• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

“In this country American means white. everybody else has to hyphenate.”

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

We will not go back.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

Mobile Menu

  • Seattle Meet-up Post
  • 2025 Activism
  • Targeted Political Fundraising
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • 2025 Activism
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • Targeted Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2008 / Out of Town

Out of Town

by John Cole|  September 5, 200810:03 am| 57 Comments

This post is in: Election 2008, Previous Site Maintenance, Did You Know John McCain Was A POW?

FacebookTweetEmail

Heading out of town on a business trip, so I do not know how much blogging I will get done. I am taking the laptop, but won’t have much time. Kinda concerned about the market right now, as a heap of bad economic news has been released, so that is something to keep your eye on.

At any rate, if you see something worth talking about, throw it in the comments and I will try to catch up on it when I have time.

BTW- Why the hell can’t the McCain campaign respect personal property rights? Jesus, this is like the 15th time they have used music without permission. Are we going to have to add personal property rights to the list of things the modern conservatives don’t give a shit about? I guess it is not surprising, considering they can not even exploit wounded veterans competently.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « The Suspension of Reality Tour
Next Post: Hypocri-larity! »

Reader Interactions

57Comments

  1. 1.

    Blue Buddha

    September 5, 2008 at 10:11 am

    BTW- Why the hell can the McCain campaign respect personal property rights?

    Because outside of bubble-gum country* pop, there really isn’t much music that is both catchy and shares the same views as McCain’s campaign.

    ——

    * And not even real country music, such as what was written over 20 years ago.

  2. 2.

    Napoleon

    September 5, 2008 at 10:13 am

    Just when you think the McCain campaign can not out do itself, they fuck up the background of the most important speech he has ever given with a picture of some middle school instead of a military hospital. Added bonus more green screen footage for Colbert.

  3. 3.

    Punchy

    September 5, 2008 at 10:16 am

    Gettin married?

    Gunna miss the wrath of Hanna, too. Lots o’ floodin’.

  4. 4.

    LanceThruster

    September 5, 2008 at 10:18 am

    They should get the rights to play Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns, and Money” as they never seem to have enough of all three.

  5. 5.

    Jake

    September 5, 2008 at 10:19 am

    A couple of interesting nuggets on Palin this AM:

    1) She’s going to camp out in Alaska for awhile, as she “sees her son off to Iraq.” Didn’t we hear some time ago that there’s no way she’d have enough time to give a deposition for TrooperGate? Hmmm….

    2) She’s studying up on foreign policy with…

    wait for it…

    wait for it…

    JOE LIEBERMAN! I assume that means we’ll be hearing a lot from her in the VP debate concerning how the Democrats don’t have the balls to invade Iran, and can’t defend Israel like the John POW McCain.

  6. 6.

    kate r

    September 5, 2008 at 10:20 am

    The slide show was stunning. I mean green jello, blue jello, rippling waves of wheat, American flags in slo-mo….Walter Reed Middle School vs. Walter Reed Army Hospital.http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/213806.php Did they really not know what the damned hospital looks like? And, yo, why would they want to remind us of Walter Reed when, only a couple of years ago, it was a national disgrace?

    Who put him in front of the jello again.

  7. 7.

    Zifnab

    September 5, 2008 at 10:34 am

    BTW- Why the hell can’t the McCain campaign respect personal property rights? Jesus, this is like the 15th time they have used music without permission.

    John, John, John. Since when has the Republican Party been about protecting personal property rights? This music is broadcast so that the entire nation can enjoy it. It is for the betterment of the nation that all people are allowed to share and use the music as they see fit and not be constrained by rich Hollywood elitists or their running dog cohorts. We live in a free country where the state is allowed to benefit from the fruits of the people for the betterment of the people. Four legs good, two legs better John. You should know that by now.

  8. 8.

    greynoldsct00

    September 5, 2008 at 10:36 am

    Heh! Good for the Wilson’s swatting them down, and, pointing out that they didn’t even listen to the lyrics to see if they even made sense. Apparently they didn’t learn anything from the “Born in the USA” incident. Jackasses.

  9. 9.

    gypsy howell

    September 5, 2008 at 10:37 am

    This is so EPIC FAIL I don’t even know what to say.

    These fucktards are trying to run our country? We are so so so so screwed if they win.

  10. 10.

    Brian J

    September 5, 2008 at 10:43 am

    I know I’m not exactly a neutral observer nor the target audience for McCain’s speech, but I think it’s safe to say that it wasn’t very good. McCain certainly isn’t the natural orator that Obama is, but neither is Hillary Clinton, and she surely gave a solid performance up there. But was there anything memorable about this speech, aside from a few more details about McCain’s time as a POW? I can’t think of anything. I’m not even talking specific policy as much as I am a clear choice about the type of debate he plans to have and a reflection of the last eight years in a way that doesn’t do little more than brush aside what happened. A few days after Obama’s speech, for instance, I kept on saying to myself, “Enough!” That’s how powerful that was to me. Was there anything like that in McCain’s speech?

  11. 11.

    Warren Terra

    September 5, 2008 at 10:45 am

    I know it’s already in two of the nine comments, but TPM’s post that McCain gave a speech in front of a photo of the Walter Reed Middle School, in California, instead of the Walter Reed Medical Center, absolutely deserves a post of its own.

  12. 12.

    Dennis - SGMM

    September 5, 2008 at 10:48 am

    There’s no sinister plan behind McCain’s failure to mention the name of Bush or his eight years of maladministration. The old codger just forgot the whole thing.

  13. 13.

    Dreggas

    September 5, 2008 at 10:49 am

    kate r Says:

    The slide show was stunning. I mean green jello, blue jello, rippling waves of wheat, American flags in slo-mo….Walter Reed Middle School vs. Walter Reed Army Hospital.

    Hope no epileptics were watching. Oh and the American flag waving on that blue screen, I remember when I was a kid that used to show up on the TeeVee screen on local stations when they were off the air.

  14. 14.

    John S.

    September 5, 2008 at 10:53 am

    And not even real country music, such as what was written over 20 years ago.

    Johnny Cash would be shitting all over McCain if he were still around. He and Willie Nelson would probably be doing commercials together.

  15. 15.

    Dreggas

    September 5, 2008 at 10:55 am

    Sully is reporting that Todd Palin’s former business partner is trying to get his divorce records sealed

    This is the guy the enquirer is saying the barracuda had an affair with.

  16. 16.

    D-Chance.

    September 5, 2008 at 11:02 am

    Obama should immediately demand the withdrawl of all US troops… from Chicago. It’s just too dangerous over there.

  17. 17.

    kate r

    September 5, 2008 at 11:28 am

    Sully is reporting that Todd Palin’s former business partner is trying to get his divorce records sealed

    This is the guy the enquirer is saying the barracuda had an affair with.

    Once this is all over, I hope Fox gives the Palin family a reality TV series. I mean these people are way way better than that bounty hunter or any degenerate, self-indulgent rock star family ever featured. I’d watch.

  18. 18.

    kate r

    September 5, 2008 at 11:30 am

    Oh, wait. I already am watching. [goes to the cupboard for more popcorn]

  19. 19.

    dslak

    September 5, 2008 at 11:30 am

    Sully’s link seems to have overloaded the Alaska court records website.

  20. 20.

    binzinerator

    September 5, 2008 at 11:31 am

    BTW- Why the hell can the McCain campaign respect personal property rights?

    Property rights only apply to Republicans. Since everyone else is a liberal, and liberal = socialist, and socialism means no private property ownership, the goopers don’t understand why the libs expect to have property rights here.

    Sheesh. Libtards are such fucking hypocrites.

  21. 21.

    Incertus

    September 5, 2008 at 11:33 am

    I have to say, the Republican Convention has been the best thing to happen to the Daily Show in a long time. They’ve been on fire this week. Amy put up the video of Samantha Bee just eviscerating some convention goers on choice. Brilliant stuff.

  22. 22.

    Paul L.

    September 5, 2008 at 11:37 am

    BTW- Why the hell can’t the McCain campaign respect personal property rights?

    Like progressives do?
    Some Street Organizers At Work – Code Pink

  23. 23.

    Bootlegger

    September 5, 2008 at 11:37 am

    Oh and the American flag waving on that blue screen, I remember when I was a kid that used to show up on the TeeVee screen on local stations when they were off the air.

    Did anyone else notice that this was the only flag in the arena? The Dems handed out little flags that were a wave of flaggery, but then some dropped them to be swept up by the Islamofacistcommiejanitors. Red State couldn’t do enough hand wringing over it. So the Reps solution? Don’t put any little flags at risk and instead put a giant picture of one on the screen.

    Is it just me or is that both lame and creepy at the same time?

  24. 24.

    Dreggas

    September 5, 2008 at 11:38 am

    kate r Says:

    Once this is all over, I hope Fox gives the Palin family a reality TV series. I mean these people are way way better than that bounty hunter or any degenerate, self-indulgent rock star family ever featured. I’d watch.

    They’re creepy and they’re kooky,
    Christianist and spooky,
    They’re all together ooky,
    The Palin Family.

  25. 25.

    SGEW

    September 5, 2008 at 11:38 am

    A few random reactions to the RNC, from an Obama supporting, MUP-juice drinkin’, ol’ school lefty liberal:

    – When did the Karl Rove party lose their theatrical talents? Did the tech crew purposely sabotage the show? After all, I imagine that the Republicans had to hire a local crew (union, I assume), and St. Paul is hardly a right-wing bastion . . .

    – The doublethink is deafening. Mayor Giuliani belittling “urban cosmopolitans”? Gov. Romney mocking “East Coast elites”? Republicans attacking the “failures of Washington”? Accusing Sen. Obama of being a “rock star” and a “celebrity” while ecstatically worshiping Gov. Palin because she’s “exciting” and “interesting” (never mind Sen. McCain’s love of media exposure)? What next, claiming that Sen. Biden is too old for the V.P. job?

    – Holy shit these people are white. They’re whiter than the population of St. Paul, fer cryin’ out loud. They’re whiter than the demographics of Alaska!

    – And here’s the main one:

    I was confused when still-President Bush called us (me?) the “Angry Left”: he was predicting our (my?) reaction to the RNC in general. To wit: I AM REALLY FUCKING ANGRY AT THESE PEOPLE!

    – Fuck Godwin’s law; I’m sayin’ it: they’re fascists! Fascists fascists fascists! From “Country First” to the (fake) military show, to the war war war rhetoric, to Gov. Palin’s 36 minute hate, to the “always proud of our country” (including Abu Ghraib, I imagine), to the crowd roaring for blood Blood BLOOD! Literally speaking: These people hate our freedoms.

    – They didn’t just dismiss Sen. Obama’s community organizing experience; they didn’t just belittle his past: they mocked the very idea, the very notion of community organizing in general. Thanks a lot! I’m sure that all the people whose jobs have been protected, whose children have been given health care, whose very fucking lives have been saved by community organizers are very, very grateful.

    – How DARE they use WTC footage? I WAS THERE, ASSHOLES! I saw that plane hit from my fucking bedroom window! I tasted the ashes and saw the bodies fall! I KNOW WHAT TERRORISM IS, and I do not appreciate you exploiting video footage of people dying, people that I FUCKING PERSONALLY KNEW, in order to justify more wars. Hey GOP: why is it that the two cities that were attacked by terrorists are overwhelmingly supporing the Democratic party? Because we take it fucking seriously!

    – You want “uppity”? I’ll show you fucking “uppity,” motherfuckers! ALL THE WAY UP TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

    I’ve said it in the past (half jokingly), but I’m dead serious now: if the Republicans win the presidency, after all we’ve been through and all they stand for, I will leave the country that I love, in tears and disgrace. Because I won’t love it anymore.

    (Sorry for the rant. Safe travels, Mr. Cole!)

  26. 26.

    jrg

    September 5, 2008 at 11:40 am

    Nicole Wallace of the McCain Campaign – “Americans don’t care about the issues”.

    Oh. My. God. Queue some dumb-ass conservative blaming teh liburls on the mess the U.S. is in. This is your party, Republicans. Take a good look.

  27. 27.

    Dreggas

    September 5, 2008 at 11:41 am

    Bootlegger Says:

    Did anyone else notice that this was the only flag in the arena? The Dems handed out little flags that were a wave of flaggery, but then some dropped them to be swept up by the Islamofacistcommiejanitors. Red State couldn’t do enough hand wringing over it. So the Reps solution? Don’t put any little flags at risk and instead put a giant picture of one on the screen.

    Is it just me or is that both lame and creepy at the same time?

    I did notice that none of the speakers were wearing their lapel pins either. I mean really WHY DO THE REPUBLICANS HATE ‘MERIKA! Also since there were no American Flags present one has to wonder just WHAT country they mean in country first.

  28. 28.

    PC

    September 5, 2008 at 11:50 am

    Sully is reporting that Todd Palin’s former business partner is trying to get his divorce records sealed

    This is the guy the enquirer is saying the barracuda had an affair with.

    Gov. Lifetime Channel.

  29. 29.

    TenguPhule

    September 5, 2008 at 11:55 am

    Paul L. Says: Because Shut Up! That’s why!

    John really should have it so that every post Paul posts says that, because that’s all he ever says.

  30. 30.

    djork

    September 5, 2008 at 12:02 pm

    You know didn’t have any any personal property rights for 5 years?

    John McCain, that’s who.

  31. 31.

    4tehlulz

    September 5, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    FIVE AND A HALF YEARS DJORK FIVE AND A HALF YEARS

    WHY DO YOU DIMINISH JOHN BUSH BY LEAVING OFF THAT HALF YEAR HUH?

  32. 32.

    rebmarks

    September 5, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    I agree with Blue Buddha —
    They don’t have a big enough pool of works to pick from because the majority of artists are probably liberals, and so they just go ahead and use the music knowing that they will only be told to cease and desist and it’ll never amount to a lawsuit.

  33. 33.

    Not my fault

    September 5, 2008 at 12:23 pm

    Stay away from the Enquirer story.

    The tidbits that they have releases are VERY CAREFULLY worded. They are not saying that she had an affair, but that there are folks (including relatives) that are saying that she had an affair.

    There is no doubts that the extended Palin family puts the Lohans and the Spears to shame, But evidently that’s just how they roll in Alaska and not a big deal.

    This story is a mud pit. Don’t jump in.

  34. 34.

    ppcli

    September 5, 2008 at 12:23 pm

    “Sully is reporting that Todd Palin’s former business partner is trying to get his divorce records sealed

    This is the guy the enquirer is saying the barracuda had an affair with.”

    You can’t keep the Palin scandals straight without a scorecard. I don’t think that Scott Allan Richter is the guy she’s alleged to have had an affair with. Rather he’s the Palin business partner who got the Palins to fire the guy that was dating his (Richter’s) ex-wife. Then they tried to get him fired from the next job he took too.

  35. 35.

    Ned Raggett

    September 5, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    Meanwhile, speaking of Andrews with odd bits of Palin news, Halcro is teasing something for later today. Might not be much but…

    The tidbits that they have releases are VERY CAREFULLY worded. They are not saying that she had an affair, but that there are folks (including relatives) that are saying that she had an affair.

    Agreed, but it would be interesting to know what prompted the request to seal records. Given anything Palin-related at this point it could easily just be an overall desire for privacy, of course (and after what happened to Levi whatshisname, who could blame the guy?)

  36. 36.

    Blue Buddha

    September 5, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    PC Says:

    Sully is reporting that Todd Palin’s former business partner is trying to get his divorce records sealed

    This is the guy the enquirer is saying the barracuda had an affair with.

    Gov. Lifetime Channel.

    September 5th, 2008 at 11:50 am

    I’m just waiting for Palin or one of her daughters to get killed or kill someone else. THEN it will become a Lifetime story.

  37. 37.

    Incertus

    September 5, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    This story is a mud pit. Don’t jump in.

    Agreed. Plus, it doesn’t fucking matter. The last sixteen years are proof that marital fidelity has no connection to good governance.

  38. 38.

    Martin

    September 5, 2008 at 1:30 pm

    Agreed, but it would be interesting to know what prompted the request to seal records.

    Could be as little as knowing the whole world was about to paw through them and not wanting those details spread far and wide.

  39. 39.

    Kevin

    September 5, 2008 at 2:01 pm

    John really should have it so that every post Paul posts says that, because that’s all he ever says.

    I Know You Are, But What Am I? would also be appropriate.

  40. 40.

    Ned Raggett

    September 5, 2008 at 2:29 pm

    Could be as little as knowing the whole world was about to paw through them and not wanting those details spread far and wide.

    Uh, thanks for restating my sentence after the one you quoted…?

  41. 41.

    Ned Raggett

    September 5, 2008 at 2:39 pm

    Anyway, you want non-Enquirer red meat, you got it:

    The state House and Senate judiciary committees will meet next week in Anchorage to issue subpoenas to key witnesses in the “Troopergate” investigation, but Gov. Sarah Palin will not be among those getting one, committee members just announced.

    Committee members also said the Legislature’s independent investigator, Steve Branchflower, will finish his report on Palin’s firing of her former public safety commissioner by Oct. 10 rather than the end of October, which would be right on top of the Nov. 4 election.

    Palin is running for vice president on the Republican ticket of John McCain.

    The idea of the earlier completion date for Branchflower’s report is to avoid the appearance of a last-minute “October surprise,” said Rep. Jay Ramras, a Fairbanks Republican and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

    The Palin administration in recent days has shown resistance to the legitimacy of the legislative investigation.

    A press release today from Ramras and Sen. Hollis French, the Anchorage Democrat who is managing the Branchflower investigation, says subpoenas are necessary to compel cooperation with Branchflower.

    Says the press release:

    “This week, seven key witnesses informed Mr. Branchflower through their attorneys that they would not provide depositions. Their depositions, which had been agreed to and scheduled earlier with Mr. Branchflower, were cancelled within the last 72 hours.

    “Additionally, the Governor’s lawyer has stated that he represents the Governor and the Governor’s office, and has forbidden any contact by Mr. Branchflower with any member of that office.

    “Mr. Branchflower wishes to depose some of those employees. The issuance of the subpoenas is intended to get at the truth and to expedite the completion of his report to the public.”

    Another member of the House Judiciary Committee, Eagle River Republican Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom, said lawmakers talked and agreed not to issue a subpoena to Palin.

    “She has told the public that she intends to cooperate with the investigation, indeed, she has told the public that she welcomes the investigation and I have every faith that she means it,” Dahlstrom said. “If necessary we can send Mr. Branchflower to wherever the Governor is, or she can give her statement to him over the telephone, whatever is most convenient for her. We recognize that her schedule is extremely busy, and we want to accommodate that.”

  42. 42.

    Jake

    September 5, 2008 at 2:44 pm

    I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that, even if it comes out that she had an affair, she’ll stay on the ticket. She’ll make some kind of sobbing confession on national TV and the right-wing religious-nutjobs will swoon.

  43. 43.

    gex

    September 5, 2008 at 3:03 pm

    Also since there were no American Flags present one has to wonder just WHAT country they mean in country first.

    The Unitary State of Alaska, of course. U-S-A! U-S-A!

  44. 44.

    Calouste

    September 5, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    Sully is reporting that Todd Palin’s former business partner is trying to get his divorce records sealed

    This is the guy the enquirer is saying the barracuda had an affair with.

    And the other party in the divorce is Sarah Palin’s former inauguration committee (and probably also gubernatorial campaign) treausurer, who had an affair with and subsequently married Sarah Palin’s former legislative liaison (who got sacked shortly before the divorce proceedings started, rumored to be at the instigation of Todd Palin as a retribution for the affair).

  45. 45.

    NonyNony

    September 5, 2008 at 3:46 pm

    And the other party in the divorce is Sarah Palin’s former inauguration committee (and probably also gubernatorial campaign) treausurer, who had an affair with and subsequently married Sarah Palin’s former legislative liaison (who got sacked shortly before the divorce proceedings started, rumored to be at the instigation of Todd Palin as a retribution for the affair).

    What. The. Hell?

    Please tell me that this is a plot summary for some local TV soap opera that they broadcast in Alaska and not actually real events.

    Please?

    Jeebus.

  46. 46.

    Cris

    September 5, 2008 at 3:50 pm

    D-Chance says
    apples=oranges

    Let’s pretend, DC, that you actually care about arguing in good faith. Instead of comparing Chicago handgun fatalities to fatalities of US troops in Iraq, can you please find:

    – number of Iraqi citizens killed in sectarian violence over the same period, and compare that to Chicago citizens killed in criminal incidents
    – number of Chicago police killed in the line of duty over the same period, and compare that to fatalities of U.S. troops and Iraqi police

    Do these things, then come back and tell us whether Iraq is safer than Chicago.

  47. 47.

    ksmiami

    September 5, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    My BJ Friends, say it with me now, the GOP is now fully the party of greed, the party of fear and the party of hate. Rinse and Repeat.

  48. 48.

    Cris

    September 5, 2008 at 3:52 pm

    fucking WP formatting. those dashes were supposed to be bullet points, each on its own line.

  49. 49.

    wasabi gasp

    September 5, 2008 at 3:57 pm

    *

  50. 50.

    Cris

    September 5, 2008 at 4:21 pm

    but I like dashes.

  51. 51.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    September 5, 2008 at 4:31 pm

    And the other party in the divorce is Sarah Palin’s former inauguration committee (and probably also gubernatorial campaign) treausurer, who had an affair with and subsequently married Sarah Palin’s former legislative liaison (who got sacked shortly before the divorce proceedings started, rumored to be at the instigation of Todd Palin as a retribution for the affair).

    Alaska is starting to make Texas and Florida look…well, not good, but better.

    Here’s where you can argue that picking Palin was actually a stroke of genius; she will suck up every available news cycle because the shit just gets crazier the deeper they dig. McCain was starved for oxygen up until he announced Palin, but now the shoe’s on the other foot.

    “There’s no such thing as bad publicity” — we may see that in action here over the next couple of weeks.

    We’re dealing with Republicans here; all that matters is winning the next election. The reason McCain won’t go into specifics about what he’ll do after he’s elected is because that shit doesn’t matter to him, or to the party in general. They have no plans beyond winning[1]. Palin’s weaknesses as a government official are irrelevant, because they don’t plan on actually governing.

    Turnout, people. Turnout, turnout, turnout.

    1. Well, that’s not strictly true. They plan on enriching themselves and their cronies at the expense of the country as a whole, but that’s about it. No, I’m not just being cynical. We’ve been seeing it in action over the last 8 years.

  52. 52.

    Tsulagi

    September 5, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    I guess it is not surprising, considering they can not even exploit wounded veterans competently.

    Apparently the principal of Walter Reed Middle School isn’t entirely pleased at this example of Republican braindead incompetence…

    “It has been brought to the school’s attention that a picture of the front of our school, Walter Reed Middle School, was used as a backdrop at the Republican National Convention. Permission to use the front of our school for the Republican National Convention was not given by our school nor is the use of our school’s picture an endorsement of any political party or view.”

    This is the brain trust that’s going to find and follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell? Yeah.

  53. 53.

    J. Michael Neal

    September 5, 2008 at 6:27 pm

    Here’s my suggestion for all the folks that are refusing to testify. Great. That’s there prerogative. Of course, it means that all of the rest of the evidence collected is going to go unchallenged and unrebutted. Write the report based upon the uncontradicted evidence available.

  54. 54.

    McMartin

    September 6, 2008 at 12:02 am

    This is the brain trust that’s going to find and follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell? Yeah.

    Bin Laden’s in Michigan? Has anyone told Bush?

  55. 55.

    Michael Sheridan

    September 6, 2008 at 7:24 am

    BTW- Why the hell can’t the McCain campaign respect personal property rights? Jesus, this is like the 15th time they have used music without permission. Are we going to have to add personal property rights to the list of things the modern conservatives don’t give a shit about?

    You realize they’re doing this on purpose, right? It isn’t incompetence – any reasonably intelligent person intent on playing by the rules, after the 3rd or 4th time somebody issues a “cease and desist”, would start seeking advance permission.

    Every time they get a “Hollywood liberal” to complain about how their work can’t be used to support McCain, the wingnuts get another dose of “damn those unpatriotic dirty fucking hippies!” outrage to keep them going for the campaign. Stuff like this is like crack for them – and Rove’s acolytes in the McCain campaign know it.

  56. 56.

    Sasha

    September 6, 2008 at 6:32 pm

    BTW- Why the hell can’t the McCain campaign respect personal property rights? Jesus, this is like the 15th time they have used music without permission.

    Because it was the most appropriate song available:

    If the real thing dont do the trick
    You better make up something quick
    –Barracuda Chorus, Heart

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. How incompetent are John McCain and the Republicans? « break the terror says:
    September 5, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    […] How incompetent are John McCain and the Republicans? So incompetent that, as John Cole put it, “they cannot even exploit wounded veterans properly.”  Click here to see what he’s talking about.  Hint:  It has to do with wounded veterans, middle schoolers, and that stupid mansion-y background from last night’s speech. […]

Primary Sidebar

On The Road - Winter Wren - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve 3
Image by Winter Wren (7/31/25)

World Central Kitchen

Donate

Recent Comments

  • Ruckus on Justice Brown Jackson Will Not Be Silenced (Jul 10, 2025 @ 12:35pm)
  • Bokonon on GOP Venality Open Thread: May Van Orden Be the First of Many Defections… (Jul 10, 2025 @ 12:33pm)
  • Professor Bigfoot on Justice Brown Jackson Will Not Be Silenced (Jul 10, 2025 @ 12:29pm)
  • Captain C on GOP Venality Open Thread: May Van Orden Be the First of Many Defections… (Jul 10, 2025 @ 12:26pm)
  • Professor Bigfoot on Justice Brown Jackson Will Not Be Silenced (Jul 10, 2025 @ 12:26pm)

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
No Kings Protests June 14 2025

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)
Fix Nyms with Apostrophes

Social Media

Balloon Juice
WaterGirl
TaMara
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
DougJ NYT Pitchbot
mistermix

Keeping Track

Legal Challenges (Lawfare)
Republicans Fleeing Town Halls (TPM)
21 Letters (to Borrow or Steal)
Search Donations from a Brand

Feeling Defeated?  If We Give Up, It's Game Over

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!