-out, if he hadn’t been so eager to suck up to Wingnuttia, if he and his wife hadn’t been so eager to jump on the MichelleGate kerfuffle bandwagon… in other words, if either of them had anywhere near the integrity they want us to think they have.

  120. 120.

    The Other Steve

    February 21, 2008 at 12:07 am

    I read that NYTimes article, and while I agree with John that there is no there there. It does show a history of naivety.

    I’m with TZ… McCain is a really bad candidate. As much as they talk about vetting, it seems clear that McCain was not vetted at all.

  121. 121.

    Original Lee

    February 21, 2008 at 12:10 am

    It was a nice eclipse here. No clouds, beautiful cold clear night, lots of stars. Never having seen a lunar eclipse before, I was expecting it to be darker, but totality was a very nice bullseye effect.

    Michelle Obama is a class act. She would make an awesome First Lady. Cindy McCain is also a class act, but of a completely different kind. I think if she has bouts of short-term memory loss from a stroke and a history of drug addiction, she is pretty gutsy to be on the road as much as she has been. Not to mention that she has to be aware of how much of her past gets kicked up on the Internet every time she’s on camera. I don’t know what kind of First Lady she would make, though – would they have to have a special staffer whose job it is to smooth things over when she forgets stuff? Does she have one now?

  122. 122.

    John S.

    February 21, 2008 at 12:14 am

    There’s something really thrilling about seeing Saturn’s rings “live and in person,” even through a layperson telescope.

    My wife and I saw them once from atop Mauna Kea at about 9000 feet. It was truly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.

  123. 123.

    ThymeZone

    February 21, 2008 at 12:18 am

    if either of them had anywhere near the integrity they want us to think they have.

    Exactly. McCain is a pretty ordinary sleazy politician but has convinced people — and media — that he is some kind of maverick guy with great integrity. That’s an act.

    He uses the POW cred to fool people into thinking he is somebody he is not. And that is really what the NYT story is all about. Not that he did some particular terrible thing, but that he tries to play the angel while being just a naughty politician and thinking he is fooling everybody.

    How he escaped the Keating scandal, I will never know. His Arizona mate in the Senate, Dennis DeConcini, had the good grace to disappear from politics after the shit hit the fan. McCain somehow turned it into a plus for himself. He’s a con artist, and always has been.

  124. 124.

    GSD

    February 21, 2008 at 12:19 am

    Most GOP men that I know won’t be interested in this story unless the alleged mistress testifies about the size and shape of McCain’s cock.

    Then they’ll be mesmerized by the story.

    Guarantee.

    -GSD

  125. 125.

    Ninerdave

    February 21, 2008 at 12:21 am

    …and with the eclipse over…now the clouds are gone. Figures.

  126. 126.

    The Other Steve

    February 21, 2008 at 12:22 am

    Michelle Obama is a class act. She would make an awesome First Lady. Cindy McCain is also a class act, but of a completely different kind. I think if she has bouts of short-term memory loss from a stroke and a history of drug addiction, she is pretty gutsy to be on the road as much as she has been.

    I think it’s very gutsy for both McCain’s. It’s quite admirable that they would be willing to go through the rigors of a campaign, despite their age and poor health.

  127. 127.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    February 21, 2008 at 12:31 am

    Open Thread, so I’ll post it:

    The new government code word for “ZOMG TOP SECRET INTELLIGENCE” is “toxic gas”

  128. 128.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 21, 2008 at 12:32 am

    Cindy McCain is fine, but he really needs to get more, and different, people up on the podium with him. So far, every time I’ve seen him giving a speech, he’s surrounded by the living dead. I’d have thought that, with his Iraq policy, the zombie vote was already on board the Straight Talk express. He needs to find some other demographics.

  129. 129.

    Mary

    February 21, 2008 at 12:45 am

    I saw Jon Stewart on Larry King tonight, and he’s still very obviously impressed by McCain as some kind of non-partisan figure with buckets of integrity. I just don’t understand that.

  130. 130.

    Ninerdave

    February 21, 2008 at 12:48 am

    I like Keith Olbermann a lot, I watch his show more often than not, it’s on my TiVO list. I was just catching up with Hardball and Countdown today when Keith busts in with the McCain story.

    Then he hit one of my big pet peeves that most talking heads do, but when Keith does it (probably since I like the guy so much)just grates on my nerves.

    Paraphrasing (admittedly for dramatic effect and I don’t feel like rewinding to type up and exact transcript) it went something like this:

    So the Lewinsky story broke about this time several years ago, not like I’m trying to draw a parallel here, but you know McCain and this chick, Bill and Monica, I mean you know they aren’t related, but I’m just sayin’…

    No Keith, you are trying to draw a parallel, otherwise you wouldn’t have brought it up. If you are going to do that…just be up front about it.

  131. 131.

    RantingRaver

    February 21, 2008 at 12:49 am

    Can you guys believe that torture is actually an issue that is being discussed, let alone supported by the GOP candidate? Check out this article:

    Torture isn’t an issue, it’s a war crime.

  132. 132.

    r€nato

    February 21, 2008 at 12:50 am

    Here in Arizona, you hardly ever hear from or see Cindy McCain. She’s virtually invisible. The last time she made any news that I’m aware of (and I read the news a LOT), was when she was busted for stealing drugs from her charity.

    As for the budding McCain sex scandal… I’m torn. On the one hand, it would be consistent to insist that who he sleeps with has no bearing on his fitness for office. The same standard that should have been applied to Clinton.

    On the other hand… I would so enjoy the schadenfreude. The GOP has it coming in spades for what they did to Clinton.

  133. 133.

    myiq2xu

    February 21, 2008 at 12:52 am

    Most GOP men that I know won’t be interested in this story unless the alleged mistress testifies about the size and shape of McCain’s cock.

    I guess it would be unusual for a GOPer to do political favors in exchange for sex.

    Usually they want cash.

  134. 134.

    r€nato

    February 21, 2008 at 12:57 am

    His Arizona mate in the Senate, Dennis DeConcini, had the good grace to disappear from politics after the shit hit the fan.

    DeConcini also did a hell of a lot more for Arizona than McCain ever has.

    When McCain moved here in the early 80s, it was a purely practical political judgement about the best place to launch a political career, and his entire track record since then has supported the thesis that it was all about advancing his career, not what he could accomplish for our state and his constituents.

    Ordinarily I wouldn’t hold it against him that he’s from somewhere else – after all, it’s pretty hard to find a true Arizona native, most of them moved here from Illinois or California it seems. But really, McCain didn’t move to Arizona because he thought it was a great place to live. He didn’t come here because it was a nice place to raise a family, or because of the mild weather, or the good economy, or the inexpensive cost of living, or the scenery. He didn’t launch a political career because he wanted to serve us. It was always about him and his career, and it just as easily could have been Orange County or Texas.

    And to think that people accuse Hillary of raw, naked ambition.

  135. 135.

    myiq2xu

    February 21, 2008 at 12:59 am

    So the Lewinsky story broke about this time several years ago, not like I’m trying to draw a parallel here, but you know McCain and this chick, Bill and Monica, I mean you know they aren’t related, but I’m just sayin’…

    No Keith, you are trying to draw a parallel, otherwise you wouldn’t have brought it up. If you are going to do that…just be up front about it.

    MSNBC trying to find a why to tie-in the Clintons to a new scandal? Naw, they wouldn’t do that, would they?

    Mainly
    Stories &
    News
    Bashing the
    Clintons

  136. 136.

    Johnny Pez

    February 21, 2008 at 1:11 am

    Now that the shoe is on the other foot—FUCK EM.

    The shoe or the foot? Or both?

  137. 137.

    Ninerdave

    February 21, 2008 at 1:13 am

    MSNBC trying to find a why to tie-in the Clintons to a new scandal? Naw, they wouldn’t do that, would they?

    Mainly
    Stories &
    News
    Bashing the
    Clintons

    Um yeah…I was referring to Keith trying to parallel the Monica and McCain story.

    But hell!! Since your candidate is going down in flames if it makes you feel better to make up cute acronyms, be my guest.

  138. 138.

    myiq2xu

    February 21, 2008 at 1:16 am

    The New York Times is reporting that top advisers from Senator John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign allege that they were convinced he was having a romantic relationship with Vicki Iseman, a telecom lobbyist, and that they had to “intervene to protect McCain from himself.”

    If the sources on this scandal were the same people who were trying to protect McCain then, why are they ratting on him now?

    I thought the GOP practiced omerta? I would think that ratting out a client would mean mandatory retirement for a “campaign advisor,” especially if there was no subpoena involved.

    Something is very fishy about this story.

  139. 139.

    myiq2xu

    February 21, 2008 at 1:22 am

    Um yeah…I was referring to Keith trying to parallel the Monica and McCain story.

    But hell!! Since your candidate is going down in flames if it makes you feel better to make up cute acronyms, be my guest.

    I thought it strange that the first thing KO mentioned when he got to the commentary part was Monica & Bill.

    And for your information, I am supporting the Democratic nominee. That is the only candidate I have.

    BTW – I was rather proud of that acronym, it took me a good 5 minutes to come up with it.

  140. 140.

    Ninerdave

    February 21, 2008 at 1:31 am

    I thought it strange that the first thing KO mentioned when he got to the commentary part was Monica & Bill.

    Probably because when people think of political sex scandal they think of Monica and Bill. Granted Larry Craig might have changed that dynamic, but…

  141. 141.

    Pb

    February 21, 2008 at 1:34 am

    Ninerdave,

    I think what Keith was saying was that there are a few parallels to how this story broke and how the Lewinsky story first broke, and that it wasn’t initially clear how much there actually was to that story, either, and that hopefully the media will have learned some lesson from that experience.

    And, you know, he would know — he covered it, and he left MSNBC I think in large part because of it.

  142. 142.

    myiq2xu

    February 21, 2008 at 1:46 am

    I think what Keith was saying was that there are a few parallels to how this story broke and how the Lewinsky story first broke, and that it wasn’t initially clear how much there actually was to that story, either, and that hopefully the media will have learned some lesson from that experience.

    The first thing KO talked about when he got to the commentary portion of the story was that the alleged efforts of McCain’s staff to protect him sounded “eerily familiar” to the Monica Lewinsky scandal. No qualifications or disclaimers. That was the subject of his first question to Richard Wolffe on Newsweek.

    Scandal about John McCain in 2008, first thing he talks about is Clinton in 1998.

  143. 143.

    Pb

    February 21, 2008 at 2:15 am

    myiq2xu,

    Find a video or transcript first and then we’ll talk about it, because I’m pretty sure you are, yet again, getting it wrong. Thanks.

  144. 144.

    myiq2xu

    February 21, 2008 at 2:28 am

    Find a video or transcript first and then we’ll talk about it, because I’m pretty sure you are, yet again, getting it wrong. Thanks.

    Try the one at C&L

    I went back and watched it to be sure I got the quote correct.

    BTW- You’re wrong (again)

  145. 145.

    Anne Laurie

    February 21, 2008 at 2:40 am

    But really, McCain didn’t move to Arizona because he thought it was a great place to live… He didn’t launch a political career because he wanted to serve us. It was always about him and his career, and it just as easily could have been Orange County or Texas.

    And to think that people accuse Hillary of raw, naked ambition.

    Well, yeah, that was the big fat Dramatic Irony ticket for which all the mediawhores were praying to their dark subterranean gods: Tired Old John versus Worn-Out Hillary. All the mean jibes and cheap shots concerning two basically well-meaning professional politicos who’ve done everything they could to support their respective parties’ Base ideals would have upheld the “new meme” where the MSM got to declare everything “political” as an outdated, nasty fad (rather like swallowing live goldfish) that sensible people would happily replace with something more exciting and up-to-date like extreme knitting or veganism blogs.

    And yet, it turns out that ordinary people, damn their impertanence, still understand that Politics, debased as it may be, is the best method we have for steering — and possibly even improving — our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. If We the People are going to keep churning up non-pre-selected candidates and un-market-tested campaigns, how in the name of Moloch is the MSM supposed to cheerlead the smooth accession of the new robber barons to the MBA perfection of the New Corporate Kleptocracy?

    It’s almost as if we thought this was still a democracy!

  146. 146.

    Ninerdave

    February 21, 2008 at 2:52 am

    For the record, in case I was not clear….

    My big pet peeve, is when a talking head says something along the lines of:

    I’m not trying to say this is like that, this is really not like that but…

    In which case when you dissemble the conversation, the talking head was saying this is just like that, just with “disclamers”. All of them do it, just grates on me extra when Keith does it (an he does it quite a bit).

    Really has nothing to do with Obama/Clinton/McCain.

  147. 147.

    Pb

    February 21, 2008 at 3:12 am

    myiq2xu,

    Try the one at C&L

    Thanks! I think you pretty much got the first part of it right, here’s a chunk from that commentary (about 1:40 into it):

    Olbermann: Richard, the phrase here–“protect the candidate from himself”, “intervene”–this sounds eerily familiar to, we harken back to the efforts from members of President Clinton’s staff, to try to keep Monica Lewinsky away from him 10 years ago and more, those are eerily similar uses of the language, are they not?

    Wolffe: Yes they are, and this is very delicate phrasing from the New York Times. I know that one of the big concerns in terms of the New York Times going to print with this story was the denials from both the central players that there was any romantic relationship involved. But clearly the New York Times is reporting here that there was something else going on, at least in the minds of the people who were closest to John McCain.

    I think the bit I was remembering from Keith that provided a bit more context to this was from later in the show, probably when he was talking to Pat.

  148. 148.

    DrDave

    February 21, 2008 at 6:38 am

    I saw Jon Stewart on Larry King tonight, and he’s still very obviously impressed by McCain as some kind of non-partisan figure with buckets of integrity. I just don’t understand that.

    Having seen McCain appear regularly on Imus and TDS for many years you get the impression that they like McCain because he’s a genuinely good guy who has a conscience, and who mostly does what he says he going to do. He isn’t a typical pol with a finger in the wind telling you what he thinks you want to hear. (Do you think McCain would ever have a moment like Romney’s “lifetime varmint hunter” episode?)

    And that’s why independents and moderate Dems like and respect him and why hard line wingers hate him (even as McCain swallows hard and panders to them to the extent that his personal constitution allows).

  149. 149.

    Splitting Image

    February 21, 2008 at 7:04 am

    I think I’m finally beginning to understand why such a large number of Republicans hate McCain’s guts. Between him and his wife you have a drug abuser and a serial adulterer.

    Together they’re Bill Clinton.

    I think McCain is toast. If he and his wife can’t deliver a simple line about being proud of their country and sound convincing while they do it, they can’t beat Obama. I doubt they could even beat Walter Mondale. Despite what Republicans are going to argue about the obvious implications of Michelle Obama “not being proud of her country” since 1980, she genuinely sounded like she’s proud of what’s happening now. Cindy McCain, well…. To be honest, she just sounds disinterested. Like a bit part actress who delivered her one line and left the stage, not very interested in the rest of the plot.

    That is not a good sign for the Republicans. I’m starting to believe that McCain has made a very serious error seeking the nomination and is beginning to realize it. As other people have said, he is in some respects a BS artist who has gotten away with it because he hasn’t been scrutinized very closely. The scrutiny is about to begin.

    If she weren’t a lobbyist, I’d ignore the whole “romantic entanglement”, but I think a whole bunch of Huckabee voters just moved a little bit closer to the Democrats. The Republicans had better hope that it was only a sexual fling.

  150. 150.

    DougJ

    February 21, 2008 at 7:16 am

    Here in Arizona, you hardly ever hear from or see Cindy McCain. She’s virtually invisible.

    If this crap with “I’m proud of my country…unlike Michelle Obama” is isolated, then I’m willing to give her a pass.

  151. 151.

    Kevin K.

    February 21, 2008 at 7:17 am

    John, just an FYI, your pals at Blogs 4 Brownback have become fans of Taylor Marsh.

  152. 152.

    p.lukasiak

    February 21, 2008 at 7:57 am

    Obsessing about the appearance of candidates wives now are we? Calling the wife of someone who isn’t Barak Obama a “faux stiff martinet”?

    but we’re no Obamabots… certainly not.

  153. 153.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 21, 2008 at 8:25 am

    p.lukasiak Says:

    Obsessing about the appearance of candidates wives now are we? Calling the wife of someone who isn’t Barak Obama a “faux stiff martinet”?

    but we’re no Obamabots… certainly not.

    Thanks for the moral instruction. Mrs. McCain was trotted out to issue a riposte to Mrs. Obama’s remark. The implication was that she and John were more patriotic than than Mrs. Obama. Had she simply stated that her husband was a great man and would make a wonderful president then I think that most would have given her a pass. John put her into the game, into the back and forth of campaigning. In so doing he made her fair prey for the kind of ad hominem attacks that are a staple of his own party.

  154. 154.

    jake

    February 21, 2008 at 8:51 am

    Since this is an OT.

    Straight from the Rudi Ghooliani playbook:

    The Iraqi Interior Ministry has ordered police to round up beggars, vagabonds and mentally disabled people from the streets in Baghdad to prevent them from being used by insurgents as suicide bombers, a spokesman said Tuesday.

    …

    The people detained in the Baghdad sweep will be handed over to governmental institutions that can provide shelter and care for them, Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said.

    All together on three: No one could have possibly foreseen that attempting to detain citizens in undisclosed locations for an undetermined period of time because a cop decided they looked a bit retarded would lead to riots!

    Fuck me blue, this shit makes my hair stand on end. Can we arm The Red Cross/Crescent?

  155. 155.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 21, 2008 at 8:58 am

    …attempting to detain citizens in undisclosed locations for an undetermined period of time because a cop decided they looked a bit retarded…

    That ends Bush’s visits to Iraq.

  156. 156.

    Paul L.

    February 21, 2008 at 9:00 am

    Here are some quotes from two people that John and the Crew here find so full of moral authority.
    James Wolcott

    I root for hurricanes. When, courtesy of the Weather Channel, I see one forming in the ocean off the coast of Africa, I find myself longing for it to become big and strong–Mother Nature’s fist of fury, Gaia’s stern rebuke. Considering the havoc mankind has wreaked upon nature with deforesting, stripmining, and the destruction of animal habitat, it only seems fair that nature get some of its own back and teach us that there are forces greater than our own.

    Michelle Obama

    Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

  157. 157.

    The Other Steve

    February 21, 2008 at 9:02 am

    That is not a good sign for the Republicans. I’m starting to believe that McCain has made a very serious error seeking the nomination and is beginning to realize it. As other people have said, he is in some respects a BS artist who has gotten away with it because he hasn’t been scrutinized very closely. The scrutiny is about to begin.

    I don’t know if he is a BS artist or not. He’s certainly naive.

    But he’s definately not been vetted. He has a history of extra-marital affairs. I suspect that there are more stories like this one sitting in the wings waiting to come out.

    The thing is, it won’t be Democrats digging them out. It’s going to be James Dobson. I think McCain is going to lose very badly.

    But then like Cole has said, maybe that has been the plan all along? Given how naive McCain is, he probably doesn’t even realize it.

  158. 158.

    The Other Steve

    February 21, 2008 at 9:06 am

    I watched his campaign manager come on CBS morning show and claim that “John McCain has never done favors for anybody”. I was struck by the word never. It was quite strong, and I noticed he didn’t clarify this statement like saying “He has never done favors, since the Keating Five scandal” or something like that.

    I thought… Oh no, that’s going to bring up a whole discussion on Keating Five.

    BTW, looking arounds the internets, it sounds as though this lobbyist scandal was pushed by the Huckabee camp.

  159. 159.

    J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford

    February 21, 2008 at 9:07 am

    Original Lee Says:

    …Michelle Obama is a class act. She would make an awesome First Lady. Cindy McCain is also a class act, but of a completely different kind. I think if she has bouts of short-term memory loss from a stroke and a history of drug addiction, she is pretty gutsy to be on the road as much as she has been. Not to mention that she has to be aware of how much of her past gets kicked up on the Internet every time she’s on camera. I don’t know what kind of First Lady she would make, though – would they have to have a special staffer whose job it is to smooth things over when she forgets stuff? Does she have one now?

    February 21st, 2008 at 12:10 am

    Yeah, but the great thing about short-term memory loss is that you forget about all those nasty Internet stories by the end of the day.

  160. 160.

    The Other Steve

    February 21, 2008 at 9:10 am

    Here are some quotes from two people that John and the Crew here find so full of moral authority.

    Oh Noes!

  161. 161.

    zsa

    February 21, 2008 at 9:16 am

    J.A.F. Rusty,
    Your website is “bushco.com”? Is that a meta-meta-parody thing? Or is that a real company with, like, real stuff going on? I looked at the sight and for the life of me I have no freakin’ clue. It might be a wickedly funny parody, or it might be standard web marketing fluffernuttery. Tough to tell.

  162. 162.

    Andrew

    February 21, 2008 at 9:19 am

    John, for the first time I disagree with you. The McCain narrative is that he’s decent, honorable, honest and heroic. Cheating on your spouse is none of these.

    Um, hello, McCain cheated on his first wife with Cindy.

  163. 163.

    Andrew

    February 21, 2008 at 9:23 am

    Michelle Obama

    Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

    Yeah, it really sucks that a candidate is so engaging that he might make some otherwise uninterested folks hop on the Magical Unity Pony ride.

    Lool at the tardbloggers at NRO demanding the right to be apathetic. McCain is definately their candidate now.

  164. 164.

    chopper

    February 21, 2008 at 9:24 am

    didn’t one of mccain’s campaign chairs (who also worked with him in 2000 IIRC) recently say he was gonna quit if obama got the nod because he couldn’t in good conscious attack the guy?

    didn’t this new story come from one of mccains campaign chairs from 2000?

    right after a coordinated attack on michelle obama?

    or am i just loopy on bus fumes?

  165. 165.

    chopper

    February 21, 2008 at 9:29 am

    if cindy mccain is going to come out in this campaign and rag on michelle obama, then i agree that her vapidness should be pointed out. do you want a first lady who speaks her mind, or one who acts only as a setpiece?

    i don’t like the attacks on her looks so much. yeah, she’s stiff and weird looking, well she had a fucking stroke.

    also, i don’t like attacking her drug addiction either.

  166. 166.

    demimondian

    February 21, 2008 at 9:38 am

    Wow. Hey, Paul, that’s an awesome quoatation you’ve got there.

    ichelle Obama actually believes in personal responsibility, and in taking responsibility for improving yourself and the world around you? For thinking about things which make you or others uncomfortable, rather than simply following your gut? What’s the problem with that?

    Conservatives have always been huge proponents of *other people* doing those things. Is it the thought of doing that kind of work yourself on yourself that bugs you?

  167. 167.

    Krista

    February 21, 2008 at 9:39 am

    Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

    Paul L., please explain to me what is so wrong with this statement, ’cause I’m just not seeing it. My interpretation of it is that Barack is going to ask people to stop with the lazy bunker mentality of “them vs. us” when it comes to politics, and will want people to get out of their comfort zones of ignorance and partisanship, put aside stupid differences, and actually DO something to make their country better.

    Frankly, I think it’s the most patriotic damn thing I’ve seen come out of any public figure in awhile.

  168. 168.

    Jen

    February 21, 2008 at 10:11 am

    please explain to me what is so wrong with this statement

    It’s obvious, isn’t it — she didn’t say anything about Mike Nifong!

    :)

    Yeah, I thought, uh, if that’s the best you can come up with for damaging quotes, you might want to give it a little more time.

  169. 169.

    Andrew

    February 21, 2008 at 10:33 am

    Krista and Jen, I think it is obvious that Michelle’s statement makes her a Nazi.

  170. 170.

    Paul L.

    February 21, 2008 at 11:17 am

    please explain to me what is so wrong with this statement

    Nothing, if you are member of the Obama cult.
    Maybe I do not like when a politician tells me what to do and how I should feel.

    Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism.

    And if I choose to be cynical about the Obama. What then?

    Krista and Jen, I think it is obvious that Michelle’s statement makes her a Nazi.

    Perhaps.

  171. 171.

    demimondian

    February 21, 2008 at 11:24 am

    Interesting — so you interpret a demand that you actually think for yourself as an order to be told how to think? I can see how you (and Clayton Cramer) wouldn’t like that. After all, the conservativist notion that it’s only third parties who are the ones who need to change their minds is merely a mirror of the notion that you, yourself, are already right and perfect.

  172. 172.

    chopper

    February 21, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    actually, i think Paul is pissed over this sentence:

    Barack Obama will require you to work

    this flies in the face of those who wish only to sit in their parents’ basements typing cheeto-stained invective anti-liberal screeds on red state. work? *shudder*

  173. 173.

    les

    February 21, 2008 at 12:28 pm

    Interesting—so you interpret a demand that you actually think for yourself as an order to be told how to think? I can see how you (and Clayton Cramer) wouldn’t like that. After all, the conservativist notion that it’s only third parties who are the ones who need to change their minds is merely a mirror of the notion that you, yourself, are already right and perfect.

    Paul L. isn’t really familiar with that thinkin’ thing.

  174. 174.

    Krista

    February 21, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    Maybe I do not like when a politician tells me what to do and how I should feel.

    Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism.

    And if I choose to be cynical about the Obama. What then?

    So, um….you think that Michelle Obama lacks moral authority because you like being cynical, uninformed and uninvolved, and being exhorted to move beyond that rubs you the wrong way?

    You do realize that you sound like a petulant 13-year-old, right? “What if I don’t wanna be a better person? Huh, what then? What if I wanna be cynical, divisive and isolated? Huh? What are you gonna do about it?”

    Politicians have been using rhetoric to urge people to behave a certain way and to feel a certain way since before there was even a term for it. What, you think if you maintain your cynicism, Michelle’s going to come to your house and tell you at gunpoint to “wear that frown upside down, motherfucker”?

    Come on, dude. If you have an issue with the Obamas, that’s fine. But the entire premise of your argument is really pretty weak.

  175. 175.

    katiemc

    February 21, 2008 at 4:58 pm

    I read this blog daily.. yes a serial lurker. but i must say, when I grow up I want to be Krista!

  176. 176.

    Phoebe

    February 21, 2008 at 7:15 pm

    The Obamas have TASTE. This is a quality that doesn’t get discussed in our culture because it’s seen as elitist or something. Or nobody has it anymore and so they don’t know what it is; it’s like a color on the spectrum they can’t see. Also disapearing from our world is the knowledge that you don’t shove an apostrophe before the “s” in a goddamn plural.

  177. 177.

    demimondian

    February 21, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    Also disapearing from our world is the knowledge that you don’t shove an apostrophe before the “s” in a goddamn plural.

    Yeah, I never buy men’s handkerchiefs.

    (And disappearing has two ‘p’s in it. And, yes, that’s the correct punctuation.)

    — demi ‘Godwin!’ mondian

  178. 178.

    Phoebe

    February 21, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    About Michelle’s comment – I think she was talking to Obama’s supporters, and saying that the MUP wasn’t going to solve all their problems by waving a wand – this is, btw, what HRC pretty much does promise – that she’ll fix it all for us. No, the MUP is calling on us all to become better citizens, not, as some would describe it, lull us into a happy dream-state with his magical speeches-that-are-not-actions.

    So Paul – she wasn’t talking to you. Sit back on the couch.

  179. 179.

    Krista

    February 21, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    Also disapearing from our world is the knowledge that you don’t shove an apostrophe before the “s” in a goddamn plural.

    THANK you. That drives me utterly insane when I drive by roadside stands and see “Fresh Bean’s For Sale” or some such thing. The sad thing is that even if well-meant and gently delivered, any correction to a person’s grammar tends to be taken very poorly. Online, I’ve seen people actually being mocked and cursed at for having the temerity to hesitantly point out that “alot” is not actually a word. Sadly, in some ways our society really does resemble that of “Idiocracy”, where being stupid is actually a source of pride.

  180. 180.

    Krista

    February 21, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    And before any of you point it out, I freely admit that I use the word “actually” too frequently.

  181. 181.

    demimondian

    February 21, 2008 at 11:40 pm

    To be fair, I actually think Paul has a point, Krista. Fact is, there are things I’m cynical about for good reason — election year promises among them.

    I’m planning on remaining deeply cynical about the promises made by the Obama campaign while I watch things play out, and, no, President Obama is not going to change that. He is, of course, free to try, but allowing him to make me stop being cynical would mean not doing my job as a citizen; that cynicism is my guard against getting lost in a sea of hysteria.

  182. 182.

    Krista

    February 22, 2008 at 10:10 am

    He is, of course, free to try, but allowing him to make me stop being cynical would mean not doing my job as a citizen; that cynicism is my guard against getting lost in a sea of hysteria.

    Fair enough. However, that was not Paul’s issue. His initial statement, preceding Michelle Obama’s quote, was this:

    Here are some quotes from two people that John and the Crew here find so full of moral authority.

    Everybody reserves the right to be cynical, myself included. But to actually take umbrage with a politician’s wife using rhetoric to urge people to not be divisive? That’s just petty.

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. Goodness « Cadillac Tight says:
    February 21, 2008 at 8:11 am

    […] Well, sorry to disappoint. I just got back from sticking a thermometer in the ground outside, and I’m happy to report that Hell has not, in fact, frozen over. I do, however, agree with John Cole’s comment here: I hate stories like this and have no desire to write about it. Unless they have info about him doing something illegal with the lobbyist, this sniffs of nothing more than a driveby smearing. You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front f****** page news. I don’t like this at all. […]

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