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Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

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We still have time to mess this up!

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All your base are belong to Tunch.

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Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

In my day, never was longer.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

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Reader Interactions

137Comments

  1. 1.

    Tom in Texas

    By the way I’ve got two open spots in a 6 man keeper fantasy baseball league if anyone is interested. $20 and you get an expansion team. Draft day/time TBD (sometime in mid March).

  6. 6.

    Wilfred

    So how come McCain gets a free pass after accepting the endorsement of Catholic bashing, end of times nut job Hagee while Obama gets the tortures of the damned over Farrakhan?

  8. 8.

    bootlegger

    Xtian privilege means never having to say your sorry…much less “reject and denounce” a member of the Christ Cult.

  10. 10.

    Incertus

    Seeing as how McCain hasn’t gotten a free pass so far, I’d guess that he’ll eventually have to repudiate Hagee.

    I’ve seen precious little coverage of the discussion outside of blogs. Has it gotten play in the media? Where?

  12. 12.

    jake

    So how come McCain gets a free pass after accepting the endorsement of Catholic bashing, end of times nut job Hagee while Obama gets the tortures of the damned over Farrakhan?

    This is Louis Farrakhan.

    And this is John Hagee.

    What was your question?

    Jake, I’m assuming that the members of the 101st Chairborne are waiting to see how the Democrats ^IslamObama caused this outrage.

    Stay on message please.

  13. 13.

    SteveinSC

    My question is why John McCain would accept Hagee’s endorsement? Is it to nail Huch once and for all? The damage to Insane McCain has already been way out of proportion to any good he can get from Hagee.

  16. 16.

    Wilfred

    I’d guess that he’ll eventually have to repudiate Hagee.

    Nope. McCain said: “Yesterday, Pastor John Hagee endorsed my candidacy for president in San Antonio, Texas. However, in no way did I intend for his endorsement to suggest that I in turn agree with all of Pastor Hagee’s views, which I obviously do not.”

    That last bit seems sensible enough…if the endorsement comes from an overfed white cult leader who also hates Muslims and is keen to get Armageddon going as soon as possible.

    But if you’re black and have a Muslim name you better start shufflin’ and pawing the ground if Louis Farrakhan’s name comes up.

  17. 17.

    Dennis - SGMM

    A couple of quotes from McCain’s new BFF, John Hagee (Courtesy Wikipedia):

    “Most readers will be shocked by the clear record of history linking Adolf Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church in a conspiracy to exterminate the Jews.” – Jerusalem Countdown (revised edition, 2007, p. 114)

    “All hurricanes are acts of God because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that.”

    “Christians don’t steal or lie, they don’t get divorced or have abortions. If the Ten Commandments were followed by everyone we would be able to fire half the police force and in six months the prisons would be all half empty.” “The Fish Gate” 9/2/07

  18. 18.

    Incertus

    “All hurricanes are acts of God because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that.”

    And yet I’d bet that McCain could campaign in New Orleans with Hagee by his side and he’d still win Louisiana by 8 points in November.

  20. 20.

    Krista

    Just got in. Is there coffee?

    /passes TZ a cup.

    Here you go. I just got in as well — was cutting trees and hauling brush all afternoon, and now it’s effing snowing again.

  21. 21.

    D-Chance.

    Althouse is hitting the wine bottle again.

    It was stupid when the Dems purportedly found a frame or two of “rats” in the word “beaurocrats” in 2000; it’s no less stupid to interpret the “nig” on a child’s “good night” pajamas top as anything but an innocent shot of a child sleeping in his bed.

    But, it’s a slow day, and Ann has been lonely, ignored, and overly sober lately…

  22. 22.

    myiq2xu

    Eyes on the prize, guys. Play nice.

    In it to win it. Nice guys finish last. Show me a “good loser” and I’ll show you a loser.

    Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere else to the White House.

    That’s enough cliche for today.

  23. 23.

    RSA

    I was thinking of the Althouse analysis, too. Do people still go stir-crazy in the northern states during winter? I guess so.

  24. 24.

    Perry Como

    That last bit seems sensible enough…if the endorsement comes from an overfed white cult leader who also hates Muslims and is keen to get Armageddon going as soon as possible.

    In all fairness, Hagee also said teh j00s brought the Holocaust on themselves.

  25. 25.

    myiq2xu

    From C&L:

    The need for a renewed focus on transformational politics is obvious when we compare the success of the conservative movement over the past thirty years with the collapse of the American progressive coalition. The important thing about contemporary conservatives is not just that they won elections–it’s how they won. They didn’t win by changing their positions or rhetoric to move toward the voters–or where polls told them the voters were. They won by moving the voters closer to them, paving the way for the last decade of conservative hegemony.

    The conservatives won by turning the GOP into the party of televangelists, hucksters, carnival barkers and snake-oil salesmen. No true ideology, just say anything to win.

    BTW – Nicole Belle thinks transformational politics is what Obama does.

  27. 27.

    myiq2xu

    It was stupid when the Dems purportedly found a frame or two of “rats” in the word “beaurocrats” in 2000; it’s no less stupid to interpret the “nig” on a child’s “good night” pajamas top as anything but an innocent shot of a child sleeping in his bed.

    I remember when there was a big hysteria about “backwards masking” of subliminal messaging on LP’s.

    The backwoods Bible-thumpers and the trailer park Baptists were convinced that if you played records backwards you could hear instructions to worship Satan.

    I think that it was Robert Plant who said that if backwards masking actually worked the subliminal message would be “Buy this album.”

  28. 28.

    myiq2xu

    “All hurricanes are acts of God because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that.”

    Didn’t Jon Stewart do a show where he showed that all the major hurricanes that hit Florida since 2000 tracked through counties that voted for Bush?

    I know that epidemic of tornados on Super Duper Tuesday beat the shit out of some red states.

  30. 30.

    ThymeZone

    I know that epidemic of tornados on Super Duper Tuesday beat the shit out of some red states.

    Yes, just too bad they didn’t finish the job.

  31. 31.

    myiq2xu

    Where is the knock-down drag-out verbal abuse that a good political donnybrook brings?

    “Who are you calling a “cootie queen” you lint licker?”

  32. 32.

    Jen

    Well, I’ll give p.luk credit for this much, he never seemed to get nasty and tended to ignore insults and focused on debating his points. He brought to the table, with a straight face, some of the more idiotic arguments I’ve ever heard, but he did it courteously. I kind of doubt he convinced anyone of much of anything, but I admire the effort. He didn’t have a lot to work with.

  33. 33.

    Jen

    BTW, TZ, I have no clue what this means

    two open spots in a 6 man keeper fantasy baseball league

    it sounds faintly homoerotic…

  34. 34.

    jcricket

    Hey, this is thin beer. Where is the knock-down drag-out verbal abuse that a good political donnybrook brings?

    TZ’s back on his meds, so no Spartan-esque (“tonight we blog in HELL!”) stands in this blog post.

  36. 36.

    jcricket

    it sounds faintly homoerotic…

    like nearly all sports, except NASCAR, which is just lame.

  39. 39.

    Dennis - SGMM

    Pearls before swine.

    Aha! Dog-whistle posting if I’ve ever seen it. Say something about blacks, gays. or women and you catch hell. Make fun of fat people and everyone just laughs along. Shame on you, myiq2xu! You guys owe me a “Harrumph!”

  40. 40.

    Jen

    myiq, one thing that occurs to me as weird about this election season is that I am the ultimate pragmatist. I never had a thing for Howard Dean, and I actually liked John Kerry. I thought he was stable, and competent, and honorable. I knew he was pretty dull, but I didn’t really care. I’m one of those Consumer Reports, “this brand of jeans fits me pretty well so I don’t see any need to shop for any other kind”, kinda girls. And I am a total Obama fangyrl, and HRC has always left me cold. I laugh out loud at the current Doonesbury strips. I guess that doesn’t really merit any particular response, I just think it’s interesting.

    I might even shop for a new pair of jeans to wear to his inauguration.

  41. 41.

    tBone

    I was thinking of the Althouse analysis, too. Do crazy people still go stir-crazy even crazier in the northern states during winter? I guess so.

    It is all Althouse, after all.

    Hey, this is thin beer. Where is the knock-down drag-out verbal abuse that a good political donnybrook brings?

    What would a plaid-draped Pacific Coast fishlicker like you know about good political donnybrooks?

  43. 43.

    demimondian

    What would a plaid-draped Pacific Coast fishlicker like you know about good political donnybrooks?

    Oh, we have them, you know. Why, last year, I actually heard a political candidate suggest that his opponent would actually not do the job as well as he would!

    I did have to administer CPR to one woman who fainted in the back row after that comment, but, really, we’re not the super-polite sensitive fish-loving ninnies you think we are.

  44. 44.

    Jen

    homocidal

    I think he’s intimating that he’s not a criminal defense lawyer after all…

  45. 45.

    John S.

    Are you intimating that gay men are mass murderers?

    No, but they are responsible for the immigration problem. All that wasted sperm which never found an egg to fertilize translates into millions of American workers that we were short on when the Mexicans replaced them.

    /Limbaugh

  46. 46.

    TheFountainHead

    Evenin’ all.

    I was told today that Angelina Jolie is onvinced the surge is working and we need to stay the course. I’m sold. How ’bout y’all?

    Don’t these celebrities know better? First Jack Nicholson slumming for Hillary and now Jolie is for the war? Down with the intolerant, conservative Hollywood!

  47. 47.

    tBone

    really, we’re not the super-polite sensitive fish-loving ninnies you think we are.

    Oh yeah. I keep forgetting you’re not Canadian.

    In the interests of getting a good argument going, I’d also like to issue a blanket insult to the following: grown men in fantasy sports leagues, engineers, programmers, people who live in Arizona, college professors, researchers, World of Warcraft players, lawyers, the Duke lacrosse team, the Steelers, Hillary, Obama, puppies, kittens, and the Beatles.

  48. 48.

    Jen

    lawyers

    Like Obama, we feed on your insults and they make us stronger, especially when they come from people named after yummy cuts of meat….mmmm…your insults taste like A1.

  49. 49.

    demimondian

    I’d also like to issue a blanket insult to the following: grown men in fantasy sports leagues, engineers, programmers, people who live in Arizona, college professors, researchers, World of Warcraft players, lawyers, the Duke lacrosse team, the Steelers, Hillary, Obama, puppies, kittens, and the Beatles.

    “Paul L.”

  50. 50.

    Jen

    Apropos of nothing, as this is an open thread, I think Saoirse is the prettiest name. I would’ve named my daughter that if anyone on this continent would’ve had any idea how to pronounce it. As it is, I’m just going to have to enroll her in those Irish dancing classes.

    Now, TZ is going to come back and talk about how obviously male I am and I’m just playing the “baby name card”.

  52. 52.

    jake

    Say something about blacks, gays. or women and you catch hell. Make fun of fat people and everyone just laughs along.

    Nice try you insensitive jackaloper. Everyone knows the reference to two non-Kosher foods is a swipe at Jewish people.

  53. 53.

    demimondian

    TZ is going to come back and talk about how obviously male I am and I’m just playing the “baby name card”.

    Here’s a hint, Jen.

    If you want bullies to stop teasing you about your name, don’t let them know that they’re getting to you. Now, I think there’s something more-than-vaguely-creepy about making claims about your gender, but, hey, that’s TZ, and he’s sort of the more-than-vaguely-creepy creepy old uncle of the comments section. (Me? I’m the more-than-vaguely-disturbing geeky nephew who keeps trying to…hey! No fair!)

  54. 54.

    SGEW

    I’d also like to issue a blanket insult to the following: grown men in fantasy sports leagues, engineers, programmers, people who live in Arizona, college professors, researchers, World of Warcraft players, lawyers, the Duke lacrosse team, the Steelers, Hillary, Obama, puppies, kittens, and the Beatles.

    Kittens? KITTENS?!? Have you no decency?

  55. 55.

    Jen

    If you want bullies to stop teasing you about your name, don’t let them know that they’re getting to you.

    Nah, I think it’s funny. I like to think about how everything I say would be interpreted by someone who is convinced that I’m a guy. So sometimes I include that interpretation. He said I played the “knitting card” once. Have *you* ever heard of a “knitting card”? So I like to think about all the other girly cards I might have.

    I admit that I did not care for his unsupported characterization that I am “dishonest”. You can tell, ’cause I don’t joke about it, see?

  56. 56.

    Krista

    I think Saoirse is the prettiest name. I would’ve named my daughter that if anyone on this continent would’ve had any idea how to pronounce it. As it is, I’m just going to have to enroll her in those Irish dancing classes.

    There is something to be said for having a name that doesn’t require multiple repetitions and corrections to everybody. My maiden name is of French descent, and it’s been mangled six ways to Sunday by most everybody.

    Could be worse. At least my folks put some thought into how my first name would sound with my last name, unlike the parents of a fellow from my hometown. Their last name is Good. They named him Purdy.

  57. 57.

    demimondian

    Have you ever heard of a “knitting card”?

    There are more things here in the comments section than were dreamed of in my college philosophy. That was, I admit, one of them.

    OTOH — FDDD and I named all of our kids jointly, so the “baby naming” card is not, by any means, female.

  58. 58.

    Jen

    BTW, the creepy part wasn’t really the claims about my gender. The creepy part was that he wanted me to PROVE I’m a woman. And that seemed to involve deciphering Ovaltine decoder ring hints as to his email address, or identity, or something, scattered through BJ over the last 2.5 years.

    Yep. I’ll get right on that, creepy ol’ dude.

  59. 59.

    Tax Analyst

    SGEW Says:

    I’d also like to issue a blanket insult to the following: grown men in fantasy sports leagues, engineers, programmers, people who live in Arizona, college professors, researchers, World of Warcraft players, lawyers, the Duke lacrosse team, the Steelers, Hillary, Obama, puppies, kittens, and the Beatles.

    Well, that’s just plain silly…EVERYONE knows you don’t insult kittens…you Scull-Fuck them…

    …Jesus…come on, people – get with the program.

  60. 60.

    Jen

    There is something to be said for having a name that doesn’t require multiple repetitions and corrections to everybody.

    Yeah, I know. What can I say, when you grow up one of three “Jennifers” in a class of 25, when no one, ever, asks you how to spell your name, you dream weirdo.

    Our kids are named jointly, too, but I don’t think men go online to baby naming forums, as I did when I was pregnant. They slant heavily towards the cutesy, I found out.

  61. 61.

    myiq2xu

    I might even shop for a new pair of jeans to wear to his inauguration.

    More proof you’re a guy – You didn’t ask if they make your butt look big.

    “homocidal”? Are you intimating that gay men are mass murderers?

    I’m not intimating with gay men and isn’t mass murder something Hagee would advocate?

    I caught my typo a split second after I hit submit. I think that momentary hang-time is God’s way of laughing at us.

  62. 62.

    scrutinizer

    EVERYONE knows you don’t insult kittens…you Scull-Fuck them…

    There is a special hell for creatures like you.

  63. 63.

    Krista

    He said I played the “knitting card” once.

    Is that like the knitting wheel? ‘Cause I had one of those when I was 8, and made tube dresses for my Barbies. :)

  64. 64.

    myiq2xu

    Is that like the knitting wheel? ‘Cause I had one of those when I was 8, and made tube dresses for my Barbies.

    Some friends of mine had four kids – all girls.

    I’ve never seen so many naked Barbies in my life.

  65. 65.

    Krista

    Yeah, I know. What can I say, when you grow up one of three “Jennifers” in a class of 25, when no one, ever, asks you how to spell your name, you dream weirdo.

    Only three? You did well. We had four in our class, and our school was just lousy with Jennifers, as well as with Jasons, Robbies and Lisas.

    Right now, my friend’s kid is one of three Hayleys in her class. Plus ça change…

  66. 66.

    Wilfred

    They named him Purdy.

    Did they name him after Al Purdy, my favorite Canadian poet?

  67. 67.

    jake

    No one could have possibly foreseen that handing out money when the economy is on life support would … Oh fuck it.

    Bet: Before the summer ends there will be a surge in “Humiliate Yourself for Instant $$” TeeVee programming.

  68. 68.

    jake

    I’ve never seen so many naked Barbies in my life.

    Now that’s creepy.

    Plus, Bill Donohue told me looking at naked Barbies(R) leaves you hung like Ken(R).

  69. 69.

    SGEW

    Scull-Fuck

    Is that anything like weak beer/sex in a canoe? (i.e., fucking close to water?)

    That’s what I think of, anyway.

  70. 70.

    Krista

    Did they name him after Al Purdy, my favorite Canadian poet?

    Probably not, as this guy’s quite elderly, so Al Purdy would have published well after this guy was born.

    Can you imagine the conversation, though?

    “What’s your name?”
    “Purdy Good”
    “No, I didn’t ask how you were, I asked what your name is.”
    “Purdy Good”

    And it would just go downhill from there.

  71. 71.

    myiq2xu

    Now that’s creepy.

    Anyone who has a daughter learns that if you buy her a Barbie she’ll strip it naked and leave it laying around.

    It’s a chick thing. It’s called “humiliate your rivals.”

    It appears to be hard-wired.

  72. 72.

    Some guy named Matt

    Perfect Open thread just when i needed one.

    So i’m watching Woody Allen’s 1971 movie Bananas for the 1st time in like 15 years. About 10 minutes into the movie,
    Fielding Melish (Woody) is perusing the porn magazines at an outdoor magazine kiosk. And right in the middle of all the dirty mags, is a copy of The National Review…… Which for some reason, i didn’t get the joke when i was in high school, but now found it extremely funny.

    Howard Cossell calling an Assassination like a boxing match. is always funny.

  73. 73.

    Wilfred

    AVONDALE, La. – The USS New York, an amphibious assault ship built with scrap steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center, was christened Saturday as a source of strength and inspiration for the nation.

    You know, they could have built a hospital, or a school, or even a fucking bridge maybe, in some lame attempt at bringing people together, but no. “I hereby christen you as a source of strength and inspiration for the nation”. Now go help kill some brown people, you big inspirational lug.

  74. 74.

    Krista

    Anyone who has a daughter learns that if you buy her a Barbie she’ll strip it naked and leave it laying around.

    It’s a chick thing. It’s called “humiliate your rivals.”

    It appears to be hard-wired.

    Yeah, most of mine, when not wearing fetching knitted tube dresses, were laying around naked. And I was also a budding hairstylist, so unfortunately, most of my Barbies wound up looking like Anne Heche circa 1997.

  75. 75.

    tBone

    Yeah, most of mine, when not wearing fetching knitted tube dresses, were laying around naked. And I was also a budding hairstylist, so unfortunately, most of my Barbies wound up looking like Anne Heche circa 1997.

    I love the scene in Toy Story 2 when the Prospector gets jammed in the backpack with the freaky Barbies: “You’ll like Amy. She’s an artist.”

  76. 76.

    ThymeZone

    TZ is going to come back and talk about how obviously male I am

    Really? Is that because having a daughter makes you a particular gender?

    For example, if I had a daughter, would that make me a female?

    I am interested in how you think this works.

  77. 77.

    Jen

    I’ve seen those knitting wheels in craft stores before, Krista, but I didn’t really know how they worked. I had a polyester-band potholder maker myself. Tube dresses for Barbies, huh? Truly, we are children of the ’70s.

  78. 78.

    ThymeZone

    Yep. I’ll get right on that, creepy ol’ dude.

    Really? If you think it’s creepy, and supposedly don’t like it, why do you keep bringing it up?

    Why did you bring it up to this thread?

  80. 80.

    ThymeZone

    I have a daughter and a son.

    So if I have only one offspring, then I am the gender of that offpsring?

    This seems not to correlate to my college genetics class material. But, I suppose things have changed in that science since I took the class.

  81. 81.

    Krista

    . I had a polyester-band potholder maker myself.

    Oh my freaking god, I totally remember those now. I had completely forgotten about them, but can now picture one plain as day.

    Ha — found them!

  82. 82.

    Jen

    Yep! Except my “loom” was metal. And the potholders shrunk up. And they were really scoogy to the touch. And no one would actually want to use them, not even your mom.

  83. 83.

    Krista

    Plus, that loom made the potholders so small — I think they might have been about 3″x3″. A nice, safe size for a potholder.

    This was my favourite toy for years and years.

  85. 85.

    Jen

    Aigh! I had one of those, too, and forgot about it! Oh yes, Fashion Plates.

    One word: Spirograph.

    I could go all night, but the husband beckons to watch the Wire. If it’s good enough for Obama…

  87. 87.

    Pb

    Is that because having a daughter makes you a particular gender?

    Until men figure out how to give birth, yes.

  90. 90.

    ThymeZone

    Until men figure out how to give birth, yes.

    Ah, so let me see if I follow. “Having” a daughter means “giving birth” to a daughter?

    So if I have a son, then I am a woman?

    Is that the rule?

  91. 91.

    Pb

    Ah, so let me see if I follow. “Having” a daughter means “giving birth” to a daughter?

    So if I have a son, then I am a woman?

    Is that the rule?

    Indeed, if you give birth to a son, then my expectation would be that you are a woman.

  92. 92.

    ThymeZone

    Indeed, if you give birth to a son, then my expectation would be that you are a woman.

    Uh huh. That is quite brilliant, have you considered publishing a paper on that?

  93. 93.

    demimondian

    [brrr] Sure is cold out there. Anything interesting going on in here?

    Shove over, TZ, give an old man a place to sit down. Anybody got some hot tea?

  94. 94.

    Liberal Masochist

    Jen not “knowing” about fantasy baseball was too obvious. You can’t be on the internet as obsessively as all of us and be ignorant of fantasy sports. She’s a man baby! Fake gender troll alert! JK! : )

    myiq is still a woman and Tom in Texas, if you are in Houston I might be interested. Bigger stakes if possible.

  95. 95.

    ThymeZone

    Anybody got some hot tea?

    Got some green tea brewing over here.

    Anybody besides me thing that Dana Bash is the biggest horse’s ass in cable news today?

    She is apparently either married or engaged to John King.

    I can’t find that the two of them together have a brain.

  96. 96.

    demimondian

    Ahhh…excellent. Fingers get creaky in the winter, you know.

    I don’t have a TV — want to post some links? I wouldn’t be surprised if she were hereditarily decorticate; I only know one anchor/TV reporter type who isn’t, and he married my wife’s sister and left the business, so he isn’t John King.

  100. 100.

    ThymeZone

    which was kinda my point.

    So, you spot a sub sub thread on an obscure blog that doesn’t matter to you, and you feel the need to make a point of that?

    Can you remember back to the first time something made you feel that way?

  102. 102.

    tBone

    And when did they go in the tank for HRC?

    Last week, but it wasn’t confirmed until tonight. Hillary even did a bit with Amy Poehler after the opening debate, and held her own.

    They did jab her a little on healthcare at the beginning of the debate sketch, but then it turned into a rehash of last week, making fun of the media for handling Obama with kid gloves. I was hoping they’d do something with Russert’s bizarre hypotheticals instead.

  103. 103.

    demimondian

    Hey, don’t post spoilers, you overage East Coaster! SNL isn’t on yet out here.

    Of course, I wouldn’t be able to see it either way…so who cares?

  104. 104.

    empty

    Can you remember back to the first time something made you feel that way?

    I have to really hand it to you TZ. It has to be amazingly difficult to stay in character almost all the time.

  105. 105.

    ThymeZone

    Speaking of Russert’s hypotheticals … I saw his show today. He was patting himself on the back for his performance in the debate the other night.

    He was very proud of the ‘successor to Putin’ gotca question to which Hillary couldn’t get his name right, and Obama basically said “what she said.”

    It never occurs to Russert that a real conversation about foreign affairs might require something more than a stupid gotcha question. He thinks getting the candidates to stumble IS the informaton we want. Har har, she didn’t know the guy’s name!

    Russert is just a complete fucking buffoon. We do not have a competant new media in this country.

  106. 106.

    ThymeZone

    It has to be amazingly difficult to stay in character almost all the time.

    Do you think so? What makes you think that way? In particular, what makes you think that you can tell the difference between ordinary conversation here, and what you call “staying in character?”

    Be specific, cite examples, and explain your references.

    Also, what evidence do you have that I am not actually a woman, and posing as a man? Again, examples, and explanations please.

    Also, can you explain why you think your comment has merit here, how it contributes to the thread, the blog, or the particular dialogue?

    In addition, can you provide biographical information what will help me put your answers into the proper context?

    Thanks.

  107. 107.

    empty

    Do you think so? What makes you think that way? In particular, what makes you think that you can tell the difference between ordinary conversation here, and what you call “staying in character?”

    ,
    I did say almost always. See here you are slipping out of character.

  108. 108.

    Conservatively Liberal

    Found an interesting link someone posted at TPM Election Central that links to MSNBC. It is about how the Clinton campaign will not return a $170,000.00 contribution from a company involved in a big sexual harassment suit (EEOC claims that just over 100 women were harassed).

    Shorter Hillary: If they are convicted, I will return the money.

    Shorter Me: She does not have the money on hand to refund it right now.

  109. 109.

    ThymeZone

    See here you are slipping out of character.

    Since I am a persona, an entirely fictional character, how could I slip out of character? Do you suppose that I have a fixed character? My creator thinks that he can shape me into whatever is needed at any time, and then do it again, and again, as necessary.

    I am interested in your views, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

  110. 110.

    ThymeZone

    empty, does your handle describe you?

    If so, can you provide an empty explanation?

    Are you related to full? What is your relationship to that character? Is it fulfilling, or draining?

  111. 111.

    misc

    “So, you spot a sub sub thread on an obscure blog that doesn’t matter to you, and you feel the need to make a point of that?

    Can you remember back to the first time something made you feel that way?”

    Your presumptions are confusing me. I’m a daily reader of this “obscure blog.” I realize teh internets are serious business, but not to the extent that someone must provide proof of their genitalia.

  114. 114.

    empty

    I realize teh internets are serious business, but not to the extent that someone must provide proof of their genitalia.

    And, why not?

  115. 115.

    jake

    Since I am a persona, an entirely fictional character, how could I slip out of character?

    But can you slip into something more comfortable?

  116. 116.

    ThymeZone

    but not to the extent that someone must provide proof of their genitalia.

    Uh, yes, I see. You claim to be a “daily reader” but apparently have no knowledge of the extensive and exhaustive discussions we have had on the subject you raise.

    Rather than explore that in depth, however, let me give you a short synopsis:

    The jen character spends a lot of time trying establish cred as a female character, but to my reading, is a fake. Therefore, I question the credentials frequently.

    In a related context, I find that just about every word spoken here by this persona strikes me as being dishonest or disingenuous in one way or another. I just don’t believe a single word this person says — frank expression of opinion excepted, since opinion is entirely subjective, any of it could be real or fake, there is no way to judge.

    Considering that around 25-35 percent of the posters here are spoofs, personas, trolls or some combination thereof, I think the question is relevant for everyone who posts here.

    You, for example, should be asking why you would accept my assertion that I am at 61+ year old male. Do you have any direct evidence that I am? Do you tend to believe it? Not believe it? That’s up to you, your grip on this is up to you, and mine, in that same way, is up to me.

  120. 120.

    misc

    “You, for example, should be asking why you would accept my assertion that I am at 61+ year old male”

    I do not question that a 61-year-old (or older) male would demand proof that a woman demonstrate that she is indeed a woman online. Maybe it’s a generational thing.

  121. 121.

    ThymeZone

    male would demand proof that a woman

    I dont recommend this hobby for you, I think you are in over your head.

    I didn’t demand anything, I asked for it. There is no mechanism here for making or enforcing demands.

    I asked nothing of a “woman.” I asked it of an anonymous persona who has no established gender, or any other established characteristics whatever.

    I could be talking to an eighth grader, or a mental patient, or a student of John Cole’s. As could you.

  123. 123.

    tBone

    I could be talking to an eighth grader, or a mental patient, or a student of John Cole’s.

    Darrell, in other words?

  124. 124.

    ThymeZone

    Whatever. I’m drunk and ornery

    What’s your excuse?

    Hmm. Well, I don’t drink and am seldom ornery.

    I don’t need an excuse.

    My advice would be for you to talk to empty. I think he will be better able to help you.

    Or, she, as you prefer.

  127. 127.

    myiq2xu

    I realize teh internets are serious business, but not to the extent that someone must provide proof of their genitalia.

    Jenitalia is a bad name for a child. Of either jender.

  128. 128.

    srv

    The jen character spends a lot of time trying establish cred as a female character, but to my reading, is a fake. Therefore, I question the credentials frequently.

    Jen has always been too stupid to be a guy, and ppGaz has always been too stupid to be a woman. Ergo, they are the same person.

  129. 129.

    SGEW

    . . . provide proof of their genitalia.

    Fer th’ love of all that is good, please (I beg of you) do not provide this proof. I am uneasy about clicking on links in message threads already.

    And besides . . . it is everyone’s personal right to define their own gender identity. If someone wants to self-identify as “male” or “female,” or use certain gender-specific pronouns, we should not question their decision, no matter what their biological anatomy was at birth, or whether they are pre- or post-op.

    (Not saying that anyone here’s trans, or anything. Just making a general point.)

  131. 131.

    RSA

    Going back a bit. . .

    My maiden name is of French descent, and it’s been mangled six ways to Sunday by most everybody.

    I know what you mean, Krista. My last name is French, and sometimes when I’m filling out an online form, I press the submit button and it comes back telling me a field has an invalid entry, and it’s flagging my actual last name. Fuck you, Web programmer.

  133. 133.

    demimondian

    Jenitalia

    That sounds like the stage name of some southern-european-looking porn star, appearing in such gems as “JenItalia does Milan”, “Vesuvius of Lust”, “PompeiDay” and the like.

  134. 134.

    jcricket

    And that seemed to involve deciphering Ovaltine decoder ring hints as to his email address, or identity, or something, scattered through BJ over the last 2.5 years.

    IOW, TZ seems to believe he is JJ Abrams. For example:

    The jen character spends a lot of time trying establish cred as a female character, but to my reading, is a fake. Therefore, I question the credentials frequently.

    TZ, master of the comment threads, arbiter of all that is real and right ™. Never over the top or out-of-control to the point where he gets banned, right?

  135. 135.

    jcricket

    Have you ever heard of a “knitting card”?

    I’m going to accuse you of playing the “I’m not playing the card” soon enough.

  136. 136.

    demimondian

    I just wanted to point out that Hagee is now a topic being covered on CNN. So, Wilfred, d’you want to keep up your race-baiting antics?

  137. 137.

    Asti

    BTW, TZ, I have no clue what this means

    TZ didn’t write it so why are you asking him? Why don’t you ask Tom in Texas instead?

    Homoerotic? TZ is a heterosexual man Jen, but, of course you wouldn’t know that… ;)

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