How are you all dealing with the post-Clinton afterglow?
Open thread
“No President—not me or any of my predecessors could have repaired all the damage in just four years. But conditions are improving.” –President Bill Clinton, who presided over the second longest economic growth period in US history, talking about the damage that the Republicans did.
My favorite tweet so far, from Alex Burns of Politico:
Least useful press release of the night: “Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by President Bill Clinton”
Jennifer Rubin has a sad, republican strategist Alex Castellanos declared that the convention can end now because Clinton just got Obama re-elected, and the twitter cons’ collective tears and rich, sweet, and filling bathtubs. Oh, and Andrew Breitbart is still dead.
? Martin
Man, really want them to set the stadium back up for tomorrow.
Elizabelle
Kansas just named the Koch Brothers as something they’re against.
Nothing the matter with these Kansans tonight.
suzanne
This whole convention is really arousing. I wonder how the media will spin this.
the Conster
Holy fucking shit.
Tom Levenson
Bakers 100 proof sippin’ bourbon. Having a fine time. Big Dawg brings it and the bad guys got nuthin.
AndoChronic
Best ever!
Egilsson
The Big Dawg lowered the boom on the republicans. Obviously I’m biased, but that was a brilliantly effective speech that has seeds for themes to use the rest of the way.
Arithmetic wins! Great slogan.
lamh35
I’m telling ya’ll, I bet there was no plan for the POTUS to be there, but I bet they realized Clinton would be longer than the national nets would allow, so it was leaked that POTUS would show up so that the nets would cover the whole speech so they get the shot of POTUS and Clinton together. And guess what, after PBO arrived, and the hug that will be on the front pages of every newspaper, the nets left coverage.
The Obama camp are pros
Mary G
What happened to Cole?
rammalamadingdong
Best I ever had
mai naem
We know why he got two terms
Tom Levenson
Up at TPM right now:
“
the Conster
Is there anything he missed? I can’t think of another thing he could have mentioned, or a better way to say it. Damn, motherfucking damn!
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
The Big Dawg still got it.
jayjaybear
I love Obama and my vote was never in question, but if I could vote for the Big Dawg again, I’d knock over old ladies to get into that booth.
Old NUNS!
Cacti
He did a great job making Romney sound like a vacuous twit who will say anything.
But the way he took “wonky ideas-man” Paul Ryan to the woodshed was a fecking masterpiece.
mark
this moderators hair,
it has me mesmerized!
its shining silver, not a spec of grey
so strange yet somehow amazing.
who is she??
Soldier Boy
The first thing I noticed is that the house was jumping. Every seat filled, all kinds of people, and everyone fired up. Contrast with the RNC convention floor: at any given time, half the seats empty, no one in the stands off the floor, nothing but wall-to-wall old white folks, and nowhere near as energetic. I even saw a couple of brightly turbaned Sikhs in the DNC crowd. Didn’t see that in Tampa.
Elizabelle
Here’s NYTimes transcript of the Big Dog’s speech.
lamh35
@lamh35: oh and even Fox News has to show the whole speech and Faux News voters were actually exposed to the truth and sure enough soon as POTUS showed up they went to trashing the speech.
Also, I suspect that the Romney camps strategy of hitting Obama by complimenting Clinton or comparing him to Clinton is done after tonight.
taylormattd
Ima go take a cold shower.
ruemara
The Clinton quotes are flying around the facebooks. 20-something wonks are FIRED UP.
SatanicPanic
Bill Clinton was masterly. And you know he loved being out there. Must suck to be the Republicans having to hide their previous president in the attic
SarahT
“How are you all dealing with the post-Clinton afterglow?”
Reading Balloon Juice, of course !
Elizabelle
@mark:
She’s Alice Germond, and yes, she is married to Jack Germond, the journalist.
She’s lovely, isn’t she, and she is enjoying every moment of the roll call.
CaseyL
@jayjaybear:
Ditto, with sugar on it.
I love the Big Dawg. There were times during his Presidency he pissed me off, but I love him and always will.
MikeJ
@Soldier Boy:
And what kind of bloggers show up late when Big Dog is speaking? Every campaign I’ve worked on, on days the candidate is coming in, you get there early, because the Secret Service don’t fuck around. Get there before they do. They weren’t happy with my backpack stashed overnight under the desk until they opened it and found it full of beer.
ChrisNYC
From TPM
“This convention is done. This will be the moment that probably re-elected Barack Obama.” – Top Republican strategist and CNN yacker Alex Castellanos just after Clinton’s speech.
I want a landslide. I want a mandate.
Tractarian
@the Conster:
And I can’t think of a better way to describe what I just heard.
Okay, that might be better.
Smiling Mortician
OK, stupid question: why are the delegations announcing fewer votes than the secretary says they have? They’re consistently saying that they proudly cast “all” whatever-number votes but the big screen (and the secretary) say they have anywhere from 1 to 10 more than they’re casting . . .
MikeJ
That’s new. Usually the home state casts the over the top vote. Ohio gets the honor this time.
Elizabelle
“And Ohio, in spite of Mitt Romney’s efforts, the home of the Chevy Volt and the [Cruise]? and … 226,000 jobs.”
Mississippi passed so Ohio could put Obama over the top.
freemark
The Big Dawg ate the Republican’s lunch, dinner, and late night snack.
Geeno
I was in the Crack-Van at First Draft, and someone asked, “Has Clinton always been this awesome?”, and like five of us responded simultaneously “Yes, Clinton has always been this awesome.”
He was lovin’ the room, and the room was lovin’ him. I like it when he reminds everyone why they call him the Big Dog.
suzanne
@SatanicPanic:
Do they make him sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, or does he really just hate political life soooooo much that he’s never leaving Crawford, Texas, ever again?
jl
Just utterly weird how the GOP decided to bald face lie about a couple of Clinton’s key accomplishments, which would piss him off, then try to claim him, which would piss him off even more, and then Romney goofus picks it up, which had to enrage Clinton.
And do it right up to a few hours before his speech.
The GOP is desperate and out of their minds, just trying anything to get some traction even when the odds of it blowing up their faces is like 99 percent.
No way Biden or Obama can match the Clinton style in their speeches. I’m sure both are smart enough not to try, but to make theirs as memorable in their own ways. Do hope Biden keeps hammering on the GOP lies tomorrow. Repetition works.
If Biden can just summarize a few more issues, and debunk a few more lies in a memorable turn of phrase that media celebs can roll off, it will be good enough.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Tom Levenson: @ChrisNYC: Wow, one of the dirtiest, most ruthless fucks on their side. He’s probably thinking, “even racism won’t cut it anymore… I wonder if Sterling Cooper is hiring…”
Geeno
the general consensus in the crack van was that he not only took the chair to Romney/Ryan, he beat them with whole Ikea catalog.
Suffern Ace
For the folks watching football, they should just have Biden replay Clinton’s speech tomorrow night.
dance around in your bones
@SatanicPanic:
Shit – I think they have him in the gimp box – but nobody wants to ‘bring out the gimp’!
eric
Allow me to translate the Big Dog for you: “Barack, you will campaign for Hillary, won’t you?” ;)
shoutingattherain
The Big Dog’s almost 70. Half the weight, all his marbles. The sonofabitch can realllly bring it.
Culture of Truth
I called Clinton’s speech earlier. Clearly, persuasively, explaining why you MUST vote for Obama and the Democrats.
jl
Looking forward to the follow-ups tomorrow.
Can’t top Clinton at his own game. But I hope for memorable slogans, catch phrases and tropes from Clinton, Biden and Obama.
Biden needs to keep hammering on the GOP lies.
MikeJ
@SatanicPanic:
I talked to a wingnut and noticed that Clinton mentioned Bush more often than the Republicans did all week. Was told that was pure mean spirited partisanship. :D
suzanne
@jl: I think Joey B. has his own charms. He’s definitely the funniest of the main speakers, and can deploy that in concert with his empathy. He comes across as very sincere, and I think he’s gonna be great.
Dude. This convention has been stellar.
Violet
Love the Big Dog. LOVE HIM. That was a barn burner. Thing of beauty.
Mary G
@ChrisNYC: YES! 49 states! I know it won’t happen, but we could dream.
O has his organization going, too. I got an email today from the campaign guy in Las Vegas saying that MittBot has wall-to-wall TV ads going in Nevada and could I come over from CA (where we are lucky to be seeing no ads so far, or at least what little TV I watch) and knock on some doors. I wish I could.
spiffy
@MikeJ:
And did you ask him why all the Republicans are ashamed of Bush now and throw him under the bus?
Emma
@eric: So? They both get something out of it… and the country gets two good presidents. That’s called politics, bud.
ellie
@Elizabelle: And the Jeep, which is made in Toledo.
hhex65
@Smiling Mortician: maybe some superdelegates go up with their home state?
Jay C
Splendid, splendid, splendid! The Big Dog- in his inimitable style – stabs, guts, skins and tans the GOP campaign – at length, in detail, and on primetime TV: and the most beautiful part is that, since Bill did his number on them on policy grounds, there really isn’t much of a comeback. Well, not one that isn’t going to sound either lame, whiny, defensive or deflective. Or some combination thereof.
They can always try for mileage out of the BS “God and Israel” flap, but who’s going to care?
Louise
I needed one cig after the Big Dawg’s triumph, and another reading the comment thread for it. And I don’t smoke. Love you all.
Oh, and as a bonus? David Brooks looked and sounded like someone killed his puppy.
Matt B
@Smiling Mortician:
I think that reflects the fact that there are a few delegates pledged to other people. (Randall Terry won some delegates, strangely enough.)
Robin G.
I feel like Theoden King just called me forth to defend Helm’s Deep. “Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the end of Mitt Romney!”
sfinny
This is weird, the MSNBC channel froze and is now unavailable. So are several others, but I can get Letterman. Tried to get A Fish Called Wanda on some cable channel but it also doesn’t work. Darn it that is a funny movie.
jl
@suzanne: Just need some catchy easy to remember easy to understand debunks and capsule arguments, and slogans from the three speeches. That will be more than good enough after this gem of a speech.
Donut
@lamh35:
They are fucking masterful. POTUS is going to be on fire tomorrow. Speech writing team and Barack will be up late, too, incorporating some of the best bits laid out by the Clenis.
All I can say is, this convention has reminded me many times why I’m a democrat and a Democrat, and I’m proud of the way we are representing ourselves. So good to have Democrats making an offensive push and not backing down on anything. Long overdue.
The Dangerman
Paul Ryan has just issued a press release claiming that they ARE, indeed, brass.
Brass: the word/line of the night.
danimal
That was the nastiest piece of political vivisection I’ve ever seen. And all said with a smile and an “aw shucks” grin.
Masterful.
Spaghetti Lee
Bill mothafuckin’ Clinton. The one and only.
MikeJ
@spiffy: Grepping Bush from last week’s RNC speeches:
matches: 11 files: 3
Brian Sandoval 1
Condoleezza Rice 1
Jeb Bush 9
Note that most are from Jeb, not checking to see how many are talking about Jeb! instead of dimwit.
Culture of Truth
@sfinny: Michelle Obama is on Letterman
Mary G
Unfortunately, if you look on memeorandum now almost the entire page is about the platform “debacle” and then that Monica Lewinsky’s rabbi is giving the closing prayer. Scandalous!
Speech, you say? What speech? I didn’t hear any speech.
ChrisNYC
@Mary G: I want them to spend the rest of the time on “two visions.” Be great if they had some room to push past 50 plus one and move on to what’s underneath and say, “You wanted this fight. Well, you got it and you lost.”
jl
@Jay C: How can the GOP complain now, if Obama acts more like that sweet amiable cuddly ol’ dawg Bill? Weren’t the GOP saying Bill was just a peach earlier today?
I hope Obama starts emulating Bill’s bipartisanship tomorrow night.
spiffy
@MikeJ:
Good work on the numbers, I actually thought it was less than that.
It is kind of sad at how they pretend/wish Bush never existed after 8 years of telling us he was the greatest thing to ever hit the planet.
SatanicPanic
@suzanne: Karl Rove and Dick Cheney are the people under the stairs.
mdblanche
@the Conster: Not that I can think of. He even hit on voter suppression. I wasn’t expecting that
@lamh35: I have no idea why they ever thought that might be a good idea.
ChrisNYC
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I don’t know anything about Castellanos’ history but I think he’s honest (relatively!) and pretty savvy on the politics. So I am savoring the concession.
sfinny
@Culture of Truth: Just watched her top ten. Pretty good. But I’m wondering what the heck is happening with the rest of my channels.
Handsome Lake
it wasn’t a convention speech it was a fireside chat
jl
@lamh35:
” Also, I suspect that the Romney camps strategy of hitting Obama by complimenting Clinton or comparing him to Clinton is done after tonight. ”
Naw, Krazy ol’ Joe Biden needs some wacky stories to tell on the stump.
Mandalay
@lamh35:
Well not quite yet apparently…
GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign issued a statement after former President Bill Clinton’s address to the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, saying Clinton “drew a stark contrast between himself and President Obama.”
“Bill Clinton worked with Republicans, balanced the budget, and after four years he could say you were better off,” Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams wrote. “Barack Obama hasn’t worked across the aisle – he’s barely worked with other Democrats – and has the worst economic record of any president in modern history.
“President Clinton’s speech brought the disappointment and failure of President Obama’s time in office clearly into focus,” Williams continued.
What drivel!
spiffy
@ChrisNYC:
The smart Republicans are already thinking about 2016.
scav
Rabbles roused, barns were burnt, fish filleted and wonkery explained across a wide spectrum. I’m thinking that leaves the inspirational and unifying for the O-dude and he’s managed that if memory serves.
SatanicPanic
@MikeJ: We’ve got them on the run. I really feel that way right now.
MikeJ
@spiffy: I actually did double check. I had grepped on the html files rather than the plain text (which I have in separate ssubdirs by date), which had much header bullshit in. The nine mentions in the Jeb Bush file were mostly in the metadata, i.e., filenames, titles, repetition of Jeb Bush’s name, not references to dumbfuck.
Spaghetti Lee
@Mary G:
As long as we’re dreaming about 40+ state blowouts, I saw a poll on TPM that only had Mitt up by 3.5 on Obama in Tennessee. (McCain won Tennessee by 15 points) I’ll put it to the locals: 1) Could that be true, and 2) If it is, should the Dems go for it?
(I’ll add: even if it is some weirdo outlier poll, imagine the salivating press coverage an outlier poll showing Barack only up by 3 in California or New York would get.)
Culture of Truth
oh and here’s Hermonie from Harry Potter
Citizen_X
I loved how Clinton made a heartfelt plea for bipartisan cooperation–and spent the next 40 minutes pounding the crap out of the Republicans.
@SatanicPanic:
Well, I’d hide him there, too, wouldn’t you?
@ChrisNYC:
I want the motherfucking House. Run up the score, Barack.
PurpleGirl
Thank the goddess Ms. Germond cut off Shelly Silver. She saved me from tossing my dinner over my monitor at how he kept going on and on.
celticdragonchick
Proud day for me, juicers.
Being my birthday, I had to go renew my license.
I also changed officially to being a Democrat.
About fucking time…
Spaghetti Lee
@Mandalay:
Did Williams even listen to the speech?
Oh well, what’s a press flack supposed to do? “Yeah, he kicked our ass, we give up?” Not likely. Does make for some funny spin, though.
spiffy
@MikeJ:
Now I know who to go to for my facts. I like your organization skills – I need to get on that train lol.
jl
@Mandalay:
Beejus, did some dirty tricksters hack the Romney campaign or what?
Normally, if a normal politician gave a speech with similar content as Clinton, I guess you might be able to sell that BS with Unlimited Corporate Cash, but I don’t see how that will work with this. Some acts gobble up free media, and Clinton is one of them.
Elizabelle
Jim, Foolish Literalist put this up on previous thread.
Too funny.
(We were speculating that it’s not the happiest night in the Romney household. Whichever household they’re in tonight.)
@VividBlueDotty
The man from Hope just refilled my hope meter. And I think I just found a little change in my pocket. Love being a liberal this week!!!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@spiffy:
And a few of the dumb ones: Santorum, Rand Paul, Pawlenty maybe…. STEVE KING IN 2016!
suzanne
This has been a shitty day for Mitt. Big Dog just handed him his own ass on a platter, and maybe his tax returns are being held for ransom.
I wonder what will come of that story. To be honest, I’ve been expecting that some hacker would get them. The ransom angle was someone I wasn’t costing on.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@celticdragonchick:
Yep. I did the same thing. About 40 or so years ago!
PurpleGirl
The earrings on that lady from Oklahoma looked like they were the Obama logo…. great jewelry.
(Why yes, I look at jewelry very closely.)
MikeJ
Hooray for Craig Robinson’s beavers!
SatanicPanic
@Mandalay: I’m suprised the dumbass Romney campaign didn’t include a transcript or urge people to watch it themselves.
GregB
@Spaghetti Lee:
If it is that close in Tennessee then Mitt may be in for a legendary defeat.
This is possibly another Goldwater in ’64.
But the Democrats will most likely spend any extra time and money on securing the Senate and trying to wrap up some more House seats.
Romney can’t win election without Ohio and that is looking like it is slipping away from him. Any Romney hopes of PA or Michigan have been dashed. The battleground states are dwindling. NH has moved to 80% likely in Obamas favor.
Mitt is slipping into darkness.
spiffy
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Can’t you just feel the Pawlenty momentum? Talk about someone speaking to a half empty convention hall.
The only time I want Steve King at the podium at a convention is if he’s sweeping around it.
? Martin
@suzanne:
I think it’s crap. Too unlikely to pull off as described, the demands are just stupid, and it’s too easy to fake.
Suffern Ace
@Mandalay: Lol. Sorry, but they forgot to put Rathers head on a pike and hand out the donuts on the plane. That release is going nowhere.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@GregB:
Oh, I don’t know. Suppress 750,000 votes in PA and what do you get? So far, they’re still suppressed. I’ve got my name out to drive people to the DMV, though.
eric
@Emma: i am not saying that as a bad thing…in other comments I have expressed my admiration for the speech. this is exactly what i expected from the guy. he delivers.
Brian R.
@Spaghetti Lee:
I don’t think so. I’m from TN and I’m stunned to hear a poll has it even that close.
Yutsano
@Spaghetti Lee: I just love the scent of flopsweat in the evening. Smells like…desperation.
suzanne
@? Martin: I think there’s a good possibility that it’s fake, yeah. But I wonder if it’s important enough to Rmoney to keep that shit hidden that he pays it anyway. Which, of course, would be an even more interesting story.
slag
Vid link for others who missed it: http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/Bill-Clinton-quotWe-Can39t-Double-Down-on-Trickle-Downquot/10737433861-1/
MikeJ
@jl:
The pros don’t call it free media, they call it earned media. Clinton demonstrates why.
Spaghetti Lee
Oh, my god, this is hilarious: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/krauthammer-dnc-has-known-what-weather-will-be
Fox News analyst Charles Krauthammer claimed Wednesday that there was no way officials moved President Barack Obama’s speech indoors due to concerns about the weather, claiming Democrats have known what Thursday’s weather will be for “months.”
Months! Maybe Obama should forget this whole President thing and be a weatherman.
SiubhanDuinne
@Louise:
That adorable little Moral Hazard?
bluehill
Krauthammer going on – “They knew what the weather was going to be MONTHS ago.” — Charles Krauthammer on tomorrow’s #DNC2012 venue change
I guess Repubs should hire the Dems weather forecasters for their next convention so they can avoid scheduling it during a hurricane.
Ash Can
@Mandalay: I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me that they’re just doubling down on the idiocy. It would be fun to see Clinton do a bobblehead-show tour tomorrow morning and address the Romney campaign’s statement directly. It’d be pretty entertaining, I’m sure.
Cacti
@suzanne:
The allegedly stolen tax returns sounds like a Rovian ratfuck to me.
SFAW
But was it really necessary to link to Rubin’s post? I made the mistake of popping over there, and by the time I finished with her idiocy, my IQ had dropped about 30 points.
Many more like that, and it my IQ might drop enough to turn me into a Rethug. So please put a warning label on links like that.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Spaghetti Lee: Heh. I just saw that. I guess Chuckie Cabbages was jealous of Sununu for his WOTD awards for saying the WH lied about the price of MO’s dress.
seaboogie
Ooh…you put the fire in the belly of anyone still awake…Rubin’s getting slammed pretty hard right now – way to go!
Suffern Ace
@Ash Can: I’d love to have him offer to sit down with Ryan and Shoen in the spirit of bipartisanship.
Cacti
@Spaghetti Lee:
Major League Baseball should consult him in the offseason when they’re calendaring next year’s games.
Ash Can
@celticdragonchick: Congratulations, and happy birthday!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Cacti: heh, that was my first thought. Maybe we’re a little paranoid, but I’m glad that it seems the Dems given the alleged info are keeping it an arm’s length
? Martin
@suzanne: Nah. The returns are out there. I guarantee it. If Obama is losing in October, we’ll all see them.
Elizabelle
Ashley Judd cast Tennessee’s 90 votes.
Now Texas.
Peter
@mdblanche:
I love that he covered voter suppression. Best part of the speech, cause he immediately connected it with Dreamers. Just so compassionate and common sense, like this is obvious and the correct thing to do.
Calouste
@suzanne:
Funny thing is of course that if it is fake (which I am convinced it is) nothing will come out and there will be a low-level conspiracy theory doing the rounds among the Paulites and such ilk that Romney indeed coughed up the $1 million.
tBone
@Mandalay:
I don’t understand this strategy. At all. “Hey everybody, remember the last time we had eight years of peace and economic prosperity? With a Democratic president that Republicans attacked non-stop with the same kinds of bullshit arguments we’re trying to use against Obama today? You do? Awesome! Vote Romney, the anti-Clinton!”
Maybe it would work better if Romney started sporting a Mirror Universe Spock goatee or something.
hitchhiker
I loved the sight of Bill bowing to Obama.
I loved the build up to: “arithmetic.”
I loved the “now, listen . . .this is important.”
I loved all of it. I wish we could do this all the time. It’s like the old West Wing campaign scripts, only more fun. I hope lots of those clips show up in some juicy ads, because I don’t think they can produce anything stronger.
The Rs can only dream of having people like Michelle and Bill to come right through the screen that way, sensible & sane, down-to-earth & real. It’s going to be interesting to see what those losers do after the election . . . more scorched earth, or come to Jesus?
? Martin
Man, that arithmetic line really landed. Still trending on twitter. I think the dems are going to run with that one.
SiubhanDuinne
@celticdragonchick:
Congratulations on both!
jwb
@Egilsson: The great thing is that both Michelle and Bill set very high bars, and you know that the President, like a great jazz player, is going to be pushed by the challenge to do extraordinary things. I’m expecting we’re going to hear one of Obama’s all-time best speeches.
? Martin
@tBone:
The only thing I can come up with is some variation on “white people work together”. I can’t think of any way that praising Clinton makes sense here.
Spaghetti Lee
@? Martin:
Heh. And Paulie Ryan thought he was going to be the Good Math candidate. Must be grinding his weaselly little teeth over that one.
Exurban Mom
Is anyone else expecting ABL and Cole to show up, pantsless, crazy drunk, in the background of Chris Matthews’ show on MSNBC?
Peter
@ChrisNYC: Castellanos was responsible for the infamous “hands” ad run for Jesse Helms. He is one of the more loathsome people to have to see on tv. but yeah, nice that he recognized a great speech tonight.
Ash Can
@suzanne:
Price Waterhouse is denying it was hacked, and no other corroborating information has emerged. AFAIC, the story isn’t passing the sniff test.
MikeJ
in re the thread title, “Whew. I need a cigarette and a shower now.” I pulled out a five year old pack from the last time I had one. A unlit cig tasted worse than I can ever recall. I always thought it was a wonderful taste, from my very first. Thank goodness.
If it was a function of the age of the pack, I don’t want to know.
Jay in Oregon
@Geeno:
That was me who said that.
And I kinda wish I could go back and relive those 8 years, even with the Whitewater/Lewinsky/impeachment bullshit, and see what I missed.
? Martin
@jwb: What I’m most encouraged by is that these big, roof raising, unabashed speeches are landing so well, and being praised so much. It really does help your confidence as a speaker to know that’s working. He’s going to head into his speech with a head of steam, and that’s just going to add more juice to it.
Jim Faith
@sfinny: @sfinny:
Wanda: But you think you’re an intellectual, don’t you ape?
Otto: [superior smile] Apes don’t read philosophy.
Wanda: Yes they do Otto, they just don’t understand it. Let me correct you on a few things; Aristotle wan not Belgian; The central message of Buddhism is not “Every man for himself!” And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes. I looked them up.
Violet
I’m watching the speech a second time. He’s wrapping it up. It’s fucking amazing. BIG DAWG!
MikeJ
I was going to say that Cole should track down the girl casting the votes for WV until I heard she was 18.
suzanne
@Ash Can: Yeah, it seems very shady to me, too. I just keep coming back to the fact that Rmoney is such a shady, paranoid fucker that I wouldn’t be surprised if he pays it. Blah blah negotiates with terrorists.
Ash Can
@Spaghetti Lee: Oh, good fucking grief, did he really say that? Seriously?
…Followed the link, and sure enough. Didn’t watch the vid, though, so I don’t know if anyone laughed when he said that. Fuckin’ thunderstorms, how do they work?
Elizabelle
Gail Collins already has a column up about the convention overall and the Big Dog’s speech.
She’s noticed that crazed 27% too. Her lede:
Jim, Foolish Literalist
anybody watching Tweety? He just adores the fact that Darrell Hammond does a Tweety impersonation. Hammond’s Tweety is about five times more cogent than the real thing.
FlyingToaster
@sfinny: It’s usually a
backhoe accidentconnection pulled loose at your cable company’s satellite farm. Call and let them know, but it will likely take a couple hours to fix.The last time it happened to me it was a backhoe (backed through a fence and into a dish), but I can’t imagine these happen that often.
? Martin
@Spaghetti Lee: Ryan is going to get his clock cleaned by Biden. Biden had to take a soft touch with Palin because everyone figured he was punching down with her, but they won’t see Ryan that way. Biden can just unload on him – and he’s gonna.
KG
@Brian R.: Not a local, but all the polls I’ve seen have had it within 10…
Cacti
@MikeJ:
So, she’s “barely legal”?
(evil grin)
Cacti
Since Romney and Ryan are so enamoured of Clinton, are they saying they supported him for re-election in 1996?
tBone
@? Martin:
Alternative universe logic at work.
I guess I can’t really blame them, though. Not like they have a popular ex-President they can trot out without the help of a necromancer, after all. Might as well try to appropriate one from the Democrats.
trollhattan
@MikeJ:
Wahl, sheeeyut, that’s half a decade over age of consent for Waist Virginny, amirite?
ChrisNYC
@Peter: Oh I never knew that! Thanks. Maybe that’s why he’s on tv, because there is that repulsive admiration of that ad from the pol press.
tBone
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
That was one thing that struck me during the speech – after his weight loss, it’s a little eerie how much the real Clinton looks like the faux Hammond version from 15 years ago.
trollhattan
@? Martin:
Format, format, format. If they don’t allow Biden to challenge Ryan directly, he’ll just rat-a-tat his talking points without a thought. Literally. All that runnin’ and climbin’, the boy can chatter.
Ash Can
And it sure would be nice to hear from the folks we actually helped send down to that joint. Just sayin’.
MikeJ
@trollhattan: More than half a decade:
http://www.ageofconsent.com/westvirginia.htm
nastybrutishntall
Ol Shiny Eyes got me so worked up I’m looking around the house for sleep-aids, reading till my eyes hurt on teh blogs.
Geoduck
@suzanne:
They live mostly in Dallas, actually, and only visit the prop ranch on weekends. I imagine that Laura would ditch the place in a heartbeat if she could..
mdblanche
@Mandalay: We knew this day was coming for the Rombot.
? Martin
@trollhattan: What was the biggest debate Ryan ever engaged in? Some house race debate on local TV? Biden has done presidential debates in 4 different cycles? More?
Biden is a pro at this – he’ll be able to make time to go after Ryan.
trollhattan
@MikeJ:
Ho-lee-shit.
Mnemosyne
@? Martin:
He also couldn’t unload on Palin because she’s a lady (well, a woman) and it would have looked really bad for him to be punching a girl.
That little pisher Ryan, now that’s a different story. Biden probably already has Ryan’s smug mug pasted to his punching bag.
Louise
@? Martin: That’s why Bill’s description of the Tampa argument for R/R was so masterful. ( “we made this huge mess and you haven’t cleaned it up fast enough”…). You hear it first as a sharp, pithy take on their idiocy, and THEN you get the subliminal “and they’re treating our President like the help.”. Just brilliant.
Robin G.
Can’t sleep. Too amped. What the hell happened to Cole?
Elizabelle
Gilligan has left the island.
Bob Denver dead.
trollhattan
@? Martin:
That’s the outcome I’m hoping for, but Ryan’s a slippery little prick and like I say, I don’t know the format.
All due credit to Biden, he could have been president in ’88 had he not imploded.
MikeJ
@Elizabelle: “Work?!” (FYWP ate my bang questionmark bang. Grrr.)
trollhattan
@Elizabelle:
Aw, he was a good guy. RIP “little buddy.”
Chris
All the damage, in just four years? No, probably not. But give a president the kind of margins FDR had during his first five years in office – not just a huge Democratic majority, but a huge liberal majority; not just a liberal majority, but a sustained liberal majority and not one that goes away after only two years because people don’t have their ponies and unicorns yet – and there’s a hell of a lot that can be repaired.
That’s not a shot at either Clinton or Obama. It’s a shot at we the people, unfortunately.
GregB
@Elizabelle:
Gilligan departed in 2005…….
Elizabelle
Hey, wait a minute.
Bob Denver has been dead for a while now. That story’s from 2005.
It popped up as “trending story” on NYTimes site. Wonder what’s up with that.
So, RIP Gilligan. Again.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
Yes. Seven years ago.
MikeJ
@Elizabelle: I was just about to point it out.
Better than the twitter hoax about Thatcher dead, getting our hopes up and all.
freelancer
@Elizabelle:
Abe Vigoda is…
Elizabelle
@GregB:
@SiubhanDuinne:
You were sharper than me at this hour!
Wonder why story was on NYTimes website. A mystery.
Suffern Ace
I think someone finally noticed the resemblance between Gilligan and the GOP VP candidate and needed confirmation that they weren’t dreaming.
MCA1
Holy mothfucking shit, I just watched the whole thing and I need to change my underwear. Four years of pent up frustration at the smarmy, pathetic, entitled, lying sack of shit Republican Party just got its release. He just laid them on the table and would not stop cutting. He covered EVERYTHING. Romney/Ryan just got clowned so many ways I can’t count them. It was like “Oh, and hey, you’re wrong about this other thing, too. Here’s why: _____. Oh, and you lie about your real position. So fuck you. Now, let me see, what else do we have here?…”
I think I want Bill Clinton to father my children. And I’m a man.
Elizabelle
It’s still there. If you click on the link (bottom of NYT website) re the play “War Horse” closing, the Gilligan story pops up as “popular now.” Possibly on Facebook.
That and “The Truth About Obama and Israel.” Ah well.
Yutsano
@freelancer: Immortal. I think he’s like George Burns and died in Altoona.
Elizabelle
@Suffern Ace:
Maybe a new meme is aborning.
Or somebody was looking up Thurston Howell III?
Mnemosyne
@freelancer:
Olivia de Havilland (b. 1916) and Joan Fontaine (b. 1917) are both still alive. Apparently neither of the famously estranged sisters wants to give the other one the satisfaction of having outlived her.
RadioOne
After Obama is re-elected this year, I guarantee the GOP Presidential nominee in 2016 will slam the Democratic nominee for not being enough like Barack Obama.
Chris
@? Martin:
To repeat a pithy and spot on sentence from someone else here earlier today: they used to hate Clinton because he was white trash. Now they love him because he’s white.
@hitchhiker:
I was thinking West Wing during the speech too, but what made it awesome was that it was coming not from Jed Bartlett but from a Southern country boy born on the wrong side of the tracks who worked his way up through his own merit to the most prestigious post in America – all the cliches Republicans think they own.
I cheered when he did his “maybe I was at a disadvantage being a poor boy from Arkansas who still thought two and two were four!” thing.
Elizabelle
Makes you appreciate Saturday Night Live for coming up with “Francisco Franco is still dead” without the help of teh intertubes.
And, honestly, I never understood that routine.
? Martin
@trollhattan: Format is nine 10 minute segments. One question, each candidate gets 2 minutes to respond. The remaining time the moderator can use for a discussion. That’s a favorable format, particularly if the Paul Lyin’ thing sticks and the moderator picks at that scab a bit. Martha Raddatz is the moderator. She’s a foreign policy correspondent, which should further favor Biden.
priscianusjr
@? Martin:
trollhattan
@Elizabelle:
“Damn you, Anonymous!” [fist, vigorously shaken at cloud]
Ghost in the machine–Maynard G Krebs’ ghost.
Town
Uh, isn’t that one of Rmoney3000’s home states?
Elizabelle
C-Span now has Politico talking heads on. Jim Vanderhei, Mike Allen, and two women I don’t recognize who outshine either of them.
I rather love that their roundtable is emblazened:
America’s Natural Gas
Truth in packaging.
Yutsano
@Mnemosyne: One wants to dance on the other’s grave. And both are too stubborn to give up the mortal coil to give the other the satisfaction.
Mnemosyne
@trollhattan:
Ryan is probably the smartest, slickest guy in the Republican House delegation, but that’s like being the prettiest girl in Lost Springs, Wyoming.
Ryan is going to look like the president of his high school’s Young Republicans club next to Biden, especially if keeps wearing those suits that are two sizes too big for him.
? Martin
@Town: I think his speech processing unit is from NH.
Yutsano
@Town: Depends. Is he trying to avoid paying California income tax or not this year? I forget. And I hope the Franchise Tax Board is paying attention.
Mnemosyne
@Yutsano:
They’re gonna be like Adams and Jefferson, dying on the same day.
Geoduck
@Mnemosyne:
Killing each other, most likely..
Elizabelle
@Yutsano:
Do you think we will ever see Romney’s tax returns for the most recent 5 years?
Or many more of them?
Elizabelle
@Yutsano:
Do you think we will ever see Romney’s tax returns for the most recent 5 years?
Or many more of them?
Bruce S
FYI – after just two days of the Dem convention, Andrew Brietbart is even more dead than he was last week.
Yutsano
@Elizabelle: I highly doubt he even releases 2011 that’s due October 15th. There is definitely a something he doesn’t want made public in there.
mdblanche
@Elizabelle: Franco took his sweet time dying, treating people to several weeks worth of seemingly un-newsworthy “Francisco Franco is still alive” headlines.
@VividBlueDotty
@Louise:
So many wonderful moments tonight were competing for my favorite. That one was up there. Bobo haz a VERY sad.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@Robin G.:
He probably slipped on a bar of soap a few hours ago.
LongHairedWeirdo
Okay, I’m sure that’s an old joke by now, but it literally made me laugh out loud – thanks.
centerfielddj
Oh Lord, Jennifer Rubin is soooo full of shit in the expression of her sad:
“After listening to him march through endless policy details, the crowd in Charlotte seemed to tire,…”
That’s not true at all. The crowd was totally into the speech all the way through.
“…and as he continued well past 11 p.m., the TV audience certainly may have drifted off.”
“certainly may have”?? LOL!
Nellcote
@Exurban Mom:
I keep hoping.
sm*t cl*de
Krauthammer going on – “They knew what the weather was going to be MONTHS ago.”—Charles Krauthammer on tomorrow’s #DNC2012 venue change
Don’t start Krauthammer on the Great Global Warming hoax. Who can possibly predict what the weather’s going to be in a week’s time, let along next decade?
JR in WV
@centerfielddj:
“…The TV audience certainly may have drifted off…”
Or, alternatively, they may have banded together to vote against the
RepublicanManchurianNorth Korean candidate.In fact, using the “May have…” construct, the TV audience may have collectively destroyed civilization as we know it, and we won’t learn about it until late tomorrow.
I love the “May have” construct, you can just say any damn stoopid thing you want to, and stick in a “may” and there you are, all nearly factual.
Buttheads!
ETFix Republican
ETFix2 Manchurian
Ben Cisco
@GregB:
Deserves a musical interlude.
Jamey
@Elizabelle: Hooray Party Unity! Hooray Beer!
Elizabelle
@mdblanche:
Thank you re Francisco Franco. Makes sense now.