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American History and Black History Cannot Be Separated

You cannot shame the shameless.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

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

Nothing worth doing is easy.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Come on, man.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

“I never thought they’d lock HIM up,” sobbed a distraught member of the Lock Her Up Party.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2012 / RNC Open Thread

RNC Open Thread

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Tonight is a major test for our national media. The Republicans are going to go on stage and lie their collective asses off about Welfare, a not so subtle dog whistle pulling from their tradition of talking about welfare queens and big screen televisions and young strapping bucks buying t-bone steaks with food stamps, and I don’t think they are up to the challenge. Do you? I doubt anyone other than Chris Matthews and Rachel Maddow will even notice.

Not to mention, the entire “We Built It” premise is based on utter bullshit. Not only did Obama not say what they are claiming he said, but when they say “We Built It,” they mean private industry, and they are lying. Yes, “We Built It,” but the we is the American people, not a few Galtian overlords:

Despite the fact that the Republican National Convention is held in a stadium that was financed with $86 million in public funds, the theme this year is “We built this!”

The theme is designed to be an affront to President Barack Obama’s supposed claim that those with successful businesses don’t deserve credit. The Romney campaign has dug in with an attack ad that says Obama’s message to business owners is “you didn’t build that,” despite the full context of the quote, which he used in a Virginia speech in July.

“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help,” Obama explained. “There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”

And the theme has been taken to heart by numerous candidates and delegates invited to speak at the convention. Looking at the prepared remarks for Tuesday alone, a number of speakers skipped over ways that their accomplishments had been supported by the government.

They are shameless liars, all of them, and our media is failing us. I don’t have the strength to watch, and instead will sit on the back porch and watch the hummingbirds at the feeder, enjoy my beautiful sunflowers, and wait for the geese to do their nightly migratory fly-by (they fly directly over my house on a SW route every night for about a month and a half this time of year). I’ve got better things to do than raise my blood pressure listening to the same old lies over and over and then listening to Halperin and the rest of the hacks justify them or just display gross indifference. Because, you know, both sides do it.

Reader Interactions

175Comments

  1. 1.

    Chris

    The theme is designed to be an affront to President Barack Obama’s supposed claim that those with successful businesses don’t deserve credit.

    Actually, his only claim was that they don’t deserve SOLE credit.

  2. 2.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    The theme is designed to be an affront to President Barack Obama’s supposed claim that those with successful businesses don’t deserve credit.

    That line there is journalistic malpractice, since Obama didn’t say they “don’t deserve credit,” just that they had help.

    Not much hope for the media spotting actual subtlety when they can’t spot blatant inaccuracy.

  4. 4.

    Chris

    I don’t have the strength to watch, and instead will sit on the back porch and watch the hummingbirds at the feeder, enjoy my beautiful sunflowers, and wait for the geese to do their nightly migratory fly-by (they fly directly over my house on a SW route every night for about a month and a half this time of year).

    I myself am debating whether to watch the new episodes of “White Collar” and “Covert Affairs” tonight, or whether to watch “The Godfather Part III,” which I have at home and have still never seen.

    Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? (I know there’s a rerun at midnight, but probably won’t be up that late).

  5. 5.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    a not so subtle dog whistle pulling from their tradition of talking about welfare queens and big screen televisions and young strapping bucks buying t-bone steaks

    Tweety actually specifically called out Reagan on these. They’ll be baying for his pelt.

    anybody watching MSNBC see the anti-immigration ad featuring the rapping suburban white boy who had to move back home after college because an immigant, to quote Moe Syzlak, took all the jobs.

  6. 6.

    beltane

    When was the last time our media didn’t fail us? They are paid the big bucks to smooth the way for rich right-wingers. They don’t work for us, they work for them. If they “did their jobs” they’d be overworked, underpaid slobs like the rest of us.

  8. 8.

    BGinCHI

    On Maddow last night she pointed out that the GOP is now an 89% white people party. Given their platform, what separates them from being a White Supremacy party?

    Seriously, how far are they from being put on the SPLC list?

    They are going to lie about welfare to white people who make up pretty much their entire party, and who don’t seem to know that they suck up the majority of the public assistance in this country.

  9. 9.

    FuriousPhil

    @beltane:

    You beat me to it. Independent media is dead.

    Anybody who actually wants to know the score has to dig around on the internet. On the one hand, this makes me feel like a cool underground hacker, exposing the truth behind the Matrix. On the other, it makes me shout at my radio and TV way too much.

  10. 10.

    Violet

    Tweety was on a tear today about the racism and lies of the GOP. He had a segment where he outlined the racism of the GOP starting with Reagan and the “strapping young bucks”. It was kind of amazing to listen to (I was only listening, as I was in the kitchen making my banana bread.) He is genuinely upset about it and isn’t shutting up about it.

    I still think the “Republicans in chaos” storyline is much better than the horse race narrative. I think Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow, Soledad O’Brien and a few others are starting to lead the way to show how much of the mess the GOP is.

  11. 11.

    General Stuck

    An even bigger test is if I can make it through watching this clown parade. Janine Turner just ran her fingernails over my personal blackboard, and I’m ready to cut and run away from the circus and join home.

  13. 13.

    Davis X. Machina

    @BGinCHI: This is caused by a failure to distinguish between the deserving poor and undeserving poor. The latter are darker than the former, and generally are better dancers.

  14. 14.

    Paul

    The theme is designed to be an affront to President Barack Obama’s supposed claim that those with successful businesses don’t deserve credit.

    I guess I don’t understand why they keep going with this theme. Other than successful business owners, does any voter really care who gets the credit?

    I can understand the abortion/gay issue for the so called “Christians”. And I can understand promising jobs. And I can understand Medicare.

    But I don’t get the “we built this” theme. Is it really going to change anybody’s vote? And is it really going to make sure die hard Obama haters will go to the polls? Wouldn’t they do that anyway?

  20. 20.

    Davis X. Machina

    @Violet: Tweety’s reverting to an earlier phase. Matthews made his political bones in that era, working for Tip O’Neil. Before he hit the media and became an epic suck-up for the PTB, he was your bog-standard social-justice Catholic boy from Holy Cross….alma mater of Michael Harrington, and one of the Berrigan brothers, if anyone remembers them.

  21. 21.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    Why is the major of Saratoga Springs, Utah, population 26,586 speaking at the Republican National Convention. I know she’s black but that couldn’t be it …

    Edit: Ah, I see, she’s a black person running for a seat in Congress. Carry on, then.

  22. 22.

    BGinCHI

    Every time the GOP accuses Obama of “not accomplishing anything” since he became president, I can’t help but thinking of a spoiled teenager yelling at his/her parents for “never doing anything for me.”

    There are no grownups in the GOP.

  23. 23.

    debbie

    I just caught the end of an NPR interview at the convention with some clown Congresswoman from New York who brought up Obama’s school transcripts as an issue. Does anyone think at any point the Obama campaign will confront this issue head on? I’m really getting sick of hearing about them.

  26. 26.

    Chris

    @Paul:

    The idea is that it’ll anger people who have gotten to where they are (wherever that is) on the strength of their hard work ethic by implying that somehow the government deserves credit for what they did.

    Which is how a lot of the conservative base will take it, but, you know, fuck them.

  27. 27.

    General Stuck

    Speaking of welfare, and he is on the dole from uncle sam, more rather than less, here is a mistermix map of that real reality.

    So the main republican campaign slogan is going to be Obama’s welfare nation, soaking up god fearing true white American hard earned dollars to buy T bones and Mellow Yellow by the gallon, then pile in the welfare caddy for a spin around town. Red State town, that is, in the strange realm of truth.

  28. 28.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Davis X. Machina: He can still be a buffoon, he is sitll prone to man-crushes on some hard righties, like Kasich, but Tweety is one of the rare Villagers who saw the Iraq War for what it was. Most of the people on his X-mas card list think Clinton’s blowjobs were worse than Bush’s war.

  29. 29.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    I’m going to watch the coverage just to see if any of the marbles fall out of Brokaw’s mouth while he’s making excuses for Republicans. I’m easily entertained.

  30. 30.

    BGinCHI

    Michael Steele just told Tweety he was being mean.

    Tweety should point out that what’s at stake is the management of the free world.

    Fucking dolt (Steele). Hey Mike, let’s list your accomplishments…..

  31. 31.

    jp7505a

    What is amazing about watching the repubs is that their heads do not explode given the lies and two faced statements that they make, often in the same speech. From the great govrenor of La Bobby Jindal – ‘Prior to his the calls for more funding, Jindal had previously attacked Obama for excessive federal spending’. It’s bad enough that these cretins make these statements but atleast 46% of the public believes them. You can cut spending and have less for disaster relief or increase spending to meet the needs of the vicitms of a storm.
    You can’t cut spending while increasing it. Oh wait in GOP land, like the red queen, believing 3 impossible things before breakfast is easy.

  32. 32.

    The Dangerman

    @PsiFighter37:

    What’s the drinking game for the evening?

    Have we heard that Obama wasn’t vetted yet? That’s my double fisted shots trigger.

  33. 33.

    Violet

    @Davis X. Machina: I don’t know all that much about Tweety, but his show tonight was something to behold. He’s angry and not keeping quiet about it. Can’t wait to see what he dishes out about the crazy that shows up on the stage at the RNC.

  34. 34.

    Bubblegum Tate

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Tweety actually specifically called out Reagan on these. They’ll be baying for his pelt.

    A wingnut blogger dropped this gem yesterday:

    I have personally emailed Chris Matthews on several occasions asking to come on his show to debate him. He is the biggest racist moron in the country. I despise the man.

  35. 35.

    Fluke bucket

    “We built this” is what Obama was saying. “I built this” is the Randian mantra.

  37. 37.

    Publius39

    @BGinCHI:

    Michael Steele just told Tweety he was being mean.

    Not shocked by it at all. Steele has been doing his best to step and fetch for the GOP ever since Romney came out with that welfare attack ad.

  38. 38.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @BGinCHI:

    I’m laughing at the placement of the ‘not-white delegations’ up at the front of the Republican convention seats and their moving some of the crazy states (luaP noR!) up to the nosebleed sections. States to the rear, islands to the front!

    Welcome to the Grand Illusion!

  41. 41.

    pseudonymous in nc

    Semi on-topic, the asshole CFO of the Ohio mine saying that miners weren’t forced to show up for the mandatory Rmoney photo-op, and that no, they weren’t paid for the day because the managers shut down the mine.

    “We’re talking about an event that was in the best interest of anyone that’s related to the coal industry,” Moore added. “I do not believe that missing an eight-hour day, when you put it into perspective, when you think about how critical—critical this next election is, and how critical it is that we get someone in this office that supports coal—to give up eight hours for a career, I just don’t believe that there is anything negative about that.”

    Shorter: fuck you, plebs.

  42. 42.

    quannlace

    I don’t have the strength to watch, and instead will sit on the back porch and watch the hummingbirds at the feeder,

    I’d be outside too, ‘cept the every-other day rain storms we’ve had this month have brought out the mosquito’s, big time. They’re not big but they’re painful as hell. And it’s not just in the evening. If I’m out in the garden during the day, and not in direct sunlight, they’re on me like buzzards.

  44. 44.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @raven: wow, I figured he wasn’t real popular, I bet the same is true for Schmidt. I wonder how Steele keeps food on his family–addressing the Chamber of Commerce dinners in Springfields across the land?–and why he’s still shilling for Willard in those circumstances

  45. 45.

    BGinCHI

    @raven: Not a bit surprised. I wish he had the sack to turn on them. I’m waiting for Schmidt to unleash on someone.

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: I heard that today and couldn’t believe it. They really are running a Klown Skool.

  46. 46.

    Stooleo

    Drink every time you hear the term “Real American”. As in Mitt Romney is a Real American and Barak Obama is not a Real American. Guaranteed trip to the hospital.

  47. 47.

    Publius39

    OMG, Chuck Todd actually called Peter King out on how extreme the GOP has gotten regarding abortion. Take a shot!

  48. 48.

    jp7505a

    @pseudonymous in nc: and if these white working class guys, along with all of the othe r ‘Reagan democrats’ put R&R in power then they deserve to lose more than a day’s pay. It’s not like the GOP plan is any secret.

    They put the ‘kick me’ sign on and wear it with pride(sigh)

  50. 50.

    Gus

    @Chris: Don’t watch Godfather III. It’s pretty awful. Pacino overacts (again), as does Joe Mantegna, Sofia Coppola is an awful actress, there’s a shoot ’em up scene that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Steven Segal movie. On the other hand, you almost have to finish out the trilogy. Just go into it with very low expectations.

  51. 51.

    Paul

    @debbie:

    I don’t think they should bother. Just like with the birth certificate, it is an issue that just resonates with the racist elements of the GOP. Independent voters in general could care less about the birth certificate or the school transcript. Instead, they want jobs and secured medicare.

    But it is rather fascinating that in 2012 how many open racists there are in the GOP who aren’t even ashamed of it.

  52. 52.

    Alison

    @Chris: Eh, Godfather III…I mean, I can see wanting to finish out the trilogy but that film was a serious letdown for me at least, after the first two.

    Of course, I’d watch it a hundred times rather than spend two minutes watching the damn convention.

    (ETA: LOL semi-jinx, Gus :P)

  53. 53.

    Jennifer

    As I heard Kelly what’s-her-name from New Hampshire announce all the GOP governors speaking tonight, I had to wonder how they titled it in the program.

    My suggestion: Cavalcade of Douchebags.

  54. 54.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    @BGinCHI:

    Fucking dolt (Steele). Hey Mike, let’s list your accomplishments…..

    1) He made a boatload money off of the GOP just by being a poor man’s Alan Keyes.
    2) His misuse of hip hop slang made Vanilla Ice look gangsta.

  55. 55.

    folsom ca

    @pseudonymous in nc: I saw a response on wonkette, something about I hope they had umbrellas, and were dancing chim chim cheree, to Mary Poppins, obviously not a quote, but the miner folks were not amused. Something about a captive audience. I am watching Gordon Ramsey on demand, at least he is honest.

  56. 56.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    I can’t watch, either, and as a political junkie, that’s a big deal. But I remember the one from ’08 — the 9/11 pr0n vid they gleefully ran, and then – that one, the snowbilly queen. Her speech so horrified me that I all but crawled inside a bottle of wine to seek relief (which was no fun the next morning, le’me tell ya). And this gang is prepared to make her seem like a class act in comparison. Never again, and all that. Besides, I’m sure I can soak up plenty of the horror from this year’s fail parade via comment-thread osmosis right here.

  59. 59.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Apparently the President of the United States for the past four years has not run anything “even like a lemonade stand” according to the GOP the United States government is lesser than a lemonade stand. This is a winning message how?

  60. 60.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @raven: Well, he tried. Kasich, if I’m not mistaken, is a lifelong gov’t employee but for a five year, extremely lucrative stint on Wall Street, whence he got out just in time?

  61. 61.

    BGinCHI

    Kasich speaking now.

    If I unmute it I’ll have to kill myself.

    I bet Kay is throwing her worst china at the wall. Go Kay!

  62. 62.

    hep kitty

    I’m watching. Sen. Kelly Ayote just said President Obama hasn’t run a lemonade stand.

  63. 63.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    I’m in the garage listening to the TV and John Kasich started speaking. It’s the perfect time to go warm up the motorcycle for a ride.

    It sounds soooooo much better and the best part is that it can’t lie to me.

  65. 65.

    BGinCHI

    Kasich speaking now.

    If I unmute it I’ll have to kill myself.

    I bet Kay is throwing her worst china at the wall. Go Kay!

  69. 69.

    BGinCHI

    Kasich speaking now.

    If I unmute it I’ll have to kill myself.

    I bet Kay is throwing her worst china at the wall. Go Kay!

  72. 72.

    raven

    Here’s some fun:
    “NEW YORK — The much-anticipated firsthand account of the Navy SEALs raid that killed Osama bin Laden reveals the terrorist leader was unarmed and was already dead with a bullet to the brain when the SEALs entered his bedroom in the compound at Abbottabad, Pakistan. “

  76. 76.

    raven

    Here’s some fun:
    “NEW YORK — The much-anticipated firsthand account of the Navy SEALs raid that killed Osama bin Laden reveals the terrorist leader was unarmed and was already dead with a bullet to the brain when the SEALs entered his bedroom in the compound at Abbottabad, Pakistan. “

  79. 79.

    Ksmiami

    Is it just me or does the whole rnc convention seem off? Or just full of angry white crazy ppl?

  81. 81.

    Anne Laurie

    @Ksmiami:

    does the whole rnc convention seem off? Or just full of angry white crazy ppl?

    You see ‘angry white crazy ppl’; the RNC Griftmasters see ‘Our Base’.

  82. 82.

    Publius39

    I don’t believe that Kasich realizes that he just acknowledged that Obama has actually helped the economy, thereby under-cutting Romney’s whole argument that the president is making the economy worse.

  84. 84.

    Tonal Crow

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    Apparently the President of the United States for the past four years has not run anything “even like a lemonade stand” according to the GOP the United States government is lesser than a lemonade stand. This is a winning message how?

    I also love their slogan “We can do better”. Jesus H. Kee-rist don’t they know how many times a day the boss says that at a staff meeting?

    Republicans have been devouring their own propaganda for so long that they’ve begun to forget to how to make propaganda that appeals to swing voters.

    —
    Tag: Yes we can do better than Mitt Romney!

  85. 85.

    Ann Rynd

    @Ksmiami:
    Crazy and obese, and flush-faced from too many cocktails and cigarettes. Broken facial blood vessels everywhere. In HD.

  86. 86.

    Mike Dixon

    The fucking shit of this whole “build it” thing isn’t that every single successful job creator got ‘help’ from the government in the form of loans or subsidies or payoffs or bailouts. It’s that you CAN’T AVOID USING PUBLIC ASSETS WHEN YOU CONDUCT BUSINESS! Roads and sidewalks to bring materials and customers to your place of business, the FDIC to stop your bank from losing your money, laws that keep your utility companies from ripping you off, the FBI stopping hackers from stealing your and your customers credit card numbers. Just because you didn’t get an SBA loan, doesn’t mean you don’t use this stuff. And really, as two distinct classes, business owners and rich people benefit more from all of this publicly created infrastructure than the plebes anyway. It was built for them, you’re welcome, and thanks.

  87. 87.

    Rita R.

    I wonder how Mormon Bishop Mitt Romney squares his supposed profound religious beliefs with the welfare lie and the “we built it lie,” among the other falsehoods about President Obama that he’s built his campaign on. You’d think that pesky instruction from the Ten Commandments to not bear false witness against your neighbor might present a little bit of a problem to moral Mitt.

  91. 91.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    @J.D. Rhoades:

    WordPress rightly multiplied your censure of this movie. Vito Corleone surely rolled over in this grave the week Part III was released. I thought Pacino was done after this train wreck but fortunately Donnie Brasco proved that was not the case.

  92. 92.

    Thoughtcrime

    Journey will close tonight’s show by performing “We Bilked This Country (On Cock and Bull)”

  93. 93.

    Thoughtcrime

    Since I’m not watching this, I have to ask:

    This year, has the GOP opted to wear brown shirts or white sheets?

  94. 94.

    Stuck In 60s

    I myself am debating whether to watch the new episodes of “White Collar” and “Covert Affairs” tonight, or whether to watch “The Godfather Part III,” which I have at home and have still never seen.

    White Collar: Peter and Neal match wits with a robotic businessman who cheats on his taxes and steals old people’s health care.

    Covert Affairs: Annie tries to stop crazed neoconservative intellectuals who attempt to start a war with Iran.

    Godfather: Ruthless psychopaths engage in needless violence while pretending to be upstanding members of church and society.

    Or you can watch the GOP convention, which combines elements of all three, with less coherence.

  97. 97.

    Ksmiami

    Look. I’m rich and white but the rnc and the party is a confederacy of dunces without a clue as to function in a complex global society. These people need to be as far away from running anything as possible… And they are mean and ugly and the disrespect they’ve shown Obama from the outset is a hideous indictment of them all and of a brain dead courtesan media. We need to defeat them hard

  98. 98.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    Either Bob McDonnell is an empty suit or a satirical character played by the late Phil Hartman.

  100. 100.

    Old Dan and Little Ann

    Scott Walker up now. The fucking red backdrop these assholes are speaking in front of is a nice representation of the hell where I hope they all go. It’s the same blood red color that came spilling out of the elevator in The Shining.

  102. 102.

    The Other Chuck

    “Personal property is the effect of society; and it is as impossible for an individual to acquire personal property without the aid of society, as it is for him to make land originally.
    __
    Separate an individual from society, and give him an island or a continent to possess, and he cannot acquire personal property. He cannot be rich. So inseparably are the means connected with the end, in all cases, that where the former do not exist, the latter cannot be obtained. All accumulation, therefore, of personal property, beyond what a man’s own hands produce, is derived to him by living in society; and he owes on every principle of justice, of gratitude, and of civilisation, a part of that accumulation back again to society from whence the whole came.”

    Thomas Paine, saying “No motherfuckers, you didn’t build that.”

  103. 103.

    Ms. D. Ranged in AZ (formerly IrishGirl)

    I would be sitting on my back porch except it is still 3,000 effin degrees here in AZ and I have a western facing porch. Things won’t get bearable until Nov or Dec and it will only last until maybe March. Then we are back to too hot for my pale white ass. I hate this place.

  104. 104.

    Ben Franklin

    @Cap’n Magic:


    Even ol’ crazy Ron Paul is supporting Bradley Manning

    I hope you see this as good news. Otherwise, it’s not necessary to suck on every Authoritarian’s kneecaps.

    Paul then went on to defend WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The article states that the Congressman was “chastising the government of Sweden for truckling to alleged American demands that the Aussie be extradited to the U.S. for prosecutions”.@Cap’n Magic:

  105. 105.

    JGabriel

    __
    __
    Question: Was Janine Turner always evil?

    “Mitt Romney will preserve this exceptional american legacy,” [Janine] Turner said. “Barack Obama will destroy it. Obama is stifling the American Dream, primarily because it is not his dream.”
    __
    Turner went on: “His dream is not of an independent people. His dream is of a dependent people, based on the principles of antiquated government.”

    .

  106. 106.

    jp7505a

    @raven: Why should we believe anything this guy says, any more than we believe the various swiftboat groups – 2004 version and 2012 version. He’s out to make a buck and there is little value in saying anything nice about Obama. On the other hand throwing red meat to the right will make it a best seller

  107. 107.

    Steeplejack

    @Chris:

    White Collar. It has been really good since the latter part of last season. I’ve got a couple of episodes in the DVR queue that I need to get around to watching.

    Trust me, Godfather III can wait. Ngrr!

  108. 108.

    cthulhu

    It would be brilliant for the Dems to have a 5-10 minute, ultra-patriotic montage of all the things the US taxpayers have built at their conventions. And use the same term “We built this!”

  109. 109.

    Steeplejack

    Off topic, but This is kind of cool:

    I’m using that countdown timer that someone on here recommended last week, and when I clicked on my list of open tabs in Firefox the one-line description for its tab shows the actual timer in action–you know, timing! Cool.

    Now to see if it beeps or buzzes or whatever when it’s not the active tab and/or Firefox is not the active app.

    [. . .] And it did. Off to remove my frosty cold beer from the freezer.

  113. 113.

    PurpleGirl

    @JGabriel: Apparently she’s been conservative for a long time. When she was on Northern Exposure I didn’t look into her politics. But she’s gone crazy now.

    ETA: She’s also gone platinum blond and it looks terrible. Maybe it’s the hair dye soaking into her brain.

  114. 114.

    Jamey

    Reince Priebus said that Obama hasn’t managed so much as a lemonade stand. Looking at the crowd at the GOP convention, it looks like Priebus is presiding over the world’s biggest Lemon Party…

  115. 115.

    Triassic Sands

    They are shameless liars, all of them, and our media is failing have failed us.

    Anyone who thinks there is a chance, even a small one, that the MSM will ever again serve the needs of a democratic republic, as opposed to the needs of the wealthy and corporations, is an extreme optimist and probably in for still more disappointment.

    There are tens of millions of Americans who deserve better, but when you count all the wingers, the ignorant undecideds, and all the people who don’t participate at all, it is probably fair to say that a majority of voting age Americans are getting more or less what they deserve. Sad, very, very sad.

  117. 117.

    Rita R.

    Oh no… Rick Santorum is talking about his grandfather’s dead hands again. He’s just creepy.

  118. 118.

    Heliopause

    Hey John, did you hear that Cardinal Dolan will be praying at the Dem convention?

    @Chris:

    Godfather III is flawed but the flaws are generally overblown by critics of the movie. It’s definitely far more worthy of your time than any stupidass TV show or the babbling morons at the RNC.

  119. 119.

    bottyguy

    As alternate entertainment I suggest “Bernie” with Jack Black, Shirley MacClain, Matthew McConaughey. A very good movie, Jack Black is terrific.

  120. 120.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    What is it with the republicans and their “special” flag pins?

    ETA: Isn’t the regular American Flag good enough for them?

  122. 122.

    Elizabelle

    Santorum’s as much into hands as Dick Morris is into feet.

    Who knew?

    What an ugly speech.

  124. 124.

    cthulhu

    @BillinGlendaleCA: I am not watching the convention directly (reading live blog feeds) but they do have a specific plank about American Exceptionalism (It’s totally on the money!) so maybe that has something to do with it.

  126. 126.

    Elizabelle

    Did Santorum ever mention his parents who were career government employees?

    I heard about the coalmining grandfather.

    And his hands. Gnarly strong hands.

    Now he’s talking about Bella’s little hands. They were different. blah blah blah

  127. 127.

    Robin G.

    @Jamey: He hasn’t managed so much as a lemonade stand. He’s only managed the United States for the last three-and-a-half years. WAY easier.

    Seriously, these people…

  128. 128.

    hep kitty

    Oh Santorum looking into the camera, fake tearing-up, clenching his little church lady lip, pleeez! That’s one for the vaults.

  129. 129.

    Robin G.

    @Shawn in ShowMe:

    WordPress rightly multiplied your censure of this movie. Vito Corleone surely rolled over in this grave the week Part III was released. I thought Pacino was done after this train wreck but fortunately Donnie Brasco proved that was not the case.

    I totally read Dante Basco. I’ve been watching too much Avatar.

  131. 131.

    Robin G.

    Given all the God getting thrown around here, if Romney doesn’t burst into I Believe during his speech I’m going to call shenanigans.

  132. 132.

    T_Malone

    If you are looking for something fun to watch online might suggest the series from Australia called “Underbelly”. It follows Aussie criminal organizations and the corruption with a police force. It has violence, sex, criminals, swearing, loads of nudity for the guys and gals and funny accents. Definitely fun!

  136. 136.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @hep kitty:

    Oh Santorum looking into the camera, fake tearing-up, clenching his little church lady lip, pleeez! That’s one for the vaults.

    The husky emotional whispering was magnificent. You could almost close your eyes and imagine he wasn’t faking it.

  138. 138.

    MikeJ

    @Heliopause:

    Godfather III is flawed but the flaws are generally overblown by critics of the movie. It’s definitely far more worthy of your time than any stupidass TV show or the babbling morons at the RNC.

    Very, very true. It’s not the slice of genius that the first two were, but the fastest way to make people think you’re a discriminating cinéphile is to slam G3.

  139. 139.

    Bob h

    Thought you and ABL were going to Tampa. I got some DVDs and books out of library to tide me over for a few days. Can’t watch either.

  140. 140.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Spectre:

    And…Matthews completely drops the ball on the welfare thing.

    He prolly got an ass reaming for the Morning Joke tirade.

  141. 141.

    MikeJ

    @Bob h: They’re going to the DNC. Betty Cracker said she might be stopping by the RNC though. Anyone hear from her?

  144. 144.

    Concerned Citizen

    I’m with you Cole. I won’t watch a minute of it. I was hanging with the Republican family and in-laws this weekend and it sucked the life out of me.

    I have at least gotten to the point where I don’t try to explain all the policy shit. I just repeat (ad nauseum) that Mitt Romney is a rich asshole.

    I hope it works.

  146. 146.

    Shawn in ShowMe

    @MikeJ:

    Very, very true. It’s not the slice of genius that the first two were, but the fastest way to make people think you’re a discriminating cinéphile is to slam G3.

    Come now, this isn’t the slight dropoff from Empire Strikes Back to Return of the Jedi. This is more like the dropoff between 2001: A Space Odyssey and 2010. Above average movie but we didn’t wait 18 years for above average.

  149. 149.

    Ed Drone

    Drinking game: If you take a drink every time one of these twits cites MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech (today’s the anniversary of same) — you’ll go to bed stone cold sober.

    Ed

  151. 151.

    Spectre

    Nikki Haley: “blah blah break the unions blah blah southern drawl break the unions blah blah voter ids”

  152. 152.

    Nina

    A CNN camerawoman was pelted with nuts by one of the delegates who said “this is how we feed animals”. One guess what her skin colour is.

  155. 155.

    cckids

    @debbie:

    who brought up Obama’s school transcripts as an issue. Does anyone think at any point the Obama campaign will confront this issue head on? I’m really getting sick of hearing about them.

    Why in Christ’s sweet name should he. This is the reason he didn’t want to release his “long form” BC; nothing will EVER be enough for these troglodytes. If he does release his transcripts, next they’ll want his financial aid forms, then term papers or WHATEVER crap they shit out next. They don’t believe he should be president. Three guesses why.

  156. 156.

    sacrablue

    I can’t watch the proceedings. Can some one tell me if all of the speakers are delivering their garbage without the use of teleprompters?

  158. 158.

    PurpleGirl

    @sacrablue: AR is speaking right now, in the minute or so I had it on I didn’t see a teleprompter. (However there is a photo of Reince Priebus speaking at something and he had two teleprompters, they do have them available.)

  160. 160.

    LanceThruster

    FU Ann R-Money. You blather on about how hard things are for people and how they’re barely scraping by. Yet the MOTU job creators are waiting and waiting to see what their tax rates are before actually creating any jobs. Tragically, the people desperately in need of gainful employment don’t have the same luxury to see what’s around the bend.

    Trickle down has always been pie in the sky (like your dogma from Joseph Myth). You people only seem to want to toss a few crumbs from the table after you’re fully engorged from wallowing in your crapulence.

    Your character (or lack thereof) reminds me of Mr. Creosote with the same reaction…

    Get me a bucket!

  162. 162.

    McAli

    Sweet Christ, Er Christie, is on.” I’m a Jersey Republican, blah blah blah.” Every Irish or Italian American should pelt that fat Bastard with the cheese of their country for reminding us he’s Irish Italian American.

  164. 164.

    Chris

    Since FYWP didn’t post my first attempt –

    @Gus:
    @Alison:
    @Steeplejack:

    Thanks for all the advice, but as my bike blew a tire and I didn’t get back until White Collar was over, Godfather III it was. I’m expecting to be at least a little disappointed because 1) everyone says so and 2) I know from Cracked.com what the movie was supposed to be before Robert Duvall quit and I’m sorry I won’t get to see it.

    Besides, I’ve been known to disagree with the consensus on movies before.

  165. 165.

    Chris

    @Shawn in ShowMe:

    Come now, this isn’t the slight dropoff from Empire Strikes Back to Return of the Jedi. This is more like the dropoff between 2001: A Space Odyssey and 2010. Above average movie but we didn’t wait 18 years for above average.

    Ah, someone who appreciates Return of the Jedi! Speaking of fashionable movie opinions, I’m surprised how many people hate that one. It gets almost as much crap as the prequels. Not at all deservedly, IMHO.

  166. 166.

    pragmatism

    My father in law is in town. He tried to concern troll my wife and I for a while, got in a “pox on both houses” but then applauded after AR’s speech as he couldnt help himself We watched it on CBS and bob Schieffer may have jizzed in his pants.

  167. 167.

    dance around in your bones

    @T_Malone:

    If you are looking for something fun to watch online might suggest the series from Australia called “Underbelly”. It follows Aussie criminal organizations and the corruption with a police force. It has violence, sex, criminals, swearing, loads of nudity for the guys and gals and funny accents. Definitely fun!

    I totally agree with this – got completely addicted to Underbelly when we chanced upon it on Mexican cable TV….look it up!

  168. 168.

    Mnemosyne

    @Gus:

    I’m still convinced that Coppola cast Sofia in the part because she was the same size as Winona Ryder (who had abruptly quit due to illness) and would fit all of the costumes.

    As an actress, she makes a great writer/director. She’s clearly much happier behind the camera.

  169. 169.

    Jamey

    @Robin G.: Don’t I know it. He’s been a teacher, lawyer, community organizer, state senator, US senator, and president. My question always has been, if the GOP think that elected office isn’t real work or a worthy profession, then why the f**k do they try so hard to get those jobs?

  170. 170.

    Steeplejack

    @Shawn in ShowMe:

    Hell, Pacino got back on track before that. He was great in Carlito’s Way (1993), a tight little movie (with a great soundtrack!). And Heat was in 1995.

  172. 172.

    cosima

    Since this is an open thread ——-

    I’ve tried two searches of the site, “doctoral” and “thesis” and not come up with the post I was looking for.

    Remember when DougJ (at least I think it was him) rained hellfire down on the witch employed by an educational journal who was talking smack about thesis subjects, was wondering WTF someone would bother to write about the adverse effects of the housing crash on blacks?

    She was a bitch and she got fired, so very happy ending.

    Can someone help me out with a link to that? I’m doing a research paper and want to know the name of the publication that she was working for at the time she wrote that drivel.

  175. 175.

    rachel

    At the RNC in Tampa

    The light sprinkling of dark faces in the crowd;
    Pepper on mashed potatoes.

    -with apologies to Ezra Pound

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