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You are here: Home / Politics / The tribe has spoken

The tribe has spoken

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The internets are telling me that Michele Bachmann has won the Ames straw vote.

I realize that it is the height of unseriousness to take this attitude, but more and more, I’m enjoying the Republican primary the same way I enjoyed the first few episodes of the first season of Survivor.

I’m sick of T-Paw, get him out of the race, so we can focus on someone more exciting.

Am I right?

Reader Interactions

163Comments

  2. 2.

    fhtagn

    Bachmann – 4823 votes, Mitt Romney – 567 Jon Huntsman – 69

    Poor Sully is going to be hitting the bottle hard now that the “reasonable” wingnut tendency has been so utterly refudiated.

  3. 3.

    JGabriel

    DougJ:

    I’m enjoying the Republican primary the same way I enjoyed the first few episodes of the first season of Survivor.

    Wait till they get to the episode where each of the GOP presidential contestants has to prove their patriotism by blowing Grover Norquist while simultaneously massaging David Koch’s prostate gland.

    Edited to Add: … And skull-fuck a kitten!

    .

  4. 4.

    SST

    I think it’s ‘the council has spoken.’ But yeah, bring on the Bobo, Douthat and George Will columns praising Bachmann or Perry’s subtle Seriousness. Should be a fun ride.

  7. 7.

    beltane

    @fhtagn: Oh dear, not even close. I remember in 1996 when Bob Dole won this over Alan Keyes. Does anyone think Bob Dole could beat Alan Keyes in the straw poll today?

  16. 16.

    Robin G.

    Also, Perry apparently got 718 write-ins. I need — need — to know how many said “Parry”.

  17. 17.

    Worked2Death

    Gheritt would have killed him if he could have. He would have
    torn out the eyes of his beater. He would have made him pay
    for his abuses. But his hands had begun to tingle. He
    couldn’t feel his feet and he had begun to float off the
    ground.

  19. 19.

    gbear

    I’m sick of T-Paw, get him out of the race

    But Tim is going to be clawing at his third place finish to prove that he is still a serious serious candidate. You outside of MN haven’t even begun to see how pathetic Tim can be. He’s not gone yet.

  21. 21.

    superking

    Not survivor but American Idol where all the crazies who can’t sing rage at the judges who deny them stardom.

  22. 22.

    Rhoda

    Rick Perry got about more votes than Romney, and his were write in votes. That isn’t good. And Perry is going to be in NH tonight.

    Good news for Obama, the republicans are going to be in a food fight for a few months. No doubt Crossroads GPS will take up the task of attacking POTUS.

  23. 23.

    The Dangerman

    Iowa and New Hampshire have neighboring Favorite Sons, so wake me when we get to South Carolina.

  25. 25.

    kth

    Pawlenty will stay until the season starts, but he won’t make it past New Hampshire. Rick Perry’s candidacy probably hurts him more than anyone.

  26. 26.

    gbear

    I want to see Pawlenty stay in until he is so totally humiliated that he finally becomes aware that he has been totally humiliated. This Minnesotan really wants to see him get to the point where friends are afraid to leave him alone. We’re still a long way from there.

  27. 27.

    cleter

    Best case scenario for Pawlenty at this point is getting to be Perry’s Secretary of Agriculture. He’s not going to be president. Enjoy your third place, Tim. You’ll never get that high again.

  28. 28.

    marginalized for stating documented facts

    Yeah, like foolish Democrats enjoyed watching Ronald Reagan get nominated in 1980.

    Wait till Bachmann becomes president. You won’t be enjoying it so much then.

    Yuk, yuk, yuk. Let’s all laugh at these ridiculous people.

    Folks, people like Reagan and Bachmann are dangerous.

  32. 32.

    cleter

    @gbear: Yeah, I want to see that, too. It’ll probably end with a grainy cell-phone video on Youtube of Pawlenty bursting into tears when the Manchester Motel 6 clerk frostily tells him his credit card is declined.

  34. 34.

    JGabriel

    @beltane:

    Oh dear, not even close.

    Actually the vote was close, just not for Romney. TPM:

    Bachmann secured 4823 votes, edging out Ron Paul, who had 4671 votes. Tim Pawlenty finished a distant third with 2293 votes …

    .

  35. 35.

    Ian

    From what I have heard the PArry votes got counted in with the PErry votes.

    Over at Dkos the commenters have a bunch of wonderful pictures of the candidates deep throating corndogs

  36. 36.

    Cat Lady

    @Southern Beale:

    I never heard of Mark Moford before right now, but I just fell hard. He should call him self Mark Mo’fo, Emoprog Nightmare. If there’s an opposite of Hamsher, that’s it right there.

  37. 37.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @JGabriel:

    What the results of the straw polling in Iowa says is that Iowa is full of really stupid, mean, selfish and hateful conservatives who want to spread their ‘message’ all across the nation. These are not serious people who care for their fellow citizens, these are people who thrive on hate. It feeds them and fulfills their lives. That many of these people think of themselves as good christians tells you how fucked up they really are.

    Fuck them all. The Republican party is dead, the zombies have taken over.

  39. 39.

    Tony J

    Iowa Republicans want Michelle Bachmann to be the Republican candidate for President in 2012.

    I hear a pop. Even from this distance I can tell it comes from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and it’s followed by the scent of popcorn.

  40. 40.

    lamh34

    So how soon does money dry up for T-Paw? I suspect that’s how long he stays in. He busted his nut on Iowa and came in a distant 3rd. Huntsman at least will stay ’til New Hampshire since he put all his money into NH. My guess NH is where Huntsman tries to “catch up to” Romney.

    When is NH? Next year right?

  41. 41.

    brettvk

    Jeezuz, I’m developing cardiac symptoms from the whipsaw between hilarity and utter despair.

  44. 44.

    El Cid

    Whether the guess is that a candidate like Bachmann or Perry would hurt the GOP ticket, I do not think it’s ever a good idea to have extreme right politicians in national prominence to the degree they would be stirring up all sorts of populist right wing grassroots revanchism.

    Look at all the enthusiasm of the crazies following Palin early on, and imagine she wasn’t some lazy, non-strategic nitwit dedicated not to just being an attention and money hound but to whipping up the angry right to a greater degree.

    It’s never a good thing.

  47. 47.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @eemom:

    Shorter Calamity Jane Hamsher: “I’ll suck any conservative dick as long as it pays off for me.”

    I would call Jane an idiot except for the fact that she’s found a way to make a living off of other idiots, which shows that she is marginally smarter than her audience.

  48. 48.

    Cat Lady

    @El Cid:

    We like to think we’re not the Balkans or Rwanda, but given our FAIL media that’s only capable of saying “both sides do it”, you’re exactly, and sadly, right. I don’t blame Obama, I blame our sucky press corps.

  49. 49.

    West of the Rockies (formerly Frank W.)

    I’d agree DougJ — let’s vote Pawlenty off the island. Gingrich, too. Fat, old pasty-faced money-pig. Cain is essentially the security guard with the red shirt in the old Star Trek series: only a matter of time before he gets vaporized or taken down by the Horta.

    I just happen to be reading Heinlein’s Time Enough For Love and saw a quote that reminds me of today’s Republican party. To set it up, some characters in the book are saying that Earth was doomed when the intestellar diaspora began because the most intelligent people left the dying Earth. It seems to me that most thinking conservatives have washed their hands (to some degree) of the loons who are in charge of the party now. The quote: “Chop off a chicken’s head and it doesn’t die at once; it flops around more energetically than ever. For a while. Then it dies.”

    I’d like to think that we’re witnessing the Grand Old Party reduced to its headless chicken stage. Of course, one hopes they don’t take down the whole damn barnyard with them.

  50. 50.

    Jim H

    fhtagn:

    Actually I think Sully’s head is going explode because he will soon realize that there are basically only wingnuts in the repuke camp….

    This is going to get far more fun the deeper the Repubs get Bachmann hung around their necks with no way out.

  51. 51.

    Cain

    @Odie Hugh Manatee:

    What the results of the straw polling in Iowa says is that Iowa is full of really stupid, mean, selfish and hateful conservatives who want to spread their ‘message’ all across the nation. These are not serious people who care for their fellow citizens, these are people who thrive on hate. It feeds them and fulfills their lives. That many of these people think of themselves as good christians tells you how fucked up they really are

    These are also the people who gave Obama his first win and set him as the front runner. I will thank Iowa for that.

  52. 52.

    hilts

    I’m sick of T-Paw, get him out of the race

    Doug,

    How long will it take for you to get sick of Michele Bachmann? Tomorrow, will mark a new low in broadcast journalism, as Minnesota’s Batshit Crazy Queen appears on all 5 morning news shows.

  53. 53.

    Keith G

    I hear a pop. Even from this distance I can tell it comes from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and it’s followed by the scent of popcorn.

    You’re 15 months too early.

    Like Michael Myers from Halloween Movies, the GOP keeps getting back up. This is just the beginning of the beginning.

  55. 55.

    pk

    Wait till they get to the episode where each of the GOP presidential contestants has to prove their patriotism by blowing Grover Norquist while simultaneously massaging David Koch’s prostate gland.

    Edited to Add: … And skull-fuck a kitten!

    No, they have to prove their patriotism by dragging an unemployed, gay, brown, man onstage where Michelle can stomp on him with her heels while everyone sings the national anthem while giving a rich man a hand job.

  56. 56.

    Loneoak

    Whose corn dog does a guy have cellars around here to get a Green Bay Packers open thread?! Andy K, where are you brother?

  57. 57.

    Hal

    Watching True Blood this season, there’s a character; a Witch named Marnie, possessed by the spirit of a 400 year old Witch burned at the stake, who casts a spell to draw all the vampires in her radius out into the sun.

    I wonder if there’s something similar for this crop of candidates?

  58. 58.

    Jenny

    @anna:

    Pic of the very heterosexual Marcus Bachmann celebrating his wife’s win.

    I figured it out. He’s a lesbian trapped in a man’s body.

  59. 59.

    Tom Q

    @marginalized for stating documented facts: You know what’s even more dangerous? Having candidates who’ll promote the Bachmann/Perry agenda but put a more benign face on it that’ll allow your not-really-into-politics neighbor to cast a vote his/her way thinking it won’t make that big a difference. Kind of like a bunch of WI/OH/MI voters did in their gubernatorial races last year.

    The Republican party has been taken over by a bunch of bugfuck insane secessionists. Having Mitt Romney at the head isn’t going to make them any less dangerous — Romney AT BEST would be a GHWB: supposedly decent personally, but so scared of the wingers he inflicted Clarence Thomas on us. Best to have the face of the party reveal its true heart, so voters will have no excuse for not comprehending what they’re about.

  63. 63.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @Cain:

    The conservatives of Iowa supported Obama in the straw poll of 2007, making him the winner? ;)

    The operative word in my post was “conservatives” and was not a blanket condemnation of all of Iowa.

    RIF d00d, RIF! :)

  64. 64.

    me

    A person would have to be a nihilist to vote for Bachmann. Apparently the Republican Party is loaded with them these days (along with hedonists on Wall Street) although most of them probably don’t know what it means.

  66. 66.

    West of the Rockies (formerly Frank W.)

    “Say what you will about the tenants of national socialism, Dude… at least it’s an ethos.”

  67. 67.

    eemom

    @El Cid:

    I agree. I have never gotten the ecstasies of giggling glee that DougJ and others get into over these maniacs, nor their conviction that the crazier the republican candidate, the better it is for us.

    Putting aside the VERY questionable assumption that there are levels of idiocy/lunacy to which even the American electorate will ultimately refuse to sink — hello, 2010? — I’m just, like, a little bit horrified and ashamed to live in a country where people like this are serious “candidates” for leader of the free world.

    This. country. sucks. That is all.

  68. 68.

    Tony J

    @El Cid:

    It’s never a good thing.

    No it’s not, but it is what it is. One of the two viable political parties in the United States really – has – been taken over at Primary level by an electorally significant Base that will propel someone dangerously crazy into a position where they might become President. It doesn’t matter which one, whoever they pick is going to be just awful.

    No one on the Left of American politics can do anything to stop the Right going all Wicker Man, all you can do is take advantage of it in 2012. It’s a zero-sum game to that extent. You just hope the country comes out having learned something that sticks in the long term. Meaning, Republicans are crazy, just – look – who they put up for President in 2012.

  69. 69.

    Bruce S

    eemom – August 13, 2011 | 7:46 pm · Link
    OT, but I find this rather good comedy relief to all the republican “candidate” talk which makes me utterly ill.
    Lady Hamsher on “Transpartisanship”—or, “Why Sucking Grover Norquist’s Cock Makes Me A Better Progressive Than You.”

    Any contribution on the actual merits of this initiative? The extreme ad hominem makes Hamsher more credible than her critic here, obviously. If Bernie Sanders and Chris Hayes think it’s a good idea, my guess is that they’ve given it more thought than the commenter above. But I’m sure writing “sucking Grover Norquist’s cock” felt good.

  70. 70.

    Stillwater

    @eemom: I have never gotten the ecstasies of giggling glee that DougJ and others get into over these maniacs, nor their conviction that the crazier the republican candidate, the better it is for us.

    But since we can’t control the outcome, why not find something to enjoy on the downward spiraling ride? Your disapproval isn’t gonna change the way GOP voters vote. Amirite?

  71. 71.

    Cat Lady

    NBC’s David Gregory says that Bachmann really excited voters, and Ron Paul who came out second had a strong showing but there are “definitely questions” about his viability.

    So apparently there are no questions about Bachmann’s viability. What will it take to get our FAIL media some self-awareness?

  72. 72.

    Elizabelle

    @Jenny:

    Too funny (comment 57). My sentiments, but better expressed.

    Had never paid any attention to the dude, but that photo (comment 53) registered on even my inadequate gaydar.

  73. 73.

    Stillwater

    It’s like people think that their finely-tuned mental focus will change electoral outcomes. That’s bizarre.

  74. 74.

    Elizabelle

    I would not think Wall Street or the money men are going to let Bachmann anywhere near the nomination.

    What happens next?

  75. 75.

    Keith G

    A person would have to be a nihilist to vote for Bachmann. Apparently the Republican Party is loaded with them these days.

    Common dudes wake up.

    This was not an exercise in voting – not even close. Tickets costing $20 are bought up and handed out to supporters, many of whom are bused in from god knows where.

    So this is a snapshot of an economic transaction between members of a relatively small group of people.

    Yawn.

  76. 76.

    Tony J

    @Keith G:

    You’re 15 months too early

    .

    Oh they’re going to be shark-jumpingly awful every day for every one of those 15 months, but if they put up Bachmann against Obama now, they’re going to be hot for a Perry/Bachmann ticket come the Election , and then the MSM are in for a very boring night come November 2012.

  79. 79.

    Liberty60

    @JGabriel:

    blowing Grover Norquist while simultaneously massaging expressing David Koch’s prostate anal gland

    works better, I think.

  80. 80.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Loneoak: We won’t get one. Remember who owns the blog and who Green Bay beat in the Super Bowl. I think both Starks and Green look pretty good.

  81. 81.

    Alex S.

    Without Perry, Pawlenty could still be the consensus/brokered convention candidate since the Paulites are very active but not many. But Perry basically replaces him and surpasses him in every regard. I wonder what’s going to happen now, will Perry attack in Iowa or focus on South Carolina? Mitt Romney might try to form an alliance with either Perry or Bachmann against the other one. Bachmann might run away with Iowa but only because she invests everything in there. I guess Romney would be wise to focus on Perry, give Iowa to Bachmann, win New Hampshire and Nevada and minimize Perry’s victory in SC. Perry probably has to go for Iowa in that case.

  83. 83.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    In other news Conservatives 4 Palin have drifted off into cognitive dissonance land

    “It is sad that someone, who goes back on his word that helped get him elected and sees no problem with running full time for another office only 6 months out from taking his oath while still taking the salary funded by the taxpayers, is given credibility as a person of honesty and integrity appropriate not only to the office to which he was elected but also the Presidency of he United States.

    The siren call of political power corrupts the average person, and this shows that Rick Perry is an average person. As evidenced by The Undefeated, Sarah is one of those rare breeds who is not corrupted by power.
    Flag Mountain and 8 more liked this Like ReplyReply Mike 46 minutes ago in reply to wpmwindsong”

    Head meet desk.

  86. 86.

    Dennis SGMM

    @Elizabelle:

    I would not think Wall Street or the money men are going to let Bachmann anywhere near the nomination.

    Correct me if I’m wrong; weren’t there any number of commenters here who predicted that Wall Street and the money men would yank the Republicans back from the brink during the debt ceiling debate? How’d that work out?

    The country has fallen into the grip of fear and madness. The Republican candidates are all selling different versions of “We’re willing to impoverish millions to put another few bucks in your pocket.” It will sell.

  87. 87.

    Stillwater

    @Jenny: I figured it out. He’s a lesbian trapped in a man’s body.

    Or respecting Occam here, and Anne Rice, he’s a heterosexual woman trapped in straight guy’s lifestyle.

  88. 88.

    Ian

    Jane Hamsher

    Actually it was the TARP bailout and the AIG bonuses that gave the initial fuel to the Tea Party in early 2009.

    http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2011/08/13/the-transpartisan-imperative/

    Does she know recent history??? Those were in 08 under Shrub. The tea party got out in force after the healthcare reform and cap and trade were proposed. Does she not remember people shrieking at their reps? or does she choose to forget, because they are now here erstwhile allies?

    I think it is selective memory, to make her ‘friends’ seem to have more in common with progressives.

  90. 90.

    me

    @Keith G: Isn’t that the point? The people who support her voted for her in the straw poll and probably will support her if she’s still around come caucus time. Thankfully there isn’t a good correlation between winning the straw and getting the nomination.

  91. 91.

    The Spy Who Loved Me

    Michelle Bachmann has about as much of a chance being the Republican nominee as Ron Paul does. Zero.

  92. 92.

    hilts

    @eemom:

    I’m just, like, a little bit horrified and ashamed to live in a country where people like this are serious “candidates” for leader of the free world.

    @El Cid:

    Look at all the enthusiasm of the crazies following Palin early on, and imagine she wasn’t some lazy, non-strategic nitwit dedicated not to just being an attention and money hound but to whipping up the angry right to a greater degree.

    I second both of your sentiments. In a party where raving lunatics like Bachmann and Palin are now celebrated, it’s hard to believe there were once Republicans like former senator and Oregon governor Mark Hatfield.

  93. 93.

    Corner Stone

    @Dennis SGMM:

    weren’t there any number of commenters here who predicted that Wall Street and the money men would yank the Republicans back from the brink during the debt ceiling debate? How’d that work out?

    Worked out pretty well. For the Republicans.

  95. 95.

    MazeDancer

    @lamh34:

    So how soon does money dry up for T-Paw?

    Immediately – according to Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell and all the other MSNBC talking heads. The only option they offered him was going Dodd and moving to Iowa.

    And discussed how the Repub voters don’t want a nice guy. Which is true. Basically, the Repubs want someone who will attack, belittle, and slice up the black Muslim socialist guy before they kill him.

    ETA: Not sure which word sent this to moderation. Dodd?

  99. 99.

    Keith G

    @me: Indeed.

    I was responding to some who were generalizing these results to other groups in the GOP.

  104. 104.

    West of the Rockies (formerly Frank W.)

    I agree, eemom #67 — I wonder what enlightened, intelligent people in other countries make of seeing someone like Bachmann being taken seriously here. Has the almight Rush Limpballs weighed in on who he thinks should lead the party? I genuinely have no idea (as I listen to Limbaugh only when I am waiting at a garage for a tire to be repaired or something). Does he think Bachmann is deeply and importantly talented?

  109. 109.

    Jeffro

    @gbear: Not gone yet, but close…close…

    Personally, I’m already eager to hear who (besides Bachman, obviously) that he blames when he’s forced to close up shop. EA-ger, I say.

  110. 110.

    Corner Stone

    @Omnes Omnibus: Nah. Actually I’m more pissed that I can’t sell out the future of the human race for a chance to have sex with Tricia Helfer.
    Because brother. You’d be in a work camp right now if I could swing it.

  111. 111.

    Jeffro

    @Jon: I think Perry/Bachman is looking more likely, but some small part of me wonders if Perry or his handlers could possibly be dumb enough to get Bachman in front of the cameras on a regular basis.

    Still see Rubio or Haley jumping into the veep slot, firing up the base, making an attempt to reach out to Latinos or women, but without ol’ Crazy Eyes’ baggage

  112. 112.

    WaterGirl

    @Lesley: Your comment sent me running over to tbogg’s place. I don’t know which is worse – the photo of her with the corn dog or the one of marcus with the corn dog. I seriously cannot stop laughing.

    @Omnes Omnibus: Say, didn’t you have a job interview yesterday? How did it go?

  116. 116.

    Bruce S

    Davis X. Machina – August 13, 2011 | 7:07 pm · Link
    @Southern Beale:Ought to be a front-pager. Three hundred comments, minimum, on a slow night.

    Oh god – please don’t “adopt” Mark Morford for one of those infantile pissing matches here. Very good columnist who deserves way better than that. Biggest problem with that column is that I never, ever hear “the icy breath” or “uncomfortable presence” of any “question” about re-electing the President in 2012, except on the internet. Normal people I talk to have lots of concerns about policy and politics, and many would like to see more and better, but pretty much only idiots argue about “What to do about President Obama in 2012?” In my experience only idiots talk about trying to replace Obama with a “true progressive” and only idiots equate even sharp questions about the President’s strategy in the face of GOP opposition as “Firebagging” or “emoprog Obama-hating.”

    #88 – Hamsher and Ian are both wrong. It was a rant on CNBC by Rick Santelli about proposed mortgage adjustments attributed to Larry Summers and the stimulus package that triggered the “tea party” organizing against Obama. It was a completely idiotic rant and I don’t think the particular mortgage proposal survived, but it was in February of 2009 before health care reform got off the ground and health bills weren’t mentioned by Santelli. That’s the genesis of this particular formation, trying to link anti-Obama protests to the “Founding Fathers” et al. Of course, health care reform became a primary focus very quickly as the movement grew, but it was mostly stimulus and defensiveness on Wall Street, pushing back against any suggestion that individual mortgage holders deserve relief (part of the financial elite’s narrative that the main “bad actors” were individuals who signed on for junk mortgages.)

    A few facts FWIW – which obviously isn’t much when Hamsher-hate can stand-in for any political analysis beyond the predictable “emo” on either “side” of this boring BS.

  121. 121.

    Bruce S

    eemom – go fuck yourself. If this shit is your best, you barely approach the level of terminal bore recycling last months comment. And, frankly, I’d rather be a kindergarten teacher – although I’ve never met one who didn’t make me want to puke – than a kindergartner, which is about all you bring.

  122. 122.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @Jeffro: Rubio can’t reach out to Latinos, because he’s Cuban, and there’s no love lost. As stuckinred noted, “running from Fidel and Che ain’t the same as picking grapes.” Not that they won’t be stupid enough to try that tack – in fact I hope they do, because it will go over just about as well as using Palin to peel off women did in 2008.

  124. 124.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    Absolutely OT for a good laugh…

    Our daughter told me that she’s helping a new pc gamer get their system running better and that she’s having fun doing it. The guy is in his early 20’s (internet age) and he’s computer illiterate; didn’t know what an operating system is, never heard of defragging a drive and so on. He’s an Xbox gamer who has decided to get a used pc so he could play some of his favorite games on it and add downloadable content/play with hacks of the games.

    She spec’ed him out and it’s a good system, but it’s running the same OS (XP) and file set that he bought it with (no clean install). The drive was nothing but red in the defrag window (heavily fragmented) and it had a bunch of unnecessary processes running in the background. She walked him through deleting some crap, updating other crap, editing the registry run section to remove unnecessary TRS crap at bootup and the like. As it has proceeded, he says that the computer is running better and better.

    He just told her ‘Thanks for the help! I’m an idiot when it comes to computers and am embarrassed to be asking a stranger for help. The only thing that would make this worse would be if it was a girl helping me.’

    She’s debating telling him that things are worse for him…lol!

  126. 126.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    As evidenced by The Undefeated, Sarah is one of those rare breeds who is not corrupted by power.

    This is possibly one of the most stupid sentences ever composed in the English language.

  127. 127.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @WaterGirl: I should hear in the next week or so. The next step would be second interviews. One job said they were looking or an October 1 start date and the other is looking to bring people on as soon as possbible.

  129. 129.

    Bruce S

    gbear – it’s a hell of a lot fresher than the stale crap eemom offers. There was an issue that was trivialized by some schoolyard-level bullshit. My original comment stands – and all that was offered in response was upping the ante to include me in the kiddy spittle-machine.

    You are welcome to count yourself as one of the idiots.

  131. 131.

    gbear

    @Jeffro: My feeling is that when Pawlenty goes into what he knows will be his last debate, he’ll be wearing a vest made of explosives under his jacket. Every move he’s made in the last five years has been calculated to make himself an attractive presidential candidate. Every time he fucked over the poor and sick (and the bridge-crossers) in MN, he’s done it to make points with Grover Norquist and crew. I don’t think he’ll come around to failure gracefully.

  132. 132.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    OT, on BBC America, they are running a Doctor Who special talking to American TV people who watch the show (I can’t really say celebrity because the only ones I know other than Mark Shepherd are G4 people). My favorite one is Hugh Douglas, a former NFL defensive end with the Jets, Eagles, and Jaguars. I just think it would be fun to be with him watching Doctor Who.

  134. 134.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Bruce S: Christ, mate, you have been around this blog enough to know how conversations go. If the tone of the discussion does not match your standards and it seems that it often does not, you should not be surprised.

  135. 135.

    Yutsano

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: If I know you raised your daughter right, she’s gonna pull that trigger. Hilarity should ensue in force.

    @Omnes Omnibus: I’m of the opinion you should go with less money but more growth, since that seems to be a good course to follow. Better to have a career where you show what you’ve done than a paycheck sometimes. Though a paycheck is nice too. :)

  137. 137.

    Dennis SGMM

    @Odie Hugh Manatee:
    Computers are the four barrel carburetor of this age. Just as guys used to know, or pretend to know about carburetors, now they feel obligated to know, or pretend to know, about computers.

  140. 140.

    Hovercraft Full of Eels

    What’s the difference between a debate among the Republicans’ group of potential presidential candidates and AMC’s The Walking Dead?

    One features a shambling horde of mindless, bloodthirsty fiends who are trying to destroy what remains of civilization.

    The other is a TV show about zombies.

  141. 141.

    Bruce S

    #133 – Omne Omnibus

    I wasn’t reacting to the “tone” – I’ll adopt the same motherfucking “tone” when I consider it appropriate. What I was reacting to was the substance to which that particular “tone” was applied. It should have been embarrassing to the commenter, because the issue that this particular Hamsher post hinged on wasn’t what I’ve gleaned as her usual BS. I don’t read Hamsher, except when prodded, because I totally don’t give a shit about her. But I was prodded to the link and was kind of surprised that she was being called names on the basis of that particular issue and concern. And if – per the legislation – Bernie Sanders is also a “cocksucker” for cooperating on with Jim DeMint, or Grayson for cooperating with Ron Paul, President Obama was a “cocksucker” in the Senate for cooperating with Tom Coburn, etc.

    Tone itself doesn’t offend me – I’m pretty much of a prick myself when it comes to “tone.” I made a joke about a link earlier this morning when Cole sent me off into Althouse land – but this bit struck me as genuinely dumb and worth a bit of pushback. Why would anyone be surprised if I respond honestly? I’ve been here long enough, etc. etc. All’s fair.

  142. 142.

    eemom

    @Bruce S:

    oooh. Seems I hit a little nerve there, twerp.

    I’m guessing your own KG teacher made you stand in the corner for too long, and you’ve been avenging yourself ever since.

  143. 143.

    Bruce S

    “twerp” ? Really? That’s it?

    You’re not capable of hitting any nerves – or much of anything else. That was my point.

  145. 145.

    sweetgreensnowpea

    i would like to mock insanity but history has demonstrated it is a formidable impetus.
    i find all of this broughaha rather scary.

  150. 150.

    Joel

    @Corner Stone: The pilot miniseries is actually pretty weak. The show pulls together in the first and second seasons, in my opinion. You can skip the last season entirely.

  151. 151.

    Mike Sax

    If Bachman has won I consider that great news. Logically the only shot the Repugs could possible have is Romney.

    This choice is clearly not logical as Bachman has not a snowball’s chance in hell in the general elecion.

    With Perry in the race we can have a debate as to who is a weirder religious nut-Perry or Bachman’s husband?

  152. 152.

    Paul

    When I first came to town,
    They gave me drinks a-plenty.
    Now they’ve changed their tune,
    Call me Tim Pawlenty.

  153. 153.

    DanielX

    I thought a while back that Rick Perry was a hopeless candidate – that the country wasn’t ready for another Texan idiot in the Oval Office. (Nothing against Texans as people here – their political instincts may be dead, but generally they’re great people.) On the other hand, my memory had grown all too dim in underestimating the stupidity of a lot of my fellow citizens – hey, they gave W a second term in 2004. My consolation in all this is going to be watching the Republican candidates try to outcrazy each other over the next year. Any of them who could have a chance of winning independents don’t have a prayer of winning a primary, so it will be fun watching them vying to produce the looniest statements. In fact, I am submitting an idea to Cole – a running list of the most insane proposals these douche waffles will set forth.

    Examples: Invade Mexico! Invade Canada! No, let’s invade both, but not raise taxes to pay for either because the whole thing will pay for itself when we loot – er, retake – our natural resources those furriners happen to be sitting upon! After all, that idea worked out so well last time…

  154. 154.

    RossInDetroit

    I wonder if Nader still thinks there’s no difference between the GOP and the Dems.

  155. 155.

    WereBear

    @RossInDetroit: I wonder if Nader still thinks there’s no difference between the GOP and the Dems.

    Yes, because Nader was viewing them from a big Purity Throne way way up in the sky. We all look like ants from there!

    Personally, I think our only hope is for the Republican party to keep getting crazier and crazier and peel away mainstream support in the process. Our greatest danger is “seemingly sane” candidates, the “compassionate conservatives” who say whatever it takes to get elected and then run hooting through the halls of congress, enacting whatever crazy thing springs to their diseased minds.

    As far as hoping the Sensible Conservatives will wade in and restore a semblance of intelligence and dignity to the process: Good Luck with all that! I believe that ship will never sail; the Tea Party scuttled it at the dock.

    Nope. What we have here is a dead parrot.

  156. 156.

    Joseph Nobles

    This morning on the “Washington Journal,” we’ve got multiple Ron Paul supporters calling in, just marvelling why no one will talk about Paul placing so close to Bachmann.

  158. 158.

    harlana

    I’m enjoying the show! Normally, this sort of thing would put me sitting on the floor in a dusty corner, rocking back and forth with a towel over my head for hours. But I refuse to consider the possibility of a republican presidency, the secret to good times in the next several months.

  159. 159.

    JGabriel

    DougJ:

    I’m sick of T-Paw, get him out of the race, so we can focus on someone more exciting. Am I right?

    Yes, apparently you are right. Ask, and ye shall recieve:

    Pawlenty Drops Out! (NYT)

    That was quick. Tim we hardly knew you.

    Seriously, who the fuck were you? The only thing I know about you is that you were such a crap governor that bridges collapsed on your watch.

    .

  160. 160.

    harlana

    Hmm, Pawlenty drops out. Well Lawrence O’Donnell will have to eat his words because he was extremely vocal (although nothing new these days) about his conviction that Pawlenty would be the nominee!

  162. 162.

    andy

    So after not getting enough people to “like” you at a picnic in Iowa- which is basically what the Iowa Straw Poll *is*- you drop out of the race you destroyed the political culture of the state of Minnesota to get into in the first place? How are you not like a teenager who gets drunk and smashes dad’s car into a tree the first time out?

    Fuck you Tim Pawlenty!

  163. 163.

    Corner Stone

    @harlana:

    Well Lawrence O’Donnell will have to eat his words because he was extremely vocal (although nothing new these days) about his conviction that Pawlenty would be the nominee!

    Should tell everyone here a little about Lawrence’s famous political acumen.

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