Lots of stuff to talk about today, all of it depressing, and I’ll be putting up yet another GOP Debate Thread shortly, so as a little sorbet between courses: Did y’all know that Charlie Pierce also writes for Grantland?
The lasting image — for me, anyway — after a thoroughly absurd football game ended in a thoroughly absurd fashion, was Vince Wilfork, the immense nose tackle of the New England Patriots, standing on the sidelines with his arms spread and steam rising off every part of his body, looking like some weird bald Druid whose ceremonies and invocations had convinced his personal deities to answer his peculiar prayers.
__
Or he looked like a swamp monster. It was a tough call.
__
Having lost His personal rooting interest in the playoffs last week, God has decided to cast His lot with the Patriots, just to screw around with the rest of us a little. (He does this kind of thing. This, I believe, also accounts for why there are mosquitoes and why Richard Nixon was elected twice. Your theology may vary.) Consider that, yesterday, the Patriots survived a terrible fumble by Danny Woodhead on a kickoff return, the worst interception Tom Brady has ever thrown — which led the quarterback to tell the nation during the postgame trophy disposal ceremony, “Well, I sucked pretty bad today” — and generally contributed all a team could possibly contribute to losing a game that it ended up winning, 23-20, because Baltimore Ravens placekicker Billy Cundiff picked exactly the wrong moment to scale Buckner Mountain…
So, what else is on the agenda tonight?
Raven
The clown car is on time.
Brachiator
I miss ABL. Ran across this very interesting piece on gizmodo
Anyhoo. Gotta work late, and you could not pay me to watch another in the endless stream of GOP debates.
Baud
Actually looking forward to the debate tonight. I predict fistacuffs.
mcmillan
For some less depressing news Washington state now has a majority in the legislature in favor of gay marriage
dr. bloor
I like Pierce, but he misses by a mile here. As Tbogg pointed out, God saw fit to see that the Tebows got drubbed last week by a QB who fucks hot models and a TE that vacations with porn stars. This is almost enough to make me believe in God.
I’m a Pats fan who anticipates a tough Monday two weeks from now, but let it be pointed out that the Patriots won the game even though their quarterback played a shitty game. Lucky team? Sure, but Woodhead fumbles about as often as Cundiff misses from 32. But only a good team can beat another good team when their quarterback smells like Santorum.
dmsilev
@Baud: Do you think Gingrich will slap Romney in the face with a glove? Talk about a serious YouTube moment. I hope he does it.
Raven
Question? What is it about people on the tube that they cannot speak two sentences without saying either “kind of” ot “sort of”? It’s crept in even more than “listen” and “at the end of the day”. blecchhh
JasonF
Apparently, Rick Santorum has decided to launch a “Conservatives Unite Moneybomb”, or C.U.M.
Egg Berry
@dr. bloor: Who said Tebow was God’s rooting interest? I think it was Aaron Rodgers. Tebow was just a head fake, or maybe Tebow was the Holy Ghost’s rooting interest and he was overruled. Dissension in the Trinity!
Raven
@Raven: ps, The Limey’s are the worst!
lamh35
Ya know who else “palled” around with Saul Alinsky…Daddy Romney that’s who.
It’s like 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon…
Mitt Romney’s Father Palled Around With Saul Alinsky
Baud
@dmsilev: Romney seems like the glove-slapper. Newt is more of a “duel at high noon” type of guy.
lamh35
I love the idea behind this fake headline.
Concerned White House Aides Say Obama Has Not Stopped Laughing Since Saturday Night.
Raven
Can you post an image from Facebook?
lamh35
ugh…missing edit button fail.
Concerned White House Aides Say Obama Has Not Stopped Laughing Since Saturday Night.
John O
I have a perverse interest in tonight’s debate just because things are so volatile and, and…freak show!
But I hope I don’t actually watch it, it’s unhealthy.
Raven
@lamh35:@Raven: See my link
arguingwithsignposts
@lamh35: Didn’t you see the Sunday WaPo front page? This was real before they stopped the run and redesigned the page.
Raven
@arguingwithsignposts: Damn, synchronicity
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Baud: I see Romney more as an “I intend to address a strongly worded letter to the rules committee about conduct unbecoming a member of this club, which in my Father’s day was the finest in
LondonBostonOrem” kind of guy, and Newt more of a “you wanna step outside, pal?” when he’s got six big friends with him, kind of guydmsilev
@Baud: To be honest, Newt to me seems more like a schoolyard bully than anything else. I don’t think Mitt has it in him, but a good solid pressing attack would probably drive Newt bananas. More bananas, I mean.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@Brachiator: They missed the “Hot Black Woman” stereotype.
dmsilev
@arguingwithsignposts: That image was real? I thought for sure that someone had photoshopped it together as a joke.
Raven
@arguingwithsignposts:
Many miles away
Something crawls from the slime
At the bottom of a dark
Scottish lake
arguingwithsignposts
@Raven: You know, the Onion is printed at the WaPo facility.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
speaking of images, apparently one of the Mittlets was passing around a picture of Willard doing his own laundry, ’cause he’s just one of us, donchanow. I thought the young reporter was gonna play along and stroke him, but the kid asked “don’t you think this is just trying too hard?”
Donald G
Bebate thread later tonight? Time to remove Veritas from the pie-filter (temporarily) for some rofl-ing fun. Good times!
Villago Delenda Est
@dmsilev:
Personally, I’m hoping they go for each others’ throats, ala Lando Molari and G’kar in Lando’s visions seen in the first few seasons of B5.
Of course, later on, we find that they were doing that on purpose, not out of malice.
Not going to be the case when Noot and OvenMitt go after each other and send my Schadenfreude meter into the shop for major repairs.
Raven
@arguingwithsignposts: Hell, who cares? Funny is funny! Reminds me of the phony articles about South Carolina and Southern Cal football.
Cat Lady
Pats fans can thank Vince’s wife Bianca for the specimen that is Vince. She designs his workouts because she decided a few years ago that he needed to redistribute his weight and strengthen his core, and now he’s The Beast. Go Patriots! Goooo Patriots!
Villago Delenda Est
@Belafon (formerly anonevent):
That would be Michelle Obama.
She IS that stereotype. Except that she’s no airhead. Far from it. Which makes her even hotter.
When they talked about a “stone fox” back in the 60’s, I’m pretty sure Michelle or someone very like her was what they were talking about.
Jeffro
I’m psyched to hear that Newt’s sugar daddy casino billionaire has pumped another $5M into his pro-Newt super-PAC. We have Gingrich publicly dancing to a billionaire’s tune, Romney potentially/likely complaining about the effects of big money on campaigns (also known as The Day Irony Died), and both of them pointing out in the best possible way (apologies to Colbert) why Citizens United is, um, perhaps not all that great for actual democracy.
Also, very psyched for the debate. Let’s just get this party split over with, shall we gentlemen?
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Mitt is Pinot Grigio, Newt is Southern Comfort.
@dmsilev: Couldn’t agree more. Newt could not handle being bested by a more dominant adversary–his response would always be to escalate the confrontation in order to regain the upper hand. That’s one reason I’m not so concerned about him v. Obama. Obama could shred him 10 ways to Sunday without losing his cool, and Newt will have no effective response.
Trakker
I love Charley Pierce! He could make me laugh while attending a loved one’s funeral (note to self…). If we gotta have mosquitoes and Republicans (or did I repeat myself?), it’s only fair we have Charles Pierce.
jl
No more watching GOP primary debates for me. The idea that one of these horrible candidates will be in the general election has sunk in, and I find it too depressing.
May check out a live blog periodically. Or, may not.
However, not all is bleak. After listening to Romney hectorate an in irritated attack on Newt today, I am more convinced the GOP primary will seriously damage both of those miserable politicians.
Compare to HRC/Obama debates. Despite some inevitable lowpoints and lowblows and classless moments on the part of both, for the most part they were responsible and constructive debates in front of reasonable audiences who had shared values. Provided a great starting point for the general campaign on shared principles.
Compare to what you see tonight and over next few months.
Other than sharing the value that irrational, destructive and misleading attacks on anyone outside the GOP circle is the cats PJs, very little going on. Other than trying to destroy the other GOP candidate.
Raven
@Villago Delenda Est: Jackie Brown
and the Del Phonics
piratedan
@JasonF: kinda brings a whole new meaning to the “money shot” phrase don’t it? Then again, I guess it’s not that far a stretch to expect some convergence between pornography and Republican politics….
Suffern ACE
My partner has decided that a move back to the city would be great and would like to look at a place he found that’s 380 square feet. I need to diet. And change my alias.
JAF Rusty Shackleford
What channel is the debate on tonight? I don’t see anything listed in my cable guide.
Raven
@JAF Rusty Shackleford: NBC
ruemara
@Brachiator: Maybe it’s a generational thing, but the blackness was not the stepping stone to success that I was told it would be. Next fucking like I will stomp the bitches out of my way before I dive into the first viable ovum to pop out of a walmart heir. Then I will fuck shit up for my class in revenge because I am preborn, motherfuckers.
dr. bloor
@Suffern ACE: But the high ceilings will undoubtedly give the place an airy, spacious feeling.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@JAF Rusty Shackleford: 10 pm eastern, I believe, as an episode of whatever Brian Willaims’ new show is
Cacti
The White House released the following response following the South Carolina results…
Link
Raven
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: 9 est
Cap'n Swag
Wait, there’s ANOTHER one of these goddamned debates tonight?
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@Suffern ACE: To what, Contortionist?
Shana
NBC 9pm Eastern time
Raven
NBC link
Watch the debate on NBCPolitics.com at 9 p.m. ET,
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: 9 pm Eastern
dmsilev
@Villago Delenda Est: I could see that. But which one is possessed by Shadows?
Trakker
With all due respect, the proof that God is screwing with the rest of us is the fact that the Giants, now one of two teams left, were just 9-7 for the season and got beat twice this year by [drum roll, please] the Redskins! Obviously God has chosen them to win the whole thing.
handsmile
@Brachiator: (#2)
While watching Chris Hayes’ “Up” yesterday morning, I learned that Melissa Harris-Perry will begin hosting her own weekend program next month on MSNBC.
This is terrific news for many reasons, not least because she is a most impressive thinker and lucid commentator on the interrelationship of race, gender, and ideology. You may well be familiar with her as she has been a frequent guest and occasional host of other MSNBC evening programs (RMS, “The Last Word” and “Politics Nation”). A professor of political science at Tulane, she writes a regular column for The Nation.
This Mediate.com link includes the full MSNBC press release announcing her program: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/melissa-harris-perry-to-host-msnbc-weekend-show-starting-in-february/
Also too, the “Up” program itself, with its politically diverse but reliably articulate and informed panel discussions, is becoming a regular feature in the handsmile household. Admittedly, its 8:00am weekend start-time is no small obstacle.
Davis X. Machina
@dr. bloor: Cargo containers don’t have high ceilings.
jafd
Salutations, gentlefolk !
Little mammals …
Scurrying through the fields and meadows and marshes
We scarcely notice them,
except when they enter ‘our’ homes or mess with ‘our’ food
and then we tend to get quite peturbed …
But from back in the olden days
when our mythology was being composed
there comes a story
about some of those little mammals
who were much bigger and stronger and braver
than their relatives today.
And in the great battles
against the monsters we now remember only in nightmares
they fought by our side
and helped free Mankind from darkness and fear
And that’s why, even today
in the coldest depths of winter
people gather, around the world …
with their family and friends,
to celebrate …
… Super Vole Sunday ;-)
Hope yours is a happy one !
Raven
@handsmile: And she has gotten much better at NOT saying “kind of” and “sort of” constantly like she did when she started appearing. I’m sure they must review their performances and she realized how bad it sounded. She’s really good.
Villago Delenda Est
@dmsilev:
Ah. In a roundabout way, Lando. He has a “keeper” attached to him to do the will of the successors to the Shadows. However, he can put it to sleep for brief periods by overindulging in alcohol…like that’s any challenge for Lando.
So (SPOILER ALERT) he gets drunk, and asks G’Kar to kill him. The keeper wakes up in the middle of the act, and as a result, they’re both at each other’s throats. Quite different from how Lando thought it would be back when he and G’Kar were mortal enemies.
JPL
Raven, Since this is an open thread did you happen to see “Secrets of the Manor House” on PBS? I watched it online today and it’s a historical look at life in the English Estates during the time frame that Downton Abbey was based on.
Suffern ACE
@dr. bloor: You know, he mentioned the high ceilings.
@Belafon (formerly anonevent): I’m thinking “Thank God My Mom Doesn’t Visit Often ACE”
Raven
@JPL: No, we just watched the latest, I’ll check it out. Have you seen Upstairs Downton Abbey?
Brian R.
Introducing the Republican presidential debate, Brian Williams just rattled off the issues at hand, including “a stubborn ten percent unemployment rate.”
What the fuck?
dmsilev
@Villago Delenda Est: No, I know how the TV series played out (and it’s ‘Londo’; wrong SF universe…). I was wondering which of our current GOP luminaries are Shadow puppets. Probably Newt. Romney is more a Vorlon type.
Judas Escargot
Debate’s on.
Love how my cable guide calls it “Fear Factor”.
dmsilev
@Brian R.: I think that’s for Florida specifically, not the country as a whole. He mentioned Cuba as well, and most of the country doesn’t care about that.
jl
@Brian R.: out of data news story come up on the google?
Raven
RONALD REAGAN RONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGANRONALD REAGAN
JPL
@Suffern ACE: It would give you an opportunity to get rid of those items that weren’t absolutely necessary. Also, too, it would be so easy to clean. Pastor Santorium would probably say, if god gave you cramped space, just make the best of it.
dmsilev
And we have our first Reagan mention, not 5 seconds into the first answer.
I’d say take a drink, but let’s be honest; we’re all going to have to be plastered to survive this.
ruemara
@JPL: That was damned interesting. Including the class warfare stuff. What I found fascinating is how much my illicit grade school love of Regency Barbara Cartland romances taught me about the situation. The more you know.
Suffern ACE
@Brian R.: You don’t expect him to actually to know what the unemployment rate is. He’s a very busy guy and it’s not like he has the time to read the news every day.
WereBear (itouch)
@Suffern ACE: As someone in quite a small space myself, let me recommend digitizing everything you possibly can. We eliminated 3 CD cabinets and five bookcases that way.
dmsilev
Newt: “I left the Speakership”. Translation: My caucus stuck three kitchens worth of knives into my back.
Baud
@dmsilev: The GOP strategy is to kill off all Democrats with alcohol poisoning.
Raven
The Professor just said he “achieved conservative values”? Really?
Brian R.
@dmsilev:
Ah, that might make sense.
As opposed to the candidates, who will not make sense.
dmsilev
Mitt Romney, man of the people: “I got my start at the bottom rung of a consulting company”
Villago Delenda Est
@dmsilev:
Oh. Yeah, and thanks to SOMEONE NOT FIXING THE FRACKING EDIT BUTTON I can’t correct the Landos to Londos.
Which one is Shadow controlled? Why can’t it be both? After all, the Shadows are seriously into Social Darwinism, are they not?
Cap'n Swag
OK, I’ve got football on the brain and am looking for the best comparisons for Romney and Gingrich to present or past quarterbacks.
Right now, I think Gingrich is John Elway. He can come back. He can close it out. Even if it’s late in the game, he’s got some magic left (magic in this case being “the white man is being held down by the black guys”).
Meanwhile, Romney is like Rex Grossman. He looks great on paper, has some terrific tools, but deep down, we all know he’s going to fail. He had his chance to win the Big One and he fell flat on his face.
Baud
Brian Williams: Rick and Ron, why don’t you just take the day off.
arguingwithsignposts
Attack Dog Romney!
Cap'n Swag
OK, I’ve got football on the brain and am looking for the best comparisons for Romney and Gingrich to present or past quarterbacks.
Right now, I think Gingrich is John Elway. He can come back. He can close it out. Even if it’s late in the game, he’s got some magic left (magic in this case being “the white man is being held down by the black guys”).
Meanwhile, Romney is like Rex Grossman. He looks great on paper, has some terrific tools, but deep down, we all know he’s going to fail. He had his chance to win the Big One and he fell flat on his face.
Violet
Newt sounds relaxed and confident. The Mittster sounds uptight and desperate–he’s talking too fast.
dmsilev
Basically, Brian Williams is tossing chum into the water and screaming FIght! Fight!
As we speak, ten thousand conservative bloggers are writing angry “Liberal Media Bias” posts.
arguingwithsignposts
ETHICS! FREDDIE MAC! LEADERSHIP! 18 PERCENT! VOTE FOR MEEEE!
Veritas
Mitt comes out swinging!
There’s a high-speed train barreling down the tracks in Newt’s direction while Newt’s bus is stalled on a crossing, and it has ROMNEY on the side.
He’s going to leave this very, very bloodied.
Villago Delenda Est
@Raven:
Was that when he unceremoniously dumped wife #1 or wife #2? Or perhaps when he was fined $300k for ethics violations?
dmsilev
@Baud:
I liked the dig at Ron Paul: “Three out of the four of you won one of the earlier contests.” And one of you that nobody likes.
Raven
“He’s a terrible historian”!
Brian R.
Newt is calling someone else a “terrible historian”?
The guy who never published his dissertation and couldn’t get tenure at West Georgia College?
freelancer
“He may be a good financier, he’s a terrible historian…”
and that’s +1 for freelancer
Raven
@Villago Delenda Est: He wasn’t “fined”. ha fucking ha
Villago Delenda Est
@Baud:
Williams should just get a tub of popcorn, walk over to Rih and Ron, and offer them some. Sit back, enjoy the spectacle.
DCLaw1
Regarding the GOP debate tonight: NEEDS MOAR AUDIENCE BELLOWING
RossInDetroit
@Suffern ACE:
I sincerely hope you needed the edit button to fix that. that’s about 1/3 the size of the rec room I’m sitting in and I couldn’t get my whole life in here, much less in 33% of it.
Judas Escargot
This debate is much more bearable if you imagine Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan up in the balcony, heckling like Statler and Waldorf.
Brian R.
Santorum looks like he acts — his nose is out of joint.
Cap'n Swag
Is Santorum just going to ignore that he lost by 19?
Kirbster
Comcast still has the debate listed as “Fear Factor”. How appropriate.
RossInDetroit
Regarding stereotyping of black women on TV, I’m sure it’s much worse for minorities but TV routinely stereotypes everyone. When you have only 19 out of 30 minutes to get your point across you resort to shorthand for everything. And stereotypes are shorthand for individuals. It’s wrong and it’s bad for us but it may not be intentionally more insulting to black women than to anyone else.
Cap'n Swag
Paul just wants to inject his brand of crazy into the political mainstream. People see right through it.
Suffern ACE
@RossInDetroit: Nope. There’s a bedroom, walk in closet (although its really a short stroll more than a walk), kitchen sink/living room and an actual bathroom (with both a shower and toilet). 4 rooms.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@Raven: He lies, there is no peak wingnut.
Judas Escargot
Holy fuck. Mitt Romney just complained that he wouldnt be paying enough taxes under Newt’s plan.
I am amused.
RossInDetroit
@Suffern ACE:
Holy cow. I’ve seen some really interesting architectural solutions to repurposing small spaces. Ingenious double-duty sliding partitions and such. Usually this is someone getting the most out of a $1/4M, 15′ X 20′ chunk of Mayfair by investing another $100K.
Space is a great luxury for me. There were 8 of us in a 1600 sq ft house growing up. Now a decent sized house with 2 in it feels like a palace.
mantis
I am loving this fucking debate! I’m watching the Town Hall/Hot Air twitter stream, and they’re starting to whine that Brian Williams doesn’t stop Romney and Gringrich from brawling. Stop our candidates from destroying each other, librul media!
Jamey
@Trakker: I luv Pierce, too, just not enough to go over to Bill Simmons’s ESPN vanity clusterfuck. Can one be both a frat-boy douche and pompous? Yes, Bill Simmons can do that!
Joel
Before Esquire hired him, Pierce was writing a column for the sports section of the Boston Globe, so it doesn’t surprise me that (long ago) ex-Boston Herald writer Bill Simmons noticed Pierce’s work and wanted to employ him in that capacity.
RossInDetroit
@Joel:
I’ve read Pierce Esquire articles that were dated 5 years ago and more. And he was in the Politics Blog for the last election.
He’s a treasure and I read all of his politics articles.
burnspbesq
Mark Kleiman wins the Toobz for today.
http://www.samefacts.com/2012/01/uncategorized/expert-opinion/
JWL
Buckner Mountain, still known as Mt. Branca to an earlier generation of fans.