Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Not all heroes wear capes.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Republicans can’t even be trusted with their own money.

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

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

People are complicated. Love is not.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2008 / My Gift To You This Fine Morning

Reader Interactions

105Comments

  1. 1.

    Phoenix Woman

    Heh!
    .
    By the way: John, you trendsetter, here’s another sane (former?) Republican to join your growing movement:
    .
    .
    — The first Republican woman State Senator in Wisconsin history announced on Tuesday that she would be supporting Barack Obama, in part because of the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign and, specifically, the use of "dishonorable" anti-Obama robocalls.
    .
    "All of us should be extremely wary of the half truths and outright untruths that have been spread by the recent negative campaigning and shameful automated phone calls," said Barbara Lorman of Fort Atkinson. "While my admiration for Senator Obama has grown with his positive approach to addressing the challenges facing our nation, my disappointment with the McCain campaigned has deepened. The negative tactics are inappropriate, downright dishonorable and have no place in the State of Wisconsin." —

  3. 3.

    SnarkyShark

    Yeah baby, it’s music to my ears.

    These punks better remember that we won’t be forgiving and we won’t be forgetting.

    All this "who is the real American" is duly noted and will be shoved up their asses sideways.

    I hope they enjoyed being able to taunt liberals for a few years because its going to cost them everything.

    I hear my extra butter corn popping in the microwave. Time for the show to start.

  5. 5.

    Comrade Jake

    Q: How many McCain volunteers does it take to kill a donkey?
    A: Volunteers? You mean there are volunteers available?

    Q: How many Obama volunteers does it take to kill an elephant?
    A: Huh? They did that last month. What else ya got?

  7. 7.

    Atanarjuat

    I think you leftists would smile to see the dying elephant imagery eventually become one that’s starved and skeletally thin, multiplied by millions and concentrated behind barbed wire fences, with machine gun nests manned at regular intervals by Code Pink fanatics.

    Now that’s a liberal vision you can believe in!

    Country First.

  8. 8.

    Comrade Jake

    People seem to be doing a decent job in the other threads of completely ignoring the Atanarjuat Asshat. Good. I suggest we keep it up.

  9. 9.

    Montysano

    with machine gun nests manned at regular intervals by Code Pink fanatics.

    Mmmmm……. Code Pink babes with weaponry; that’s hawt.

  11. 11.

    Matt

    From the comments:

    One million from Kos Kids and one million matching grant from the DCCC is two million. A political thunderbolt that’s still reverberating. I guess their nickles and dimes do add up and it doesn’t bode well for the future. Clearly the GOP is behind on this whole internet thing, and they need to step up and match that kind of capability or things are going to get even tougher.

    Uh oh, I think they’re starting to catch on!

  14. 14.

    Haon123

    Shorter RedState comment section:

    "I’m taking my ball and going home"

    /your tears
    //they are delicious

  15. 15.

    Gus

    Taking him as a complete joke is probably just as useful.

    There’s no other way to take him. He doesn’t offer arguments, just repeats talking points. He seems to be in fine form this a.m. Oh, and the Red State thing is fun, but I’m holding off on the schadenfreude until Nov. 5. If Obama wins, I’m going to have 8 years worth all at one sitting.

  16. 16.

    Stuck in the Funhouse

    verdict for Ted Stephens will be read soon via MSNBC. Could it also be a Fitzmas day?

  17. 17.

    jrg

    The best line from that moronic RedState screed is:

    Why? Because Bachmann had the nerve to point out Obama pals around with anti-American domestic terrorists and other unsavory characters, i.e. she’s echoed Sarah Palin.

    Yep, that’s about the extent of it. Republicans are so full of shit, they must repeat every talking point verbatim, or any and all support from the RNC is rendered null and void.

    Here’s a tip, Republicans… If you’re too stupid to figure out that Palin is a liar, don’t try repeating her talking points… If you get the words right, you’ll sound like an idiot, if you get the words wrong, the RNC will yank your campaign contributions.

    Truly a thing of beauty…

  18. 18.

    The Moar You Know

    The opening shots in the circular firing squad can be found here. Enjoy.

    I like.

    The image reminds me of a distance shooting competition I was in a couple of years back. The goal was the "dead elephant" shot, essentially getting the bullet into the X-ring.

    I ended the competition on the first shot (I was the first guy up) by blowing the number "10" right out of the middle of the target. Never made such a perfect shot in my life and probably won’t ever again. But I won the "dead elephant" award.

    The Obama campaign has been landing a lot of X-ring hits. Looks as though they, too, will end up with the Dead Elephant award.

  21. 21.

    Crusty Dem

    I love Red State, it’s pre-chewed food for the reptilian mind. It’s fun to look at this from their perspective; what a bitter pill to swallow when your own core beliefs (Obama=muslim, terrorist, anti-american hate machine) are rejected by your own party. Of course, now Red State folks are raising money for Bachmann, and beware, they have tens of people raising hundreds of dollars. Why, it’s a just like Kos, scaled down by a factor of ~1000.

    But I do agree with Red State (Erickson) on one thing. Tom Cole is a douchebag.

  22. 22.

    SamFromUtah

    @Matt: Uh oh, I think they’re starting to catch on!

    The cleverer ones have been aware of it for awhile, but the trick to raising a bunch of grassroots money is having a large number of people committed enough to donate. Their top-down (trickle-down?) political organization doesn’t allow for that so much.

    ETA: … so yeah, what CrustyDem said.

  23. 23.

    Dennis - SGMM

    From the linked post:

    And then call Tom Cole and give him a piece of your mind.

    After reading the comments I’d say those people don’t have a piece to spare.

  24. 24.

    Apsaras

    God, I hope this goes on for a while. The longer the Republicans spend blaming ACORN, and the "MSM", and Bill Ayers, the longer they avoid any serious self-examination that might lead to them being electable again.

  25. 25.

    jake 4 that 1

    Why? Because Bachmann had the nerve to point out Obama pals around with anti-American domestic terrorists and other unsavory characters, i.e. she’s echoed Sarah Palin.

    Apparently the State of Alerters have been yanking it over pictures of Palin for the past month. If their wrists weren’t so sore could’ve searched for the quote hear round Anti-America:

    What I would say — what I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an expose like that.

  26. 26.

    OniHanzo

    Think any of this inner strafing will actually lead to introspection and culling of the party’s political chaff anytime soon?

    Hahahahahahaha Sorry. For a minute I forgot what I was talking about.

  28. 28.

    SnarkyShark

    Mmmmm……. Code Pink babes with weaponry; that’s hawt.

    Yes…I see a calender

    At least myiq and P.Luk (in their prime) were entertaining.

    Sayz U! I found them to be whiny little bitches. The new troll is comedy gold.

    Different tastes I suppose. I like my trolls broiled with a mushroom wine sauce. Your mileage may differ.

  29. 29.

    eponymous

    Atanarjuat,

    May I ask you a simple question? Why do you continue to post here? From the tenor of your numerous postings, you obviously don’t like either the comments/views expressed here nor the commentors. So what do you hope to accomplish? What are you getting out of your experience?

    Maybe it’s me, but if I were to frequent a place with a bunch of losers/idiots/loonies (this is just an assumption, obviously; otherwise, the tenor of your comments would likely be much different), then wouldn’t that mean you actually derive some sort of satisfaction from it?

    Because to me, who wants to hang around with a bunch of losers/idiots/loonies unless that person actually likes to hang around losers/idiots/loonies? I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with it, just that it’s kind of a strange way to spend one’s time.

    On the other hand, maybe I’ve somehow misjudged you. Kind of like some men (or women) who are sexually attracted to women (or men) who are overweight – not that’s there’s anything wrong with it (different strokes for differnt folks, and all that), but from my perspective I can’t quite understand the attraction.

    To others – does this mean that Atanarjuat (and other trolls) are the chubby-chasers of the Internet?

  30. 30.

    SamFromUtah

    @OniHanzo: Think any of this inner strafing will actually lead to introspection and culling of the party’s political chaff anytime soon?

    I think it will. The real dregs will all band together – and remain the Republican party. The others will hop to the other side of the aisle and begin whining that the Democrats should do everything they say.

  31. 31.

    Dennis - SGMM

    @Comrade Jake:
    So Republican congresscritters and the McCain campaign are both saying "Vote for me because the other guy is going to lose."
    Reminds me of this:
    Two biologists are in the field following the tracks of a radio-collared grizzly bear. All of a sudden, the bear crashes out of the brush and heads right for them. They scramble up the nearest tree, but the bear starts climbing up the tree after them. The first biologist starts taking off his heavy leather hiking boots and pulls a pair of sleek running shoes from his back-pack. The second biologist gives him a puzzled look and says, "What in the world are you doing?"

    He replies, "I figure when the bear gets close to us, we’ll jump down and make a run for it."

    The second guy says, "Are you crazy? We both know you can’t outrun a full-grown grizzly bear."

    The first guy says, "I don’t have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun you!"

  32. 32.

    Dreggas

    Atanarjuat

    I think you leftists would smile to see the dying elephant imagery eventually become one that’s starved and skeletally thin, multiplied by millions and concentrated behind barbed wire fences, with machine gun nests manned at regular intervals by Code Pink fanatics.

    Now that’s a liberal vision you can believe in!

    In the words of Conan with regards to what is best in life:

    To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women.

    Your lamentations are noted and sweet…

  33. 33.

    SnarkyShark

    After reading the comments I’d say those people don’t have a piece to spare.

    Brother can you spare a neuron?

  34. 34.

    SamFromUtah

    @eponymous: May I ask you a simple question? Why do you continue to post here?

    Because he/she is a parody troll and people keep falling for it?

  37. 37.

    4tehlulz

    @SamFromUtah: Parody troll? It’s so hard to differentiate between parodies and those who reflexively post stale copypasta from Little Green Fucktards that I can’t discern the difference anymore.

  38. 38.

    b. hussein canuckistani (comrade)

    I feel sorry for the RS commenters who point out that Bachmann calling for an anti-American witch hunt might be a bad idea. It must be painful to be on the crazy bus and no one will listen when you tell them the bridge is out.

  40. 40.

    Stuck in the Funhouse

    the dying elephant imagery eventually become one that’s starved and skeletally thin,

    That’s right. And then we plan to drown it in the bathtub.

  41. 41.

    SnarkyShark

    God, I hope this goes on for a while. The longer the Republicans spend blaming ACORN, and the "MSM", and Bill Ayers, the longer they avoid any serious self-examination that might lead to them being electable again.

    You know they are going to think Old Spice wasn’t fascist enough, and that they need to run more to the right in 2012. Then they will start purging until there are about 6 of them left.

    They are infinitely predictable

  42. 42.

    Punchy

    Clearly the GOP is behind on this whole internet thing, and they need to step up and match that kind of capability or things are going to get even tougher.

    They’d be a TAD more successful at it if their readership was larger, and that’d be the case if they didn’t ban/restrict/eliminate at least 50% of their readership for any comments not specifically fellating their Dear Leader.

  43. 43.

    Atanarjuat

    Okay, so maybe the mention of Code Pink fanatics was a bit over the top, but they’re the very visible front of the angry and self-righteous left. They, and other True Believers like them, would make perfect "just following orders" camp guards, after all.

    With regard to the topic, those supposed fracture lines you lefties perceive in the Republican Party are just a few dissident voices who are airing their legitimate grievances. This doesn’t mean the entire conservative cause is about to splinter and fall apart, nor does it mean that there are any less people in America who hold true to the principles of self-discipline, honor, and patriotism for which Republicans are widely known. A little bit of dissidence and introspection is just fine, liberals. It’s always been an American value that true patriots uphold.

    Not that all you America Last parasites would recognize any values beyond welfare and wealth redistribution, that is.

    Country First.

  44. 44.

    The Moar You Know

    @eponymous: I hate to be like this, but figure it out! This is a parody, or better put, a spoof. And a well done one. I have a pretty good idea who it is.

    You can tell by the spelling alone that it isn’t a rightie.

  45. 45.

    SnarkyShark

    They’d be a TAD more successful at it if they’re readership was larger, and that’d be the case if they didn’t ban/restrict/eliminate at least 50% of their readership for any comments not fellating their Dear Leader.

    Yep, without Big Brother to tell them what to think, they are lost little Authoritarian sheep. The have been outsourcing their critical thinking skills for so long I don’t think they can ever get it back. Assuming they had any critical thinking skills to begin with of course.

  47. 47.

    Tsulagi

    The opening shots in the circular firing squad can be found here.

    Yeah, saw that yesterday and got a good laugh. Chief RS short bus driver Erick calling the head of the NRCC a douchebag. The riders on the bus agreed. They always knew he was a douchebag, plus Michelle Bachmann must be saved to point out all those anti-Americans infesting Congress!

    But today it seems the douchebag’s staff (douchebag holders?) have calmed/snowed Erick. So he’s feeling a little better about Douchebag Central.

    While that may have been some of the opening firing squad shots, the RS wingnut zombies got animated last week. Frontpager, and semi-rational Brad Smith put up a post that drew their ire: Time to Get Real and Save the Senate. The Presidential race is over. He suggested McCain is going to lose so now in the closing two weeks to channel resources to prevent the Democrats from obtaining a filibuster-proof Senate.

    Oh noes, a defeatist in their midst! In their very own lair, their sanctuary! That went over well. Some of the comments are excellent. RedState pulled that post off the front page and buried it trying to placate the zombie natives. Brad was not on message in the big tent.

  48. 48.

    cleek

    Republicans are so full of shit, they must repeat every talking point verbatim, or any and all support from the RNC is rendered null and void.

    even J Syndey McPOW was quoting them verbatim in the last debate.

    McCain: Well, again, while you were on the board of the Woods Foundation, you and Mr. Ayers, together, you sent $230,000 to ACORN. So — and you launched your political campaign in Mr. Ayers’ living room.

    google "Obama +’launched his political career" +terrorist" gives 70,700 results. all of them using that same formulation "launched his political career in the living room of a domestic terrorist". they’re all parroting the same line.

  49. 49.

    greynoldsct00

    Apparently the State of Alerters have been yanking it over pictures of Palin for the past month. If their wrists weren’t so sore could’ve searched for the quote hear round Anti-America:

    Yeah, the are glossing over that little reality pretty mightily…poster and commenters

  51. 51.

    SnarkyShark

    nor does it mean that there are any less people in America who hold true to the principles of self-discipline, honor, and patriotism for which Republicans are widely known.

    Stop…you’re killing me! If I keep laughing this hard I may blow a gasket!

    You can tell by the spelling alone that it isn’t a rightie.

    Plus sentence structure and actual irony and sarcasm which real wingers can’t grasp the technique of.

    Well done!

  52. 52.

    demimondian

    @4tehlulz: At this point, anyone who is reflexively posting copypasta should be treated as a parody troll. The real trolls will promptly show their true nature by defending themselves in their own — however clumsy — words. The parody trolls, not having that to fall back upon, will continue to spout talking points.

    AtanarjuatWhatanitwit clearly fell into the second batch from the get go.

  54. 54.

    NonyNony

    @eponymous:

    Atanarjuat is either parody or really, really bad at trolling. Either way, he’s posting to get a rise out of folks here, not to make any kind of cogent argument intended to sway people over to his own way of thinking. In other words, engaging him like that at face value is exactly what he wants. So if you’re in the camp who’s annoyed by him, you shouldn’t engage.

    I’m in the camp that is highly amused by the fact that even now I can’t quite tell if he’s intentional parody or just not very good at trolling. I’m still waiting for him to start a blog. Because it would be Comedy. Gold.

  55. 55.

    Punchy

    @cgp: I dont get it. I read that to mean that the GOP finds those seats secure, hence no more money needed. Not hopeless incumbents; rather, shoo-ins.

  58. 58.

    Colonel Doctor Michael "Heck of a Job" Brown

    Some of the comments under the linked post certainly lend credence to the "No Peak Wingnut" Theory:

    She says she misspoke and regrets her comment. But why?

    The views of the far Left, of which Obama is a card-carrying member, are internationalist, collectivist, redistributionist, anti-capitalist, anti-individual freedom, anti-private property, anti-business and anti-free speech, while America’s greatness is founded on capitalism, freedom, individualism and its belief in the sanctity of private property and individual liberty.

    When you oppose all of our country’s founding values, you need to get used to being called anti-American.

    And as long as you think that belief makes you pro-American, little wingnut, you need to get used to losing elections.

  59. 59.

    Atanarjuat

    Eponymous, I appreciate your question (despite the ridiculous speculation at the end).

    The answer is rather simple: there’s no value in contributing one’s opinions in a forum where everyone already agrees with you. Despite the jeering insults from some of the regulars here, I strongly feel that having my own views challenged and dissected is a healthy thing and a constructive way to refine my own thinking.

    You correctly perceive that I find many of the opinions on BJ to be distasteful and rather objectionable. I dislike liberal philosophy in general. However, it doesn’t mean that I can’t contribute my own opposing views, or that I don’t find the debate (however infantile it becomes at times) meaningful.

    But that’s just me. Your own mileage may certainly vary.

    Thanks for asking.

    Country First.

  60. 60.

    greynoldsct00

    A little bit of dissidence and introspection is just fine, liberals. It’s always been an American value that true patriots uphold.

    Oh really? Then explain why for the last eight years any dissenter was labeled a traitor who hates America? And as of late "un-American"? Not much honor there, partner.

  61. 61.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    While I too am getting drunk on the schadenfreude (all the while remembering that we are Democrats and thus prone to open-field fumbles that wind up losing the game), it’s best to remember that some of the less-charitable Republicans were predicting the imminent demise of the Democratic party in the wake of the 2004 election. Yes, the problems in the GOP are far deeper and more fundamental than in the Democratic party (our schisms are not so wide nor passionately defended as in the GOP), but I also think the sane Republicans outnumber the wingnuts by a good margin, and they’re already starting to push back against the wingnuttery. Red State is not representative of the GOP, much as we’d like to believe it sometimes.

    I am a Democrat. I know my people well enough to know we need a healthy, rational conservative opposition to keep us honest. Permanent one-party majorities are Bad Things, full stop.

  62. 62.

    iluvsummr

    Meanwhile, some telemarketers quit over McCain campaign’s Ayers robo-calls. Gail Collins also talks about one of them here.

    I can’t wait for this election to be over :

    I’m almost broke (donated to too many democratic senate candidates I’d never heard of in states I’ve never set foot in),

    I get a migraine whenever I hear the stupidity that bubbles effortlessly from some Republican politicians’ mouths (I mean how can their own heads not cave in from the contradictions?), and,

    I’ve contemplated starting a campaign to get Fox news and WABC radio to send Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh for a month-long Zen Buddhist retreat starting November 5 out of sincere concern for their well-being

    In other words, I have lost my damn mind. But it feels good. I think.

  63. 63.

    jrg

    Yep, without Big Brother to tell them what to think, they are lost little Authoritarian sheep.

    Unless the GOP reforms itself, there will never be a sizable online activist base. You cannot ban everyone who’s against nation building in 2003, then make nation building a party loyalty test in 2007. You can’t say that you’re for smaller government in 2000, then decide that Terri Schiavo is the most important thing facing the country in 2005.

    Blindly following the party line does not work with such an interactive medium. Dissent is an integral part of how people communicate on the internet.

  64. 64.

    greynoldsct00

    Despite the jeering insults from some of the regulars here

    As if you’ve held back on insults and name calling? If you want to share ideas, share them. Seems to me you enjoy making all your incendiary statements just as much if not more.

  65. 65.

    Stuck in the Funhouse

    Atanarjuat is either parody or really, really bad at trolling. Either way, he’s posting to get a rise out of folks here, not to make any kind of cogent argument intended to sway people over to his own way of thinking

    I think he is one fine provider of spoof generated launching pads for liberal snark. That’s what he does, that is all he does. And recently has been spot on for that purpose. Keep up the good work Atanarjuat!

  66. 66.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    @jrg:

    Dissent is an integral part of how people communicate on the internet.

    And swearing. Don’t forget the swearing.

  67. 67.

    jake 4 that 1

    Ya’ll do realize he pulled his Democoncentration Camp imagery from something posted over at Sadly, No!

    Just checking.

    Almost completely OT: Does anyone know if Maj. Duckworth might run for office again? That woman has more guts and class than a truckload of GOP shrews.

  68. 68.

    Atanarjuat

    I see that most leftists here are still feverishly scrawling the GOP’s obituary, based on… well, wishful thinking.

    Before you keep punching your fists in the air while shouting "death to Republicans!" you might just want to keep in mind that the Fat Lady has yet to clear her throat before going onstage.

    To paraphrase a famous quote, reports of the GOP’s death spiral have been greatly exaggerated.

    Country First.

  69. 69.

    Stuck in the Funhouse

    While I too am getting drunk on the schadenfreude (all the while remembering that we are Democrats and thus prone to open-field fumbles that wind up losing the game),

    Agreed, at least for the POTUS. My own schadenfreude today is for dems to wipe out the House wingnuts in one fell swoop. And I am highly confident in that conclusion to this election. Though POTUS is always prone to overnight disasters in electoral politics, so my confidence is always tempered on that.

  70. 70.

    Tim C.

    Just a bit of homespun advice that may be relevant,

    "Never wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty and the pig likes it."

    And also Godwin’s law should never be violated in the first post you make in a thread.

  71. 71.

    Blow Riley

    The views of the far Left, of which Obama is a card-carrying member

    That reminds me, my card expires at the end of the month and the new one hasn’t arrived yet.

  73. 73.

    Blow Riley

    You’re too kind, Rachel, I’m recommending that John not renew his contract when it’s up. He’s just not that good a troll.

  74. 74.

    Karmakin

    From jrg:

    Unless the GOP reforms itself, there will never be a sizable online activist base. You cannot ban everyone who’s against nation building in 2003, then make nation building a party loyalty test in 2007. You can’t say that you’re for smaller government in 2000, then decide that Terri Schiavo is the most important thing facing the country in 2005.

    Blindly following the party line does not work with such an interactive medium. Dissent is an integral part of how people communicate on the internet.

    The Republican party, the conservative movement for the last…20 years or so has been nothing more than liberal baiting. There’s no solid ideological or logical footing that individual people debate and work towards to find common cause. Except for hating the liberals. But that only gets you so far.

    On the left, there is a common ideological goal more or less, that being social AND economic liberalism with the thinking being that all people should be more free to make personal decisions, not just the rich and the powerful. Also with a healthy dose of measured personal responsibility. (Why should the poor and the powerless be MORE responsible for something than someone who is better off?. With great power comes great responsibility and all that)

    We can argue about how to get to those places, and we do. But there is a common goal. A common cause.

    The right wing simply doesn’t have any goals right now other than trolling us. (Yes. I’m saying that the Iraqi war is the biggest troll in history. You have a problem with that?)

    One final thing. Bachman’s statement is what the the GOP was based around in the 90’s. Just that it wasn’t put so bluntly. What you see here is an abandonment of the GOPAC principals that have given them considerable influence since 94.

  75. 75.

    bedlam UK

    I assumed that Atanarjuat was a parody because he uses correct sentence structure and real words rather than the blathering talking points I usually find in the Rethug sided posts, but if he really is a McCain / Palin supporter I find it baffling.

    He seems to be pissed at the socialism charge even though its his party that has caused the socialism of the financial sector, plus Palin is pretty much the social / handout queen, and even McCain was saying ( Utube link lost at the moment) to a question that those that are better off should expect to pay more. Odd.
    And is he really so simple as to assume a tax cut for 95% of americans is ‘Socialism’ because if he does, he really needs to do some reading up.
    He seems to infer that ‘liberals’ would like to build and guard the wire fences when its the Rethugs that have condoned Torture and Prison Camps without due process.
    Every smear aimed at Obama has been followed by the Rethug party being found guilty of that exact thing
    (voter fraud/socialism/elitism etc)
    He accuses Liberals of hate when Obama uses negative focus on McCains politics whilst the Rethugs have taken such a low road in the elections, upto and including Race hate/ McCarthyism/Religious hate.

    Really, how an intelligent person can listen to Palin mangle the english language, to fail to understand her role, to not even know what ‘Preconditions’ are, and to stand there with a straight face and say you support that?
    Really? I mean, REALLY?

  76. 76.

    SamFromUtah

    @slag:

    No premature triumphalism!

    Must. Win!

    Just thought I’d echo this because it needs doing. Vote! If you haven’t early-voted and can, early-vote! If you can’t early-vote, make goddam sure you’re out there on election day! Vote, goddammit, vote! And make sure nobody forgets that that was the point of the whole campaign all along!

  77. 77.

    Trollhattan

    Don’t ignore the independents, who have also already scrawled the GOP’s obituary. It is this small additional detail that drives the necessary last nail into the party coffin.

    You’re very welcome for the elucidation. It’s free!

    p.s. Don’t paraphrase Twain. We all know what he’d say about today’s Republicans.

    I see that most leftists here are still feverishly scrawling the GOP’s obituary, based on… well, wishful thinking. Before you keep punching your fists in the air while shouting "death to Republicans!" you might just want to keep in mind that the Fat Lady has yet to clear her throat before going onstage. To paraphrase a famous quote, reports of the GOP’s death spiral have been greatly exaggerated.

  80. 80.

    Atanarjuat

    SamFromUtah said:

    Vote! If you haven’t early-voted and can, early-vote! If you can’t early-vote, make goddam sure you’re out there on election day! Vote, goddammit, vote!

    Right on! Vote early, vote often!

    It’s the ACORN way.

    Your Glorious Leader is counting on you (especially the dead), remember!

    Country First.

  81. 81.

    rollSound

    Hey, don’t chase away Ataninnyjad. His clueless rants about alternate-world distopiae always brighten my day!

  82. 82.

    satby

    Atanatwit: stop using the "True Believer" catchphrase at least until you read Hoffer’s book and grasp the point he was making.

  83. 83.

    Brian J

    Unless the GOP reforms itself, there will never be a sizable online activist base.

    I think you have it backwards. I think you mean to say that unless the online activist base of the Republicans returns to reality, it will never be sizable. At best, it will be marginal.

    Perhaps I’m missing some details of the story, but I’ve always been under the assumption that the growth of liberal blogs, like the Daily Kos, was not in conjunction with the DNC, which happened to benefit from the advent of such groups. This isn’t to say that once the Democrats realized how awesome the power of this stuff was they refused to help, but rather to suggest that it was more of a bottom-up effort rather than a top-down effort.

  84. 84.

    Stuck in the Funhouse

    That and provide inventive to create the Education centers for 62,040,610 people (up for 25,000,000 in the sixties) that one of Obama’s advisers has make his life’s work.

    Your paranoid ravings are amusing as usual. And it’s gives me pure delight that you, the Confederate Wanker, and the rest Greater Wingnuttia are experiencing fear and anxiety as your world closes in around you. Thanx for that!

    ** If you find yourself frightened, alone, and in need of company, please consider sanctuary at The Funhouse. There is always room for one more Wingnut.

  86. 86.

    Josh Hueco

    premature triumphalism

    They have topical creams for that, you know.

    That and provide inventive to create the Education centers for 62,040,610 people (up for 25,000,000 in the sixties) that one of Obama’s advisers has make his life’s work.

    OMG, the comments on that thread are priceless. Did you know that a vote for Obama is a vote for the Illuminati?

  87. 87.

    binzinerator

    from Tom Hilton’s link to Ambinder’s piece:

    Ambinder:
    "There’s a suspicion in some McCain loyalist precincts that Gov. Sarah Palin is beginning to play the Republican base against John McCain… .

    "Think ahead to 2010…2011…2012.

    "Palin is ambitious. Very ambitious."

    The first thing I said when I learned during the gooper convention she was going to be McCain’s VP pick is ‘Who??‘ and the second thing I said, because I realized I had to ask that, was ‘Holy shit, she must one insanely ambitious person."

    How else to describe a supremely unqualifed, inexperienced, unknown and demonstrably parochial person who without a second thought or hesitation jumps at the chance for a job she knows nothing about, one that will, upon the demise of a 72-year-old afflicted with melanoma, impact the lives of everyone on the planet?

    But it was apparent — seemingly a no-brainer to me — that this crushingly ambitious person, when handed a VP nomination out of the blue as if it were a lottery jackpot, would instantly recognize that win or lose, sooner or later, she would have a shot at the presidency itself.

    (We also know now she is, like Bush, among those whose incompetence robs them of an accurate understanding of their own incompetence. Alloy that with her ambition and the prospect of a President Palin is even more scary.)

    The McCain campaign thought they could use her for their own purposes. She however saw how she could use them. The base they thought she would bring back to them she has instead consolidated as her own. The witless but shrewd outwitting the merely witless.

    The stupidity and short-sightedness of McCain’s judgment is abundant on every level, by every measure. They didn’t care about the danger she would be to the country as an unqualified VP but they obviously had no fucking clue she was as dangerous to their own campaign and to the future of their own party.

    Armbinder is only just now starting to figure this out? WTF?

  88. 88.

    oh really

    John, it’s only fair to warn us that a link will take us to RedState. I simply can’t stomach their vile insanity before noon. I’m on the West Coast, so no RedState links without an accompanying warning before 3 PM Eastern Time, please.

    Puuuuuuullllllllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeese.

  89. 89.

    Comrade Darkness

    What a great thread there at red state. The poor dears with their Delusion Should Be a Sacrament state of mind, pin the problem on Bachmann parroting the Ayres stuff, rather than her rearing up like an undead McCarthy starved for the taste of individual free-thinking brains and promising to mire the country in anti-democratic witch-hunt idiocy when we most can’t afford the luxury of it.

    Keep up the denial guys; it just keeps you down longer.

  90. 90.

    binzinerator

    premature triumphalism

    They have topical creams for that, you know.

    LOLZ!

    I myself don’t have a problem with premature trimphalism. I can go on and on ecstatically for at least an hour, which my wife often enjoys too, although sometimes she gets tired of it and then it starts to irritate her.

    ; )

  92. 92.

    binzinerator

    Atanarjuat is either parody or really, really bad at trolling.

    I say Attajerk is a parody. The use of irony combined with an understanding of grammar and punctuation clinch it for me.

    BIRDZILLA was better.

  93. 93.

    Fulcanelli

    Win first, then gloat and torment.

    I’d be just like the repubs to fuck up the electoral process enough to warrant endless recounts and court intervention everywhere.

  94. 94.

    Comrade Darkness

    We can argue about how to get to those places, and we do. But there is a common goal. A common cause.

    There are some common causes there. There must be for a collation of wealthy big business and lower middle class foot soldiers to hold together. They seem to be: blocking access to civil contracts on an arbitrary basis, instituting government ownership of all viable wombs, and eliminating American dominance in scientific fields. The remaining 90% of the rhetoric involves convoluted explanations that lay blame for things otherwise than where it belongs, but I don’t consider that a cause so much as a strategy to remain in power, although it sometimes looks like a cause when they really get heated about it.

    The first two are anti-individual rights, something I’d love to hear a right-winger actually try to defend with an honest argument that does not smack hard up against the rhetoric of small government and individual freedom they otherwise spout. The third is just childishness involving a spastic fear of having to examine their own poorly understood theology. If they knew their beliefs would hold up to scrutiny, they wouldn’t have to panic when challenged by new information.

    Now, true that these don’t fall under a common umbrella like dem policy toward "progressive social justice". I guess they fall under the umbrella of "bigger government when it benefits our side" or "we’re America so we’re always right" or something. Hm, what do the republican causes fall under? Maybe our troll will help us out here and let us know.

  95. 95.

    binzinerator

    @Fuck in the Stunhouse

    Firing concentrated stupid, of course. Not real bullets.

    I hope the coming socialist liebrul-fascist anti-american government allows the wingnuts to buy as many hi-cap magazines for this class of weaponry as possible.

    ps. I couldn’t resist transposing your handle, been longing to do that for a while now. No dis intended.

  96. 96.

    eponymous

    @Atanarjuat:

    While I (generally) agree that there is little value in contributing one’s opinion in a forum where everyone already agrees with you, I don’t see any value in what you are contributing. And I strongly disagree with your opinion that your views are being challenged because you haven’t made any good faith attempts in engaging anyone in actual debate or conversation.

    Your commentary in this forum is equivalent to someone hanging around a bunch of people you don’t necessarily like or agree with and interjecting with commentary that’s disruptive, abusive, inflammatory, factually baseless, and without any intellectual merit. Why would anyone take your commentary seriously? And furthmore, why would you waste the energy on tactics that aren’t likely to elicit any kind of meaningful response (meaningful in the sense that opposing viewpoints might actually challenge your own positions)?

    In any event, good day to you…

    To others – I know he’s likely a troll (or spoof), but I don’t quite understand the point of his activity. I suppose if I were a total dick I would understand, but still – it’s fucking irritating.

    And I promise from here on out not to feed the trolls anymore…

  98. 98.

    Atanarjuat

    Thank you for your opinion, eponymous, even if your final pronouncements are wrong.

    Perhaps it’s your anti-conservative bias that prevents you from reading my clearly-stated reasons for commenting on BJ (hint: it has to do with the challenging and refining of my own thoughts), or perhaps you’ve fallen victim to the groupthink judgment which has swept through your fellow BJ’ers that I’m a spoof, troll, or a "total dick." Whatever.

    I’m at least grateful that you’ve made the attempt not to immediately dismiss, even if dismissal was a foregone conclusion.

    A good day to you, too, and thank you again.

    Country First.

  100. 100.

    PaulB

    or perhaps you’ve fallen victim to the groupthink judgment which has swept through your fellow BJ’ers that I’m a spoof, troll, or a "total dick."

    Dear heart, we’re calling you a troll because you exhibit all of the classic signs of a troll. If you don’t want to be called a troll, don’t post like one. It’s pretty much that simple. See this, for example:

    I think you leftists would smile to see the dying elephant imagery eventually become one that’s starved and skeletally thin, multiplied by millions and concentrated behind barbed wire fences, with machine gun nests manned at regular intervals by Code Pink fanatics.

    Dear heart, posts like that don’t do a damn thing to "challenge and refine your own thoughts." They are flamebait, pure and simple, with zero substantive content. Of course dismissal is a foregone conclusion! Why should it not be? And of course we regard you as a troll, with posts like that. Again, why should we not?

    Do feel free to try again someday, dear, perhaps when you’ve grown up a bit or have decided to stop playing silly games.

  101. 101.

    PaulB

    I really loved this particular bit of filth from that thread:

    And frankly, I’m equally disgusted at Michelle Bachmann. Calling a spade a spade is never cause for an apology. The correct answer is "hell yes he’s anti-american. So is the whole damn party." [Emphasis added.]

    A respondent then queried:

    Never? Unless a black man is running for president and you use that particular phrase in reference to him. ;) (Sorry, the set-up was too good to pass up)

    Our initial commenter, undaunted, replied:

    Never. And I used that particular phrase on purpose.

    All together: Classy!

  103. 103.

    Cris v.3.1

    And of course we regard you as a troll,

    And, may I add, we reward you as a troll. Which is to say, we engage. We take your bait. Because you really are kind of fun.

  104. 104.

    Atanarjuat

    @Cris v.3.1,

    I’m not sure whether to be flattered or peeved.

    I suspect that your backhanded compliment is really a stealth putdown, but in case you’re being sincere, I’ll simply say thank you.

    Country First.

  105. 105.

    BladeZero

    This picture shows that the American people are standing up and saying they can’t take anymore of what’s been going on. Most people know exactly what the problem has been. There is a real change going on.

    I think Sarah Palin shot that elephant.

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