Red State brings the funny:
Remember the mystery of the missing flags?
FOUND THEM:
Now granted, their candidate is internet challenged, but surely our correspondents from Red State, the premier online site for conservative activism, can not be internet challenged as well. Because perusing the mystical intertrons that elude McCain so easily, I found lots of flags. From Atrios:
You don’t have to look too closely to see what can be described as a SHIT TON of flags on display during Bill Clinton’s speech last night
From the Denver Post:
Hrmm. Flags are indeed elusive at the DNC.
I could go on and on, but you get the point, and unlike John McCain and Red State, you understand the internet. Go have fun and find your own flags. It isn’t hard.
On the other hand, this may explain why the Bush administration never found any WMD in Iraq.
dwightkschrute
For even more pleasure I suggest venturing over to TL. Jeralyn has a post up saying all aboard Obama/Biden and making it policy that the petty snipes be kept to a minimum. Needless to say many Clinton dead-ender reader heads are exploding and Jeralyn has replaced Bill Richardson as the new Judas.
bartkid
Meh.
Needs more greek columns.
Cernig
2 flags? That’s their scoop? LOLZ epic fail.
Lushboi
That’s awesome! The Repugs really have nothing do they?
Dreggas
There was so much red white and blue frantically waving last night that there should have been a health warning for epileptics prior to that scene.
Bob In Pacifica
Does anyone know where the American flags were made? As I recall about a decade back they stopped making them in the U.S. I sure would like the Dems to announce that their flags were made in America by Americans and that at least one job wasn’t sent overseas.
Cernig
I looked at all their pics, just to be sure. 10 broken flags in trashbags. That surely proves Dems are traitors…
Earbucket
I find TalkLeft’s approach to moderation pretty bizarre. It’s sad that some people can’t handle the possibility that they might see an opinion that differs from theirs. Has it always been that way, or is it a result of the craziness of the primary?
mitch
But…but…John, those don’t count because they weren’t put up by the DNC! Apparently, that’s one of the rules of this game.
Y’see, they’re obviously not smearing Democrats as a whole, but merely pointing out the lack of patriotism on the part of the DNC in particular. How you cynically impugn their motives, doesn’t that say so much more about you? Think about it!
Ted
I can haz more Matthews/Olbermann spats?
I can haz more Scarborough/Shuster slapping matches?
Dreggas
It’s the result of the primary. It’s like Pavlov’s dogs but they haven’t been de-programmed yet, they still drool on and piss all over themselves whenever anyone mentions Obama. Now that Pavlov is saying “Hey Obama ain’t that bad” well, the dogs are still making a mess of things.
Bokonon
Oh my friggin’ GOD! There are little plastic AMERICAN FLAGS IN THE TRASH CAN!
Don’t those liberals know that every flag is sacred?!?
Just like every zygote, and every stem cell.
John S.
John,
Fix your goddamn website, man. You get way too much linky-love from high traffic websites now to be dicking around with cheap hosting.
If you need some suggestions, shoot me an email.
Steve V
Read the RS thread. I don’t read RS threads very often (usually only when John or someone else on the lefty side links to them), so my sample size is small, but I have never read an RS thread in which someone does NOT get banned.
Tsulagi
Good ol RedState. I stop by there for two reasons. The comedy, and to see which way the brilliant Bush conservatives are blowing. Or what. Or whom.
Yeah, two flag diaries. One diary was the unpatriots got no flags. Now, they got flags, but they’re dissing them. Reaching much?
The comedy was strong there in the week before the DNC convention. There was basically two types of diaries. One was EVERYTHING IS GOOD NEWS FOR MCCAIN! alternating with MORALLY DEPRAVED OBAMA WANTS TO KILL THE BABIES! They had uncovered that Obama is an infanticide fetishist.
Don’t underestimate their intelligence. Blammer Moe is currently (or was) blogging from Hawaii where his wife took him. Given Hawaii is the most elitist spot on Earth, really the trip must be cover for a secret assignment. When the cloak of night comes, he puts on his ninja wetsuit tracking down the truth about Obama’s birth certificate. I expect breaking news anytime now.
xyzzy
Oh, wow, RedState really fucked themselves this time. You’re going to be posting the pictures of little paper flags in trash bags after the RNC, right, John?
cleek
fuck RedState. life’s too short to waste calories reading their retarded scribblings.
TheFountainHead
Everytime I read something on Red State I get this persistent image in my head of a none-too-bright, overweight bull-dog chewing on an old Alabama license plate.
Does that make me an elitist? Or something?
P.S. If this comment doesn’t crash John’s server’s I’ll be shocked. Seriously. L2Server.
The Other Steve
Ok, from the comments at RS…
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/aaronbg76/podiumsmall.jpg
I’m kind of sad the Republicans decided to adopt red as their color. That picture of their stage, it creaps me out. I expect to see a Swastika, not an American flag.
Bokonon
Every flag is scacred,
Every flag is great!
If any flag is improperly disposed by Democrats,
Then God gets quite irate.
[Apologies to Monty Python]
[email protected]
I too am a republican convert, when I read Red State I wonder how I could have ever agreed with those people. It’s a sad state when these people can say these things and actually be taken seriously.
xyzzy
I had exactly the same thought. It looks like the room at the Nuremberg rally.
HumboldtBlue
I had high hopes for Red State once they rolled out their new digs. But sheesh, you would figure they could generate more than 30 comments across the whole site in one day. Does anyone actually read them?
And the PUMAS have now decided that if they can’t vote for Hill, they are going to vote for McCain, but they aren’t going to give him their votes for FREE! He’s going to have to earn them and that means adding their planks to his platform. They are massing to contact him all at once so he’ll have no chance to ignore them. They want him, to umm, uhh, run as a Democrat.
HumboldtBlue
I had high hopes for Red State once they rolled out their new digs. But sheesh, you would figure they could generate more than 30 comments across the whole site in one day. Does anyone actually read them?
And the PUMAS have now decided that if they can’t vote for Hill, they are going to vote for McCain, but they aren’t going to give him their votes for FREE! He’s going to have to earn them and that means adding their planks to his platform. They are massing to contact him all at once so he’ll have no chance to ignore them. They want him, to umm, uhh, run as a Democrat.
Mylegacy
Off topic BUT the following is the best EVER Anti-McCain video – done BY Republicans FOR Republicans. LISTEN to what Pat Buchanan says – WOW!!! Listen to McCain at the end – WOW!!!
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/06/brutal.html
zzyzx
humbolt – link to that PUMA site?
PanAmerican
That’s nothin’. Lambert jumps aboard the unity express and hilarity ensues.
Bokonon
The GOP’s stage set looks like the opening scene to the movie “Patton” …
I suppose McCain will stride up in a shiny chrome helmet and tell us that he is our Maximum Leader.
NR
Yeah, I’m sure he’ll get right on that.
SGEW
Mr. Cole,
I implore you to step up to the challenges our country face, boldly grasp the promise of the future, and work towards the change America so desperately needs . . . by fixing your website!
I’m almost more worried about your hosting needs than I am about the electoral calculus. Seriously: is it a funding thing? Can someone host a fundraiser for you? I would honestly give you a donation before I give more money to Obama (as I’ve already given him a surprising amount, seeing as I’m rather cash-strapped at the moment), just to keep you (and all of the commenters here [best political coverage EVAR]) flowin’ through th’ tubes.
Can I get a secular amen?
teak111
I’ve noticed this nickel and dime approach to smearing BHO and the dems in comments and other blogs and with the AM radio listening in-laws. They are not voting for Obama because he didn’t wear a flag pin? Or because he …
does not enough flags at the convention
can’t speech without a teleprompter
is too fit, too skinny, too elitist
a media darling
doesn’t wear a flag pin
uses Pillars on the stage
is black (probably the real reason.
What a circus.
nightjar
He’s just fucking with us. Before the 1st there will be a new BJ unveiled. Anyways, that’s my prediction and hope.
Ugh
Please tell me that’s not their actual stage.
zzyzx
So Obama got a bounce and the stock market is rallying. Where’s the Kudlow article?
Keith
Since violating the Flag Code is the topic du jour, anybody got any pics of Bush and/or McCain wearing American flag shirts?
JL
McCain ad is out and the winner is Congratulations Sen. Obama on this important day..
Scott H
Flags? Anybody with a cellphone at the RNC want to snapshot the bar napkins?
Columns? If you stand on the Mall there’s not as much I. M. Pei as you might expect.
PUMA? Yeah, let’s go vote for the guy who openly calls his wife a “c*nt” and nominates her for Sturgis amateur strip shows.
w vincentz
The GOP stage is disrespectful of the flag, the same flag that was proudly carried into the Birdsnest in Beijing. True PATRIOTS know about the flag. They grab a quick feel of the beautiful ass that wears one on her bikini on the beach volleyball court…cause it’s a patriotic act.
It’s kinda like wrapping coffins going into Dover AFB.
Feel the patriotism, and show your nationalism.
Sieg POW!
DSB
You know, I looked all over Red State’s site, and the only American flags I found were in the photos of the DNC convention they posted.
Seriously, they’ve got NOTHING. They even trotted out the “that must be why he took the American flag off his airplane” lie. Do you think they know it’s a trademarked symbol and are just lying? Or are they really that dumb?
I’ll go with that dumb.
Gus
Jesus, the first half of the comment thread is lambert and our old friends lukasiak and myiq. Hilarious is the word. also stupid.
Ted
I’m wondering if the flag background is actually a giant video screen. Because it would be strange if they didn’t even have one. They have to show that POW movie they’ve been working on, and the trust-funded life story of whatever VP he picks.
Tom
Has the right-wing blogosphere final reached its nadir by devoting this much time and energy to analyzing the back drop for Obama’s speech tonight?
http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/aug/28/the-dncs-obameion-a-poor-attempt-at-a-gre/
JGabriel
Time interviews Senator McCranky (emphasis in original):
John McCain: The Stepford Candidate?
.
Zifnab
I think reading their posts is a bannable offense. That might have something to do with it.
Halleluyah
SGEW
As long as comments appear to be working, some cross-blog love:
The Economist once again lays down teh funny, re: column-gate.
Ted
What’s a trademarked symbol?
HumboldtBlue
Sorry ZZ … here ya go …
http://blog.pumapac.org/
Riverdaughter is another good spot for teh crazeeee
TheFountainHead
Balloon-Juice Election 2008 Slogan:
John McCain: May he go down harder and faster than our site! Amen.
JL
.
Take the time to listen to the tape that is on Time’s site. The interviewer is clearly uncomfortable and the chuckle before he asks “Do I know you” is telling. Hopefully, the news media will wake up and tell the public about all his gaffes.
NonWonderDog
That’s a computer render of their stage. Maybe it will look less fascist when full of fascists, you never know. It actually doesn’t look quite as bad in high-resolution, for some reason. It’s less Nürnberg, more V for Vendetta. (That is a black laminate stage floor, of course, so the overall scheme still looks like a Nazi flag.)
I commented on this late last night, had too many links, and got moderated, but this is way worse than Obama’s stage. That’s for a Senate convention, too–it’s doubly presumptuous! Of course, Gilmore is white and Republican. He can’t be uppity.
John Cole
The interviewer is Jay Carney, who is a really easy-going guy.
Punchy
If Obama wanted to go full-Greek (and why not), he ought to give his speech wearing just a fig leaf while crushing a gyro, in front of a huge backdrop of Sparta’s attack plans on Athens.
Then watch Chris Matthews decline to stand up on camera, as his arm furiously shuffles underneath the desk.
Georgette Orwell
Doesn’t anyone remember the photos of Bush autographing–defacing–American flags?
Someone had better rescue those flags from the trash cans, or we’ll *never* hear the end of it.
Medicine Man
I noticed that too, Gus. They’re really professional concern trolls, aren’t they?
Steve V
Funny in that GOP pic how they have the aisles set to look like a Union Jack. Yes, I hope someone will take photos of all the “flags” that end up in the trash at the GOP convention. Gawd, is screeching the only thing they know how to do?
zzyzx
I’m watching the live feed (YMSB playing one of my favorite songs) and the stage is nothing to freak out over. It doesn’t look like any kind of temple.
Ted
And they’re sitting there trolling each other all day about whether or not Ayers is a BIG deal, or the BIGGEST deal, or not much of a deal.
SamFromUtah
You don’t have to look too closely to see what can be described as a SHIT TON of flags on display during Bill Clinton’s speech last night…
You’re forgetting that a flag held by a liberal is never an American flag, even if it looks just like one. It’s really a French-Muslim-IHateFreedom-SaddamRULZ flag.
HumboldtBlue
Not even Shirley? Obama is awfully cute they say, well, at least that’s what the kids are saying.
Delia
Whoa. Now it turns out that McGrumpy and his best bud, Georgie, haven’t spoken since May and don’t like each other much. Who’d have guessed? More to come in the Sunday NYT.
Ted
And they’re sitting there trolling each other all day about whether or not Ayers is a BIG deal, or the BIGGEST deal, or not much of a deal.
Punchy
Yonder is just f’in TITS. One of my all-time favorite bands. What an outstanding way to get the crowd pumped.
They better play “River”….
KRK
The sound was terrible for me on the CSPAN live feed. The feed on the DNCC site sounds great, though.
bud
OT:
John,
As someone who’s watched Generation Kill, you might be interested to know that Lt. Nathaniel Fick just spoke at the convention. Funny. I was just watching the show earlier.
Digital Amish
I finally got some time to watch the convention. I saw a little girl lead the Pledge of Allegience, even including the phrase “One nation under God”. But you could tell by her body language that she really didn’t mean it.
/Fox political analyst
Rome Again
Jeralyn and BTD are going to keep tabs on the number of “critical” posts each person makes? God that sounds like a lot of work.
I told her once that she would have trouble walking these people back, I see now she realizes it too. Too bad she opened that can of worms. I guess she had better get to work.
Conservatively Liberal
Fixed.
I am glad to see that Jeralyn finally pulled her head out of her ass, and not surprised one bit that
myiq2xuGoatBoy had to whine there about how the Democratic party does not represent McCain supporters like him and he will be leaving TalkLeft.Their property values just doubled.
RedState is just a right-wing circle jerk and nothing more.
LanceThruster
This might sound weird but I did not like seeing the flags sitting in there with the rest of the floor trash. I guess it is inevitable considering its ubiquitous nature as a prop (I liked the bar napkins observation and you can’t have a 4th of July BBQ without the Stars and Stripes on everything). I know it is just a mass produced trinket (regardless of the manufacturer’s country of origin) but considering the historic nature of this particular convention I would have hoped that people not wanting them as mementos would have disposed of them in the trash themselves instead of just dropping it on the floor. I’m not into elevating the flag into a sacred icon and was embarrassed by Hillary’s support of the flag burning amendment, but that’s just my initial reaction.
When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross ~ Sinclair Lewis
Will
http://skreened.com/product-image/w250h350f3z3/umkjldtluazuyiqpyinz/preview.png
Will
sorry, I tried to put image tags around it, but I guess that doesn’t work.
thefncrow
He was just on? Dammit. The official schedule had him listed as being part of the 7:00-8:00(MST) block.
The Moar You Know
Welcome. I am in my early forties, and can remember a time when Republicanism was not batshit insane. The folks at RedHate don’t represent any kind of political thought I’m familiar with, save perhaps fascism. If I had ever been a Republican at any point in my life, I’d be pissed at what those folks have done to the brand name.
lambert strether
PanAmerican says that lambert’s aboard the unity express? Feh. They don’t let racists on board. Nice joke, though, and thanks for the hits. I’m just doing a little fall thread cleaning to get the attention of people who can’t manage concepts like evidence and reasoning — a “party invariant” condition.
See you at White Columns tonight — amd reach me that bucket, wouldja?
Bootlegger
Better dead than Red.
Hmmm, who first thought of that?
mad the swine
Yeah, that Red State thread about Obama’s classical backdrop is ridiculous.
“Now, anybody who paid attention for more than five minutes in ancient history class can spot several defects in the facade if the intent was to make an architecturally correct Greek temple.”
Well, um, maybe that’s because that wasn’t the intent, but don’t let me get in the way of claiming that Obama is both uppity and stupid. :P
Anyway, it doesn’t look like any kind of temple – it’s obviously a classical Greek theatre arrangement. Look at the photo on that thread: you have Obama’s podium set up in the middle of the orchestra, the skene is that raised backdrop with the tiled facade, and the columned entrances on either side are the parodoi, where the actors would enter/exit the stage; I assume Obama is going to enter from one of them.
The trouble with this theory is that the Greek theatre was used, of course, for tragedies (and comedies), neither of which seem really apt for the image the campaign is trying to project, so I’m inclined to write this off as a coincidence.
… Although if Hillary is the one who announces Obama and welcomes him onto the stage, and if the lighting makes the blue of the carpet dark enough to look purple, I’ll start to worry…
… actually, there’s a lot of fertile ground for conservative propagandists in the Obama-campaign-as-Greek-tragedy theme, given that hubris is already the centerpiece of their attack campaign. Good thing Red State’s resident classicist ended his studies with those five minutes in ancient history class :P
oh really
There is one unerring guide on the Intertubes.
If you want to know what absolutely doesn’t matter, then tune in to Red State.
The president could be shredding the Constitution, launching unnecessary wars, and bungling everything else, and Red State would be obsessing about the flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, or Greek columns.
They’re not just nasty; they’re really, really stupid.
Perhaps, the most difficult task on Earth would be to decide which of the Red Staters is most offensive.
slightly_peeved
We get fox news through cable in Australia, so I just switched on to see some of the convention…
… and what do I get but Bill Kristol describing the Berlin speech in front of 200,000 people as “offensive”, because only a president’s allowed to talk to that many people or some shit.
What. The. Fuck?
I guess Bill could be personally offended at such evidence that the world, rather than hating America (for its freedoms, y’know) quite likes large proportions of the America, and instead reserves the majority of its scorn for grade-A gold-standard ignorant douchebags such as Mr. Bill Kristol. That’d probably annoy him no end.
bago
Oh please, Republican fashion queens criticizing the homo-demo-decorating agenda?
Flame on!
(three snaps in a Z-formation)
Georgette Orwell
LaneThruster, it doesn’t sound weird–it sounds very astute. I completely agree with you, though I’d prefer people take the flags with them. Trash cans are a bit too disrespectful of this not-sacred-but-significant symbol.
zuzu's petals
They’re upset because the cleaning crew put all the flags that got left behind in trash bags? As in “not knowing how to properly dispose of a flag”?
Kee-rist, what idiots.
zuzu's petals
You mean like this ?
zuzu's petals
Oops, meant to respond to the flag-signing comment, sorry.
zuzu's petals
I think it’s a screen behind the podium. Here’s the way it looks right now:
RNC podium
NonWonderDog
Aww, they changed the hue of the carpet. It barely looks like a Nazi flag anymore! Spoil-sports. Hopefully it will be a deeper red when the lights are dim.
It just looks amazingly low-rent, too. The Dems completely transformed the Pepsi Center, to the point where it wasn’t even recognizable, while this is just a carpeted-over ice rink with a stage plunked down in it. (A black stage with a white border surrounded by red carpet, at that. How incompetent can a designer be and still have a job?)
grendelkhan
I think the best quote is over here:
It’s really hard to know where to even begin, y’know? From the description of government as this no-article-required force of nature, like electricity or grouchiness, to somehow identifying J. Random Convention Attendee with said force of nature, to the brain-shattering cognitive dissonance required to believe that maintaining global hegemony through expensive violence (something which, historically, no one’s really managed) is way easier than providing basic healthcare to people (something which, currently, a whole raft of countries seem to be doing without falling apart).
How one person can be so wrong, all at once… it simply boggles.
Billigflüge
Billi is the coolest. I am curious whether obama will have an intern as well:)