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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2008 / That Didn’t Take Very Long

That Didn’t Take Very Long

by John Cole|  October 8, 200811:29 am| 134 Comments

This post is in: Election 2008, Lies, Damned Lies, and Sarah Palin, Did You Know John McCain Was A POW?

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The Straight Talk Express is dropping the Ayers/Rezko/Wright line of attack:

It’s hard to know for sure what the thinking is behind all of this. It’s possible that the McCain campaign talked up these attacks just to reintroduce the concept to voters and reporters, and never had any real intention to pursue this tack. Given Sarah Palin’s recent rhetoric, though, this seems unlikely. This really was going to be a major offensive.

So why pull back? Probably because it was a spectacularly bad idea to shift the campaign’s focus away from the economy in the midst of a financial meltdown and deep voter/consumer anxiety.

Greg Sargent added that the shift “suggests that the McCain campaign’s internal polling on how the Ayers stuff is playing is just brutal, likely among independents. It also suggests that Obama’s counter-attack — lambasting McCain’s campaign for wanting to change the subject from the economy to personal attacks — has been effective.”

Not sure what Sarah Palin is going to talk about at her rallies if this is the case. Remove the tawdry attacks, the accusations of palling around with terrorists, and all the rest of the sleazy innuendo, and the entirety of a Palin stump speech is a sneer, a snarl, chirping “Thanks, but no thanks!” and then winking at the menfolk.

*** Update ***

Never mind. Just more lies from the Bullshit Express.

*** Update #2 ***

Keep at it, McCainiacs. Obama up 11 at Gallup. This Ayers stuff is really paying dividends.

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Reader Interactions

134Comments

  1. 1.

    Jeff

    October 8, 2008 at 11:35 am

    You forgot tax cuts and Maverick.

  2. 2.

    D. Mason

    October 8, 2008 at 11:35 am

    Not sure what Sarah Palin is going to talk about at her rallies if this is the case.

    She will still talk about Ayers and Rezko for 2 reasons.

    1. She exclusively speaks at campaign rallies where only loyal McCon supporters are allowed and they eat that shit up.
    2. It took them 5 weeks to drill those talking point into her head and they only have ~4 weeks to go. You do the math smart guy.

  3. 3.

    evie

    October 8, 2008 at 11:36 am

    No they’re not. The Page has today’s Ayers hit — a story from a victim of Ayers who says "Obama’s friend tried to kill my family."

  4. 4.

    Scott H

    October 8, 2008 at 11:37 am

    With the DOW within 222 of dropping through 9000 as I write this, what has Palin got left but to go the Full Nuremberg?

    Plenty, actually, if she can pull a 180° turn. I don’t think she is capable.

  5. 5.

    Billy K(hrushchev)

    October 8, 2008 at 11:37 am

    So the McCain campaign decides on a major (negative) offensive and uses the weekend to ramp it up. By Tuesday they realize it was a bad idea and drop it in favor of…. of….

    and another week of off-message/no-message slips by.

    tick…tick…tick…tick…

  6. 6.

    b. hussein canuckistani (comrade)

    October 8, 2008 at 11:38 am

    Maybe she could talk about her wolf-huntin’ adventures. That would be great fun, you betcha!

  7. 7.

    4tehlulz

    October 8, 2008 at 11:38 am

    B-B-B-BUT WE CAN’T CONTROL THE PALIN!

  8. 8.

    Comrade Dreggas

    October 8, 2008 at 11:38 am

    Oh I guarantee we’ll hear that she learned about this only by reading about it (ala Michigan) and next thing you know we’ll be hearing how she’s begging McCain to be allowed to continue doing it.

    This will, of course, please the wingnut base who still see McCain as an apostate and are now actively measuring Palin for her "Joan Of Arc" outfit. In fact when all is said and done it’ll be Sarah Palin, martyred by the Judas John McCain.

  9. 9.

    TenguPhule

    October 8, 2008 at 11:41 am

    Remove the tawdry attacks, the accusations of palling around with terrorists, and all the rest of the sleazy innuendo, and the entirety of a Palin stump speech is a sneer, a snarl, chirping “Thanks, but no thanks!” and then winking at the menfolk.

    She’d be left with TOGTFO.

    (Tits or get the Gently Caress Out)

  10. 10.

    TenguPhule

    October 8, 2008 at 11:42 am

    Never mind. Just more lies from the Bullshit Express.

    Now that, my friends, is SHIT you can believe in.

    Fuckstain McCain approves that message.

  11. 11.

    4tehlulz

    October 8, 2008 at 11:43 am

    Well, they’re all in now. The parallels to 1995 (pre-Rabin-assassination) Israel get clearer and clearer.

    (note to any Secret Service/NSA types, Google that shit and learn something BEFORE something bad happens)

  12. 12.

    Anna Granfors

    October 8, 2008 at 11:44 am

    I’m guessing she’s going to start "accidentally" drop some of her index cards and bend over to pick them up, ass straining at the fabric for all the Lowrys of the world to creme over. From there on in, it’s Palin/McCain FTW!

  13. 13.

    jake 4 that 1

    October 8, 2008 at 11:46 am

    Oh my, Camp McPOW is still talking about Ayers. Shocked. I am shocked.

  14. 14.

    slaney black

    October 8, 2008 at 11:47 am

    Nope. Look at Mark "Human Toilet" Halperin’s execrable The Page. McCain press release on Ayers is 3rd from the top… which means it was at the top first thing this morning.

    No link because Halperin invented human suffering and filth.

  15. 15.

    jrg

    October 8, 2008 at 11:50 am

    The RNC needs to take over the McCain campaign altogether, accept defeat, and try to limit downticket damage.

    The McCain campaign is flailing. They have nothing. They hit a wall when Obama released that Keating 5 video within hours of the re-introduction of Ayers. McCain’s got way too much dirt on him to go negative, and Palin is f*cing a secessionist.

    Obama’s no fool. He knew that McCain was lying when he said that he would not go negative. Obama’s rapid response team is sitting on a ton of negative material, and is not going to let McCain’s BS get traction without a counterpunch in the same news cycle.

    Check Mate. This game is over.

  16. 16.

    Dennis - SGMM

    October 8, 2008 at 11:53 am

    I’m guessing she’s going to start "accidentally" drop some of her index cards and bend over to pick them up, ass straining at the fabric for all the Lowrys of the world to creme over.

    Look for Palin to stop speaking altogether and simply very slowly eat a frozen banana at each of her campaign stops.

  17. 17.

    John Cole

    October 8, 2008 at 11:53 am

    If you want to see right-wing wankery at its finest, click this link. Chris Buckley and Peter Robinson pick odd chunks of oratory from the candidate’s speeches, “analyze” the rhetoric, and decide Palin is the closest to Lincoln.

    Puting aside the randomly picked snippets they chose to analyze, I want what these morons are on. Seriously, the high must be amazing.

  18. 18.

    jake 4 that 1

    October 8, 2008 at 11:55 am

    Look for paint sales to go up as fReichtards try to cover up all the little "sparkles," that keep shooting around their living rooms.

  19. 19.

    TenguPhule

    October 8, 2008 at 11:56 am

    The RNC needs to take over the McCain campaign altogether, accept defeat, and try to limit downticket damage.

    No they don’t. They need to get busted crossing the line so we can start sending them up against the wall.

    At this point, they’re just a plague of vermin endangering us all.

  20. 20.

    Phoenix Woman

    October 8, 2008 at 11:59 am

    Never mind. Just more lies from the Bullshit Express.

    Shhh, John. Stand back and let McCain finish administering the beat-down to his own party, mindset and hegemony.

    What’s really been fun is to watch former McCain groupies like Joe Klein vying for the prize of who can metaphorically kick Team McCain the metaphorically hardest in their collective metaphorical goolies.

    Oh, yeah: And what Tengu said.

    To paraphrase Germanicus Caesar:

    "Spaniards can be impressed by the courtesy of the conqueror, French by his riches, Greeks by his respect for the arts, Jews by his moral integrity, Africans by his calm and authoritative bearing, but wingnuts are impressed by none of those things. They must be struck into the dust, struck down again as they rise. Struck again while they lie groaning, while their wounds still pain them; they will respect the hand that dealt them."

  21. 21.

    Billy K(hrushchev)

    October 8, 2008 at 12:04 pm

    I want what these morons are on. Seriously, the high must be amazing.

    It’s called "money." And they’ll do anything for the next fix. Even bankrupt our country.

  22. 22.

    Punchy

    October 8, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    Look for Palin to stop speaking altogether and simply very slowly eat a frozen banana at each of her campaign stops.

    /excitedly fumbles thru published listing of Palin scheduled visits for nearby stop….

  23. 23.

    perception manager

    October 8, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    Did you watch Olbermann Monday? McPalin is creepy and un-american.

  24. 24.

    SamFromUtah

    October 8, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    It’s possible that the McCain campaign talked up these attacks just to reintroduce the concept to voters and reporters, and never had any real intention to pursue this tack.

    It’s more probable that they were stupid, then saw that people saw that they were stupid, and then lied about not staying with the stupid strategy.

  25. 25.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 12:12 pm

    Sounds to me like the McCain campaign is involved in a schism.

  26. 26.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    With the DOW within 222 of dropping through 9000 as I write this, what has Palin got left but to go the Full Nuremberg?

    Nahhh, it’s only -27 now (of course, it’s still early, so we could see it go -450 before rallying back to a 35 point gain).

  27. 27.

    ksmiami

    October 8, 2008 at 12:17 pm

    I am working on a charity auction and as I researched the Hardrock Hotel as a potential donor, copy this link to what I found on their corporate philanthropy here:

    "http://www.hardrock.com/corporate/community/philanthropy.asp"

    "Hard Rock is a beacon in the world of corporate philanthropy." – Bill Ayers, founder World Hunger Year

    I mean if this guy is so scary, why is Hard Rock Inc. quoting him???

  28. 28.

    Titor

    October 8, 2008 at 12:17 pm

    Its time to FIGHT! Strike back against these media weapons of mass distortion!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K50TS0UZE7w

    THIS IS THE VIDEO THEY DONT WANT YOU TO SEE!

  29. 29.

    gbear

    October 8, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    if she can pull a 180° turn. I don’t think she is capable.

    Sure she is! Look at how she changed her tune on the Troopergate investigation.

  30. 30.

    Comrade Incertus

    October 8, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    So they backed off the Ayers attack in the same way they suspended the campaign. Gotcha.

  31. 31.

    GSD

    October 8, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    The Great Unhinging is upon us.

    The GOP is being led off the cliff by a pitbull with lipstick and rabies.

    Good riddance to bad trash.

    -GSD

  32. 32.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    I mean if this guy is so scary, why is Hard Rock Inc. quoting him???

    Because DFH’s (who are Rock n’ Rollers too, of course) like dissent.

    Or, it could be because even Republicans in Chicago say that Ayers was just another philanthropist that they were happy to work with (according to an Illinois State Senator who I can’t remember the name of right now, but I linked her statement yesterday).

  33. 33.

    gbear

    October 8, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    If you want to see right-wing wankery at its finest, click this link. Chris Buckley and Peter Robinson pick odd chunks of oratory from the candidate’s speeches, “analyze” the rhetoric, and decide Palin is the closest to Lincoln.

    You know, some friends told me about this great sauna north of the Twin Cities that has hot and varied M-on-M opportunities available on the lower level. They even told me the password.

    I’m not going there either.

  34. 34.

    Brian J

    October 8, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    f you want to see right-wing wankery at its finest, click this link. Chris Buckley and Peter Robinson pick odd chunks of oratory from the candidate’s speeches, “analyze” the rhetoric, and decide Palin is the closest to Lincoln.

    Puting aside the randomly picked snippets they chose to analyze, I want what these morons are on. Seriously, the high must be amazing.

    See, Palin’s a dud even by their standards! Why, even Bush was compared to Lincoln, Truman, FDR, Winston Churchill, Eisenhower, JFK, and Reagan.

  35. 35.

    Brian J

    October 8, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    By the way, I still think this link from Red State is one of the best examples of delusional thinking out there. To claim that Donald Rumsfeld and John Bolton would be a winning ticket in 2008…well, that’s the sort of talk that would make the nice men in white coats lock you up for being a danger to yourself and others.

  36. 36.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    Fred Thomson on Fox after the debate:

    COLMES: It’s a beautiful state. Thanks for coming on.

    Look, I keep hearing you saying that he wanted to — raise taxes, voted 94 times. That’s been debunked. Most of those times were either multiple votes, a number of times he didn’t vote to raise taxes. Some of them are resolutions that were non binding. He didn’t raise bad taxes 94 times.

    THOMPSON: How do you think he learned — he earned the National Journal’s rating as the most liberal senator in the Senate?

    COLMES: The National Journal cherry picked 99 — let me answer you. Since you’re answering the questions…

    THOMPSON: Well…

    (CROSSTALK)

    COLMES: But the fact of the matter is, he didn’t vote 94 times. Also, do you think it’s appropriate, we keep hearing this Bill Ayers stuff and he talked about civilian casualties? By the way, John McCain, during Kosovo, said we had civilian casualties. We had troops that were killing civilians in Kosovo, he said, in 2000.

    Do you honestly think Barack Obama doesn’t care for and respect the troops?

    THOMPSON: Well, you came up with a bunch of things there. I’m not sure how Bill Ayers relates to that. All I know is that Bill Ayers kind of gave him a start in politics. He had a function for him, you know, when — kind of his kickoff in politics.

    COLMES: Is that relevant to the campaign and should that have come up tonight?

    THOMPSON: It has to do with the choices that a person makes and it has to do with Obama’s tolerance level for radicals. You said…

    COLMES: Tolerance level for radicals?

    THOMPSON: Yes. Father Pfleger, Reverend Wright.

    COLMES: He has nothing to do with Pfleger.

    THOMPSON: Or Jim Ayers.

    COLMES: He’s left to right.

    THOMPSON: All of those people are — they basically, you know, spew hatred and that’s how American rhetoric…

    COLMES: But Senator…

    THOMPSON: And — he does not disavow them until it’s politically required for him to do so.

    COLMES: But Senator, they have tried to throw the stuff at Barack Obama. They did it during the primaries. It come up from month after month.

    THOMPSON: Well, I didn’t bring it up. You brought it up. And since…

    COLMES: Well, Sean asked you whether that was — should have been the tenor of this debate and whether those things should have come up. They didn’t come up. Do you think it would have been appropriate to bring those things up in this particular format tonight?

    THOMPSON: Yes, it’s relevant. Yes, I think it’s relevant.

    (CROSSTALK)

    HANNITY: It’s just getting started.

    COLMES: Getting started? We’ve been talking about that for months.

    HANNITY: No, no. The New York Times wrote about it for the first time Saturday.

    COLMES: And the New York Times, by the way, said he did not have a substantial relationship with Bill Ayers.

    HANNITY: They were running cover for him.

    COLMES: They wrote about it.

    THOMPSON: Yes. We…

    COLMES: (INAUDIBLE) writing about it. What they said was he didn’t have a substantial relationship…

    HANNITY: By the way, I call it the "New York Obama Times."

    COLMES: He didn’t have substantial relationship with him.

    Anyway, Senator, thank you very much.

    THOMPSON: Thank you.

    —// edited slightly for brevity, see Fox’s original transcript for the unedited version.

  37. 37.

    tripletee (formerly tBone)

    October 8, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    Never mind. Just more lies from the Bullshit Express.

    Color me unsurprised. What else are the Angry Eggplant and Winky the Fascist Clown going to talk about? Their plans for the economy? How General Petraeus makes starbursts shoot out of their TVs? They got nothin’, so might as well try the old "baffle them with bullshit" gambit.

  38. 38.

    Joe Max

    October 8, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    Never mind. Just more lies from the Bullshit Express.

    Forgive the shameless blogwhoring, but I saw Seymour Hersh speak at Berkeley last night, and he had an observation on this rabble rounsing I hadn’t heard before.

  39. 39.

    Gus

    October 8, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    HANNITY: By the way, I call it the "New York Obama Times."

    My god what a wit! Oscar Wilde got nothin’ on Sean Hannity.

  40. 40.

    Martin

    October 8, 2008 at 12:44 pm

    I’m not going there either.

    Wow, you know the Senator from Idaho?

  41. 41.

    Brian J

    October 8, 2008 at 12:47 pm

    HANNITY: They were running cover for him.

    Shorter Sean Hannity: I don’t care who or what examines the situation and reports the facts. I have my own facts. And my facts are better than yours.

  42. 42.

    Josh Huaco

    October 8, 2008 at 12:49 pm

    HANNITY: By the way, I call it the "New York Obama Times."

    Well, it’s a step up from calling it the "Jew York Times" like George Wallace did, but that’s only because Hannity’s in the 00s instead of the 60s.

  43. 43.

    Delia

    October 8, 2008 at 12:52 pm

    Forgive the shameless blogwhoring, but I saw Seymour Hersh speak at Berkeley last night, and he had an observation on this rabble rounsing I hadn’t heard before.

    I was just going to say but you sort of beat me to it, Miss Sarah seems to be roiling up the brownshirts for some sort of death in the trenches: bludgeoning a journalist or person of the wrong shape or color even if they can’t get to Obama, Biden or Ayres. Hersh is virtually always right.

  44. 44.

    Grand Moff Texan

    October 8, 2008 at 12:52 pm

    Never mind. Just more lies from the Bullshit Express.

    Well why didn’t McCain bring that up last night?

    Oh, right: he’s a whipped little bitch.
    .

  45. 45.

    Punchy

    October 8, 2008 at 12:53 pm

    Very serious question:

    What does all this disasterfuck do to Palin’s career? Does this enhance her chances in Alaska, or crush them?

  46. 46.

    Chief

    October 8, 2008 at 12:54 pm

    If Mr. Ayers is an unrepentant bomber, why isn’t he also a convicted felon?

  47. 47.

    chopper

    October 8, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    What does all this disasterfuck do to Palin’s career? Does this enhance her chances in Alaska, or crush them?

    given that right now people from mccain’s campaign are effectively running the state in her stead (which i don’t think is too popular), she’s not exactly going to return to a hero’s welcome.

  48. 48.

    Brian J

    October 8, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    Take a look at this link from TPM Cafe. It includes several passages from a Daily Kos diary and NPR. It seems like there’s even less to this "relationship" than we thought, assuming that’s possible.

  49. 49.

    John Cole

    October 8, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    @Chief: COINTELPRO. This is not the first administration that has fancied illegal surveillance.

  50. 50.

    Conservatively Liberal

    October 8, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    Puting aside the randomly picked snippets they chose to analyze, I want what these morons are on. Seriously, the high must be amazing.

    I think I have done just about every illegal drug that a person can do without shooting up and I wouldn’t touch whatever they are on. No fucking way. I have never lost touch with reality and I ain’t about to start now.

    Look for Palin to stop speaking altogether and simply very slowly eat a frozen banana at each of her campaign stops.

    I would watch if it was a fudgesicle. Hell, I would film it!

  51. 51.

    Napoleon

    October 8, 2008 at 1:10 pm

    What does all this disasterfuck do to Palin’s career? Does this enhance her chances in Alaska, or crush them?

    She is toast

  52. 52.

    Cruel Jest

    October 8, 2008 at 1:12 pm

    As seen on HuffPo

    "We’re at the halfway point and there is a lot that can happen and will happen in this campaign still to go," Palin said. "I’ve been in an underdog position quite often in my life and so has John McCain and we’ve both come out victoriously from that underdog position."

    At which point Rich Lowry spontaneously combusted.

  53. 53.

    Jeff

    October 8, 2008 at 1:14 pm

    @Punchy: Someone at NRO last night was actually complaining how McCain had ruined Palin’s chances at furthering her career as opposed to being a major link in the chain to McCain’s defeat.

  54. 54.

    Comrade Incertus

    October 8, 2008 at 1:16 pm

    What does all this disasterfuck do to Palin’s career? Does this enhance her chances in Alaska, or crush them?

    I’ve never even been to Alaska, so I can’t begin to imagine what they’re going to do, but I think a fair amount will depend on what Palin does after this election. The big question everyone in the right wing is liable to be asking is "will she run in 2012?" and if she does, will she run for re-election as governor in 2010? It’ll be the same as it was for Clinton in 2006, only the response will be more incoherent.

  55. 55.

    Delia

    October 8, 2008 at 1:19 pm

    My friends, the anti-American terrorists at Americablog have posted a story about the snake-oil supplements for increased energy and fighting the effects of dementia that Our Hero John McCain takes. Did you know he was a POW and for five and a half years could take no snake-oil supplements at all?

  56. 56.

    jake 4 that 1

    October 8, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    OT: The list of Musicians Against McPOW continues to grow:

    Peters — whose songs have been recorded by Bryan Adams, George Strait, Shania Twain and Randy Travis — said it was "beyond irony" that the GOP campaign was using the song "as a rallying cry for (Palin), a woman who would ban abortion even in cases of rape and incest."

    "They are co-opting the song, completely overlooking the context and message, and using it to promote a candidate who would set women’s rights back decades," Peters said.

    Go ahead governor. Call her an out of touch elitist.

  57. 57.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    I am an Associate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Chicago (the University that today has added yet another Nobel Prize winner in the sciences for the US). I would like to comment on Sen. McCain’s statement during the today’s debate that Sen. Obama has earmarked "$3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Ill. My friends, do we need to spend that kind of money?"
    The way Sen. McCain has phrased it suggests that Sen. Obama approved spending $3 million on an old-fashioned piece of office equipment (overhead projector).
    The 3 million is actually for an upgrade of the SkyTheater – a full dome projection system, which is probably the main attraction of the Adler Planetarium and is quite sophisticated and impressive piece of equipment.I find it appalling that Sen. McCain would call a science education tool for public (largely children) for a historic planetarium with millions of visitors a year a wasteful earmark. The planetarium’s focus, as stated on their website (http://adlerplanetarium.org) is "on inspiring young people, particularly women and minorities, to pursue careers in science." Is an investment in such public facility at the time when US competitiveness in math and sciences is a constant source of alarm a waste?
    "American’s ability to compete in a 21st Century economy rests on our continued investments in math and science education," said Rep. Brian Baird, Chairman of the Research and Science Education Subcommittee in Congress, after the passage of The 21st Century Competitiveness Act of 2007.
    Considering such investments "wasteful earmarks" today, even in the face of the financial crisis, will severely cripple US economic competitiveness in the increasingly high-tech world down the road.
    — Andrey Kravtsov, Chicago, IL

    Stolen brazenly from DKos, but just had to share it.

  58. 58.

    gbear

    October 8, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    John, your deprogramming skilz are being requested over at Sadly,No! Kathleen Parker is having second thoughts about what motivates wingnuts.

  59. 59.

    Tony J

    October 8, 2008 at 1:25 pm

    WTF? This is all they’ve got left in the tank of Conservatism? Stripped down to the bones, going through the motions. Palin is clearly just using the experience to sell herself to Der Base, while McCain limps from debate to debate trailing stale soundbites and wondering where it all went wrong.

    Come November, the GOP coalition that dominated the end of the 20th century is going to implode. If there even is a Republican Party by 2012, it’s more than likely going to have replaced Primaries with a series of midnight assassinations and small-scale skirmishes disguised as ‘hunting trips’, the hate will be that undisguised.

    Or, to be all elitist, it’ll look like late-era Rome, with the Imperial title a mere bauble to be fought over by rude, barbarian chiefs.

    Which should be amusing to watch.

  60. 60.

    b. hussein canuckistani (comrade)

    October 8, 2008 at 1:30 pm

    I used to be pretty scrupulous about refraining from attacks on Sarah Palin that could be perceived as sexist. But I’m wondering if she forfeits that consideration with the winking at the poor susceptible Rich Lowry’s of the right? if she lives by the sex appeal…

  61. 61.

    Cruel Jest

    October 8, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    @ThymeZone: Yup. As soon as I heard McCain say it, I knew he was picking on the wrong earmark.

  62. 62.

    Jorge

    October 8, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    The night of the long knives is coming for many, many Republicans. If the dynamics don’t change over the next month they are going to find themselves out of the White House, down to 45 or fewer Senate seats and well under 200 seats in congress.

    The question becomes, how do they turn it around? If they are smart, they will follow a path similar to the Democrats path in 2006. Essentially, just go for really smart folks who happen to label themselves as "Rs" regardless of how ideologically pure they are or aren’t.

    Either way, it is quite likely that 2010 will be nasty for Democrats. It is going to take a while to pull ourselves out this mess and people will be looking for scapegoats by then. The dynamic is very similar to Clinton’s first 2 years.

  63. 63.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    I find it appalling that Sen. McCain would call a science education tool for public (largely children) for a historic planetarium with millions of visitors a year a wasteful earmark. The planetarium’s focus, as stated on their website (http://adlerplanetarium.org) is "on inspiring young people, particularly women and minorities, to pursue careers in science."

    McCain and Palin are enemies of science. Science involves facts, which are inconvenient things for liars and believers of farce and fantasy.

  64. 64.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    I"m only half listening to Palin and McCain (I can’t stand to put my full focus on them, my head would explode) but so far I don’t think I’ve heard either of them mention Ayers or Wright or any of those non-policy lines of attack. Am I wrong?

  65. 65.

    Scott H

    October 8, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    McCain just said "Across America, this is the agenda I have set before my fellow prisoners…" WTF? He’s talking about his plans for his Administration.

    I’ve run the DVR back a half dozen times.

  66. 66.

    JL

    October 8, 2008 at 1:41 pm

    I am watching the Palin/McCain speech and McCain is talking about traveling across country spreading his message to his fellow prisoners. Not sure what he meant. It could be that he just needs to pop a few of those memory pills.

  67. 67.

    gbear

    October 8, 2008 at 1:42 pm

    McCain just said "Across America, this is the agenda I have set before my fellow prisoners…" WTF? He’s talking about his plans for his Administration.

    Ruh Roh.

  68. 68.

    Scott H

    October 8, 2008 at 1:42 pm

    @CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII I don’t think I’ve heard either of them mention Ayers or Wright or any of those non-policy lines of attack.

    No, Obama is now just a "Chicago politician." And McCain is winking now.

  69. 69.

    Delia

    October 8, 2008 at 1:45 pm

    I am watching the Palin/McCain speech and McCain is talking about traveling across country spreading his message to his fellow prisoners. Not sure what he meant. It could be that he just needs to pop a few of those memory pills.

    Ah, reliving the good old days when he was a Manly Man and could get any woman in the room without worrying about the Viagra or whether he could remember her name for the length of the encounter . . . .

  70. 70.

    TheFountainHead

    October 8, 2008 at 1:46 pm

    McCain just said "Across America, this is the agenda I have set before my fellow prisoners…" WTF? He’s talking about his plans for his Administration.

    Ze wheels! Zey do nothing!!

  71. 71.

    jibeaux

    October 8, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    simply very slowly eat a frozen banana

    You know, the chocolate-covered ones are better. And I think a majority of the voting public is with me on that.

  72. 72.

    Dennis - SGMM

    October 8, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    McCain is coming undone. He’s starting to remind me of that old Dudley Do-Right cartoon where Dudley is replaced by a robot. No matter what he was asked, the response was:
    "It’s Tommy this and Tommy that,
    And ‘Chuck him out, the brute.’
    But he’s the savior of his country when the guns begin to shoot.
    Good afternoon, Inspector Fenwick!
    Hello, Nell."

  73. 73.

    JL

    October 8, 2008 at 1:51 pm

    Scott H
    I paraphrased because I don’t have fancy gadgets, so thanks for the actual quote. The audience noticed it also. IMO, he needs to take more of his memory pills.

  74. 74.

    Tony J

    October 8, 2008 at 1:52 pm

    Either way, it is quite likely that 2010 will be nasty for Democrats. It is going to take a while to pull ourselves out this mess and people will be looking for scapegoats by then. The dynamic is very similar to Clinton’s first 2 years.

    Which is why it would probably be a politically sound move for the Obama Campaign to come out of the Election promising to open the books on who did what to get America into her current position. Let the WIngnuts scream all they like, with a Democratic White House and a solid(ifiable) majority in Congress, there’s little their people can do to block hearings on just about anything. And once the dirt starts coming out, it’s going to be easier for progressive Democrats running in 2010 to get the meme out there that they are the only people you can trust to fix the problems that matter, while Republicans just fuck shit up for everyone.

    Now that’s Change you can believe in.

  75. 75.

    Dennis - SGMM

    October 8, 2008 at 1:52 pm

    You know, the chocolate-covered ones are better. And I think a majority of the voting public is with me on that.

    Well, thanks for that. Now you’ve thrown the election to McCain/Palin. I hope you’re happy.

  76. 76.

    JL

    October 8, 2008 at 2:02 pm

    Josh of TPM fame is saying that McCain also said my fellow prisoners instead of my fellow citizens. Did anyone hear this? Scott, if you are still around go back to your dvr and check.

  77. 77.

    Conservatively Liberal

    October 8, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    McCain ‘prisoner’ video up in thread at Kos.

  78. 78.

    jake 4 that 1

    October 8, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    You know, the chocolate-covered ones are better. And I think a majority of the voting public is with me on that.

    That combined with McClueless’ comment about his fellow prisoners would spark a "Sex slaves for Obama," conspiracy theory amongst the fReichtards.

    Or have they gone there already?

  79. 79.

    Napoleon

    October 8, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    Josh of TPM fame is saying that McCain also said my fellow prisoners instead of my fellow citizens. Did anyone hear this? Scott, if you are still around go back to your dvr and check.

    I just saw that over there. Too f-en funny. I can not wait to see the video.

  80. 80.

    Kamishna ya Watu Xenos

    October 8, 2008 at 2:11 pm

    Which is why it would probably be a politically sound move for the Obama Campaign to come out of the Election promising to open the books on who did what to get America into her current position. Let the WIngnuts scream all they like, with a Democratic White House and a solid(ifiable) majority in Congress, there’s little their people can do to block hearings on just about anything.

    Or Obama could just declassify everything back to the Vietnam period. And render Kissinger and Rumsfeld to the French. And release all the files on Iran-Contra. And the files on the Allende coup. And seize the RNC email servers under a warrant for recovering stolen public records.

    I have to take a break now – getting way too excited here. Just not going to happen.

  81. 81.

    Scott H

    October 8, 2008 at 2:12 pm

    @JL Scott, if you are still around go back to your dvr and check.

    Just listened to it, again. Somebody will YouTube it. (Why not me? ‘Cause the scramble to get this one up will be a stampede.)

  82. 82.

    jim

    October 8, 2008 at 2:15 pm

    "Across America, this is the agenda I have set before my fellow prisoners…"

    Whoopsers!

    Accidentally reading a policy-paper instead of a script, like Reagan did with the whole "we begin bombing in 5 minutes" thing. Then he has to come up with a NEW evil plan, gosh darn it all.

    Hey, pobody’s nerfect!

    That puppy goes straight to YouTube – bet on it.

  83. 83.

    cleek

    October 8, 2008 at 2:17 pm

    i wouldn’t get too excited about "prisoners" – Obama had a couple of silly verbal slip-ups last night, too.

    for example:

    And you knew that if the Russians themselves were trying to obtain some of these territories or push back against Georgia, that that was not a stable situation. So part of the job of the next commander-in-chief, in keeping all of you safe, is making sure that we can see some of the 21st Century challenges and anticipate them before they happen.

    We haven’t been doing enough of that. We tend to be reactive. That’s what we’ve been doing over the last eight years and that has actually made us more safe.

  84. 84.

    M

    October 8, 2008 at 2:17 pm

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYhpeTsfW4

  85. 85.

    Walker

    October 8, 2008 at 2:19 pm

    @ThymeZone:

    I do not care how good a cause this earmark was. We have an agency for this kind of funding. It is called the NSF. Scientists are largely against earmark funding of science, as it is a way for non-competitive projects to skirt peer review and take money away from higher priority projects. Increase the budget of the NSF if it ain’t sufficient.

    With that said, earmarks appear to be a necessary evil to get bills passed sometime, so I am not sure we can get rid of them wholesale.

  86. 86.

    Comrade Incertus

    October 8, 2008 at 2:23 pm

    @Kamishna ya Watu Xenos:

    Or Obama could just declassify everything back to the Vietnam period. And render Kissinger and Rumsfeld to the French. And release all the files on Iran-Contra. And the files on the Allende coup. And seize the RNC email servers under a warrant for recovering stolen public records.
    I have to take a break now – getting way too excited here. Just not going to happen.

    Yeah, but we can dream.

  87. 87.

    Comrade Jake

    October 8, 2008 at 2:23 pm

    i wouldn’t get too excited about "prisoners" – Obama had a couple of silly verbal slip-ups last night, too.

    He did indeed have a couple of slip ups. But there was absolutely no comparison to the incoherence of McCain. Suggesting otherwise is just disingenuous.

    Only one of these candidates has a brain that is in an active state of decay.

  88. 88.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 2:26 pm

    We have an agency for this kind of funding

    Um no, that assertion depends entirely on your characterization of what "this kind of funding" is.

    I don’t agree with you. I don’t think a public planetarium has to confine its funding quests to NSF, and frankly, I find your assertion borderline spoof and dumbass goofy.

  89. 89.

    JL

    October 8, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    i wouldn’t get too excited about "prisoners" – Obama had a couple of silly verbal slip-ups last night, too.

    All candidates will have gaffes but the prisoner slip-up was interesting because he was a POW.

  90. 90.

    Comrade Jake

    October 8, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    @Walker

    I do not care how good a cause this earmark was. We have an agency for this kind of funding. It is called the NSF.

    Uhm, not quite. As a scientist with NSF funding and who has served on NSF panels, let me assure you, the NSF is not going to provide $3M to upgrade a planetarium. Their educational division really doesn’t have a means to cover that sort of capital expense. Neither does any other research agency, such as the DOE, NIH, etc. I would argue that the planetarium is a best-case scenario for earmarks.

  91. 91.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 2:29 pm

    Only one of these candidates has a brain that is in an active state the final stages of decay.

    Heh. The old geezer lost it a long time ago. I expect him to start his stump speeches with name, rank and serial number any day now.

  92. 92.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 2:31 pm

    I don’t agree with you. I don’t think a public planetarium has to confine its funding quests to NSF, and frankly, I find your assertion borderline spoof and dumbass goofy.

    B-b-b-b-but how can we fund a public planetarium where people only go to look at the positions of the stars in space that we would have trouble seeing otherwise when investment bankers and stockbrokers are going to have trouble affording 300 foot yachts for their wives for Christmas?

  93. 93.

    D. Mason

    October 8, 2008 at 2:34 pm

    I find your assertion borderline spoof and dumbass goofy.

    Of course you do. Anyone who disagrees with you on even the slightest scale has to be a mentally challenged McCain loving spoof/troll. We get it.

  94. 94.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 2:35 pm

    So, are The Arts a dumb expenditure too? Just checking.

  95. 95.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    Anyone who disagrees with you on even the slightest scale

    Fuck you. Anyone who dares to criticize you gets this ration of shit. You said a DUMBASS thing and I called it a DUMBASS thing.

    If you have a rebuttal, post it. Tell me why a public planetarium doesn’t have dozens, probably hundreds of funding streams, and should confine its search for resources to the fucking NSF.

    Tell me that or take your post and shove it up your ass.

  96. 96.

    Delia

    October 8, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    McCain ‘prisoner’ video up in thread at Kos.

    The Palin creature caught it. She looked away just after he said "prisoners."

  97. 97.

    Jeff

    October 8, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    Via Sullivan:
    Sheriff who started off speech for McCain while in uniform is being investigated for violating the Hatch act.

    I hope he is fired.

  98. 98.

    D. Mason

    October 8, 2008 at 2:42 pm

    You said a DUMBASS thing

    You don’t even know who you’re responding to, it’s just a reflexive cry of "dumbass spoof" it seems. Nice, maybe you should try some Neuro1, I hear it does wonders for McCain’s mental processes.

  99. 99.

    Comrade Jake

    October 8, 2008 at 2:44 pm

    The Palin creature caught it. She looked away just after he said "prisoners."

    I just watched the video. It bears emphasis that he’s reading from the teleprompter. So he saw "citizens" and said "prisoners". Strange.

    The other tick he does from behind the lectern that’s kind of weird is bounce at the end of a statement hitting Obama. It’s like he just kind of hops up on his toes a little. It’s like an "ah-hah!" kind of gesture. He’s more magoo than maverick I’m afraid.

  100. 100.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 2:44 pm

    You don’t even know who you’re responding to

    I know WHAT I am responding to, which is the DUMBASS thing you said in your post.

    Answer my question or STFU.

  101. 101.

    D. Mason

    October 8, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    I know WHAT I am responding to, which is the DUMBASS thing you said in your post.

    Apparently you don’t, it wasn’t my post. My only point was that if someone disagrees with you, you get belligerent. Thanks for the supporting evidence.

  102. 102.

    Comrade Jake

    October 8, 2008 at 2:47 pm

    Mason, sorry buddy, but suggesting that the folks at the planetarium apply to the NSF for funding is simply ignorant. The average NSF grant is around $250k, and it’s unusual for them to provide much in the way of funding for equipment. They fund primarily research activity.

  103. 103.

    DougJ

    October 8, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    I still contend that guy’s talking about Terry and Rick.

  104. 104.

    srv

    October 8, 2008 at 2:50 pm

    We need to really limit troll personalities here to a maximum of 3 or 4 per person now that the improved BJ is allowing so much riff-raff in. I can’t wade through 200 posts to figure out who is who. Makes John look like a real hoser for torturing us all these years – he probably had no idea how popular he was.

    ppGaz, anything exciting happening in Scottsdale next week, my overlords are making me go there. I’m not interested in retirement home tea parties.

  105. 105.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    It was Walker that suggested it, he left D Mason to take over his dirty work.

    I didn’t notice the switch either.

  106. 106.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 2:54 pm

    Apparently you don’t, it wasn’t my post. My only point was that if someone disagrees with you, you get belligerent.

    You are such a fucking idiot, man. Fuck you. I don’t have to take this shit from you. Fuck you, and get the fuck outta here.

    I can express my opinion in any way I like and I don’t need your fucking permission to do it.

  107. 107.

    Scrutinizer

    October 8, 2008 at 2:54 pm

    @Jeff:

    Why the Hatch Act? I thought that was for Federal employees.

  108. 108.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    It was Walker that suggested it, he left D Mason to take over his dirty work.

    My bad, I never suspicioned that someone ELSE would jump up to defend that stupid fucking NSF assertion.

    But if this guy wants to spend the day here trying to out insult me because he doesn’t like my posting style, then fine, I am here all day. I can kick him in the nuts as many times as he wants to be kicked.

  109. 109.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    ppGaz, anything exciting happening in Scottsdale next week

    Don’t know but I will see what I can find out. Meanwhile this link might steer you toward useful information.

  110. 110.

    D. Mason

    October 8, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    Mason, sorry buddy, but suggesting that the folks at the planetarium apply to the NSF for funding is simply ignorant. The average NSF grant is around $250k, and it’s unusual for them to provide much in the way of funding for equipment. They fund primarily research activity.

    That’s fine, he was probably wrong, I don’t care about that. My point was simple- disagreement with ThymeZone leads to cries of troll or spoof or whatever irate screed he decides to deliver. It’s not enough to say hey, you’re wrong and here’s why, it has to turn into a homage to the McCain camp. The best part of this blog is the conversation about issues. Conversation which TZ tries at every turn to stifle with his belligerent rants against anyone who dares to say something he doesn’t like for whatever arbitrary reason. I would hate to see this place turned into an echo chamber by that bullshit and I enjoy taking shots at him whenever I see it. Sue me.

  111. 111.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    But if this guy wants to spend the day here trying to out insult me because he doesn’t like my posting style, then fine, I am here all day. I can kick him in the nuts as many times as he wants to be kicked.

    Well…

    1. It’s not worth getting yourself all worked up and putting your heart at risk over, and…

    2. We have plans in a few hours and you better not be here then.

  112. 112.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    October 8, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    Slightly OT but with reference to the "that one" comment, I have been speaking to many of my associates in the legal community here in the South and I think as someone posted here last night they didn’t hear "that one" they heard "that ni**er" and I’m not just talking about the black members of the legal profession. One particular Judge was furious about it. Perhaps those in the southern states are more familiar with dog whistles than others.

  113. 113.

    Kamishna ya Watu Xenos

    October 8, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    RE. the Hatch Act Sheriff-

    Per 30 seconds of legal research, Sheriffs are elected positions and so are not covered by FL’s version of the Hatch Act. The Federal Hatch Act can cover a local official if they are working on a project using federal grant money. That is probably what is being investigated right now.

    If there is indeed a violation, expect this sheriff to be savagely whipped with a wet noodle.

  114. 114.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 3:04 pm

    disagreement with ThymeZone leads to cries of troll or spoof or whatever irate screed he decides to deliver. It’s not enough to say hey, you’re wrong and here’s why, it has to turn into a homage to the McCain camp. The best part of this blog is the conversation about issues. Conversation which TZ tries at every turn to stifle with his belligerent rants against anyone who dares to say something he doesn’t like for whatever arbitrary reason. I would hate to see this place turned into an echo chamber by that bullshit and I enjoy taking shots at him whenever I see it. Sue me.

    Fuck you, you stupid jerk. I kick you in the junk.

    I didn’t make a beliigerant rant, you lying cocksucker. THIS is a belligerant rant, copy it down and put in your refrigerator so you will know what the fuck one looks like.

    How long you want to do this today? How many more rounds you got in you?

  115. 115.

    D. Mason

    October 8, 2008 at 3:10 pm

    Fuck you, you stupid jerk. I kick you in the junk… How long you want to do this today? How many more rounds you got in you?

    Feel free to carry on as long as you like, I’ll pretty much laugh at anything you write now that you’re frothing like a Palin fan. Just remember to stop in time to clean all the spittle off your monitor and still make your date with max.

  116. 116.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 3:10 pm

    How long you want to do this today? How many more rounds you got in you?

    If you want to put your health at risk, suit yourself.

    I’m out of comms.

  117. 117.

    Delia

    October 8, 2008 at 3:12 pm

    Can I turn the thread away from the bickering for a moment?

    Glenn Greenwald has a very nice piece on that scum Andy Martin that Hannity had on his show the other day (okay, which scum you ask — the drooling anti-Semite who has the anti-Obama book). Well, Hannity had Obama surrogate Robert Gibbs on yesterday who did an impressive putdown of him, and Glenn has a very instructive column on the whole affair. Also many details on what a truly sordid little man this Martin is. Unbelievable. And the ADL or Lieberman or anybody won’t speak a word against him.

  118. 118.

    Comrade Jake

    October 8, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    How long you want to do this today? How many more rounds you got in you?

    Let it go there, Tigger. You were right on the merits. Be like Barack. Be cool.

  119. 119.

    JL

    October 8, 2008 at 3:15 pm

    We need to really limit troll personalities here to a maximum of 3 or 4 per person now that the improved BJ is allowing so much riff-raff in. I can’t wade through 200 posts to figure out who is who. Makes John look like a real hoser for torturing us all these years – he probably had no idea how popular he was.

    It is interesting how many more commenters appeared after the upgrade.

  120. 120.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 3:27 pm

    It is interesting how many more commenters appeared after the upgrade.

    Never let it be said this name appeared after the upgrade, I changed my name prior to the redesign.

    Let it go there, Tigger. You were right on the merits. Be like Barack. Be cool.

    Jake, even if TZ doesn’t appreciate that, I do. Thank you.

  121. 121.

    Delia

    October 8, 2008 at 3:27 pm

    It is interesting how many more commenters appeared after the upgrade.

    We need to establish some sort of conservation rule. After all, in every thread we eventually reach the Black Wall of Death where all posts perish. You know, you can only have a personal limit of three troll posts per thread or something. John, of course, will have to personally patrol all threads.

  122. 122.

    Cain

    October 8, 2008 at 3:37 pm

    It is interesting how many more commenters appeared after the upgrade.

    Lot of them were people who stopped coming due to the constant problems with wordpress.

    cain

  123. 123.

    jake 4 that 1

    October 8, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    It is interesting how many more commenters appeared after the upgrade.

    Don’ t look at me, I just change my handle every so often.

    Lot of them were people who stopped coming due to the constant problems with wordpress.

    Maybe BirdZilLA will return to his roost.

  124. 124.

    John PM

    October 8, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    "That Didn’t Take Very Long"

    Isn’t that what Palin said to McCain after he "vetted" her?

    /rim shot./

    Thank you, thank you, I will be lurking all week. Please, tip your host.

  125. 125.

    CIRCVS MAXIMVS MMVIII

    October 8, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    Isn’t that what Palin said to McCain after he "vetted" her?

    Palin On The Couch?

  126. 126.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    Be like Barack. Be cool.

    Heh. That would be out of persona, dude. That’s the whole point. I’m not Barack. I’m more of a Mister T.

    I floated a Cool character here and it put me and everyone else to sleep. I need a little more action.

  127. 127.

    gbear

    October 8, 2008 at 4:25 pm

    I’m not Barack. I’m more of a Mister T.

    Thyme Zone.

    Sorry, couldn’t resist.

  128. 128.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    Sorry, couldn’t resist.

    Love it.

    I’m more of a Hershey’s With Almonds man myself, but, close enough.

  129. 129.

    Neo

    October 8, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. It would be a game-changer in the region. Not only would it threaten Israel, our strongest ally in the region and one of our strongest allies in the world, but it would also create a possibility of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. And so it’s unacceptable. And I will do everything that’s required to prevent it. And we will never take military options off the table. And it is important that we don’t provide veto power to the United Nations or anyone else in acting in our interests. — Barack Obama 7-Oct-2008

    If you replace Iran with Iraq, you can see George Bush saying this exact same thing some 6 or so years ago. If nothing else, this quote destroys the myth that President Bush is a warmonger (any more than Barack Obama is).

  130. 130.

    ThymeZone

    October 8, 2008 at 5:22 pm

    destroys the myth that President Bush is a warmonger

    If every world figure who talked tough were a warmonger, and actually mongered a war, the world would be in a continual state of total war all the time.

    Bush actually created a war out of whole cloth. Hardly the same as talking tough about Iran.

    Cut the crap, please.

  131. 131.

    D. Mason

    October 8, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    this quote destroys the myth that President Bush is a warmonger

    If that quote destroys the myth that George "I’m a war president" Bush is a war monger, what does McCains using a popular beach boys song to make light of bombing a sovereign nation do to the myth (joke?) that McCain is a steady hand on the tiller? Give me a fucking break.

  132. 132.

    DFH no.6

    October 8, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    @srv:

    srv,

    There’s lots to do in Snobsdale, depends on what you’re into. And October weather is perfect.

    You just missed the Scottsdale International Film Festival (finishes up this week). I went ot a couple of the movies and enjoyed them (but then I’m into that elitist shit).

    This Saturday night there’s the Arizona FetishBall at The Venue of Scottsdale (downtown nightclub). Not my thing, but there it is.

    Next Tuesday the Hotel Cafe Tour (indie, coffeehous-style musicians) at Martini Ranch (another downtown nightclub — I like it better than The Venue). I plan to be at this one myself.

    The Skeptical Chymist is a pretty good Irish Pub in Scottsdale that has bands playing (usually, not always, Irish) on Friday and Saturday nights.

    There’s a brand-new Museum of Modern Art that’s got some cool art shit.

    On Sunday afternoons in the fall there’s the Fall Wine & Jazz at the El Pedregal Resort in way north Scottsdale.

    The Phoenix Zoo is cool, and it’s right on the border of Phoenix and Scottsdale.

    And on it goes. I recommend you check out the Phoenix NewTimes online.

    I’m not aware of any retirement home tea parties, but I’m sure they have them somewhere.

  133. 133.

    dj spellchecka

    October 8, 2008 at 7:06 pm

    following on from john’s update #1

    Here’s part of the press release that the mccain campaign is sending around…John M. Murtagh writes "When I was 9 years-old the Weather Underground, the terrorist group founded by Barack Obama’s friend William Ayers, firebombed my house. “Barack Obama may have been a child when William Ayers was plotting attacks against U.S. targets — but I was one of those targets. Barack Obama’s friend tried to kill my family.”

    There’s an obvious problem with this….he has NO idea who actually threw that bomb….. no arrests were ever made….

    Besides, in February 1970, John Murtagh’s father was a New York State Supreme Court justice presiding over the trial of the so-called “Panther 21,” members of the Black Panther Party indicted in a plot to bomb New York landmarks and department stores. Those guys and their friends knew how to make bombs and would have, to say the least, a certain animus towards the judge….

  134. 134.

    Bruce Moomaw

    October 8, 2008 at 10:54 pm

    Actually, John Murtaugh’s letter about Obama’s failure to denounce Ayers is quite powerful. As powerful, in fact, as the revelation of the ties between McCain and G. Gordon Liddy. First, via Wikipedia:

    "In 1980, Liddy published an autobiography, titled ‘Will’, which sold more than a million copies and was made into a television movie. In it he states that he once made plans with Hunt to kill journalist Jack Anderson, based on a literal interpretation of a Nixon White House statement ‘we need to get rid of this Anderson guy’…

    "Some of his [radio talk-show comments shortly after the Branch Davidian raid] led to condemnation by then President Bill Clinton…

    "August 26, 1994 – ‘Now if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms comes to disarm you and they are bearing arms, resist them with arms. Go for a head shot; they’re going to be wearing bulletproof vests … They’ve got a big target on there, ATF. Don’t shoot at that, because they’ve got a vest on underneath that. Head shots, head shots…. Kill the sons of bitches.’

    "September 15, 1994 – ‘If the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms insists upon a firefight, give them a firefight. Just remember, they’re wearing flak jackets and you’re better off shooting for the head.’ "

    Now, via Steve Chapman in the Chicago Tribune last May:

    "When [Obama’s and Ayers’] connection became known, McCain minced no words: ‘I think not only a repudiation but an apology for ever having anything to do with an unrepentant terrorist is due the American people.’

    "What McCain didn’t mention is that he has his own Bill Ayers — in the form of G. Gordon Liddy. Now a conservative radio talk-show host, Liddy spent more than 4 years in prison for his role in the 1972 Watergate burglary. That was just one element of what Liddy did, and proposed to do, in a secret White House effort to subvert the Constitution. Far from repudiating him, McCain has embraced him.

    "In 1998, Liddy’s home was the site of a McCain fundraiser. Over the years, he has made at least four contributions totaling $5,000 to the senator’s campaigns — including $1,000 this year.

    "Last November, McCain went on his radio show. Liddy greeted him as ‘an old friend,’ and McCain sounded like one. ‘I’m proud of you, I’m proud of your family,’ he gushed. ‘It’s always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great.’

    "…[Regarding Liddy’s Branch Davidian advice], he mentioned labeling targets ‘Bill’ and ‘Hillary’ when he [himself] practiced shooting…

    "I made repeated inquiries [on the subject of Liddy] to [McCain’s] campaign aides, which they refused to acknowledge, much less answer. On this topic, the pilot of the Straight Talk Express would rather stay parked in the garage."

    So, in the Slimy Friends Department, we seem to have pretty much of a draw. (We can add Pastor Wright to Obama’s list; but then McCain spent the last two or so years of Jerry Falwell’s life gushingly praising him, despite Falwell’s joint statement with Pat Robertson two days after 9-11 that it was God’s just punishment on the US for supporting gay rights.)

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