Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I desperately hope that, yet again, i am wrong.

“Joe Biden deserved better than he got from some folks in his own party.”

White supremacy is terrorism.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

If you thought you’d already seen people saying the stupidest things possible on the internet, prepare yourselves.

Israel is using food as a weapon of war. Unforgivable.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

The current Supreme Court is a dangerous, rogue court.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

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

In after Baud. Damn.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

Their boy Ron is an empty plastic cup that will never know pudding.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

When we show up, we win.

The press swings at every pitch, we don’t have to.

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

He really is that stupid.

Celebrate the fucking wins.

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Reader Interactions

199Comments

  2. 2.

    valdivia

    sorry what dozen press conferences? I agree with the main point but the criticism of Obama is idoitic. So Obama did too much?

  3. 3.

    licensed to kill time

    I am so glad you renounced Galtism, John!

    Totally agree with this point:

    They also argue that since the goal of terrorism is to spread terror, hyperbole about threats only does the extremists’ work for them.

    Cheney and Cheney Jr., doing the work for extremists. Hell, the whole of the Cheney/Bush regime accomplished more for al Qaeda than they could possibly have dreamed of in their wildest projections. Heckuva job.

  4. 4.

    asiangrrlMN

    I agree with Maude and valdiva re: Obama, but Blue Texan is spot-on with the rest of his analysis. What a bunch of puling babies the people on the right (and members of our librul media) have become.

  5. 5.

    Midnight Marauder

    So we’re just pretending that the whole “I’m going on a break the rest of the week” thing never happened, right? Is that the course of action we have agreed upon here?

  6. 6.

    pharniel

    fuck me lots.
    hoekstroika is totally going to be govenor in a few months, and this is terrifies me like nothing else.

  7. 7.

    The Moar You Know

    Can’t argue, including with the point about Obama’s response. The way to handle these incidents is mention them in passing, deal with the actors quietly, behind the scenes, and move on.

    Eventually the media will ratchet down their enabling of terrorists if the government doesn’t give them anything to run with.

  8. 8.

    Cat Lady

    Blue Texan is right up until the the last graf – s/he just had to get a swipe at Obama in cuz it’s on FDL? I don’t watch “news” anymore, but I’m pretty sure there hasn’t been half a dozen pressers that I missed, has there? What has he given in to supposedly? WTF?

  10. 10.

    geg6

    Grrrrrrr. Damn you, Cole, for making give FDL a hit! But, except for the garbage about the preznit giving a “half dozen pressers,” Blue Texan is absolutely correct. Though why anyone needs any former Bushies to tell them this is beyond me. It’s crystal clear to anyone how you respond to these things if you’ve ever dealt with bullies in your life. The more you fear them, the more they win.

  11. 11.

    Joey Maloney

    The only thing that prevents me from believing that the Cheney administration were all Al Qaeda sleepers is their horrific incompetence across the board. There malign ineptitude is so clearly documented that had they actually been working on behalf of AQ, bin Laden would have been rotting in a shallow grave by mid-2002.

  12. 12.

    Ash Can

    It should be self-evident that the message of “Be afraid, everyone!” is the exact same whether it comes from a foreign religious extremist with a box-cutter, a domestic religious extremist with a rifle, or someone in a neat, nicely tailored business suit on a TV news program. Some people — the cretins on said news programs would be a good start — just need to crack a fucking dictionary once in a while.

  13. 13.

    Ash Can

    @Joey Maloney: The incompetence of the (mis)administration notwithstanding, I seriously would not be at all surprised if the Cheneys were getting kickbacks from Al Qaeda or someone affiliated with AQ (say, someone in the Saudi royal family) for their FUD efforts here in the US.

  14. 14.

    Chad N Freude

    @Joey Maloney: I don’t agree. Since 9/11, Al-Qaeda operatives in the US (or entering the US) have shown themselves to be totally incompetent. The Cheney clan’s ineptitude is consistent with Al Quaeda tradition.

  15. 15.

    Tim I

    WTF! I thought you were oughta here dude. What’s up with that? Are you laying by the pool at the Wakikiki Hilton? With an icy cocktail. Where’s the vacay at?

  17. 17.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    @John Cole: I don’t trust you. You work for the government.

    Obama can’t speak to loudly and often about just how terrorizing the terrorists are for the Cheneys and the wingnuts who worship them? Well knock me over with a feather.

  18. 18.

    Joshua Norton

    They also argue that since the goal of terrorism is to spread terror, hyperbole about threats only does the extremists’ work for them.

    Of course it is. Any one who’s studied history knows that the main reason for Robespierre creating “The Terror” was more to keep people in line by being afraid rather than chopping off everyone’s heads. The way to do this was to have people talking about it through newspapers, posters and veiled accusations about “enemies lists”.

    Everything evil always ends up on the wingnut side of the board.

  19. 19.

    Legalize

    The only thing that prevents me from believing that the Cheney administration were all Al Qaeda sleepers is their horrific incompetence across the board. There malign ineptitude is so clearly documented that had they actually been working on behalf of AQ, bin Laden would have been rotting in a shallow grave by mid-2002.

    It seems to me that the incompetence of the previous administration greatly helped AQ. I see it as deliberate sabotage rather than incompetence.

  20. 20.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @John Cole:

    The checks in the mail! I’ll respect you in the morning!

    Yea, Yea that’s what all you O-Bots say.

    Holds close plastic Unicorn

  21. 21.

    eemom

    @Ash Can:

    I heard on NPR that one of the latest terrorism suspects — maybe it was the Nigerian guy — actually was in custody in 2002 but was able to get released due to his family’s connections with the Saudi government, aka the hold hands kissy kissy BFFs of W and Poppy Bush.

    Funny how the emmessemm hasn’t picked up on that.

  22. 22.

    Chad N Freude

    The media mongers fear for the same reason they show vampire soaps, inside-prison reality shows, serial killer movies, etc. It attracts large numbers of frisson-of-fear loving spectators. (Fox News is an exception, since they monger fear in an attempt to rouse their audience to anti-social, anti-American action.) The politicians do it for different reasons, to enhance their political reputations with their “bases”, to attempt to wrest control of the political agenda from their opponents, and — yes — to rouse their audience to anti-social, anti-American action.

  23. 23.

    Hob

    @Joe Beese: You goofy person. Everyone here just said the article was good except for one dumb thing at the end. Not kissing the author’s ass on every detail does not equal “terrible article.”

  24. 24.

    scav

    I hadn’t really considered the stunning and brilliant equivalent incomptitudinity of the AQ GWB match-up. Almost enough to make you believe in the god that created the cuttlefish, the kakapo and the star-nosed mole. Savage sense of humor that invisible boy might have.

  25. 25.

    slag

    That. And this from the same NYT article:

    “If we overreact and upset 1.5 billion Muslims,” Dr. Sageman said, referring to the global total, “then we’ll have a lot bigger problem on our hands.”

    To which we all say, “Duh!” And the thing I don’t get…that really discomfits me, even…is the fact that neocons run around talking about crusades and whatnot, and no one in the media responds with this basic, obvious point. Spouting off inimically about the world’s second largest religion is an incredibly stupid idea. Why don’t people in our liberal media bother to mention that?

  27. 27.

    catclub

    ash Can @ 12
    The sermon I heard that stuck the most was one that said
    “The thing Jesus says the most is ‘Be Not Afraid'”

    Too bad it has not stuck to more of his followers.

  28. 28.

    Scott

    Okay, I hadn’t checked them for a while, but I didn’t believe y’all about how strange FDL had gotten. I’m leaving TBogg on my Favorites list (and I hope he can manage to get some non-crazy webhosts somewhere soon), but I’ve definitely dumped the main FDL page.

    Some of that stuff is PUMA-level crazy. What the hell happened to them?

  29. 29.

    The Populist

    Al Qaeda is basically a paper tiger that got LUCKY during 2001. They do not have the reach here and I might remind those righties that there are BILLIONS of muslims in this world and maybe less than .0001% are committed terrists (spelling = Bushspeak fyi).

    Now, if we continue to marginalize muslims on the idea that they are all terrists, what the heck do these righties expect will happen when young people get to a point they want to strike back at unfair policies?

    AQ is weak. The only reach they have is in the ME. If we don’t wake up and tell these right wing idiots to stop attacking people named Mohammed there will be homegrown cells to worry about.

    Sheesh, why are these loons so dumb??? We must resist the urge to stereotype and the fact that Obama IS handling this correctly makes me happy that we have a smart, calm, collected soul in the WH making decisions vs. the idiot who leaned on podiums to spout his dumbshit view of the world.

  30. 30.

    Roger Moore

    @geg6:

    Though why anyone needs any former Bushies to tell them this is beyond me.

    You don’t actually need former Bushies to tell you that. It’s just that when even former Bushies are telling you that overreacting helps the terrorists, you know that it’s too obvious to ignore.

  31. 31.

    Cat

    I’m pretty sure there has been a topic on this blog recently about how the Administration has to talk up their response to the threat more then Bush43 for fear being seen weak on national security. Now you say FDL is wrong in saying the president has been talking up the underpants bomber to much?

    While claiming the president had around 6 press conferences just about the underpants bomber is wrong, I’m pretty sure the president had 3 press conferences just about the underpants bomber incident and there were several others from members of his administration.

  32. 32.

    Scott

    @slag:

    Why don’t people in our liberal media bother to mention that?

    Blowing up brown people and screaming “WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!” brings in boffo ratings.

  34. 34.

    The Populist

    Why don’t people in our liberal media bother to mention that?

    Hehe, you said liberal media. Hehe.

  35. 35.

    Bill H

    I actually agree that Obama did too much, but don’t freak out yet and call me a troll.

    I think he did that because he knows what his job is, and he knows how to do it, and he does it really well. I think he would love do do what we all want him to do and say that this terrorism thing is nonsense, but he has to speak to the entire nation, including the idiotic minority. He knows that. He knows that he has to strike a balance. So he walks that tightrope that allows him to be President for those who voted against him as well as those of us who voted for him.

    That’s why I voted for him. Not to be candidate Obama who speaks only tho those whose votes he hopes to garner, but to be President Obama.

  36. 36.

    Jamey

    What I wanna know is what the Right is going to pull to ensure that the MLK Day news cycle isn’t predominated by encomiums to our first African American president.

    Michelle scandal?
    Terror attack thwarted by brave citizen with a concealed carry permit?
    Some other black celebrity does something bad, so naturally Obama has to comment on it?

  37. 37.

    Waynski

    @pharniel — Slightly OT, but fear not Hoekstra becoming governor. If past Illinois governors are any guide, Hoekstra will be serving in a federal pen in the very near future.

  39. 39.

    Scott

    @Cat:

    I’m pretty sure there has been a topic on this blog recently about how the Administration has to talk up their response to the threat more then Bush43 for fear being seen weak on national security.

    Link?

    While claiming the president had around 6 press conferences just about the underpants bomber is wrong, I’m pretty sure the president had 3 press conferences just about the underpants bomber incident and there were several others from members of his administration.

    Link?

  40. 40.

    slag

    @Scott: Oh yeah. I knew I was forgetting something.

    @The Populist: I know. It’s hard to type with a straight face. But, to be fair, this story did come from the New York Times. So, at least they had somebody say it. Once, anyway.

  41. 41.

    Cat

    @Scott: First state I’m wrong, this isn’t debate club or a wikipage. This is the only response your “citation needed” rhetoric BS will get without an accompanying statement of your position.

  42. 42.

    Morbo

    @Waynski: I’m also not worried about such a thing happening. What legal trouble is he in though, other than possibly using intelligence ties to out an anonymous critic who registered a domain he should have locked up a decade ago?

  44. 44.

    NovShmozKaPop

    Yup. Terrorists and those who make political hay based on those who are terrified of them – can’t have one without the other.

    I think that Obama said more than he really thought appropriate, but he knows that a lot of people require certain things to be said, and those things said slowly, in words of one syllable or less.

  45. 45.

    jl

    I come here not to praise Obama but to bash him.

    I appreciate Cole’s reasoned attempts to provide balance in the evaluation of Obama. That balance is missing from both the official and unofficial right and lefty blogosphere.

    But IMHO Obama is little better than Ford in some ways. As soon as he was elected Obama headed straight for the standard very old and tired Broder style bipartisanship. He abandoned any real attempts to continue his centrist grassroots progressive movement.

    I do not agree that Obama has ‘betrayed’ anyone. I think he has some limitations in his understanding of economics, and some bad moves have been a result of his reliance on the Washihngton-Wall Street consensus on who are centrist wise men (but who just happen to be wrong on some important issues).

    I also think Obama’s approach to healthcare legislation was reasonable, given the fate of previous attempts, and that if he did talk about post-partisan bipartisanship during the campaign, he had to give it a real try.

    So, OK, he gave it a try, and the other side did not want to play. Polls have shown (sorry don’t have links right now) that the public understands this, and would prefer him to actually do something rather than continue the attempt at post-partisanship.

    But worst of all, Obama abaondoned his promise of leading a grassroots centrist progressive movement for change. I think the voters want change (the US is NOT a center-right nation as interpreted by the Village Idiots, even if that fact does make them cry).

    I am not saying that Obama is as consciously two-faced and hypocritical as Ford, but I think the voters see enough similarities to cause real problems.

  46. 46.

    kay

    They miss the point, completely, as usual.
    What was notable about Obama’s response (and noted, by the way) was that he didn’t ratchet up the fear level. He didn’t speculate without reliable information (as Bush did; go back and read the anthrax lunacy that came out of the Bush White House, for example). He didn’t take the Bush approach, which was to hype the fear and then lie about the effectiveness of the response, a purely political tactic.
    “Be AFRAID! Okay, CALM DOWN, We SAVED you!”
    They’re counting press conferences but not listening to content.
    He gave a rational analysis of the extent of the risk, and a rational analysis of the extent of the failure to mitigate the risk. That’s new and different. I almost fell off my chair.

  48. 48.

    eemom

    @kay:

    That’s new and different. I almost fell off my chair.

    And how about “The buck stops with ME.”

    Juuuuust like Dubya woulda done it. Or Gerald freakin’ Ford, fer chrissake.

  49. 49.

    Blue Texan

    Well, there was the December 28th address.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/12/28/president-addresses-public-attempted-terrorist-attack

    Then there was a December 29th presser by a senior admin. official.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/press-background-briefing-senior-administration-official

    Then there was another statement by Obama.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-preliminary-assessments-reviews-ordered-christmas-day-incident

    Then there was the weekly address, focusing mostly on the Undiebomber.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/weekly-address-january-2-2009

    Then there was the “Urgency of Getting this Right.”

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/05/urgency-getting-right

    The Napolitano presser.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/briefing-homeland-security-secretary-napolitano-assistant-president-counterterroris

    The “Security Review” remarks.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-security-reviews

    And then another statement.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-strengthening-intelligence-and-aviation-security

    Now that seems like overkill to me.

  50. 50.

    Cat

    @Origuy:

    I don’t see any Presidential press conferences listed since Christmas.

    For whatever reason these things where Obama gets infront of cameras and reads a statement, maybe takes a question or two, and then leaves aren’t called press conferences.

  51. 51.

    Tony J

    @The Moar You Know:

    Eventually the media will ratchet down their enabling of terrorists if the government doesn’t give them anything to run with.

    Ah, no, they won’t.

    They’ll just turn to the GOP for their “expert opinion”, because they will give them something to run with, and the MSM will turn it into a national scandal that the only people talking “seriously” about the threat posed by terrorism, and National Security issues in general, are – currently – out of power.

    The claim that the Obama Administration “doesn’t care about/doesn’t feel comfortable talking about” terrorism will move from the “He said/She said” form of coverage to an accepted part of the CW, and before you know it every single incident of terrorism for the next 3 years will be spun as a “crisis” for Obama, because “everyone knows” that he flunked his first test and is playing catch-up with the manly-men and woManly-women of the GOP.

    And don’t forget, one of the main aims of the GOP is to purge their brand of the Bush Fail meme by comparing every one of El Residente’s failure’s to a decision coming out of the Obama White House and insisting that they somehow, in a metaphysical sense, cancel each other out.

    If Obama hadn’t addressed the issue, this would have been “proof” that Liberals are hypocrites when they claim the Bush Administration didn’t care about terrorism or Al Qaida before 9/11, because this is exactly the same, only much, much worse!

    YMMV, but that’s my take.

  53. 53.

    kay

    @eemom:

    I’m sick of the “buck stops”. As a saying. New accountability cliche, please, Obama! Thanks for that.
    I just really appreciated him not acting like a mental case, and running around fear-mongering, and speculating. That’s why we have Liz Cheney. We don’t need two of those.
    I don’t know, can’t tell, how much of citizen reactions were driven by the Bush Administration reactions during the three (or four? who’s counting!) terror attacks on Bush’s watch, but I’d say it’s a factor.
    Maybe Americans were ahead of Obama, in terms of not being insanely frightened this time around, and he just followed. Either way, it was the right approach, and the media nitwits slammed him for it.
    I completely appreciated being treated like an adult.

  56. 56.

    Tony J

    @Cat:

    For whatever reason these things where Obama gets infront of cameras and reads a statement, maybe takes a question or two, and then leaves aren’t called press conferences.

    Because they’re not Press Conferences.

    In fact, the White House Press Corpse has been very recently – as in yesterday – complaining that Obama hasn’t done any Press Conferences, after previously complaining that he was risking “over-exposure” by giving too many Press Conferences.

    So, there you go. That’s why they’re not Press Conferences. The Press says so.

  58. 58.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @jl:

    But worst of all, Obama abaondoned his promise of leading a grassroots centrist progressive movement for change.

    What is this? and when did he promise it? I heard him promise change, but nothing about some Grassroots Centrist Progressive Movement for change. Sounds like you kind of made it up, but I could be wrong. Links please.

    If you want to see changes made, visit the long list of Executive Orders signed early on that reversed a big chunk of Bush’s miscreant policies, beginning with no more torturing people/ And you might check out the so called Stimulus Bill, that happened to be chock full of progressive causes and was the biggest progressive discretionary spending bill in our history. But, I know it had some tax cuts for poor people.

    edit- and comparing Obama to Ford, who vetoed nearly every dem bill that crossed his desk, is laughable. Jeebus Man, tighten up.

  59. 59.

    colby

    “But worst of all, Obama abaondoned his promise of leading a grassroots centrist progressive movement for change.”

    I don’t remember that promise. I know he talked about a more participatory democracy, but he always made clear that a lot of that was on US. He can set up things like OFA, or open the EPA and the Interior up to more public comments, but ultimately, a “grassroots” movement can’t be lead by The President.

  60. 60.

    arguingwithsignposts

    Not a lot to add except the final paragraph was a cheap shot, akin to the media’s attempt to “balance” their reporting by saying “they did it too.” All things considered, I thought Obama handled the situation pretty well. He didn’t run screaming to the cameras and say we were going to bomb anyone, like some presidents might have.

    The post stands on its merits without that.

  61. 61.

    Church Lady

    @John Cole:

    Is there some reason that you seem incapable of taking your break from blogging? Seriously dude, back away from the keyboard.

  62. 62.

    Cat

    @Tony J:

    So, there you go. That’s why they’re not Press Conferences. The Press says so.

    They totally need to get on wiki and change the definition.

  63. 63.

    Nick

    WTF is this?

    And unfortunately, Mr. President — giving in to all of this neocon demagoguing and holding half a dozen pressers in response isn’t helping either.

    What’s he supposed to do? Ignore it completely and pretend like it never happened? Tell us nothing? Does anyone else not think had he taken this advice and given no press conference, they’d be criticizing him for giving neocons something to bitch about?

    I feel like Jane Hamsher told him to “add something skewering Obama for the readers”

  65. 65.

    slag

    @Cat:

    First state I’m wrong, this isn’t debate club or a wikipage. This is the only response your “citation needed” rhetoric BS will get without an accompanying statement of your position.

    What kind of nonsense is this? You don’t make a claim and then get to be self-righteous when someone asks you to substantiate your claim. Obviously, if your claim weren’t in doubt, you wouldn’t be asked to substantiate it. Where do you get off?

  66. 66.

    Joshua Norton

    @Church Lady: I’ve found that John’s declarations of “enough already – they’re all assholes and I’m outta here” serve as a much needed catharsis more than an actual intention.

    I can dig it. We’ve all been there.

  68. 68.

    Tonal Crow

    @licensed to kill time:

    Hell, the whole of the Cheney/Bush regime accomplished more for al Qaeda than they could possibly have dreamed of in their wildest projections. Heckuva job.

    Not only that, Bush/Cheney did more for Iran — by killing off its counterbalance, that is, Saddam — than the nukular mullahs of Tehran could have wished. Heckuva job, GOPers.

  71. 71.

    DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio

    Texan is right about terra, wrong about Obama.

    Obama’s concern trolling of the incident was right on the money. It gave his critics nothing but whufflegrumps to say once the smoke had cleared. And the general public (that is, the 60 percent that isn’t stupid, ignorant and crazy) pretty much gets that Obama handled it pretty well.

    Terrorists are a lot like the elephant keepers in the circus. Once you have the elephant trained to the leg restraint tied to the stake in the ground, you don’t even need the stake. Just put the collar around the leg and the elephant will think he is tied up. Once you train the US to be afraid of a terror attack that killed as many people as car accidents kill every few weeks, you don’t have to mount many attacks to keep us riled up with fear.

    Or so the Cheneys and Bin Ladens of the world would have you believe.

  74. 74.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @eemom: Jane is the liquid metal model Terminator. It won’t make any difference.

    Besides, she mostly comes out at night, mostly.

  75. 75.

    Waynski

    @Tom Hilton — Wow. That was embarrasing. Not sure why I thought Illinois. Although as Chad N. Freude pointed out — he is right nearby. Thanks for the correction.

  76. 76.

    Cat

    @slag:

    You don’t make a claim and then get to be self-righteous when someone asks you to substantiate your claim. Obviously, if your claim weren’t in doubt, you wouldn’t be asked to substantiate it. Where do you get off?

    Its a rhetoric trick used by people engaged in dishonest debate. He stated no position on if I was right or wrong, he just said he doesn’t believe I can find a source. He doesn’t want to engage on the actual point on if the Administration over reacted to the underpants bomber and spent to much time talking about it out of fear of being seen as weak on national security.

    I will go under the assumption you think I’m wrong. Up thread there is a link to the WH website listing three statements the president gave to the press. I’m not going to bother finding the number of times members of the current Administration gave press conferences/statements to the press about the underpants bombers.

    The administration talked a lot about the underpants bomber. It was on over reaction to talk to much about the underpants bomber.

  78. 78.

    General Winfield Stuck

    engage on the actual point on if the Administration over reacted to the underpants bomber and spent to much time talking about it out of fear of being seen as weak on national security.

    You know why? Cause it’s a dishonest debate tactic by concern trolls to hijack threads. Obama cares about actually fighting terrorism, as well as the politics of it. Later on the late news, dog bites politician; Yes I said politician/Obama/

  80. 80.

    Cat

    @slag:

    They’re counting press conferences but not listening to content.

    Content is in the eye of the beholder. Humans have been proven over and over to be bad at accessing the risk of an unlikely event impacting them.

  82. 82.

    DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio

    It was on over reaction to talk to much about the underpants bomber.

    No sale. I think Obama talked about it in the right amount, and in the right way. Basically, he co-opted the bandwidth, and showed that his statements on the subject are more sensible and more helpful than the ones his detractors were making. And the bump he got in approval rating showed that he knew what he was doing.

    To the extent that we have this, and try not to spit your food with laughter when you read this, because this is what happens when you fuck with somebody as smart and as cool as Obama:

    Is Obama deliberately permitting a terrorist attack in order to raise his approval rating?

    — Yahoo Anwers, Dec 30

    How that counts as an “over reaction” (sic) is beyond me. It’s exactly what a president can do, if he knows how to do it, and should do, if he can. Obama knows how, and can.

  83. 83.

    licensed to kill time

    @Tonal Crow:

    I have long believed, as The Populist said above:

    Al Qaeda is basically a paper tiger that got LUCKY during 2001.

    I don’t think bin Laden et al had any idea how well their plan would succeed. They must have been just as astonished as we were when the towers fell.

    But that was only the beginning of their success. I think they watched in amazement and glee when BushCo played right into their hopes for an over the top response, starting w/AFG. It was a cherry on the top when BushCo lurched sideways into Iraq and galvanized generations of would-be jihadis where none had existed before and, as you said, removing the one barrier to religious fundamentalism in the region.

    There could hardly have been a luckier jihadi group or a more inept administration, IMHO.

    Which is why I am very grateful that we have a very different sort of President now who thinks before he acts and doesn’t use fear as a political tool.

  84. 84.

    General Winfield Stuck

    Who could have predicted Barrack Obama was elected president of left wing bloggers?

  85. 85.

    geg6

    @Cat:

    Perhaps you are not aware of all internet traditions.

    It’s generally obligatory on blogs, when making bald statements of fact in matters which reference blog posts or easily found information, to provide a link so that others can assess your statements before stating an opinion on the bald statements of fact.

  87. 87.

    Cat

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Obama cares about actually fighting terrorism, as well as the politics of it.

    Oh, I believe he cares deeply about the politics of national security. I’m not sure he cares about fighting terrorism since I don’t think drone strikes that kill people but not the terrorists they were targeting and an escalating war in Afghanistan decrease terrorism. It does make it look like he’s fighting terrorism though.

    Having him and his administration over the last month talk about terrorism when its such a non issue in the continental US was a huge waste of time. Its more likely the next air fatality is going to be from mechanical failure, pilot error, or a bird strike then a terrorist.

    All this talk of how the government is going to keep you safe from the next underpants bomber just makes everyone sure there is another underpants bomber out there.

    If thats concern trolling then whatever, but calling out security theater as huge waste of time and saying the administration is engaging in it seems like a pretty solid ground.

  88. 88.

    Blue Raven

    @Cat:

    Content is in the eye of the beholder. Humans have been proven over and over to be bad at accessing the risk of an unlikely event impacting them.

    The eye of this beholder sees someone trying to use vocabulary words that exceed their intellectual prowess. It’s “assess.” Also, “affecting” makes you sound human while “impacting” makes you sound like an MBA. Throw in your failure to keep track of to/too/two in an earlier comment, and not only do you fail to understand all Internet traditions, you do not succeed in demonstrating enough mental strength to handle an actual discussion more complex than picking a restaurant for lunch. And oh, yes, “overreaction” is a compound word.

    C- for spelling and grammar. D for content. F for foolishness. Please return under your bridge and take Remedial Intarwebs 800 and 810 before reappearing.

  89. 89.

    Cat

    @geg6:

    Perhaps you are not aware of all internet traditions.
    …
    It’s generally obligatory on blogs, when making bald statements of fact in matters which reference blog posts or easily found information, to provide a link so that others can assess your statements before stating an opinion on the bald statements of fact.

    Citation needed.

  90. 90.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    Do you endorse the caption under Liz Cheney’s photo? Asking because you have criticized this sort of rhetoric in the past.

  91. 91.

    Blue Raven

    @Cat: And “generally obligatory” does not mean “bald statement of fact.” Previous grading withdrawn. F on all metrics.

  93. 93.

    Cat

    @Blue Raven:

    The eye of this beholder sees someone trying to use vocabulary words that exceed their intellectual prowess. It’s “assess.” Also, “affecting” makes you sound human while “impacting” makes you sound like an MBA. Throw in your failure to keep track of to/too/two in an earlier comment, and not only do you fail to understand all Internet traditions, you do not succeed in demonstrating enough mental strength to handle an actual discussion more complex than picking a restaurant for lunch. And oh, yes, “overreaction” is a compound word.
    …
    C- for spelling and grammar. D for content. F for foolishness. Please return under your bridge and take Remedial Intarwebs 800 and 810 before reappearing.

    I will take ad hominem attacks for 1000 alex.

  94. 94.

    DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio

    I believe he cares deeply about the politics of national security.

    Well, duh. National security without regard to politics (and support) would be foolish in this country.

    Luckily, we have a president who can get both the security and the politics right at the same time. Good for him, that’s why I voted for him.

  97. 97.

    clonecone

    @Cat: You would lose that $1000 since you don’t seem to understand the difference between an ad hominem attack and a personal attack. I know it’s fun to throw around Latin terms all willy-nilly, but you look foolish when you use them incorrectly.

  99. 99.

    Rob

    In other words, bash Bush and Republicans, but never ever ever the CIC. Gotcha. I’ll go back to FDL now.

  101. 101.

    handy

    Now, what was the discussion about … anyone? At all?

    Something about how Cole teases us with threats about going Galt but never actually following through. That’s what I’m going with at least.

  102. 102.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @Cat:

    If thats concern trolling then whatever, but calling out security theater as huge waste of time and saying the administration is engaging in it seems like a pretty solid ground.

    Solid ground for what? Dem president bashing Meme making from disaffected leftists. That is all it is. And is not worth a plug nickel here. Please take it elsewhere before pleasantries fade. Just a suggestion.

  105. 105.

    GReynoldsCT00

    “Now, what was the discussion about … anyone? At all?”

    The discussion was on topic it was just that some commenters were demanding footnotes as back up… can’t everyone get along?

  108. 108.

    Andy K

    @pharniel:

    hoekstroika is totally going to be govenor in a few months, and this is terrifies me like nothing else.

    No, he’s not. Mike Cox, the Republican Attorney General, has it all over him. If Hoekstra turns out the Republican, Dutch base here in west Michigan and gets the win in the primary, he’ll lose a ton of GOP votes in Flint, Lansing and suburban Detroit, and the Democrat (Virg Bernero, I’m hoping) will win in November.

  111. 111.

    Cat

    @clonecone:
    A) My spelling and grammar are poor.

    The eye of this beholder sees someone trying to use vocabulary words that exceed their intellectual prowess.

    B) A shows I am unable to correctly analysis and comment on anything.

    you do not succeed in demonstrating enough mental strength to handle an actual discussion more complex than picking a restaurant for lunch.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

    This is not to be confused with a true fallacy, which would be “X is idiotically ignorant [of politics], so why should we listen to him now?”

    Turns into this : “Cat is idiotically ignorant of spelling and grammar, so why should we listen to him now?”

    Do you disagree that this is a simple summary of Blue Raven’s position?

  113. 113.

    Darryl

    13
    Jan
    This. A Thousand Times This.
    by John Cole

    Call me old fashioned, but headlines should be coherent sentences. “This” what?

    Next thing you know, you’ll be saying ‘optics’ when you mean ‘appearances’….

  114. 114.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @Darryl:

    This- Used by commenters to express full agreement with someone else’s comment. Synonyms: “Ditto”, “QFT”, “What s/he said”, “Word”.

    Study your BJ Lexicon childn/

  115. 115.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    Do I sense concern?

    Call it whatever you want. Are you okay with the caption? Or is that part of the terrorists’ archplan as well?

    It’s just funny, because the statement at the end which John calls “bashing” is the natural extension of the argument before it. Terrorists do something, American right wing bleats “terra terra terra!” Amercian right wing bleats, Obama holds a series of meetings and news conferences in stern voice, reaffirms we’re at war, sends more drones into more countries, and so on. And all this set in motion by a guy setting his balls on fire. So no, I don’t know how you endorse the story “a thousand times” but not the last sentence, and I’m genuinely curious about as to how John feels about the photo caption.

  116. 116.

    clonecone

    @Cat: No. Blue Raven made no argument. He/She simply made a personal attack.

    Raven basically said: “Cat is idiotically ignorant of spelling and grammar.” You assumed the “so why should we listen to him now?” part.

  117. 117.

    The Moar You Know

    I thought hominem was basically a form of treated corn.

    @DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio: It’s tasty. They make grits out of it.

    I love grits, bacon and fried eggs, there’s no better breakfast than that in the world.

    Lots of other ways to prepare grits, too. A very versatile food. Add sugar and cinnamon and you’ve got a yummy sweet snack.

    Hominem is great.

  119. 119.

    slag

    @Cat: This argument is so silly, I don’t even know where to begin. First, based on this rationale, if Obama got up and said anything–even, “Ha! That terrorist, no more wee wee for him!”–around that time, he would be seen as aiding the terrorists. Second, it presumes that there is some observably optimal number for press conferences in this situation. What? Are press conferences like place settings: six is too many but four is too few?

    I spent far too much time battling with John Aravosis who was busy touting Maureen Dowd’s complaint that Obama wasn’t being Daddy enough to now spend any more time on it in the other direction. What I know is this: There is no pleasing those who are determined to not be pleased. This is one area in which I am quite happy to offer an unqualified defense of this administration. My preference for their behavior may, indeed, be idiosyncratic, but it is no more so than yours.

  121. 121.

    The Moar You Know

    “Cat is idiotically ignorant of spelling and grammar, so why should we listen to him now?”

    @Cat: Fixt.

  124. 124.

    burnspbesq

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Back in the old days at FDL, you could discern a definite rhythm to the day.

    First thing in the morning, when Christy and Phoenix Woman mostly posted, it was pretty sane. It went downhill the rest of the day, and didn’t really recover until TRex and Suzanne showed up.

  125. 125.

    John Cole

    @Blue Texan: So you object to them publicly discussing the review they undertook and the changes they are being made? Because that is what half those links you provide are to… follow-ups on the after action review in which the analyze the mistakes that were made and what changes need to be made.

    They weren’t all statements and press briefs about the underpants bomber- the majority of them were process questions after the event, and entirely appropriate. It is called good government and transparency, and a couple years back I would have given my left nut for this after 9/11. It is about calming and reassuring and taking action, not riling people up and launching a war in Egypt.

    You all really will criticize anything.

  126. 126.

    DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio

    @slag:

    if Obama got up and said anything—even, “Ha! That terrorist, no more wee wee for him!”—around that time, he would be seen as aiding the terrorists.

    I would have preferred something like “Niggah, what the fuck are you doin? We gonna throw yo crazy damn ass in jail for a thousand years!”

  127. 127.

    Cat

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Solid ground for what? Dem president bashing Meme making from disaffected leftists. That is all it is. And is not worth a plug nickel here. Please take it elsewhere before pleasantries fade. Just a suggestion.

    I bashed Bush43 for it and I’ll bash Obama for it. He doesn’t get a pass because I voted for him, because he’s a Democrat, or because I’d vote for him again.

  130. 130.

    Randy P

    @Cat:
    If a lurker may observe something, the problem appears to be that the “it” you’re bashing Obama for, has no independent evidence for actually existing.

  131. 131.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @Randy P: They have a scale of pressers Obama gives on this or that, and when he goes over the limit, or sometimes under it, depending on topic, then it’s shit meet fan. It’s all very scientific. albeit insane.

  132. 132.

    DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio

    @Randy P:

    Hopefully the feline will write up his description of what he would have done.

    earlier, on Dec 26 …..
    “We go now to Dana Bash who is at the Catbox Compound. What do you have Dana?”

    “President Felix The Cat is said by close advisors to be getting ready to make a statement about yesterday’s aborted GroinBomber attack on an airliner approaching Detroit. President Cat is still inside the Oval Catnip Garden preparing his remarks at this hour.”

    etc.

  133. 133.

    Clifton

    John Cole

    I would have given my left nut for this after 9/11.
    It is about calming and reassuring and taking action, not riling people up and launching a war in Egypt.

    You all really will criticize anything.

    This. A Thousand Times This.

  135. 135.

    Chad N Freude

    @Blue Raven: Oh, I don’t know that he’s wrong. I access the risk of getting hit by a speeding car every time I cross a busy street.

    (And I think I just accessed the risk of having insults hurled at me.)

  136. 136.

    Blue Texan

    So you object to them publicly discussing the review they undertook and the changes they are being made?

    No, that’s a strawman.

    I think there is something between not saying anything at all and getting on national teevee every other day to address it over a three week period. I would’ve preferred something in the middle.

    Now, some of that is just the media, and I realize there’s nothing the White House can do about that. And I’m not “bashing” Obama for the sake of doing so. I just don’t think the president and his national security team needs to “analyze the mistakes that were made” over and over and over.

    When the White House got all the networks to cover Obama’s speech on the pantybomber last Thursday, I really couldn’t believe the president was still talking about it.

    I just think that was a mistake, and giving these people exactly what they want.

    Keep calm and carry on.

  138. 138.

    handy

    @Blue Texan:

    Why? As the situation developed it seemed prudent for the administration to at least appear to abide by its pledge to be more “transparent” than the last.

    And the Bushies used their talk of 9/11 as a sympathy ploy, and as a means to scaremonger. That’s qualitatively different from Obama’s response.

  141. 141.

    Randy P

    Oh and while we’re all starting flame wars, can I just say about the “hominem” discussion: grits. Bleah. Can’t stand them. Don’t understand why people eat them on purpose.

    The best breakfast food I learned about while living south of the Mason-Dixon line [*] was biscuits and sausage gravy. Now THAT I could eat every day. While ballooning up to 300 pounds.

    [*] In Maryland [**].
    [**] Yes, I know you southerners probably don’t consider MD a southern state. But it is, technically, south of the Mason-Dixon Line. And you can get biscuits and gravy for breakfast. [***]
    [***] And barbecue. My other favorite southern food.

  142. 142.

    clonecone

    @Blue Texan: Obama has made one televised statement on Haiti so far. Please let us know the FDL prescribed correct number and timing for future statements.

  143. 143.

    giltay

    I heard him promise change, but nothing about some Grassroots Centrist Progressive Movement for change.

    That’s because he’s actually leading the Centrist Grassroots Popular Movement for Change.

    …

    Splitters!

    /ObPython

  145. 145.

    gwangung

    I think there is something between not saying anything at all and getting on national teevee every other day to address it over a three week period.

    I’m not sure you would recognize the difference, given that you’re conflating press-initiated statements with administration-initiated statements. That’s not a useful combination of categories, especially given the lack of imperatives from the administration.

  146. 146.

    The Moar You Know

    @jeffreyw: You did NOT just go there. Oh my god, you did. You have insulted my hominem!

    Pancakes. Oh dear Jesus On A Stick, first you pretend that the lowly hash brown could be the equal of hominem grits, and then…oh dear lord…then you dare to post a picture of the lowest form of breakfast life imaginable, the pancake.

    Do you understand how disgusting the pancake is? Let me ask you this; when you pass a dead animal smashed into the asphalt, do you say “wow, that dead animal is smashed flat at some tasty hominem grits?”

    You do not. I think we all know what word is appropriate. And that word that one uses for a dead smashed flat rotting animal in the sun is…pancake.

    You, sir, are a villain of the first order. I demand satisfaction.

  147. 147.

    James K. Polk, Esq.

    @Blue Texan: I can’t help but feel that no matter what Obama’s response, there would be room to disagree with the Administration.

    None is too little. Six is too many. What is the correct amount?

  149. 149.

    scav

    @The Moar You Know: FOOD FIGHT! The breakfast of all the immortal and non-existent gods is Hash and Hash (corned beef and tater). Major Avatars in the northwest corner have a fondness for Salmon Hash which is accepted as canonical. The pronouncements of any other burning bushes is balderdash, complete and utter balderdash.

  151. 151.

    Cat

    @slag:

    This argument is so silly, I don’t even know where to begin. First, based on this rationale, if Obama got up and said anything—even, “Ha! That terrorist, no more wee wee for him!”—around that time, he would be seen as aiding the terrorists. Second, it presumes that there is some observably optimal number for press conferences in this situation. What? Are press conferences like place settings: six is too many but four is too few?

    The content and quantity of the pressers matter, I don’t dispute that. If he’d given just one about how there was a whole army of underpants bombers and we have to strike a blow for freedom and burn all our underpants that would be one to many obviously.

    The difference in opinions seems to be about if the content and/or quantity of pressers fueled fear of terrorism by keeping the underpants bomber fresh in the new cycle.

    There has been a few posts documenting there were plenty of press events by the president and his administration. The administration kept the underpants bomber in the news cycle with all these events.

    Now that the argument that there were not as many pressers as claimed turned out to be false they have moved to the argument that its the content of the pressers that matter when the original point was keeping the underpants bomber in the news cycle helps fuel fear of terrorism. The only refutation anyone has provided is that the content didn’t fuel their fears of terrorism even if there were a lot of pressers.

    Assuming the pressers made everyone feel the same as you is wrong and naive.

    I spent far too much time battling with John Aravosis who was busy touting Maureen Dowd’s complaint that Obama wasn’t being Daddy enough to now spend any more time on it in the other direction. What I know is this: There is no pleasing those who are determined to not be pleased. This is one area in which I am quite happy to offer an unqualified defense of this administration. My preference for their behavior may, indeed, be idiosyncratic, but it is no more so than yours.

    If this is the same John Aravosis I think it is, he indeed seems to be the kind of person whose never pleased.
    That doesn’t mean the administrations response was correct, just because John Aravosis and Maureen Dowd are jerks and wrong.

  152. 152.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    None is too little. Six is too many. What is the correct amount?

    If I’m following this thread correctly Obama should have stated this:

    “The goal of terrorism is to spread terror. Hyperbole about threats only does the extremists’ work for them. Exaggerated news coverage and commentary gives comfort to our enemies and creates an atmosphere of tension and fear, and to me that’s exactly the wrong way to go.”

    And John would have endorsed it a thousand times.

  153. 153.

    scav

    @jeffreyw: um, which? The non-existent gods tend to eat out a lot and prefer the greasiest of diners. They’re all basically exactly what they sound to be. Salmon is probably cooked separately and added (flaked) pretty much at the last minute to the tater/onion part of the hash for the NW option.

  156. 156.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Randy P:

    [**] Yes, I know you southerners probably don’t consider MD a southern state. But it is, technically, south of the Mason-Dixon Line. And you can get biscuits and gravy for breakfast. [***]

    But the real question is, when you order tea, do you have to specify that it be unsweetened or else they give you sweet tea? That is what I consider a southern state.

  157. 157.

    bemused

    @The Moar You Know:
    Swedish/scandinavian pancakes are the best. I wouldn’t touch a fat, doughy restaurant pancake. The Swedish pancakes are thin, more like crepes. Add wild blueberries & real maple syrup, you have an awesome pancake breakfast.

  159. 159.

    Randy P

    @bemused:
    Just to confuse the (food fight) issue some more, my latest breakfast discovery, via a Dominican-influenced diner in the Bronx, is mangu.

    Simple dish made from green plantains. Big-time comfort food.

    We need an all-breakfast food-fight thread. Or even better, a BJ convention featuring days of sampling everybody’s favorite breakfast recipes.

    Also, no sausage is wrong. Andouille, chorizo, kielbasa, italian, or your basic Jimmy Dean. They all work. Preferably in combination.

  160. 160.

    WaterGirl

    @bemused: You are close. The best pancake is the German pancake (sometimes called dutch pancake or Dutch Baby) which is flat like the swedish pancake but not as thin. It is best served with fresh lemons, powdered sugar. THAT is the best breakfast.

    Though I have to say those pancakes with blueberries do look awesome. You can tell they are cooked to perfection and do not appear to be fat or doughy.

  161. 161.

    Chuck Butcher

    I will object if I keep hearing about Diaper Bomber from the Admin as I did from BushCo about terrists then and the GOPers since Christmas. Whether AfPacIraq makes any sense is another thing.

  162. 162.

    Morbo

    @bemused: HA, man this makes me laugh, deriding the fat content of restaurant pancakes while praising Swedish pancakes. They’re about 95% butter (slight exaggeration). I take issue with no part of the rest of your post, however.

  164. 164.

    bemused

    @WaterGirl:
    Is that an oven pancake? I make a Finnish oven pancake called Pannukakku or we call it Kropsu. Thicker & more eggy. I like it cold the next day with a little sugar on top.

  166. 166.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    So, um, what exactly was the correct response?

    I think John made clear at the top that the following would have been the correct response:

    “The goal of terrorism is to spread terror. Hyperbole about threats only does the extremists’ work for them. Exaggerated news coverage and commentary gives comfort to our enemies and creates an atmosphere of tension and fear, and to me that’s exactly the wrong way to go.”

    Then walk away from the microphone. A couple of weeks later when he sits down for an interview with Katie Couric or whomever, and she asks, “AAAAAARGH!!! WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!” he should have responded, “The goal of terrorism is to spread terror. Hyperbole about threats only does the extremists’ work for them. Exaggerated news coverage and commentary gives comfort to our enemies and creates an atmosphere of tension and fear, and to me that’s exactly the wrong way to go.”

    At least, we hope that the President says the thing that is a thousandfold the right thing to say.

  167. 167.

    bemused

    @Morbo:
    Re restaurant pancakes: I actually meant thick, not fat but I have no objection to butter when it comes to pancakes!

  170. 170.

    Morbo

    @scav: Ah, right, bemused meant volume-wise, you’re probably right. ! I just remembered I have some Swedish pancakes left over in the fridge. They lose something in the microwave, sure, but I’m calling breakfast supper tonight.

  171. 171.

    scav

    @jeffreyw: salmon != ambrosia? (& in my lineage, potatoes are 2/3s of the major food groups over and above that). Sorry, best I can do in this sub-lunar world.

  173. 173.

    WaterGirl

    @bemused: Yes. Thicker and more eggy is a great description. I think it has a lot of butter in it, too.

    Edit: I don’t know about eating it cold, but reheating in the microwave ruins it.

  174. 174.

    slashdotcom

    Maybe OT (I haven’t read the thread, I apologize)…

    Okay. Holy shit. I mean, for a while, I thought all of y’all were being too hard on the Firebaggers, mostly because I hadn’t read them too much (because their earnestness isn’t really funny), but for crying out fucking loud, I just read a Digby post wherein she exhorts her readers to help get Martha Coakley elected here in Massachusetts, and half of those ass-hat commenters wanted her to fucking lose. It’s astonishing. It’s really and truly motherfucking mind-fucking-blowing. I cannot believe that these idiots have not progressed beyond the mindset I had in high school, when I thought Gore and Bush were the same. I mean, even Noam Fucking Chomsky endorsed Gore and Kerry. What the fuck do these people not fucking understand?

    End rant. I am now 100% with you. Criticize from the left all you want, ala Digby and Glennzilla, but don’t sabotage your own movement. Chrissakes.

  177. 177.

    Chad N Freude

    Why is the number of press conferences that Obama can give on the head of a pin being debated? Commenter 1: I think he should have given more. Commenter 2: I think he should have given fewer. Commenter 3: I think he gave just the right number. I really don’t see anything gained from this extremely lengthy back-and-forth.

    Now I’m going to go off and write an ad hominem homily.

  179. 179.

    bemused

    @WaterGirl:
    Eating the pancakes or oven pancakes cold with sugar is something we kids grew up doing.
    Speaking of food, time to go make some dinner.

  180. 180.

    WaterGirl

    @bemused: Sadly, I am eating chex mix for dinner so I am guessing that any credibility I may have had in this discussion is now lost.

  181. 181.

    Joey Maloney

    @Randy P:

    From the late, great George Carlin:

    “What’s that white stuff, man?”

    “Hayul, them’s grits!”

    “Uh, they’re moving, man…”

  182. 182.

    scav

    @jeffreyw: alas!

    @Emo Pantload (fka Studly): whew! That thread has grown since I last checked in, I picked up some of the suggestions that night, will need to go mine it for more. Devoted thanks from my working right ear and a simple wave from the flap on the left.

    @WaterGirl: Credibility? Here? Just stare down all those so benighted enough as not to eat chex mix for dinner.

  183. 183.

    scav

    @Emo Pantload (fka Studly): Ah, found it, and so far it’s even got answers to questions I only thought of later. The ipod end (or upstream end rather than the ear phone end is a major thread I was hoping to tug on. Alas though, the hearing in the left flap is totally kaput. But no matter, the techniques should get me light years past what I’m working with now. Mas Mas thnx.

  184. 184.

    slashdotcom

    OT:

    Am I supposed to avoid swearing? Is that why my comment is awaiting moderation?

    Fine. Just read the Digby post on Martha Coakley’s Senate race in Massachusetts, then read the firebaggers in the comments, and then tell me that they don’t make you want to swear, loudly and repeatedly, for several minutes. These people are welcoming political suicide. It is astonishing.

    I think I’ve been disallowed to comment on Digby’s blog, too. This is how angry I got.

    I’m phone-banking for Coakley all weekend. Then on Wednesday I’m going to India for three months, where I won’t have to deal with this crazy crazy bull…loney coming from the Purity Test Left for a while.

    End neutered rant.

  185. 185.

    Svensker

    @bemused:

    Swedish/scandinavian pancakes are the best. I wouldn’t touch a fat, doughy restaurant pancake. The Swedish pancakes are thin, more like crepes. Add wild blueberries & real maple syrup, you have an awesome pancake breakfast.

    This is true. Add some crisp fried ham and hot coffee and yumola.

    Good hash with fried eggs is also delicious.

    However, there is nothing more delicious than a breakfast of fried eggs, old-fashioned thick real bacon, and a big ole pile a grits with melted butter oozing down the sides and lots of salt and pepper. A big mug of steaming hot strong coffee along side and you are good to go, my man, good to go.

    Golly, I like breakfast.

  189. 189.

    bemused

    @Svensker:
    And the coffee had better be very strong. Or should I say full bodied instead. I don’t what’s happened to coffee at church dinners, funerals, weddings, etc in the last decade or more. So weak you can see the bottom of the cup. That’s criminal. Back in the day, the people in those kitchens used to make a decent cup of coffee…sadly, those days seem to be long gone.

  190. 190.

    DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal)

    @GReynoldsCT00: “the BJ mice are very talented when it comes to that”

    BJ mice tend to be very good at fucking rats, it’s what we do.

  194. 194.

    gil mann

    @Blue Texan:

    No, that’s a strawman.

    So “strawman” is going in the “Use Frequently Without Regard for its Actual Meaning” drawer alongside “literally” and “troll,” huh? Stupid democratizing power of the internet.

  196. 196.

    Hob

    @Cat: I get what you’re saying, and would completely agree IF I thought that the news cycle was actually being driven by the administration’s statements.

    I just don’t think that’s how it works these days for this kind of thing. There were plenty of meaningless factoids being thrown out there every day by the press itself, and from Congress, and from every other chucklehead with an opinion about what happened and why it happened. If for some reason Obama wanted to draw out the media moment even further, for months and months, I’m sure he could do so by issuing more gratuitous remarks every day… but I really don’t see how he had the ability to make it any shorter than it’s been, given the amount of background noise from all those other guys. And the noise included a good deal of misinformation, and lots of screaming about who supposedly screwed up; that wouldn’t have just stopped if if the administration didn’t address it.

    So no, if you’re saying that the issuance of a half-dozen reasonable remarks over a couple of weeks is the reason, or even a major reason, for the media attention having lasted a couple of weeks… I don’t agree. I can’t prove it, but it just doesn’t fit with the crappy properties of the reality we seem to be living in.

  198. 198.

    Jenn

    @slashdotcom:

    I sympathize — it does boggle the mind, doesn’t it?! Every time someone says that the current HCR bill (whichever version it might have been) sucks and is exactly what the Republicans would have passed, I wonder what the hell planet they’re on, because we just had 8 years of Republican rule, thank you very much, and I sure as hell didn’t see anything at all whatsoever coming from that side of the aisle in the way of health care reform. I’ve grumpily resigned myself, sort of, to the ratbastards of the right; but if we lose HCR (along with movement forward on all the other progressive items on the agenda) because of the *left*, I’m going to be … I don’t actually have words.

    Thanks for your comments over there, though!, along with staffing the phone banks. Fingers crossed that Coakley pulls it out. And have an awesome time in India!

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