<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/59124558@N06/8138743530/” title=”Romney-responds-to-Sandy by dengre.bj, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8191/8138743530_d53450f39a.jpg” width=”412″ height=”312″ alt=”Romney-responds-to-Sandy”></a>
Following on Kay’s post, I wanted to underscore how disgusting it is that Mitt Romney is using Hurricane Sandy as a campaign prop. He held the exact same rally that he had planned, but pretended it was for “disaster relief”. Such bullshit is typical Romney. He held a full-on campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio–nothing more. We are a week out and he is entitled to campaign how he wants and where he wants, regardless of any other current event.
But Romney is shameless. He wants to use Sandy’s destruction as a media hook, so he re-branded his rally for the stupid and gullible members of the press as a “storm relief’ effort. To underscore the stupid deception, Mitt asked attendees to bring can goods to the rally, as if random truckloads of unsorted can goods flooding a disaster area are useful. The Red Cross is pretty specific that these kinds of efforts produce piles of supplies that cannot be used and cause real problems for relief efforts:
Does the American Red Cross accept donated goods?
Unfortunately, due to logistical constraints the Red Cross does not accept or solicit individual donations or collections of items. Items such as collected food, used clothing and shoes must be sorted, cleaned, repackaged and transported which impedes the valuable resources of money, time, and personnel.
Theatrical can good drives are the kinds of things that people do when they want to pretend they care–as long as the cameras are rolling (and yes, it was only a photo op). It is not a surprise that it is what Mitt is doing. I would bet that everything collected at the rally ends up in a landfill.
If you want to help: send money. Here is the link to the Red Cross disaster relief.
If Mitt was serious about disaster relief he would ask his supporters to only do that, but loading cans on trucks makes for a good “I care” photo op, so he asks for props. That Mitt is asking his supporters to drop off their spare cans of Spotted Dick and jars of Grey Poupon tells you all you need to know.
We have less than a week to GOTV and defeat this weasel. There is something each of us can do to help. I’ve made my plans, what are yours?
Cheers
UPDATE: Meanwhile, President Obama is showing how a leader acts when confronted with a disaster.
ps: I rode out the storm in Baltimore and we had no damage and lost power for only a very short amount of time, but I know that was a bit of luck. It could have just as easily hit us like it did many of our friends and neighbors near and far. The idea of turning this emergency into a Romney Campaign prop fills me with disgust. I am amazed that when it comes to sinking to new lows, Mitt Romney is a bottomless well of shame.
gogol's wife
The Obama campaign sent out a link for Red Cross donations first thing this morning.
ranchandsyrup
Sorry dengre, but this thread’s gonna get derailed with a quickness over the Stoller post and Glenzilla’s response. I, for one, appreciate you writing about this and providing the links.
The Moar You Know
I think the word you’re looking for is “shamelessness”.
I’ve run across (sadly, not over) frat boys puking into the gutter down in PB who show more shame than Romney or his vile wife ever have experienced in their entire lives.
Mark B.
I hear that Romney brought Meat Loaf, but it was a little rancid.
Short Bus Bully
Romney’s response to this hurricane would make Bush’s Katrina response look amazingly awesome. Job well done wingnut voters.
ranchandsyrup
@The Moar You Know: speaking of PB, 1st Annual Jameson Day event scheduled on election night at PB Shore Club if you’re interested.
Princess
Meanwhile, I just got back from attempting to early vote on the south side of Chicago. At least a hundred people were in line, smiling and happy, and eager to drive up the popular vote totals for our team. If anything, it looks like the AA community is even more energized this time around. They know a spotted dick when they see one.
Yutsano
@gogol’s wife: Queen to Bishop 5 in Dimension 9, check Mr Romney
Comrade Dread
He could have also put out a press release saying that in lieu of donations to his campaign, folks should donate to the American Red Cross.
Would still given him a hell of a lot of free press and done some actual good, but… I’m sure collecting random cans of spam and pumpkin filling is good too.
Poopyman
Mostly OT, except it addresses early voting in MD following Sandy:
(via email from Sen. Ben Cardin)
sparrow
I also rode out the storm in my circa 1880 house in Baltimore. Held up like a charm. I tried to early vote on Sunday in case the storm knocked out power for a long time, but the line was over an hour long. The boyfriend was freaking out that classes would still be held (with papers to grade) so we headed home. Overall it seems like the storm response has been very good considering.
Elizabelle
Well, maybe they can pile all those canned goods at the entrance of the Jeep factory where all those workers are about to lose their jobs.
Oh wait …
PS: great photo illustration.
The Moar You Know
@ranchandsyrup: That sounds fun but truth be told, I’m going to be in bed that night as early as possible and so will my wife. We’ve been working non-stop on the local school board election in order to stop a wingnut takeover, and we’re both riding the ragged edge of exhaustion. If I never see another rally or sign it will be too soon.
Hill Dweller
The twitter machine is telling me the Red Cross basically told the Romney campaign thanks for the food, but we’d rather people donate blood and/or send money.
Villago Delenda Est
@Mark B.:
Not Meat Loaf again?!?!?
ranchandsyrup
@The Moar You Know: Understood and thanks for your work with the school board. I just want to give people an alternative to sitting at home and living/dying with every update.
Elizabelle
What’s a post on Romney without recourse to The Straight Dope?
On the origin of “Spotted Dick” as name for this suet pastry with currants. Yum.
With link to earlier “Dope” on other uses of the word “dick.” Highly informative, as always.
lacp
Spotted dick? I think not. Willard is 100% white dick. And a colossal one, too.
Comrade Mary
@Villago Delenda Est: /throws toast
nellcote
I noticed that “storm relief” was in quotes in nearly every msm story I read about this. I don’t think they’re convinced either.
Oh look, here’s PBO at the Red Cross headquarters being presidential.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
@Villago Delenda Est:
“We had Meat Loaf last week.”
Percysowner
My family already voted (straight Democratic ticket) here in Akron, Oh. I’m signed up to work for the Obama campaign for 5 hours and Saturday and 3 on Monday and Tuesday. I think they’ll have me canvassing, but whatever they need I’ll do it.
Nemo_N
CNN just had a short piece (that included a vid from the Rep. primaries debates) about how Romney was asked about cutting FEMA during this “disaster relief” event and noted he didn’t answer. Nice vid, showing Romney staying all quiet while reporters asked him about it. No “both sides do it” BS.
Not sure they will replay it.
Spatula
Gee…you think PBO might be using Frankensandy as a campaign prop?
Nooooooooooooo…wouldn’t cross his mind.
You’re a hack.
Tom65
Meanwhile, Chuck Todd is bemoaning the intrusion of a natural disaster on precious campaign days. WILL NO ONE THINK OF THE PUNDITS?
Comrade Mary
@Elizabelle: I always wondered if there was a connection to the German word “dick”, which means thick or fat. (Those of you who have read VALIS — and may the Vast Active Living Intelligence System have mercy on your soul if you have — may remember that Philip K. Dick styled himself as “Horselover Fat” in the book.)
Redshift
I missed the earlier thread about the Roe v. Wade lie, but lying about that and other “women’s issues” is clearly a fundamental part of the Romney campaign. There were a couple of “women” commenters on a fellow activist’s Facebook (no idea if they were actually women, of course), talking about the “rumor” that Romney wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, and that people have been saying that about Republicans for years, but it hasn’t happened. I quoted back the same section of Romney’s issues website, and asked if they really thought “It’s okay, he’s lying” was really a good argument for their candidate.
Then the other one chimed in that there was nothing to worry about, because if the liberal justices really were worried, they would have retired so Obama could appoint replacements.
In addition to the blatantly false TV ads about Romney’s positions on abortion and birth control, it’s clear that their strategy is to try to create a fog of uproar and “who knows who is right” so that women who might lean Republican on other issues can convince themselves that it will be okay to vote for Romney. It’s just one of the many ways they employ lying in their strategy, but it’s pretty despicable.
The Moar You Know
@Comrade Dread: Christ, something like that, or whipping out the checkbook in front of the media and writing the Red Cross a ten million dollar check, would put him over the line. Guaranteed. But he’s either too fucking stupid or, as I suspect, too fucking in love with his money AND stupid to consider doing something like this.
Comrade Mary
@Redshift:
That’s a perfectly valid argument as long as Obama could replace liberals with SUPERLIBERALS whose votes would count extra.
? Martin
The problem here is that this is small. This is a presidential race, and the point of being president is that you’re up to the task of doing large things, not the kinds of stuff the girl scouts do. Presidents call in the national guard. They demand that resources be moved from Texas to New York to help.
This is weak. And what’s worse, it’s not even sincere.
Robin G.
Network news was repeating the disaster relief event BS verbatim this morning. I hope that’s changed.
Nemo_N
Comedy Gold:
Bush’s FEMA Director During Katrina Criticizes Obama For Responding To Sandy Too Quickly
It’s like right out of The Onion.
TR
@Spatula:
You’re an unmitigated gaping asshole.
Spatula
@TR:
So you agree Obama is exploiting the storm?
JenJen
You know, it takes a lotta brass to criticize Obama’s response to Hurricane Sandy when you’re Mike “Heckuva Job” Brown. You have got to be freaking kidding me, Brownie.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
@The Moar You Know:
It’s not stupidity per se, it’s the fact he incredibly politically tone deaf. It goes back to him being one of the worst politicians at this level I’ve seen in 40+ years.
As for the love of his money part, that’s dead on. He’ll bet Rick Perry $10K in a debate but write the Red Cross a check for that amount? He’d probably just as soon release his tax returns.
gogol's wife
I know this was referenced in an earlier thread, but I just watched this clip with Christie on Fox, in which (at the very end of the clip) Doocy & company ask him about whether Romney is going to tour the storm damage with him today, and he says, “I have no idea, nor am I the least bit concerned or interested.” It’s fabulous! Everyone should see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIsEXWpv7MM
Omnes Omnibus
@Spatula: Yeah, ‘cuz he wouldn’t do anything about hurricane relief if an election wasn’t coming up.
Robin G.
@gogol’s wife: I’m enjoying that, can’t lie. I mean, it’s Christie playing a long game (and, frankly, a far more competent game than we’re used to seeing from the GOP), but I’m still enjoying it.
pseudonymous in nc
These are, after all, the people who think that healthcare funding is best achieved through bake sales.
I’m only surprised that Team Rmoney didn’t ask attendees to bring a tray of muffins.
@JenJen:
As a wingnut welfare martyr, and thus permanently employable in that domain, it’s exactly what I’d expect from him.
gbear
I went to my county’s website over the weekend and printed out a sample ballot for my location. There are lots of judges up for elections and the usual 2 or 3 board of water commissioners. Pretty easy to decide who to vote for but I wanted to make sure I didn’t pick the teatard for the local offices by mistake. Today in the mail I got a flyer for all of the DFL candidates on my ballot, including all the downticket stuff. Reasearch done! Yay.
Note: DFL is Democratic Farm and Labor party. MN for democrats.
Dennis G.
@Nemo_N: Amazing. I wonder what Federal Agency Romney would appoint him to run? I’m guessing the Department of Education…
? Martin
@Spatula:
Might be? So, you’re accusing him of using it as a prop, but unwilling or unable to point to any evidence that he is. You just know that he is.
SatanicPanic
@Spatula:
Dude, you’re not even trying. You just repeated the first sentence but tried to make it sound like a bad thing.
jibeaux
The only conceivable reason Brownie comes out of hibernation to criticize disaster response as being too soon is that he’s now a die-hard leftie with a keen sense of irony, or he’s dumber than paint, to borrow Betty Cracker’s pithy phrasing. I’m going with “might as well rename himself Benjamin Moore” myself.
japa21
@Spatula: It is pretty obvious he is not using Sandy as a campaign prop. It takes a true … not to realize that.
Greyjoy
I’m pretty there’s no way in hell Obama would ever be able to get a SCOTUS nomination pushed through before the end of his term, assuming he wasn’t re-elected. Hell, if he’d had the seats open in 2008 we’d probably still be trying to get the appointments confirmed.
pseudonymous in nc
Kitchen Implement seems incapable of distinguishing between “doing your job” and “campaign prop”.
Next, he’ll be accusing the SF Giants of winning the World Series as a salary-bargaining prop.
Cassidy
@gbear: We had the Republicans ratfuck our local county primaries so there ended up being only Republicans for Clerk of Court and School Superintendent on the ballot with no write-ins.
Roger Moore
@Nemo_N:
I don’t think it would hurt Obama at all to remind people of how bad Republican mismanagement was the last time they were in charge of this stuff. The more Brownie is in the news saying stupid shit like that, the better.
RedKitten
Yup, I was right — if Obama botches the disaster relief, he’ll be shit on by both sides of the aisle. If Obama hits it out of the park and handles it efficiently and professionally, the wingnuts will say that he’s simply doing it for the optics.
NOTHING Obama could have done would earn even grudging approval from them.
Proof positive that for the most part, right-wingers are the embodiment of “arguing in bad faith”.
dmsilev
@Spatula: OK, I’ll play. How, exactly, is Obama ‘exploiting the storm’, and how exactly is that exploitation different from the job requirements of being President during a natural disaster?
ranchandsyrup
@pseudonymous in nc: but it swears it’s not a troll.
Jeremy
@Spatula: We get it you hate Obama. Obama is the source of all of our problems. The I hate Obama act is growing old and stale.
The Red Pen
The prevailing Freeper theory is that Obama went back to DC because he knows he’s going to lose, so he’s giving up. Seriously, that’s their theory.
There’s a lot of “I can’t wait to see them crying on November 7th” over there. Similar to here (and GOS, etc.) but much more cocksure and featuring bizarre predictions like 350EV’s for Romney. (Unskewed Polls has Romney winning Oregon. OREGON!)
Cacti
Nate Silver Tweet on the storm:
Sam Wang response:
Tonybrown74
@Princess:
We are energized because we are PISSED! The constant disrespect and the racism have people determined to get to the polls to vote for President Obama.
Meg
@gogol’s wife: Actually we got that link from Obama campaign yesterday morning.
NonyNony
@RedKitten:
Close. Both sides will say that he’s doing it for the optics.
And by “both sides” I mean the wingnuts and the “more progressive than you” folks. Who I’ve come to the conclusion are wingnuts whose thread runs in the other direction.
SatanicPanic
@dmsilev: That’s the thing- if Obama says “this is my job and I’m doing it well so you should vote for me”… who cares? It’s not like he made up a fake storm and is doing fake work.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
@Roger Moore:
He shouldn’t be the actual messenger.
Biden OTOH, would be perfect.
Arm The Homeless
OT: Just early voted here in our solidly blue county. Line was longer than I expected, waited about 20 minutes to voice my opinion on just how f’kd up our State is. 11, count-em, ELEVEN proposed constitutional amendments, all put on the ballot by the legislature. What a festering boil of stoopid, capped off by the proposed sloppy kiss to church schools that if passed would surely get struck down by SCOTUS, but will cost us a few mill. before that happened.
RedKitten
@NonyNony: And that’s why I could NEVER be in politics. The words, “What the fuck do I have to do to get a goddamn thumbs-up from you people?” would be uttered from my mouth one too many times.
Roger Moore
@ranchandsyrup:
You get what you deserve if you believe a troll who says something like that.
Jeremy
@RedKitten: Don’t you understand ? The Obama haters blame Obama for everything in this country and around this world that has gone wrong. Hell they blame him for things prior to him being in office.
Mike Lamb
@dmsilev: The second formulation of your question is the answer I’m interested in–or phrased slightly differently, describe what Obama should do to avoid any pretense of using the storm as a prop?
nellcote
@RedKitten:
You have my vote :)
but then I didn’t hit the fainting couch clutching my fucking pearls when PBO called Rmoney a bullshitter.
Roger Moore
@NonyNony:
They’re left wingnuts instead of right wingnuts. The right wingnuts outnumber the left wingnuts by about the same ratio as right handed screws outnumber left handed screws, but the left wingnuts get disproportionate attention because they’re so loud and annoying.
Kyle
Rmoney will deliver canned goods to disaster areas on his campaign bus — to sell them to desperate locals at Klondike prices.
Always a vulture capitalist.
kd bart
Meanwhile, Christie’s doing his job as Governor of NJ in all this but he’s also looking toward 2016.
Jeremy
Also Red Kitten I wanted to let you know that the “Don’t you understand ?” was not a serious question.
gbear
@Cassidy: When it comes to local judges, I always vote for the incumbent because the non-incumbent is invariably a fruitcake. 3/4 of the incumbent judges don’t even have an opponent, just a write-in line. Sorry to hear you don’t have non-wingnut choices.
I just volunteered to do some mailing work this week for MN United, the group that’s working to defeat the MN Marriage Ammendment. I had been doing data entry work but we were so quick about it that we worked ourselves out of a job (I’m not well suited for phone or door-to-door work. Not enough patience).
Roger Moore
@comrade scott’s agenda of rage:
No, of course not. But if Brownie wants to remind us of the quality of disaster response under a Republican administration, I’m all in favor of giving him the biggest megaphone in the world.
dmsilev
@Mike Lamb: I’m pretty sure that for the wailers, an honest answer to your question would be “Obama should resign in disgrace and never appear in public again.”
japa21
Biden was asked by the press if it would be appropriate or relevant for him to comment on what Romeny’s budget would do to FEMA. He responded “no” and then went on to talk about how effective FEMA is being in this instance.
The thing is that by even asking the question, the press is implying that Romney would destroy FEMA as we know it, which surprised me. And Romney’s refusal to answer a question about funding FEMA makes that all the more obvious.
Biden didn’t have to directly address Romney’s position. However, his answer distinctly pointed out that FEMA is effective now and taking funds away would make it less so.
ETA: I have to give Biden a lot of credit for avoiding the “politicization” charge. I would have ripped Romney a new one if asked the same question. However, I am sure kitchen implement will say that by not politicizing it, Biden was in fact politicizing it.
ranchandsyrup
@Roger Moore: I hear ya Roger. I believe in looking at its actions, not its self-proclamations.
Mike Lamb
@dmsilev: Except then he would, in fact, be using the storm as a prop, as who would ever be able to forget the day he resigned?
Roger Moore
@gbear:
I make it a rule to vote against anyone who adds additional qualifications to “criminal prosecutor” when running for judge. Calling yourself a “gang murderer prosecutor” or the like is just a way of proclaiming that you’re going to be biased against defendants, which is the last thing we should be looking for in a judge.
Spatula
@japa21:
Of course he is. Any candidate WOULD. How is it NOT obvious? It’s a fact.
The idea that having this opportunity thrown into his lap is not something the campaign will make the msot of BECAUSE he is up for re election, is ridiculous.
But your condemn Mittens for doing the same thing. Your lack of consistency is what’s most annoying.
Cassidy
@gbear: For judges I usually go to conservative blogs. If they say the guy or gal is too liberal or just right, then I vote accordingly.
Linda Featheringill
@Jeremy:
That used to irritate me but then I realized that he’s responsible for every bad thing that’s happened in the past 300 years. And I’m much calmer overall.
jibeaux
@dmsilev:
Must we? Because you know five threads early in the day means it’s going to be about 28 hours before there’s a new one.
lacp
Willard is obviously completely stumped by the concept of “lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.” He’s not leading, he’s too 1% to follow, and he’s too clueless to get out of the way. Prediction: he’ll show up in New Jersey, New York,(if fortune smiles on us) Pennsylvania, and make a complete ass of himself; the wingnuts will eat it up with a spoon and the media clown show will chirp about how Presidential he looks. What a tool.
Cassidy
@Spatula: No, what’s annoying is your contortions to do the “both sides do it” game. Glad to see your schtick stays the same, though.
Spatula
@pseudonymous in nc:
Sorry, but no. YOU are pretending to be incapable of understanding that something like this storm can be BOTH an opportunity to do one’s job as it should be done AND an opportunity to be exploited for maximum effect in a campaign.
And you are pretending this because you are a childish Obot.
Not once in this thread have I stated or implied that Obama using it to his advantage is a BAD thing. I am mocking Obot pretense that PBO would never, no never, do such a crass thing. lol
Spatula
@Roger Moore:
EXACTLY the kind of aggressive campaigning Obama should have been doing all along.
I’ve hardly heard a peep about the atrocities of GWB from 2000 to 2008 and the fact that Mittens is of the same fucking depraved party.
japa21
@Spatula: Sure it is an opportunity, but so far he has done absolutely nothing to exploit it, which you have accused him of doing.
El Cid
Especially given the current political landscape and imminent election, it would actually be immoral for a governor or President to fail to properly combine an apt disaster response with an appropriately designed public relations move to show them the value of that leader’s competent governance.
Spatula
@dmsilev:
Hopefully, the quality of the disaster response will be the same, BUT a well managed campaign will make extra double plus certain that there are extra double plus awesome photo ops and film and audio of Obama’s performance to be farmed out to the MSM and campaign publicity machinery on an instantaneous basis.
Quit pretending you don’t know what I”m talking about. Your innocent act is embarrassing.
Again: If you bothered to read, you would notice I have not said this exploitation is a BAD thing.
lacp
@Spatula: Sure there are political elements at play. But the President is in the driver’s seat here: he can make his political points just by showing up and doing his job competently.
In contrast, Willard has shown the tone-deafness that we’ve all come to know and love. He could have gone all statesman-like and offered his prayers and good wishes, written a check to the Red Cross in, say, the amount he spends on feed for Rafalca each year, and urged all his supporters to donate and volunteer as their capabilities allowed. Instead he wants to show up at a series of patently phone “hurricane-related events” at which he will contribute nothing of value whatsoever.
You don’t have to be a fan of the President (and I’m not) to see the qualitative difference here. You do have to be a little goofy to think there isn’t any difference.
Thoughtcrime
@pseudonymous in nc:
And if they brought a tray of donuts, Romney would respond something like this: “Thank you. Would you see that those chocolate… chocolate goodies find their way into their lives?”
Villago Delenda Est
@Spatula:
Your head would look much better on a pike than on your shoulders.
Spatula
@Jeremy:
This.
This pretense of not recognizing the difference between “hate” and simple lack of blind allegiance is what’s so very wrong about this place.
But conversely, also a big part of what makes it such a fascinating freak show attraction.
Try to absorb this and consider: I don’t HATE Obama. And I don’t LOVE mittens, nor the vice versa. Then think about developing some maturity in your political outlook.
El Cid
@japa21: “Exploit” is a word which makes it sound like it has to be some harmful form of public relations.
If you think you’re doing a good job of disaster response management, then there’s nothing “exploitative” in making sure that the public knows what it is your administration is doing and to present that in an accurate though positive manner.
Not to mention, if you don’t clarify to the public what it is your administration is doing (even given one’s own tunnel-vision perspective), someone else will do it for you, from right wing attackers to idiot pundits using their Force to feel out the conservative insider geitzeist they worship.
fuddmain
@Arm The Homeless: Sounds like you’re in Florida, too. I voted earlier today in downtown Orlando. Those amendments are bullshit. I haven’t filled in that many bubbles since college.
By the by, the early voting daily averages are higher than 2008 in Orange County. Unfortunately, given the fewer number of early voting days I don’t think the totals will match 2008, but should be close.
Spatula
@Tonybrown74:
Do you feel an American president is owed respect simply as a function of managing to get into the White House?
I NEVER respected the fucking douchebag George W Bush; I would gladly have spit in his face had I ever met him.
Yet wingnuts shrieked for eight years that he was MY president and I owed him my allegiance as an American.
You are the same as them.
Respect has to be EARNED.
Spatula
@SatanicPanic:
” That’s the thing- if Obama says “this is my job and I’m doing it well so you should vote for me”… who cares? It’s not like he made up a fake storm and is doing fake work.”
EXACTLY.
I agree with this completely.
Amusing and entertaining as it is, Obot hysterics presume bad faith at every turn.
Jay in Oregon
WTF is this about?
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jackstuef/the-man-behind-comfortablysmug-hurricane-sandys
Are there any of these guys who aren’t straddling the line between total asshole and outright sociopath?
japa21
@El Cid: I agree that utilizing the moment to political advantage is not a bad thing. And, once the immediate needs are taken care of, it would be appropriate to do so. Spatula has stated he is already doing so. I disagree with that statement.
In fact, I fully expect that surrogates will be out there in the next couple of days talking about what a great job was done, specifically mentioning Christie’s comments, and how what Romney has propiosed would absolutely result in the opposite.
It would be political malpractice not to do so.
Commenting at Balloon Juice since 1937
What am I supposed to do with my expired cans of lima beans and last year’s pumpkin if I can’t give it to the boat people?
Mike Lamb
@Spatula: Actually, your posts on this topic are much closer to knee-jerk anti-Obama-ism than they are to anything resembling a concern over “blind allegiance” or arguing against an alleged cult of personality.
You reference Dennis G. as a hack for condemning Romney on the as-yet-completely-unsubstantiated grounds that Obama is also exploiting the disaster for political gain. I would further note that the entire theme of your posts re: Sandusky and Trayvon Martin was that there was no evidence, yet people here were leaping to conclusions. Yet, you can, without any evidence of your own, lecture people here on whether Obama is using the storm for political gain. Please show a single Obama event that was nothing more than a re-branded campaign rally.
Do you think Obama’s campaign has to do anything to get photo ops right now? This storm just rolled through the most densely populated area in the country and pretty much the center of the media world. You’ll have to come up with something that supports your position that there are increased number of “photo ops” due to the election and that these were orchestrated by Obama’s re-election people, because the photos would be there irrespective of the election. Until you can, you need to STFU.
El Cid
@Spatula: I neither swear fealty to Obama nor fail to recognize the variety of contexts within which the American politico-economic elite establishment operates.
I just don’t find it quite as necessary to point out so often that I’m willing to dissent from Dear Leader.
Maybe that’s wrong. Maybe by failing to repeat over and over that I’m capable of disagreeing with Obama or capable of analyzing his and the Democratic Party in general for their functions in maintaining a worsening global model of ruinous oligarcho-capitalism, I’m disempowering others from taking that point of view.
But it seems to me that when I feel like discussing (here, or elsewhere) some topic, I use the arguments and data I feel most relevant, however it falls out.
It is true that in the case of many subjects I don’t find cause to spend a lot of time on it on this particular blog, mainly because people have little interest in it or the aspect I’m interested in seems like it would take a lot of time and work to explain to commenters on a blog who do often seem to prefer that issues settle out cleanly as to whether or not Obama or one or more Democrats should be elected.
But that would only make me feel limited if I felt that this blog named “Balloon-Juice” were some strategic center of discourse rather than a blog named “Balloon-Juice” which mainly has seemed to concern liberals & Democrats mocking right wing assholes.
Randy P
@Spatula: Somehow in all your outrage, you still haven’t answered the question on “what would not using it as a prop look like?”
Spatula
@japa21:
Idiobot.
He DID politicize it, in a very subtle way, AS HE SHOULD. How’s that?
I would have directly pointed out how useful and vital FEMA is in this particular and specific instance, and how Romney’s gutting of it would a fool hardy, insane thing. I don’t get the timidity around “politicizing” such things.
IT’S ALL FUCKING POLITICAL. Everything is.
dmsilev
@Spatula:
No, we presume bad faith *from you*. Past evidence being a reasonable predictor for present behavior, and all that.
El Cid
@Jay in Oregon: This is really going to tarnish hedge fund managers’ hard-won and widespread respect among the average American.
Spatula
@ranchandsyrup:
And yet, you don’t uphold that philosophy when examining the actions of President Obama vs. his 2008 campaign rhetoric.
Why ever could that be?
The Moar You Know
@Jay in Oregon: A half-decent prosecutor could easily find a way to nail this guy for several misdemeanors and possibly a felony, and I expect that when things come back to semi-normal that someone will. This is the “shouting fire in a crowded theater” scenario.
Comrade Mary
Let me try this in the RIGHT thread:
I think Obama’s doing all the right, competent things in reaction to Sandy right now (and was obviously prepared beforehand, too.) If showing how he’s doing the job effectively also acts as good PR, that’s fine. In fact, bending over backwards not to show that he’s got this would be administrative and political incompetence.
But I don’t think he’s doing his job just for the optics, and I think choices such as Biden’s refusal to get into Romney’s previous statements about FEMA in a press conference today are just right: don’t give in to the temptation to make terribly tempting but costly political swipes at Romney.
So: doing his job and allowing natural, positive political side-effects as a consequence: GOOD.
Making negative comparisons with Romney: TOO SOON.
EriktheRed
Hi, folks
Haven’t gone thru the whole comments section to see if anyone else posted this, so sorry if I’m repeating:
The whole thing is a good read:
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/10/why-democrats-are-right-to-politicize-sandy.html
Uncle Cosmo
@lacp: Maybe the campaign refers to the people they have birddogging those Rmoney/rAyn events as “dickspotters.” It would fit.
Spatula
@Randy P:
First of all, I’m not outraged, never have said I was. But you knew that. Only obot eyes and ears would presume outrage in my posts in this thread.
I think Obama SHOULD exploit the storm, just as he’s doing, and so is Mittens. Would be political malpractice otherwise.
Oh I guess not using it as a prop would involve not coordinating out the ass with the media to make sure every step was filmed and recorded. For instance, what the hell good was Obama’s physical visit to the Red Cross offices other than as a campaign/PR event?
I said upthread, it’s ALL political, everything is. Those of you pretending otherwise or mockable, ergo my mocking.
Tonybrown74
@Spatula:
No, you Jackass!
The disrespect that the President receives is similar to the experiences of MANY, if not ALL, black people.
Black people are educated, hard working, loyal, faithful, and patriotic (just to name a few virtues). And yet, we have to constantly justify our positions at work, and/or in college, as well as our patriotism.
What the fuck does the man have to do to get acknowledgement of what he has been able to achieve? And if he is unable to get that acknowledgement, that basic respect, then what the fuck happens to the rest of us?
The constant disrespect that we witness is identical to the disrespect that most blacks receive on an everyday basis.
That is why we are pissed. That is why we will make sure he remains in the White House. Guns and Hoses won’t be able to keep us from the voting booth!
Spatula
@Commenting at Balloon Juice since 1937:
OH hell, you can keep and use that stuff far longer than the expiration dates, which are mostly useful as ass covering and consumption-encouragement for the manufacturer.
scav
@Jay in Oregon: ComfortablySmug could very well be KitchenImplement. It’s all about getting the hits, the attention and the feeling you’re better than everyone else. Pure shit-shovelling, no matter the size of what you’re shovelling it with.
EriktheRed
@Spatula: He most certainly is, and every Dem should be.
See my post above for why.
Arm The Homeless
@fuddmain: Yeah, up here in Tallahassee. I wanted to vote for the veterans homestead exemption, but I just decided to say NO to them all on principle.
I saw a lot of college voters out, which is nice. very few grumpy lookin’ folks in the line. Last I heard we are on track to have a record early voting turn-out here in Leon
Spatula
@Tonybrown74:
Ummm…no.
SOME, MANY black people are these things…not ALL.
Just like SOME, MANY white people are these things…not ALL.
Your knee jerk fallback to blanket overstatement is silly.
I know: Im racist for pointing out this obvious truth.
Spatula
@EriktheRed:
I agree with you.
Tonybrown74
@Spatula:
Um. no.
Your overly simplistic semantics are what make you an asshole. That, and your non-sequiturs. What does this have to do with my point?
Your racism? Well, apparently you see that in yourself.
You are obviously nothing more than a self promoting Hack.
And an asshole …
gwangung
Just going by past experience.
Spatula
@Tonybrown74:
Hey asshole-writer and racist-caller:
What is it I’m promoting? I don’t think I have a blog or anything.
Marooon.
ericblair
@Spatula:
In other words, “The object of power is power”: Orwell, 1984.
Obama is performing his duties as President. This may come as a surprise to you, but it is actually important to a lot of people that our elected officials carry out all their duties competently and completely.
Saying “it’s ALL political”, while at the same time hammering away at your one pet issue like it’s the only thing that matters in the world, is cheap cynical nihilism. If you were sitting in a flooded house in Atlantic City wondering where you’re going to get something to eat, maybe you’d be more concerned about leaders doing their jobs instead of whether they’re scoring points off each other or not.
Uncle Cosmo
@Spatula:
The military have a time-honored saying: You salute the rank, not the man.
Had I ever had the (mis)fortune to meet Bushboy while he was in office, I would have called him Mr. President, because that was his rank. Whether or not he obtained it properly.
It would be nice if you learned to do the same for someone who did obtain it properly & is doing his damnedest to do the job properly despite the obstruction of assholes on the right & the obnoxious whining of assholes on the left (like you).
FTR, Flexible Scraper, I have no opinion as to whether you love or hate either candidate. I recognize that your MO here is to go the extra mile to piss off those you consider “Obots.” That happens to be the definition of a troll. QED. Now STFU>FO.
Spatula
@ericblair:
More stupidity:
It’s only in your head that a president can’t do a great job, enable the providing of desperately needed services in a critical situation AND have same action be POLITICAL.
The presidency is a political office. Every public thing an elected official DOES is POLITICAL.
Grow up and quit pretending you don’t already know this.
Origuy
As Hill Dweller said above, one of the things the Red Cross is asking for is blood. There were about 300 blood drives cancelled in the affected area. It isn’t that they need more blood than usual, but that their resources for getting them have been impacted.
Spatula
@Uncle Cosmo:
Then you are an idiot and an enabler of the worst in America. I am not, nor have I ever been, thankfully, a member of the military. I don’ t give a shit what the military does out of its warped traditions.
The U.S. military allowed 9/11 to happen. The U.S. military invaded Iraq. The U.S. military has created a quagmire in Afghanistan.
Would you have saluted President George Wallace?
President David Duke?
Fool.
danimal
Folks, there is a line between feeding the troll and making the troll so fat it rivals Jabba the Hut.
That line has been crossed.
This troll thinks he’s (or she’s) making some kind of point, but it’s really just “look at me, look at me.” Do you really think you’re going to change his (or her) mind? (S)he’s just being contrary for the entertainment value. Give it a rest.
debbyeOh
I wonder about Mittens and the canned goods thing: I’m thinking he’s falling back on that storing up food like Mormons are taught to do. Also, he has to be the most unaware a-hole I’ve ever seen.
Spatula
@danimal:
Oh thank you, thank you, for weighing in Hall Monitor danimal. Where would we be without you to tell us when and what to say and to whom?
Tonybrown74
@Spatula:
Oh, bless your ass-licking, spooge bathing, hack-tastic little heart.
You tried to pre-empt me by assuming I would call you racist. I say you must be, since your THAT sensitive to an accusation that I never made, or implied.
Instead you work on semantics (assuming that when I said, “Blacks” I was referring to all of us … each and every one), to make your point, which 1) had nothing to do with mine, and 2) I actually don’t know what your point is supposed to be.
I guess there’s some mysterious chicken that needs to be fucked repeatedly. I hope it;s good for you. I’d hate to think you are wasting your time.
Tonybrown74
@danimal:
You are absolutely right.
Does the pie filter still exist? If so, can someone point me in the direction of installing it once more?
Spatula
wow…you’re unhinged. And a freak.
I like that.
Spatula
@Tonybrown74:
I’m honored.
And you’re a lightweight.
Higgs Boson
Another photo op for Paul Ryan: Handing a displaced Sandy refugee in the storm shelter a can of pork & beans and a four-pack of Charmin.
ranchandsyrup
@Tonybrown74: Here you go. http://ok-cleek.com/blogs/2149/balloon-juice-disemvoweller/
aimai
@RedKitten:
This is an argument a sometime right winger advanced to me for why Obama was/will be criticized for the Auto Bailout. “People will say that he did it because he knew it would be important during the election in four years in Ohio and Michigan!!!” I said “So what? In what universe would doing something good for an incredibly large number of citizens be a bad decision? Its not evidence of some superhuman level of cunning–its the very basis of good government. figure out what the citizens need and want and give it to them.”
aimai
Kerry Reid
@lacp: I think that RomneyDick is the living embodiment of the comment “Such bad food! And such small portions!”
(And now Tagg will want to kick my ass. Oh noes!)
Lojasmo
@Spatula:
Fuck you.
Lojasmo
@? Martin:
The national guard is mobilized by various governors, IIRC.
Grumpy Code Monkey
RoonieRoo and I did our civic duty this afternoon in Austin. We were told by one of the poll workers that we came on the right day; Thursday’s going to be a bit of a nightmare (last day of early voting).
Voted Green for the first time, solely to take a vote out of the R and L columns (no D in those races). If the vote was between R and L, I left it unmarked; in the past I’d have voted R as it was a pathology I at least understood, but that’s no longer the case.
Not expecting Sadler to beat Cruz for Senate or Cadien to beat McCaul for TX-10, but one can always hope.
Lojasmo
@Spatula:
It’s not a fact. It’s your ignorant opinion. Obama has a JOB to do in the disaster relief. Romney does not.
Therefore, whatever Obama is doing out there, though it may have good optics, is job related, and the optics are secondary.
Romney has no work to do in all the relief, anything he is doing is pure campaigning, including collecting foodstuffs that the Red Cross has stated is not useful to them in relief efforts.
You are a fucking fool.
Jay in Oregon
@El Cid:
+1 internet for you!
Spatula
@Lojasmo:
mmmm hmmm…I see.
You’re a blind ass Obot, Lowjism. Carry on as per usual.
Lojasmo
@Spatula:
@Spatula:
You’re not racist. You’re just a fetid cunt.
Mike Lamb
@Spatula: Are you arguing that in Obama’s mind and/or his advisors’ minds, the optics of the situation take precedence over the job of disaster relief?
Dennis G.
@Tonybrown74: word
Spatula
@Lojasmo:
Nuff said.
Spatula
@Mike Lamb:
Ummmm…NO. Which is why I have never said so.
I repeat: For the Obama team, the storm aftermath presents itself as a challenge to do their primary work AND as an opportunity to be made the most of in support of his re election campaign.
It’s a noncontroversial statement, but the overriding Obot mindset here automatically smells it as an ATTACK. As though Obama is above such practical concerns.
Spatula
@Dennis G.:
Dennis, buddy…you’ve got some nerve showing your racist-screaming cyber face around here.
You here to promote yourself some more?
When can we have the pleasure of reading your response to Glennzilla’s take down of your sleazy act?
How’s that GOTV goin?
Mike Lamb
@Spatula: Except that really isn’t what you said. You called Dennis G. a hack for condemning Romney’s bullshit move of re-badging a campaign rally as “disaster relief”, by alleging that Obama is using “Frankensandy” as a “campaign prop” (I’m not sure whether you also used the term “exploited”–and if you did, it’s a completely loaded term).
You have yet to produce any evidence that Obama is, in fact, using the storm as a “prop”. And the idea that you are simply making an observation that Obama can gain political points just prior to the election by competently handling the storm is patent bullshit.
It’s false equivalency at its worst combined with thoroughly moving the goal posts as the thread as progressed.
Spatula
@Mike Lamb:
yes it is what I said, yes DennisG is a hack, and yes Obama is using the storm as a prop.
Yes, I used the word “exploit.” The O campaign will be using the storm to its advantage in ads in the next week and you know it.
Your tender feelings about the word “exploit” are of no concern to me.
Merriam-Webster definition #1: to make productive use of : utilize
It’s cute that term is “loaded” for you but I’m sure your diaper is loaded too. Both are your burdens to bear, not mine.
Yutsano
@Mike Lamb: Jesu Christe it’s Special Timmeh. Not worth talking to on any level. He’s going to be a nasty thing because he gets off on it. Don’t rise to his bait.
Mnemosyne
@Spatula:
I’m sorry, after your antics of the past couple of years here, you’re shocked and surprised that we automatically assume bad faith from you?
Wow. You really are the most un-self aware person walking the planet today. That’s certainly an achievement.
Mike Lamb
@Spatula: Shorter Spatula–evidence? That’s for everyone else…
Spatula
@Mnemosyne:
EIGHT years, dipshit, but keep pretending. YOU’VE been trolling ME and frankly, I’m sick of it.
Have a nice evening and piss off, dear.
Spatula
@Mnemosyne:
Not even close, Memnostain.
Among the millions ahead of me on that list is DougJ, DennisG and your sorry Obot ass.
1badbaba3
Wow, this is just like the Burly Brawl, except wih harsh language. And Spats is totes cooler than Mr. Anderson.
Make those Obots sing for their supper. Make ’em work for it.
Sweep the leg, baby.
A Humble Lurker
@Spatula:
Still don’t know how to use the edit button, huh?