Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

We’re watching the self-immolation of the leading world power on a level unprecedented in human history.

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

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

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

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Republicans do not trust women.

T R E 4 5 O N

Hot air and ill-informed banter

The lights are all blinking red.

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

Just because you believe it, that does not make it true.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Republicans in disarray!

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

This blog will pay for itself.

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Reader Interactions

86Comments

  2. 2.

    Robin G.

    I could watch the RNC tonight, but I’ve decided to go to the fair instead, where I will eat my weight in cheese curds and blow ten bucks playing skee-ball. Livin’ large, people.

  3. 3.

    Alison

    Yeah, I can’t bring myself to watch it, not even the OMGZ LIBERAL MSNBC coverage. Following funny lefty blogger/journalists on Twitter is all I can take, and even that makes me want to cry and/or shove an icepick through my eyeball most of the time.

    Instead tonight I’ll be reading and watching Project Runway. SAVE ME FROM THE HORROR, TIM GUNN.

  4. 4.

    gogol's wife

    As was noted earlier today, it’s Warren William Day on TCM. He’s a million times the actor Clint Eastwood ever was. (Which doesn’t add up to much, but I love Warren William anyway.)

  6. 6.

    Alexandra

    Doug, you haven’t missed anything at all, really… to me, it’s slightly more interesting reading the various wingnuts on some other forums I post on. None of them seem able or interested in making any positive case for Mitt Romney at all. Their hearts don’t seem to be completely in it.

  7. 7.

    Hill Dweller

    I haven’t watched a second of their convention.

    Judging from the ratings, there aren’t many people watching. Ryan’s speech only attracted a little more than half of the audience Caribou Barbie’s speech got in ’08.

  11. 11.

    Violet

    Ha! Just watched NBC Nightly News to see their spin (“Ryan technically factual but by the stuff he left out, he distorted the actual truth”. Just learn to say “He lied”, guys. Ugh.)

    But the real entertaining it was Brian Williams interviewing Ryan, who called Romney “Ripp Nomney”. Hilarious.

  12. 12.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    It seems odd to think it after the Bush years and the delusional, nasty screechings of Princess Dumbass Boreala, but the demagoguery seems particularly unhinged this year, the passion and intensity they’re bringing to such childish talking points.

  17. 17.

    KG

    I’ve caught a bit here and there, listened to some on the way to the gym, and watched the MSNBC wrap up shows… don’t have much interest in watching tonight because, well, COLLEGE FOOTBALL! I’ll probably watch a recap later, just to see what new and impressive lie they’ve come up with.

    I have to admit, the most amazing thing for me is how blatant the lying has been. Sure, I’m a recovering Republican, but I can’t recall past conventions being this blatant. There’s always been a certain amount of “reasonable minds can disagree” but this is just shocking.

  18. 18.

    celticdragonchick

    I usually watch the whole thing. This year, I watched half of Cranky Geezer McCain’s speech and that is that.

    I followed Cole’s example and went to Restaurant Impossible.

  19. 19.

    danimal

    TPM gives us this line from Mitt’s big show:

    “President Obama promised to slow the rise of the oceans and to heal the planet. MY promise…is to help you and your family.”*

    Smart quote from a brilliant politician, especially as the Mississippi Delta is deluged from Isaac. That Mitt, he sure is BOLD, or something.

    Perhaps giving a damn about the planet IS a way to help you and your family. Thought about that at all, Mitt?

  20. 20.

    MattF

    Since you asked, I’ll be reading the third Sandman Slim novel “Aloha From Hell”– which is appropriate for the occasion. This reading, fwiw, is in preparation for the fourth novel “Devil Said Bang” which the postman will be delivering any day now.

  21. 21.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Violet:

    Please please please please pretty please with sugar on top can we call him Ripp Nomney too? Because that would be just the awesomest thing ev.ah.

  22. 22.

    tulip

    US Open for me. I haven’t watched a second of the RNC either.

    Not that I ever really did, but I usually tune in to get my blood pressure to about boiling then I can’t take it anymore and turn the channel or the off button.

  23. 23.

    SatanicPanic

    It’s just a big bummer this year. Romney’s campaign strategy has been to squeeze anything human out of the whole process. I want spectacle and this year’s RNC has about as much spectacle as a trip to Walmart.

  24. 24.

    beltane

    This thread is causing some very strange ads to pop up, mostly having to do with freeze-dried food and emergency supplies. It seems the term “Republican convention” causes Google’s algorithm to pull up ads for apocalypse related products.

    I think I’ll settle in with the GOS liveblog and some cheap wine.

  25. 25.

    Violet

    This seems relevant. MSNBC’s First Read folks interviewed some women at the RNC about Todd Akin. Here’s Penny Young Nance, the President of Concerned Women for America, summing up everything that is wrong with conservative women:

    “[Akin is] pro-life. He believes in a life exception for the mother. He believes that in cases of rape that the rapist should be punished, but he thinks it’s still a baby, and so do I. I have friends… that are products of rape. And I don’t think that at the end of the day an abortion helps a woman that has been raped. I think that it further wounds her. And in addition to the fact that there’s 2-million parents waiting on babies. No one has to keep a baby they don’t want.”

    Some of my best friends are rape babies! And like most conservatives, she pretends to be a trained psychologist, just declaring that an abortion “further wounds” a woman who has been raped. And what’s the big deal about having a rape baby, anyway? You can just give it up for adoption. Problem solved!

    Nowhere in there does the woman who was raped have any agency. The woman’s opinion is irrelevant. She’s a baby vessel and nothing more. The talibangelicals must be stopped.

  26. 26.

    JGabriel

    __
    __
    TPM:

    According to NBC, Romney also ran afoul of her audience when she said of the Puerto Rican delegation, “You people know how to party.”

    Jeepers. Ann Romney just can’t help herself. Anyone who’s not part of her class and race/ethnicity is You People. As in Not Our People, and its cousin, Not Our Kind, Dear.

    Tell me again how Ann humanizes Mitt?

    .

  27. 27.

    Rita R.

    Chuck Todd just now on MSNBC after talking with Romney camp insiders: They’re not concerned with pushing back on all the news stories last night and today about Ryan’s misrepresentations — other than the GM plant closing issue — because they don’t think they’ll pay a price for it since people have such a low opinion of the media. In other words, they believe they can lie with impunity. It’s really kind of breathtaking how they are brazenly and admittedly running a post-truth presidential campaign.

  28. 28.

    PoliticalHack

    Fantasy Football draft tonight. Then, to Netflix for Episode 4 of Season One of Life. Somewhere in there, my own personal political baloney – working on answers to statements made in my Association’s audit.

    You know – important stuff. None of this BS full of GOP lies.

  29. 29.

    artem1s

    NPR was interviewing attendees, asking what they thought Mitt had to say tonight. I was struck at how many of them are not at all enthusiastic about his ability to win them (or anyone) over.

    One would think that delegates could muster up some enthusiasm for the nominee even if they didn’t completely agree with all his policies. But they struck me as a uniformly surly and contrary. I guess that’s what comes of hating anything to do with government all the time.

    they’ve doomed themselves to a lose/lose situation no matter the outcome. bleh!

  32. 32.

    SatanicPanic

    OK, I just read Romney’s speech. I can imagine his droning voice in my head, so do I need to watch it? NOPE. Going to the beach instead.

  33. 33.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @JGabriel: That wasn’t even the worst of it, IMHO:

    “You’d better really look at your future and figure out who’s going to be the guy that’s going to make it better for you and your children, and there is only one answer,” Mrs. Romney said, giving a harsher pitch than we usually hear from the woman who wants to be the next first lady.
    “It really is a message that would resonate well if they could just get past some of their biases that have been there from the Democratic machines that have made us look like we don’t care about this community,” Romney said. “And that is not true. We very much care about you and your families and the opportunities that are there for you and your families.”

    You can of course imagine the outrage if MO or Jill Biden had used that language with Latinas, a group of women farmers, southerners, southwesterners, small businesswomen….

  34. 34.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @JGabriel: That wasn’t even the worst of it, IMHO:

    “You’d better really look at your future and figure out who’s going to be the guy that’s going to make it better for you and your children, and there is only one answer,” Mrs. Romney said, giving a harsher pitch than we usually hear from the woman who wants to be the next first lady.
    “It really is a message that would resonate well if they could just get past some of their biases that have been there from the Democratic machines that have made us look like we don’t care about this community,” Romney said. “And that is not true. We very much care about you and your families and the opportunities that are there for you and your families.”

    You can of course imagine the outrage if MO or Jill Biden had used that language with Latinas, a group of women farmers, southerners, southwesterners, small businesswomen….

  35. 35.

    Rita R.

    @JGabriel:

    I read the AP story, and that’s far from the only condescending, insulting and clueless thing Lady Romney said at that Latino luncheon. And to their credit, AP laid out all her lines without comment, letting readers see it for themselves. Funny thing is, Lady R. believes she’s not only the secret weapon to get women voters, but to get Hispanic voters too.

  36. 36.

    KG

    @Violet: I still can’t believe there is something resembling a national dialog about rape pregnancies. Seriously?

    I get this lady’s position in a “normal” pregnancy (not saying I agree, just that I understand the thinking). But it’s not like the decision is ever easy in the “best” circumstances (from my experience, knowing women who’ve faced the decision, it’s heart wrenching for all involved). To be so glib about it in what would have to be considered the worst of circumstances, it just hurts my brain.

  38. 38.

    Roger Moore

    @danimal:

    Perhaps giving a damn about the planet IS a way to help you and your family. Thought about that at all, Mitt?

    Yeah, I mean people in Florida, where you’re holding the convention, shouldn’t be the tiniest bit worried about sea level rising, should they?

  39. 39.

    TheMightyTrowel

    Posted this on an earlier thread that died, but felt the need to share the love.

    I heard this on the radio this morning and almost drove into a tree i laughed so hard.

    “…Politicians to crime… are like pen1ses to foetuses…”

  40. 40.

    Parrotlover77

    ** BJFL Unofficial (but slightly more official than before) Fantasy Football Update **

    (If a FPer can bump, I’d be appreciative.)

    The H2H league filled up quick, but the points league was about as big of a hit as Ryan’s budget proposal. So, the points league has been converted to H2H and a new H2H league has also been established. All the leagues have the same rules.

    Password: webuiltthis

    Because we built these fantasy football leagues with no government help.

    BJFL Wingnut Welfare League: 721256
    Commissioner: Parrotlover77
    http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/721256

    BJFL Voucher System league: 776865
    Commissioner: Titan1024
    http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/776865

    Come on all you strapping young bucks! Join!

    If we fill up again, we’ll make another league again…

  42. 42.

    Harlan T. Fescue

    As a Romney/Ryan “Freedom Hydra”-level donor, I must act as ambassador for the campaign even into a liberal fascist cess-pool such as this swamp. Accordingly, and if there is anyone in this pit with a shred of morality and an appreciation for fine children’s literature, it is my great pleasure to announce to you, on this most glorious of convention evenings, the world premiere of Mitt “Mitt” Romney’s grand work for children, Of Thee, in the Sense of Many of You Young Persons, I Am Also Capable of Producing Vocal Melody: A bound volume collecting various English-language words that are intended to convey a story to a younger-aged readership, written AND illustrated by Mitt “Mitt” Romney.

    We have elected to bypass the traditional, or “lame-stream” media (so-called I believe for its over-feminization, which has led to an inability to properly urinate), and publish this great work directly on the Inter Web, at http://mittalsocansing.wordpress.com. I invite anyone who still cares about the future of this once-great nation to read this work at your earliest opportunity.

  44. 44.

    KG

    @artem1s: I’m surprised the Dems haven’t started running polls that include Gary Johnson. All it’ll take is a poll or two showing Johnson in the 8-9% range to get a week’s worth of stories that puts Romney in a bind with the base.

  45. 45.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @Roger Moore:

    It doesn’t matter, because the NC Legislature just voted to ignore the sea level rise statistics cause it might make insurance rates go up for people with houses at the beach, so it’s all good. If you ignore it, it will just go away you see?

  46. 46.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    “You’d better really look at your future and figure out who’s going to be the guy that’s going to make it better for you and your children, and there is only one answer,” Mrs. Romney said

    You know, I can’t really disagree with her.

  48. 48.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @beltane:

    It seems the term “Republican convention” causes Google’s algorithm to pull up ads for apocalypse related products.

    Google’s algorithm is no dummy.

  49. 49.

    Miss Mouse

    My fiance is a Republican (although, in his defense, he’s a Republican from Mass, and more liberal than MA’s own Scott Brown) so I watched last night. He was unimpressed with Paul Ryan’s speech- he felt it lacked any passion. He’ll still vote Romney, but that doesn’t really matter in MA.

    It definitely took Ryan some time to warm up, so I’m surprised the media had such positive things to say about his delivery overall. Maybe it was based on the reaction of the crowd that just didn’t translate to the home audience?

    I am glad that generally the media has called out the various lies in the speech. I, of course, provided witty and truthful commentary in the background as the Ryan speech was going on.

  50. 50.

    beltane

    Dear Lord, Newt and Callista are up there speaking. Like we need to be lectured by a serial adulterer and his whore.

  51. 51.

    Dennis SGMM

    One more time, thank every one of you who provided advice and good wishes. I attempted to thank each of you who did so, but I’m reasonably certain that I overlooked someone. So, thank you all. Anyone who says that virtual communities don’t stack up against physical ones is full of it.

  52. 52.

    SatanicPanic

    @beltane: I would have tried, but I think the fact that I have already read the speech clears me of any civic responsibility to slog through his boring delivery and any more joyless pagentry. I got it- things suck. Obama sucks. Romney will save us.

  53. 53.

    Violet

    @pragmatism: I really can’t believe this Reagan hologram stuff is true. I want to pitch my Reagan Hologram Booth idea again for the Dem convention. They could have a sideshow booth with Hologram Reagan saying things that the Republicans now think are soshulist and attendees could take videos with Soshulist Hologram Reagan. It wouldn’t be officially on the program, but social media would guarantee it would be big news.

  57. 57.

    beltane

    @Violet: Oh, yesss. They could show clips of R & R lying followed by hologram Reagan saying “There you go again”. Brilliant.

  59. 59.

    drew42

    Yeah, in past years I couldn’t help but peek in, at least just to see how much I could take, or root for a gaffe. And I remember always thinking about it throughout the week.

    This year, it’s not like I’m making an effort to avoid the convention or anything. It’s just not on my mental radar — I totally forgot about it the last two evenings, even though I was sitting in front of the TV (baseball on Tuesday, DVD on Wednesday).

    My guess is that because I don’t watch TV news anymore, I don’t get hit with the non-stop rush of convention fever.

  60. 60.

    Violet

    @beltane: Get your picture taken with Soshulist Hologram Reagan! Ask Hologram Reagan a question!

    And some Dem SuperPAC needs to come out with a “We always knew you were really a Democrat, Mr. Reagan. Welcome back to the party!” ad. Web-only would be fine. The point is for wingnut heads to explode.

  62. 62.

    Spiffy

    Fantasy football draft tonight and also watching the U.S. Open.

    Both are more entertaining, more informative, and better for my health than watching the GOPers continuing to embarrass themselves in public.

    But I will definitely be checking here throughout the night to hear you guys snark on Romney and his speech.

  64. 64.

    burnspbesq

    George Huguely was sentenced to 23 years in prison for murdering Yeardley Love. He gets credit for the two years he has already spent in custody, and can earn a 15 percent reduction for good behavior, so he could be out in 2030.

    Now the civil suits begin in earnest. And if the NCAA is serious about consistently exercising the authority it used to impose sanctions on the Penn State football program, the Virginia men’s lacrosse program could be in a world of hurt.

    Now wait a sec. Stop laughing, y’all. What is so goddamm funny about the idea that the NCAA might consistently adhere to a principle?

  65. 65.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    Awww… Jeb is telling the President to stop picking on his little brother by blaming him for all of the shit he wrecked and stuck him with.

    Fuck you Jeb, your brother fucked things up. Get over it.

  66. 66.

    Kay

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    It’s such a weird thing to say to women on so many levels. Mrs. Romney seems to think we’re…. I don’t know…marrying the President?

    There’s only one ‘guy’ who will make things better for you and your children?

    It’s bizarre. Why is it so personal? Isn’t it also completely opposite the whole conservative mantra? Weren’t they babbling something yesterday about how they built everything without government?

  67. 67.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Violet:

    Ask Hologram Reagan a question!

    Wasn’t there a Firesign Theater routine something like that? The question which broke the machine was “why does the porridgebird lay its egg in the air?” if I recall correctly.

  68. 68.

    Steeplejack

    @drew42:

    My guess is that because I don’t watch TV news anymore, I don’t get hit with the non-stop rush of convention fever.

    Even TV news is not getting the rush of convention fever. The networks used to do all-evening coverage (I can’t remember how recently), but this week they have been doing only a listless hour at 10:00 EDT. I guess the explanation would be that the cable channels are doing wall-to-wall coverage, but then that sort of undercuts the networks’ position that they’re the big swinging dicks of “broadcast journalism” and everybody else is a semi-pro bush-leaguer.

    I watched more of the convention last night than I have in years–and it wasn’t even the whole hour on CBS–and I was so appalled I don’t think I can go back for more tonight. I am still reeling at the idea that anyone thought Condoleezza Rice gave an “inspiring” or even “good” speech.

  69. 69.

    Rita R.

    @Odie Hugh Manatee:

    Yes, advice from the Bushes on taking responsibility. Remembering, of course, that his brother’s administration and its supporting wingnut welfare universe insistently blamed 9/11, which happened eight months into Bush’s term, on Bill Clinton.

  70. 70.

    Steeplejack

    @raven:

    Congratulations! Our long national nightmare is over. Now, please, no more talk about “unloading your tuna.”

    Question: Do they actually try to make it look like the one you caught, or do they just go for approximate size and shape, or what?

  72. 72.

    jgaugust

    This must be the most unethused token black speaker in RNC history and that is saying something…

  74. 74.

    raven

    @Steeplejack: I sent pictures of it right after it was landed and they did a great job of capturing those colors. They lose a great deal fairly soon after they are put on ice. As far as size/weight, it came in at 120 on the dock but we the crew said we cleaned about 10% before we iced it. The company makes them from actual molds of fish so it’s pretty close. It really is a nicely done memento and I really appreciate how good my bride has been about it. One benefit of having separate living rooms.

  75. 75.

    Spectre

    And now, Matthews completely turns on the teacher’s union, as he endorses Jeb Bush’s “humbleness”.

    Typical authoritarian. He’s now trying to shut down Ed Schultz.

  76. 76.

    Spectre

    What’s this stupid smirk Matthews has on his face as he (seriously) tries to accuse Schultz and Sharpton of being insensitive to poor black kids.

  78. 78.

    Maude

    @Dennis SGMM:
    Keep posting as you go along so people here can help. You need accurate and enough information to make decisions.
    I do think in the long run, this will turn out to be a positive move.

  79. 79.

    Steeplejack

    @raven:

    Great! And thanks for the info.

    It really is a nicely done memento and I really appreciate how good my bride has been about it.

    Aw, that’s sweet.

    One benefit of having separate living rooms.

    Oh. Er . . . Carry on, then.

  81. 81.

    chopper

    i only caught about 5 seconds of the whole thing, when my wife was watching the news and they showed a few seconds of ryan’s speech. i walked out of the room.

    fuck that guy.

  82. 82.

    burnspbesq

    @Steeplejack:

    Dom Starsia, the Wahoos’ head coach, was seemingly the only person in the entire college lacrosse community who didn’t know that Huguely had an alcohol problem and was a violent drunk.

  83. 83.

    redshirt

    I stopped watching the news in 08 and feel considerably improved by the absence. I know what’s going on – hi, Internet! – and don’t need some Talking Hair telling me what I should think. Accordingly, I wouldn’t watch a moment of the RNC unless forced to in some “approved” torture technique. The agony!

  86. 86.

    mclaren

    The 2004 Republican convention did me in. Haven’t been able to watch any conventions since then. That was like a cross between SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and 1984. It was a three-minute hate stretched out to fill, like, four fucking hours.

    Not since the Grand Inquisition have I witnessed so much fanatical hate and mass cult lynch mobbing in a single location as the 2004 Republican convention.

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