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You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / Another Open Thread

Another Open Thread

by John Cole|  November 11, 200812:50 pm| 85 Comments

This post is in: Cat Blogging

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Some of you are complaining about inadequate cute in the previous post. Fine. Time for some cute overload:

Choke on that, haters. The look on the face of the kitty to the right is priceless.

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Next Post: I Can Not Take Four Years Of This »

Reader Interactions

85Comments

  1. 1.

    cmorenc

    November 11, 2008 at 12:56 pm

    I want some of the human equivalent of whatever sort of catnip the kitty on the right is enjoying.

  2. 2.

    liberatemeiexinfernis

    November 11, 2008 at 1:01 pm

    I wanna know why that jackass Lieberman is being supported by Obama. Now Obama is starting to piss me off. Lieberman should have been booted last week.

  3. 3.

    wvng

    November 11, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Cute? You don’t know from cute.

    Now. this. is. cute.
    A cat and a diet soda box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPzNl6NKAG0

  4. 4.

    Shinobi

    November 11, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    How can you think about Joe WhoBlows in the face of such adorableness?

  5. 5.

    Joshau Norton

    November 11, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Now Obama is starting to piss me off.

    He thinks he’s being "conciliatory". I think he’s showing the wingnutz that he’s weak, bordering on doormat. Would the apostles have welcomed Judas back? I don’t think so.

    It should be up to the caucus what happens to Lie-berman.

  6. 6.

    John Cole

    November 11, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    No, this is “No Drama, Obama” thinking long ball. He states he does not want him kicked from the caucus, the Democrats strip Lieberman of prestigious committee and give him something else against Obama’s stated “wishes,” Lieberman can hold no personal animus towards Obama and can not openly sabotage him, and Lieberman stays in the caucus as a vote. The blood is not on Obama’s hand, wingnuts can not run around with the narrative that Obama is practicing the same old politics, Lieberman still has a committee chair although not the one he wants and still more than he deserves, and the Democrats have some payback.

    Have some damned faith, people. Has Obama not earned it by now? They don’t think in news cycles, as it should be obvious to anyone who followed their delegate strategy in the primary. They think endgame.

    I seriously can not put up with cold feet and whimpering from the left for four years while the right is already buying bigger shovels to fling shit. Again, have some damned faith.

  7. 7.

    liberatemeiexinfernis

    November 11, 2008 at 1:15 pm

    @Joshua Norton

    Is that the reason why Democrats never win? Congressional Democrats didnt win because they are oh so smart, but because Republicans just fucked up real bad. Everytime Democrats get power, they want to find ways to open up their rectum in conciliatory atmosphere and let Republicans do them. When Republicans win, they spent their rest of their productive time trying to find ways to strangle Democrats, call them unpatriotic (remember how they made Daschle cry), pansies, soft on terror, Osama worshippers, communists etc Look at that guy Rep Broun. His party has just been given ratfucking and he still has the balls to call Obama MarxoNazi.

    its days like these I wish Hillary was President

  8. 8.

    Paul L.

    November 11, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    Who remembers John’s outrage at Mccain’s use of public financing.

    who just took near 100 million more from you and me to finance his campaign, is mocking the private financing of a campaign.

    Savor Mccain’s misfortune.

    The Federal Election Commission is unlikely to conduct a potentially embarrassing audit of how Barack Obama raised and spent his presidential campaign’s record-shattering windfall, despite allegations of questionable donations and accounting that had the McCain campaign crying foul.

    Adding insult to injury for Republicans: The FEC is obligated to complete a rigorous audit of McCain’s campaign coffers, which will take months, if not years, and cost McCain millions of dollars to defend.

  9. 9.

    John Cole

    November 11, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    And right on cue:

    “We aren’t going to referee decisions about who should or should not be a committee chair,” Obama transition spokesperson Stephanie Cutter emailed me, in response to questions about Obama’s stance on Lieberman’s future.

    Cutter’s comments are the first on-the-record indication of Obama’s position on the politically fraught question of what to do about Lieberman.

    “President-elect Obama looks forward to working with anyone to move the country forward,” Cutter continued. “We’d be happy to have Sen. Lieberman caucus with the Democrats. We don’t hold any grudges.”

    Shorter Obama team- “We had nothing to do with the Senate’s execution of Lieberman next week.”

    I know you all are used to stupid Democrats. Team Obama is not what you are used to. When they vote to strip Lieberman of his committee, none of this can be pinned on Obama.

  10. 10.

    Joe Lisboa

    November 11, 2008 at 1:23 pm

    its [sic] days like these I wish Hillary was [sic] President

    … aaaannnd, we have our explanation for your reticence. Thanks.

  11. 11.

    liberatemeiexinfernis

    November 11, 2008 at 1:23 pm

    @John Cole

    I dont know John. I am tired of games. I want Obama to call spade a spade. I am reading that he wants to keep Hayden and that McConnell on board as well. So what exactly is changing. I mean Hayden is just as responsible for torture and renditions as much as Dick Cheney is. I am tired of these guys like Hayden arguing that it is important to wiretap Americans, and why renditions may be necessary. and so thats why I am pissed about Lieberman. its like nothing has changed. I have yet to see anyone of serious progressive values be appointed to any cabinet position, all of them seem to be centrists intent on preserving some of the worst excesses of the Bush Admin.

  12. 12.

    Incertus

    November 11, 2008 at 1:23 pm

    @liberatemeiexinfernis: The way I read Cutter’s comment from this morning was a "we’d like to have him, but Reid can do what he wants" sort of message, which is good strategy, I think. Personally, I’d like the caucus to wait until after the new Senators are sworn in and let them have a say in it as well.

  13. 13.

    Cain

    November 11, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    Have some damned faith, people. Has Obama not earned it by now? They don’t think in news cycles, as it should be obvious to anyone who followed their delegate strategy in the primary. They think endgame.

    Pfft. This is the liberal firing squad. We second guess everything. Looks like the left wing version of purists are out in force. Remember guys, we’re trying to get the country back on track, not serve just desserts. Sheesh. Lieberman is not going to get away unscathed. He’s already politically dead when his term is up. You need to look at the long term.

    cain

  14. 14.

    demimondian

    November 11, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    @liberatemeiexinfernis: No, you *don’t* want Obama to call a spade a spade. You want him to get the most done with the least possible cost, which means you want him to find the parades and get in front of them.

    You merely want to make sure that the biggest parades coagulate around you. You build those parades by…wait for it…complaining and howling. By organizing. By making noise. By exercising your First Amendment right to petition your government in the public square.

    In short, by exactly the things which tick John Cole off if they’re done thoughtlessly.

  15. 15.

    liberatemeiexinfernis

    November 11, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    Cain:

    Its people like us, "the liberal firing squad", who ensure Democrats do their goddamn job. we all know how the vote for Iraq war went. and everytime some one complained about Democrats not doing their fucking jobs, some centrist complains we arent giving them enough credit for all the "hard work and stress and mental agony" they have to go through to get shit done.

  16. 16.

    dan robinson

    November 11, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    I think that picture is Cheney and Bush in their next life, after they have been neutered.

  17. 17.

    Cruel Jest

    November 11, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    Careful, John. Once you start defending him you’ll get screeched at for following Obama blindly just like Wingnuts did over Bush. Because it’s exactly the same! Except that a week later everyone figures out Obama was right after all. I don’t want people to worship the man, I just want the conversation to morph from "OMG! Obama is a loser!" to giving him some credit for being intelligent and maybe, just maybe, having a plan of some kind.

    On the other hand, it’s been a while since we had a President smarter than your average blogger. It’s gonna take a few months to get used to.

    The right has abject ignorance and the left has self-flagellation. Whosoever gets over it first will rule the Universe.

  18. 18.

    mark

    November 11, 2008 at 1:32 pm

    Obama has a chance of acquiring a good chunk of liberal leaning Libertarians. going around and trying to do a Small Tent Republican Circular Firing squad is dumb. Work in increments and take your time.

    Some of these people make me wonder if they’re not sock puppets for the Republican party trying to whip things up so the Democrats overreach and end up pissing off the independents. America is a centrist country, The Republicans ceded the Center. work to keep it.

    Center Left works, Far left doesn’t. Keep that in mind.

  19. 19.

    demimondian

    November 11, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    @Cain: I really do want to go all Demi on you, but I’m saving that for now.

    The left-wing purity trolls serve an important purpose: they keep issues alive. They make it expensive to go along to get along, which is the natural way things will otherwise go. They make excessive compromise impossible.

    That’s why I’m still pushing for Reid’s ouster, for instance. Will I get it? Pfft! I certainly doubt it, but if I stop, then he will *never* be held to account for doing nothing for two years, and will, therefore, feel no impetus to start doing anything now. I want him to feel that impetus strongly, and so I scream about his past performance. That’s my part of the Grand Kabuki, and I accept it.

  20. 20.

    zzyzx

    November 11, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    I have to admit that on my current list of concerns about our country, Lieberman’s status in the Senate ranks about 329th or so… Maybe he keeps his chairmanship, maybe he doesn’t, I don’t see how it affects much of anything either way except for those of us who like the game.

  21. 21.

    JGabriel

    November 11, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    What’s up with the face of the kitty on the right, specifically it’s eyes?

    Is it retarded? Some other genetic malfunction?

    .

  22. 22.

    Comrade Jake

    November 11, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    @Joshau Norton:

    He thinks he’s being "conciliatory". I think he’s showing the wingnutz that he’s weak, bordering on doormat.

    After the campaign of the last 22+ months, there are a lot of words one can use to describe Obama, and "doormat" isn’t one of them. A better choice would be "much smarter than you or me."

  23. 23.

    Comrade Jake

    November 11, 2008 at 1:41 pm

    @liberatemeiexinfernis:

    its days like these I wish Hillary was President

    This is, to be frank, piles of stupid. I am quite certain that Hillary would have blown this up into an issue that dragged out for months, and would probably come back to haunt her agenda down the line. No thanks. I’ve seen that shit before.

  24. 24.

    Comrade Kevin

    November 11, 2008 at 1:43 pm

    @liberatemeiexinfernis:

    The "firing squad" has done such a great job of getting the Democrats to "do their jobs", hasn’t it?

  25. 25.

    Punchy

    November 11, 2008 at 1:44 pm

    @liberatemeiexinfernis: Dont worry. Obama will fix everything by removing and replacing The War Czar.

  26. 26.

    Cain

    November 11, 2008 at 1:44 pm

    @Cain: I really do want to go all Demi on you, but I’m saving that for now.

    Awesome, my level of suck must be going up! :-)

    That said, I agree with you on Reid. I haven’t liked his tenure as Senate Majority leader at all. Too damn weak. Better leaders please. I was expecting some good senate rules kung fu from this guy.

    Purity trolls have their place, and I appreciate them for the barometer that they are. But I still can’t help but mock them.

    cain

  27. 27.

    liberatemeiexinfernis

    November 11, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    @Comrade Kevin

    We did kick out Hillary didnt we? I

  28. 28.

    JGabriel

    November 11, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    zzyzx:

    I have to admit that on my current list of concerns about our country, Lieberman’s status in the Senate ranks about 329th or so

    While not in my top five, it’s probably somewhere in my top 20. I agree that, normally, a committee chairmanship shouldn’t – and wouldn’t – be an overriding concern, but the Lieberman chairmanship poses several major issues:

    1) He sucked at it. Never held hearings on Katrina, or waste in the DHS instructure, or corruption. At best, Lieberman was indifferent and irresponsible; at worst, he willfully failed to do execute his responsibilities for partisan purposes, in order to curry favor with Bush and the Republican Senate membership.

    2) Lieberman campaigned against Obama, and accused him of being a terrorist enabler. Lieberman must not be allowed to retain a position which can be abused to slow down or derail efforts of the Obama administration – and the chairmanship gives him far too much power to do so. Let him chair something else; Small Business sounds fine.

    .

  29. 29.

    Calouste

    November 11, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    Look, Lieberman wants to stay in the Democratic caucus. He doesn’t say that publicly because doing so would weaken his negotiation position, but going over to the Republicans would mean that instead of having a difficult reelection campaign he will be so unpopular in Connecticut, he might as well not bother to run. Besides that, the Republicans don’t have committee chairmanships to hand out.

    Lieberman also votes with the Democrats 90% if the time, except, and this is the important bit, on national security where he is of course committee chairman. Now if Lieberman is just moved to a committee chairmanship where he votes reliably with the Democrats, that’s a big win for the Democrats. And note that effectively it doesn’t matter that much for the Democrats if Lieberman stays in the caucus or not, as long as he loses the Homeland Security chair. If he moves over to the Republicans, he won’t change his votes that much, and on most committees (except national security) he would get on the Democrats would effectively have an extra seat.

    Lieberman has a lot more to lose by quitting the caucus than the Democrats.

  30. 30.

    Joshau Norton

    November 11, 2008 at 1:51 pm

    end up pissing off the independents.

    Except the "independents" are a new haven for the wingnutz who don’t want to identify as Republicans after the trouncing they’ve taken. They’ve arrived pre-pissed off. Trying to appease them is going to be an exercise in futility for the time being.

  31. 31.

    Cain

    November 11, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    @liberatemeiexinfernis:

    Its people like us, "the liberal firing squad", who ensure Democrats do their goddamn job. we all know how the vote for Iraq war went. and everytime some one complained about Democrats not doing their fucking jobs, some centrist complains we arent giving them enough credit for all the "hard work and stress and mental agony" they have to go through to get shit done.

    The Lieberman issue isn’t about getting "shit done" it’s purely politics. I think Obama has enough political wits to know what the hell he’s doing on that score. I’m almost certain that Joe’s not going to be keeping the Homeland Security position. If he does, I know whose ass we should be kicking.

    I agree with you on holding Democrats to their damn jobs. But hyperventilating and complaining about Obama seems counterproductive. You should be bitching at Harry Reid and Senate Democrats.

    cain

  32. 32.

    JGabriel

    November 11, 2008 at 1:57 pm

    Calouste:

    Lieberman also votes with the Democrats 90% of the time…

    Not a big issue, but does anyone have a cite for this statistic? Somewhere that actually totals the votes and compares the record?

    The reason I bring this up, is because I could have sworn Lieberman’s actual record of voting with the party was somewhere in the mid-70’s to mid 80’s percentage range. If memory serves correctly, I saw that figure in a Nat’l Journal roundup of Senators voting records in the 2005-2006 or 2007-present session.

    Anyway, the point is that Lieberman really wasn’t that reliable as a democratic vote, better than Nebraska’s Nelson – and maybe a few others, but not many.

    .

  33. 33.

    jake 4 that 1

    November 11, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    @liberatemeiexinfernis: No offense, but were you asleep during his campaign?

    I never kept track but it seems that every other day some well-meaning person was screaming "OMG, stop Obama, UR Doing IT RONG!" and declaring that this was the absolute end of his campaign and why are Democrats so stupid and we’re doomed to a billion years of ReThuglican rule. Then, less than two days later he would act and McCain would be staggering around wondering what hit him, the same people who were tearing their hair out would be like "Hurrah!" for two seconds and then it was on to the next thing that he was doing wrong.

    Now, I like to worry as much as the next neurotic ex-R.C., but give it a rest for just a little bit.

  34. 34.

    Comrade Jake

    November 11, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    I guess I just don’t understand the level of energy/hand wringing over Lieberman’s fate at this point. The Senate is going to vote on committee chairmanships next Tuesday. Why don’t we wait to see how that goes?

    Look, I can’t stand Lieberman. He’s got to be one of the biggest douchebags walking the Earth. But if the choice is one between him kissing Obama’s ass the next couple of years, vs. showing up on the teevee every Sunday to complain and generally being a thorn in his side, it’s a pretty easy fucking call. I don’t buy for a second that he’ll use his chairmanship to investigate Obama, and even if he does, it’s not like the Democrats are powerless to do something about it.

  35. 35.

    wingnuts to iraq

    November 11, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    why should the executive branch tell the legislative branch what to do re: liberman.

    We should be happy the President is staying out of the affairs of the Senate.

  36. 36.

    canuckistani

    November 11, 2008 at 2:16 pm

    This is awesome. Obama has just moved the first pawn in a game of chess, and you guys are flopped all over your fainting couches bitching that Obama is a failure and a doormat and a sellout. How about waiting for a legislative result or two before you give him Jimmy Carter’s "History’s Greatest Monster" tag?

  37. 37.

    greynoldsct00

    November 11, 2008 at 2:17 pm

    No, this is “No Drama, Obama” thinking long ball. He states he does not want him kicked from the caucus, the Democrats strip Lieberman of prestigious committee and give him something else against Obama’s stated “wishes,” Lieberman can hold no personal animus towards Obama and can not openly sabotage him, and Lieberman stays in the caucus as a vote. The blood is not on Obama’s hand, wingnuts can not run around with the narrative that Obama is practicing the same old politics, Lieberman still has a committee chair although not the one he wants and still more than he deserves, and the Democrats have some payback.

    Have some damned faith, people. Has Obama not earned it by now? They don’t think in news cycles, as it should be obvious to anyone who followed their delegate strategy in the primary. They think endgame.

    I seriously can not put up with cold feet and whimpering from the left for four years while the right is already buying bigger shovels to fling shit. Again, have some damned faith.

    Totally agree…after the way he ran his campaign; I for one figure Obama has a strategy here. And I think Lieberman is finished here in CT no matter what he does.

  38. 38.

    greynoldsct00

    November 11, 2008 at 2:21 pm

    and also what Cain said…it’s Reid and the other Senate Dems that need to do the right thing and move Lieberman to another committee. Keep your enemies close, but don’t be stupid.

  39. 39.

    Comrade Jake

    November 11, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    Yesterday, Kos used Obama’s lack of communication to the public re: Lieberman to suggest that Obama’s administration might not be as open and transparent as he’d campaigned. I’m serious. Unfuckingbelievable.

  40. 40.

    JGabriel

    November 11, 2008 at 2:32 pm

    canuckistani:

    Obama has just moved the first pawn in a game of chess, and you guys are flopped all over your fainting couches bitching that Obama is a failure and a doormat and a sellout.

    Right. I call strawman.

    No one here is calling Obama a failure. I, like others, have expressed a desire to see Lieberman gone from the chairmanship of Homeland Security, and the reasons why that should be done.

    Ultimately, it’s up to Reid and the Democratic Caucus. We’ll see what happens.

    .

  41. 41.

    srv

    November 11, 2008 at 2:35 pm

    demi, you’re a smart guy. Trying make sense of a geek paper using the term "bandwidth clipping" re app performance on a given architecture.

    Google has not been my friend.

  42. 42.

    cmorenc

    November 11, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    He thinks he’s being "conciliatory". I think he’s showing the wingnutz that he’s weak, bordering on doormat. Would the apostles have welcomed Judas back? I don’t think so. It should be up to the caucus what happens to Lie-berman.

    There’s some unfortunate confusion about just what kind of position Obama is taking on Lieberman:
    – Obama would rather not have Lieberman expelled from the Democratic caucus. (Might need his vote here and there)
    – However, whether Lieberman gets to keep his committe chairmanship he defers entirely to Sen. Reid and the Senate Democratic caucus to decide. See: Stephanie Cutter, Obama Transition Team Spokesperson

  43. 43.

    Joshau Norton

    November 11, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    Obama has just moved the first pawn in a game of chess,

    This is hardly his first move – picking Biden was his first move, and that hardly thrilled me or a lot of other people. Some of us still don’t trust his DLC alliances and remember his FISA flip-flop. He’s got feet of clay.

    There’s a difference between being politically astute and giving your enemies the impression that you’re a pushover.

  44. 44.

    TheFountainHead

    November 11, 2008 at 2:43 pm

    You know what, I want Lieberman to spend the rest of his life digging trenches on the side of a road in the middle of Texas. Seriously. I don’t want him anywhere near the legislative process.

    That said, if Obama wants to stay the fuck out of it, that’s his prerogative and I haven’t been working to get him elected for the last year and a half because I don’t trust him enough to have a good reason NOT to get involved!

  45. 45.

    TheFountainHead

    November 11, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    There’s a difference between being politically astute and giving your enemies the impression that you’re a pushover.

    You say that as if there’s any way to confuse the two.

    Number of people who have thought Barack Obama was a political pushover who have not suffered for that assumption: 0

  46. 46.

    Comrade Jake

    November 11, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    @Joshau Norton:

    There’s a difference between being politically astute and giving your enemies the impression that you’re a pushover.

    Right. I’m sure there are a lot of folks out there who, seeing this move, have now come to the conclusion that Obama’s a pushover. I mean, which planet did you watch this election from?

  47. 47.

    TheFountainHead

    November 11, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    I mean, which planet did you watch this election from?

    He appears to share an orbit with John Hinderaker.

  48. 48.

    Joshau Norton

    November 11, 2008 at 2:51 pm

    He appears to share an orbit with John Hinderaker.

    What the fuck are you talking about. I’ve called everything correctly since the first caucus. You have to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys. Lie-berman should be getting a boot in the ass, not a pat on the head.

  49. 49.

    Capri

    November 11, 2008 at 2:51 pm

    It could just be that all politicians know that other politicians will say ANYTHING to get their guy elected so they don’t take it personally. Obama doesn’t see Lieberman as a traitor to the cause, he sees him as a politician.

    This Lieberman hate over stuff said in McCain’s campaign reminds of a scene from the movie Fever Pitch. After the big game, the male lead sees his beloved Red Sox players eating dinner with players from the Yankees. He’s shocked that they get along. But the inside workings of the senate has that same inside baseball feel to it.

    The main reason to punish Lieberman is to prevent future Dem.s from doing what he did – because it makes the democratic candidate look bad when a member of their own party turns against them. Best to make the next cross over stop and think it over – because they know it will their political death sentence.

  50. 50.

    TheFountainHead

    November 11, 2008 at 2:53 pm

    Lie-berman should be getting a boot in the ass, not a pat on the head.

    No argument Lieberman should be unable to sit for years, but you’re suggesting that it should be Obama’s boot/that Obama is patting Lieberman on the head. That’s where I’d need to get in my spaceship and hibernate myself for many many light years in order to get on board with you.

  51. 51.

    Ivan Ivanovich Renko

    November 11, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    Have some damned faith, people. Has Obama not earned it by now?

    A-fucking-men. I do NOT second guess this man anymore. Like JC sez, this man plays the long game, and he plays it well.

    Grab some popcorn and a nice adult beverage; to paraphrase a certain redneck: "Jus’ set down in that chair right there and let him show you how it’s done."

  52. 52.

    Joshau Norton

    November 11, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    you’re suggesting that it should be Obama’s boot/that Obama is patting Lieberman on the head.

    I’m suggesting the senate will probably defer to what Obama wants. Reid and Co. haven’t exactly been profiles in courage these past 2 years. Why shouldn’t we expect them to follow the path of least resistance one more time?

  53. 53.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    November 11, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    @JGabriel:

    What’s up with the face of the kitty on the right, specifically it’s eyes?
    Is it retarded? Some other genetic malfunction?

    It’s happy. Cats can and do smile. As for the cat on the left, well…

  54. 54.

    Ash Can

    November 11, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    Deep dish kitty pie! :)

    In other news, you — yes, you — can help the Republicans fix their sorry broke-ass party.

  55. 55.

    TheFountainHead

    November 11, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    I’m suggesting the senate will probably defer to what Obama wants. Reid and Co. haven’t exactly been profiles in courage these past 2 years. Why shouldn’t we expect them to follow the path of least resistance one more time?

    So, to put it another way, you’re upset with Obama for not doing the Senate’s job.

    Right.

  56. 56.

    Formica

    November 11, 2008 at 3:03 pm

    John Cole said:

    Have some damned faith, people. Has Obama not earned it by now? They don’t think in news cycles, as it should be obvious to anyone who followed their delegate strategy in the primary. They think endgame.

    News cycles and impatience are the pulse of internet political discourse. I consider myself reasoned (read: a liberal elitist) and still I’m having a really hard time taking the long view. I have become so conditioned to the stimulus-outrage cycle of the Bush administration that I lose sight of Obama’s long view strategy.

    And you’re right, he’s earned it. He ran the most high minded campaign of my politcal lifetime and in doing so won handily. He’s only just begun, and we should Wait and See.

    None of this obviates my desire to see Lieberman punished and humiliated.

  57. 57.

    Comrade Jake

    November 11, 2008 at 3:04 pm

    @Joshau Norton:

    I’m suggesting the senate will probably defer to what Obama wants.

    They may very well do that. All we know at the moment is what Obama’s said publicly, that he wants Lieberman to stay in the caucus. Most of us are willing to accept that he has good reasons for this. We’ve no idea what he’s said or suggested to Senators privately.

    Again, the vote is next Tuesday. Let’s wait and see what happens before getting our panties in a wad.

  58. 58.

    Ben

    November 11, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    I’m suggesting the senate will probably defer to what Obama wants.

    How do you know what Obama wants? Do you honestly think that that press release is what he told Reid privately? That’d be a pretty inept way to run an administration.

  59. 59.

    Joshau Norton

    November 11, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    you’re upset with Obama for not doing the Senate’s job.

    In case you haven’t noticed, Obama is still a senator for the time being. I don’t even have a clue what you’re talking about anymore.

  60. 60.

    jake 4 that 1

    November 11, 2008 at 3:16 pm

    In case you haven’t noticed, Obama is still a senator for the time being. I don’t even have a clue what you’re talking about anymore.

    It isn’t his job as a Senator to decide what happens to Lieberman.

  61. 61.

    TheFountainHead

    November 11, 2008 at 3:18 pm

    In case you haven’t noticed, Obama is still a senator for the time being. I don’t even have a clue what you’re talking about anymore.

    Let me be more specific for you then. You’re upset at Obama for not doing Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi’s job.

  62. 62.

    Joshau Norton

    November 11, 2008 at 3:24 pm

    You’re upset at Obama for not doing Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi’s job.

    What I’m REALLY upset about is that once more someone as useless as Lie-berman has made himself the center of attention. I just want him to go away and I really don’t care who does it or how it’s done.

  63. 63.

    Sinister eyebrow

    November 11, 2008 at 3:29 pm

    I think it would be unseemly for a President Elect, and de facto member of the Executive Branch to run around spouting opinions on what he things the congressional caucus should do with one of their own members. I expect that he made his opinion known to Reid, et al, in private but why would he announce it to the press? It would just look to most like more of the Bush Administration’s thumbing its nose at the notion of a separate but equal branches of government.

    Part of restoring the foundation of our democratic system is returning to the concept of co-equal branches of government and jettisoning the crackpot concept of the Unitary Executive.

  64. 64.

    Comrade Jake

    November 11, 2008 at 3:31 pm

    @Joshau Norton:

    The problem here is that a sure-fire way to make him not go away is to really blow this out of proportion. The media loves to televise this kind of crap.

    No thanks. I prefer to give Obama the benefit of the doubt in truly making Lieberman a non-factor over the next four years.

  65. 65.

    Punchy

    November 11, 2008 at 3:40 pm

    Q — can Obama still cast votes in the Senate, or is he officially considered Executive branch at this point?

  66. 66.

    Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse

    November 11, 2008 at 3:46 pm

    The kitteh on the right has definitely had work done. If she keep nipping back to the surgeon, she’s going to have that full tilt wind tunnel look in no time. Kitteh on the left pre-emptively disapproves.

    (Aw, seriously, to whoever sent those pics, both kittehs are way cute. And one of these days, if I’m a good little lapsed Catholic and remember how to do a novena without bursting into flame, my Fergus will be posted, too.)

  67. 67.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 11, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    @Ivan Ivanovich Renko:

    Grab some popcorn and a nice adult beverage; to paraphrase a certain redneck: "Jus’ set down in that chair right there and let him show you how it’s done."

    When Reid first came down heavy on Holy Joe, I thought, Oh yea, no mercy. Then later, I saw Reid in some interview, forgot where, and he said with a shit eatin’ grin that Joe Lieberman could still be useful to the dem caucus. Well. I though WTF is going on here, and then Obama with his remarks, and later Cutter with hers, and it all started to make sense. And then I thought to myself, that I was watching world class pros in action. Something akin to slowly turning Joe over the fire on a stick, until until he’s nice and tender for eatin’ by the braying Hyenas. Politics is a game, like it or not, and Obama has time and again proved he is three steps ahead of we novices. This is good for business and highly respected at the Funhouse.

  68. 68.

    TheFountainHead

    November 11, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    Q—can Obama still cast votes in the Senate, or is he officially considered Executive branch at this point?

    I believe he maintains all of his powers as senator until he takes the Oath of Office and/or he resigns his seat to his replacement. I could be wrong about this, but I’m pretty sure that’s how this works.

  69. 69.

    jenniebee

    November 11, 2008 at 3:59 pm

    Obama’s being smart. This isn’t two years ago, when Dems needed Lieberman to make a majority, but it isn’t time for swaggering thuggery either (mostly because it’s never time for swaggering thuggery). Lieberman has no carrots to offer the Dems, and the 50th vote stick he held for two years evaporated last Tuesday; all that’s left now is the threat that he could leave in a way that makes Democrats look like small, petty, vindictive politics-as-usual, small tent party politicians. That’s the threat that Obama just moved to counter, quite neatly.

    Lieberman is going to end up with chairmanship of something like Begala’s suggestion (Committee on Parking and Squirrels) but what Obama is trying to teach the Dems is to keep the news cycle from deviating from the message that Lieberman is welcome in the caucus. If Joe takes his toys and goes home now, the home he’s going to has 1. no chairmanship at all, 2. caucusing with the minority party, and 3. almost certain defeat in 2012. Maybe he’s old enough not to care about #3, maybe #1 and #2 are so bad that #3 would be a welcome relief. Before, he might have been willing to cut off his nose to spite his face; now, it’s much more likely that more people would look at the wounded face and say "that nose is such an asshole."

  70. 70.

    J.

    November 11, 2008 at 4:02 pm

    That picture is precisely why the Obamas should adopt a cat!

    Besides, what guy (or world leader) can resist a cute little pussy?

  71. 71.

    Gemina13

    November 11, 2008 at 4:06 pm

    @TheFountainHead:

    Oh, so absolutely true.

    I really have no use for purity trolls. Purity trolls are dragging the GOP into the shit. The Democratic Party doesn’t need purity; it needs to get to work. Keeping Lieberman in the caucus causes no harm. It’s ridding him of his chairmanship that’s important.

    From where I’m sitting, Obama is taking a hugely different tack from Shrub in saying, "I’m just the CinC. I’m not the Democratic Party Enforcer, and neither is Joe. You guys in Congress want a purge? Handle it. I’ve got the rest." Which, by the way, is what we need. Under the last 8 years of Republican rule, I felt the GOP had created its own Politburo, its own purging process that made its members rigidly conform to the party line and frightened most of the Democrats in Congress. We don’t need Democrats too frightened to do more than toe the party line. We need Democrats in Congress who, when they have ideas that differ from the leadership, come forward and speak them. And that also includes who should be kicked out of the party caucus.

    Repeat: Not the President, but Congress, needs to make these decisions. Otherwise, you get a party that marches in lock-step. You make the President first among equals, and you get a party that will fight, disagree, and come out stronger.

    You want a party dictator? Go nominate another Republican.

  72. 72.

    Gemina13

    November 11, 2008 at 4:08 pm

    Oh, yeah–the cats are seriously cute, but the calico sweetie looks like she’d be an utter slut for affection. You can help her out by shipping her to me. I’ll have her cured of her obsession for affection in, oh . . . you’d never get her back, sorry. :D

  73. 73.

    demimondian

    November 11, 2008 at 4:16 pm

    @srv: Wow. No clue. AFAIK, bandwidth clipping is only used to discuss information loss due to channel limitations. (E.g. ringing in a clipped filter when the transmission pipeline is much narrower than the signal being sent through it.) I’m old enough that I think of it as a side-effect of A/D conversion, frankly.

    Can you tell me anything at all about the architecture?

  74. 74.

    Cruel Jest

    November 11, 2008 at 4:21 pm

    One more item:

    The magic number 60 is still floating around out there. We won’t know for a few months for certain, but cutting Joe loose at this minute would bring the chance from about 35% to zero with one kick in the pants. Let things play out. We just won the coin toss and some people want to punt.

  75. 75.

    Gemina13

    November 11, 2008 at 4:22 pm

    Hey, John,

    I’m sorry–if you’ve posted it, I don’t remember where it’s at, but where can we send you cat or dog pictures?

  76. 76.

    jake 4 that 1

    November 11, 2008 at 4:39 pm

    "I’m just the CinC. I’m not the Democratic Party Enforcer, and neither is Joe. You guys in Congress want a purge? Handle it. I’ve got the rest."

    Yep. Executive orders to reverse, nominees to cabinet positions to vet …

    Keep in mind that there are a lot of creeps, crooks and incompetents rattling around D.C. that Obama will have the power to remove (assuming they don’t take the hint and GtFo on their own). Lieberman is just the quivering tip of the boil in D.C.

    Plus, leaving him alone will lull the other asshats into a false sense of security.

    Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

    20 years from now Eric Cantor will be staggering around with his tie burnt off, muttering "Wha hit me? What hit me?"

  77. 77.

    Bubblegum Tate

    November 11, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    Hey John, I think we have a good candidate for the Blogs We Monitor and Mock As Needed list in the making:

    Many of us are starting a “Vet the Media” site. There we will announce which party they belong to, how much they donate to that party, grades in college, tickets, criminal backgrounds, tax liens, etc. Should be fun!

    I, for one, hope that countertop material is included in that et cetera.

  78. 78.

    TheHatOnMyCat

    November 11, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    Q—can Obama still cast votes in the Senate, or is he officially considered Executive branch at this point?

    Yes. No.

  79. 79.

    Punchy

    November 11, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    That seems odd that he still votes. He’s being shown military secrets, etc. reserved for only the executive branch. seems like he’s violating separtion of the branches for the next 2 months..

  80. 80.

    srv

    November 11, 2008 at 6:01 pm

    @demimondian: Thx. I’m thinking he’s talking about a single thread gated to a cores speed. Or possibly DIMM vs cache bandwidth. Clipping would not be the proper term.

    Debate on Niagara zillion thread silliness vs faster cores for real world apps.

  81. 81.

    demimondian

    November 11, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    @srv: No, I can’t see any way that clipping is the right term,. The natural place where I think of bandwidth *throttling* is in bus communication, where bandwidth constraints to memory do limit the maximum core clock speed, and where a memory fabric can achieve higher effective processing speeds. (Which shows you which side of the debate *I’m* on. :) )

    But I surely wouldn’t use the word "clipping" there…

  82. 82.

    Liz

    November 11, 2008 at 8:36 pm

    Looks like a certain kitty got his paws on Daddy’s stash.

  83. 83.

    srv

    November 12, 2008 at 1:12 am

    @demimondian: Heh. Fascinating that we’re (Big Blue) actually throttling memory now. Even at 5.0 GHz, it’s not the chip, it’s the ginormous DIMMs that are too hot.

    No instrumentation of course, so no idea how I’m going to explain anything. But at least we don’t publish benchmarks based on 8 cool threads accessing the same cache.

    In a world w/o IO, I guess that works.

  84. 84.

    Kool Katz

    November 12, 2008 at 4:25 am

    Cat on the left looks like a McCain-moderate Republicat. Cat on the right looks like a Hillary PUMA:

    "We No Can Haz Prezidency??!??1??"

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