Where was this Al Gore 8-9 years ago? He’s certainly come into his own over the past number of years, hasn’t he? What an amazing speech. I felt proud. Anyone have a YouTube link? I couldn’t find one yet.
Archives for 2008
Apparently They Do Keep Lists
Remember that story last week stating that the Clinton clan kept an enemies list? It was true, as the hiring of former Clinton campaign staffer by Obama is apparently a “slap-in-the-face” to Hillary (via Kevin Drum):
“It’s a slap in the face,” Susie Tompkins Buell, a prominent Clinton backer, said in an interview. “Why would they put somebody that was so clearly ineffective in such a position? It’s a message. We get it.” She said it was a “calculated decision” by the Obama team to “send a message that she [Clinton] is not being considered for the ticket.”
Drum also points to this story that claims hiring her was the biggest “fuck you” in politics ever. Worse even than that Judas mother fucker Bill Richardson, I guess.
So hiring former Clinton staffers is a slap in the face, thinking about nominating a woman other than Clinton as VP is a slap-in-the-face, and, well, pretty much everything is a slap-in-the-face. THE QUEEN BEE DOES NOT HAVE THE NOMINATION, AND EVERYTHING IS A SLAP IN THE FACE.
Here is an idea. Why don’t we ignore these people, who clearly have nothing to offer but petty grievances and playing the victim? Seriously, grow up. As every day goes by, the Clintonistas look more and more like garden variety wingnuts, and should probably be treated as such. Just ignore them or mock them until they decide to stop trying to stir shit up (and it is worth noting that Obama was in talks with Doyle for over a month. This is no surprise to anyone, and back then it was perceived as a sign of reconciliation between the two camps.).
*** Update ***
“Patti will be an asset and good addition to the Obama campaign. After nearly two decades in political life, she brings with her the ability to tap an extensive network that will be a huge asset to Senator Obama. As Senator Clinton has said, we’re all going to do our part to help elect Senator Obama as the next President of the United States,” said spokesman Mo Elleithee.
The Hardball folks (Buchanan and Matthews) seem to perceive it as an insult, as well, fwiw.
*** Update #2 ***
This would be handy:
On another note; if the easily-insulted Clinton supporters would publish a list of those things that they consider a slap in the face things would smooth right out. I’m sure that, in .pdf form, it wouldn’t be larger than eight or nine megabits.
Sadly, the first eight pages will be “Obama must step aside and release his delegates to Hillary.”
Interesting
Rachel Maddow is hosting Davd Gregory’s 6pm MSNBC show, which could signal that Gregory might get the MTP gig, and Maddow would pick up the 6pm show.
Or, horror of horrors- Matthews goes to MTP, Gregory gets Hardball, and Maddow gets the 6 o’clocl.
Or maybe Gregory is just sick.
Who knows?
BTW- I think Michael Smerconish is a whole helluva lot better on tv than he was last year when he was filling in for Imus.
Lanny Colmes
A shocking development:
Fox News’s newest contributor, to be announced today, may surprise the liberal crowd: former Clinton White House lawyer Lanny Davis.
“Fox has always treated me with respect and given me a chance to express my point of view,” Davis says of the network that the Democratic candidates refused to grant a debate out of concern that it favors Republicans. He will be a frequent guest, along with such Fox stalwarts as Karl Rove and Newt Gingrich.
So many possibilities- how about a one hour show with Lanny and Geraldine Ferraro? They could call it “In Search of Reagan Democrats” or the “Racial Resentment Power Hour.” I would be remiss if I failed to point out the obvious- this is great news for Hillary!
Everyone Likes Chuck Todd
Andrea Mitchell would be fine as a caretaker for the role, I suppose. But David Gregory seems like a terrible choice for among other reasons, he’s not very likable on TV (Russert’s likeability was a huge asset). Keith Olbermann would be a complete disaster, but I assume everyone not sniffing glue knows that. Chris Matthews would require changing the show to “Meet Chris Matthews’ Ego.” Katie Couric? Come now.
The best choice on the list of possibilities is Chuck Todd. I know Chuck a little, but friendship isn’t my motivation. I think he’s the only person on the inside track who’d actually consider the show to be more important than his TV career. Russert famously considered himself a “custodian” of MTP. I’d bet that Chuck would hold the same devotion, if not even more intensely. And with the exception of Matthews, Chuck knows more about politics than all of the other contenders combined.
So why not have the best of both worlds? Russert was many things, but he wasn’t a “moderator.” Moderators balance and direct debates. Russert, to his credit, was a prosecutor. Why not make Chuck Todd the actual moderator of the show and have him moderate a panel of journalists?
That was Jonah Goldberg.
Maybe my perception is skewed, but Chuck Todd really seems to have, in a very short time, created a rather solid reputation for himself. And of course by saying nice things about Todd, this now means that every Todd-hater in the country (both of them) will immediately come tell me in the comments why I am wrong and Todd is actually only one step removed from Cthulhu.
I Have Nothin To Say
Not that this is anything new.
It Takes a Father
Obama excoriated absentee fathers during his father’s day sermon today in a speech that sounded eerily like Laura Ingraham, minus the batshit lunacy:
“Too many fathers are M.I.A, too many fathers are AWOL, missing from too many lives and too many homes,” Mr. Obama said, to a chorus of approving murmurs from the audience. “They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it.”
Accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, who sat in the front pew, Mr. Obama laid out his case in stark terms that would be difficult for a white candidate to make, telling the mostly black audience not to “just sit in the house watching SportsCenter,” and to stop praising themselves for mediocre accomplishments.
“Don’t get carried away with that eighth-grade graduation,” he said, bringing many members of the congregation to their feet, applauding. “You’re supposed to graduate from eighth grade.”
“But we also need families to raise our children,” he said. “We need fathers to realize that responsibility doesn’t just end at conception. That doesn’t just make you a father. What makes you a man is not the ability to have a child. Any fool can have a child. That doesn’t make you a father. It’s the courage to raise a child that makes you a father.”
I have long respected Obama’s unhesitating willingness to say what might be a hard truth for some to hear, particularly when he does so directly to that audience (Note: I’m not sure how many absentee fathers were in Apostolic Church of God on Father’s Day). To me this is further evidence he knows his audience reaches larger than to the group he is speaking to. I also think this is another dog whistle to evangelicals. While I don’t think Obama will take this demographic, he may be able to siphon off enough of them to negate their advantage in erasing his huge leads in young voters and other groups.