Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

So many bastards, so little time.

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

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

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

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

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

One way or another, he’s a liar.

If rights aren’t universal, they are privilege, not rights.

This fight is for everything.

Disagreements are healthy; personal attacks are not.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Republicans do not trust women.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

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

Petty moves from a petty man.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

When we show up, we win.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Monday Evening Open Thread: Exchange of Ideas

Monday Evening Open Thread: Exchange of Ideas

by | 221 Comments

This post is in: , ,

ETA: “An Interview With Marc Maron About What It Was Like to Grill Obama (and How It Happened in the First Place)” (Slate)
***********

Apart from the Never-Ending Story, what’s on the agenda for the evening?

Reader Interactions

221Comments

  1. 1.

    JPL

    Sam Sacks is right. After the manifesto was released, I was sure that Comey would change his mind.

  2. 2.

    Belafon

    @JPL: The ONLY reason I can come up with is that he’s waiting for an official investigation to describe it as terrorism specifically because an Executive official saying it could be considered biasing a jury. But that’s all speculation and pretty weak to me.

  7. 7.

    the Conster

    TheObamaDiary.com ‏@TheObamaDiary 8h8 hours ago

    Media shocked by President using N word? ✓

    Media shocked by President being called the N word? ✘

  8. 8.

    fuckwit

    @JPL: it’s been released in the media, but has it been properly processed as evidence, etc yet? IANAL, so I dunno. Maybe someone familiar with criminal procedure can enlighten us. I’d assume it’d have to be verified that it was his, be something that a grand jury would be able to use in connsideration of an indictment for terrorism, etc… much legal stuff I am probably not aware of.

  10. 10.

    jl

    @rea: Yes. I brought it up in the the very discreetly titled ‘Kill Them All’ post.

    Obama mentioned the N-word, he did not use it. It might be been better if he had merely mentioned it by referring to it indirectly or with a euphemism. But he did not use it, and his mentioning it does not mean he uses it.

    But cynical media and political manipulators know that a debate over whether it is wise to refer to the word by mentioning it would be very weak tea, and not draw in all the white bigots, concern trolls and die hard racists.

  11. 11.

    ThresherK

    Turns out it would kill NPR to headline that “What liberals called for forty years ago some conservatives are finally being dragged into admitting” re That Flag on the Capitol Grounds.

  12. 12.

    Elizabelle

    OK. You caught me checking Fox while switching channels, and:

    Host: “The flag initially hoisted by Democratic governor Fritz Hollings, and now Republican Governor Nikki Haley calls for its removal.”

  13. 13.

    the Conster

    The Daily Edge ‏@TheDailyEdge 3h3 hours ago

    WH says Obama stands behind use of N-word: “It was used in 3,270,000 ‘Mean Tweets’ @jimmykimmel didn’t let him read”

  14. 14.

    ThresherK

    Turns out it would kill NPR to headline that “What liberals called for forty years ago some conservatives are finally being dragged into admitting” re That Flag.

  16. 16.

    Mandalay

    Gov. Haley:

    Many respect the flag as a reminder of ancestors who died in the Civil War, noting that such feelings do not represent “hate nor is it racism. At the same time, for many others in South Carolina, the flag is a deeply offensive symbol of a brutally oppressive past,” she said.

    “We do not need to declare a winner and a loser here,” she said.

    Oh yes we do. You and the haters lost, Governor.

  18. 18.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @rea: Matt Yglesias had a post on it, a few others have mentioned (ahem) it.

    @ThresherK: IT’s all well and good that Lindsey Graham is apparently capable of changing his mind, of learning, but I’d like everyone to remember that his first response was to pretend this was a part of a “war on Xians”. I shan’t bet the mortgage on that happening

  20. 20.

    chopper

    TPM has a bit from the council of concervative citizens (aka racist-ass motherfuckers) not really actually at all condemning the recent murders in SC.

    The C of CC unequivocally condemns Roof’s murderous actions.
    However,

    no! no ‘however’! just stop after the first sentence you dumbasses.

    Again, we utterly condemn Roof’s despicable killings, but

    NOOOOOO! just stop with the ‘but’ and the ‘on the other hand’ and shit. FFS.

  22. 22.

    Cervantes

    @rea:

    Anyone know about the use/mention distinction?

    Sure — but if any among our leading commentators know about it, they are smart enough, apparently, to pretend otherwise.

  23. 23.

    jl

    @ranchandsyrup:

    ” 27% of black ppl in South Carolina in 2014 favored the display of the confederate flag. ”

    OMG, that magic number again. Hard to say what that means. Could be the crazification factor of blacks in SC is same as in other groups. Or, could mean some can see how Confederate battle flag can be used to represent good aspects of Southern Heritage (in other words, it’s not ‘too soon’). Looked for a quote in the link to help out on that but did not see one.

    I can see how, in another alternative world, Confederate battle flag could be used as positive symbol. But not in this one, not any more. Too many, all over the country, have adopted it for bigotry and racism.

    So what? I don’t understand the emotional commitment of white southerners on this. That kind of unfortunate thing happens to symbols, and one has to be very careful about their use. Swastika is an example. I love the Gadsden flag and view it as part of my heritage, and the teabagger and wingnuts are hijacking it. I cannot use that flag anymore.

    There are so many possible symbols of the positive aspects of Southern Heritage. Why the hang up over the Confederate battle flag? Note that they use the battle flag. Why not some riff on the stars and bars, which are basis of several state flags?

    No, the only symbol that will do is the Confederate flag used to represent violent conflict in defense of slavery (OK, to be fair, also in defense of states rights… to own black slaves).

  25. 25.

    jl

    @chopper: Yeah, I think they said he had ‘grievances’. What, did an African-American rape one of his white women? Or did an African-American ‘take him over’ and run his life? I have not heard about either in the news.

  26. 26.

    David Koch

    The basic whine I’m hearing from the usual suspects is “how come Obama gets to use the N word and I can’t.”

    They’re just dying to use he word in public.

  27. 27.

    Cervantes

    @Elizabelle, quoting Fox News (?):

    “The flag initially hoisted by Democratic governor Fritz Hollings, and now Republican Governor Nikki Haley calls for its removal.”

    Cute — and it serves Hollings right.

  29. 29.

    Brachiator

    Apart from the Never-Ending Story, what’s on the agenda for the evening?

    Catching up on some movies. Will probably watch the Scarlett Johansson movie, “Under the Skin.”

    Anyone see the new Pixar movie, “Inside Out?” I’ve heard a lot of praise from adults, wonder if kids actually like it as much as the big folk?

    The faux controversy over Obama’s podcast interview is stupid.

  32. 32.

    Iowa Old Lady

    I’m still watching all my old Firefly DVDs. I’m not sure I ever got what the western aspect added. Except for Mal’s long coat. That was cool.

  36. 36.

    ribber

    @rea: THANK YOU. I was thinking that there *must* be a term for this sort of linguist construct and googling “indirect address” or “reference” got me a bunch of crap about computer languages.

  39. 39.

    Valdivia

    @David Koch: Apologies in advance and not to be a pedant but it’s Colombia :)
    Sorry I see Columbia and go a little batty from seeing my students do it so much over the years.

  40. 40.

    Patricia Kayden

    @David Koch: It’s so weird that anyone wants to use a racial slur, no? I’ve never wanted to use slurs against any ethnic group or sexual minority. Don’t get the allure. And I have no doubt that those people use that word behind closed doors. They just want to use it in public without any consequences like their mammies and pappies used to do in the 50s.

  41. 41.

    NotMax

    Somewhat amazed the FOXbot didn’t ask a follow-up about coon, jigaboo, pickaninny or porch monkey.

  42. 42.

    Jim, Foolish LIteralist

    MICHAEL ARCENEAUX at TPM

    I think I speak for many black people when I say that I’m wonderfully bored with white people’s obsession with policing whether or not it’s ever appropriate for a black person to use “nigger” and all its variances. The majority never really has a right to question the marginalized—but particularly when context is key. And yet, they do it anyway, again and again. This time President Obama is the target, but the intent is the same: to be caught up in a word rather than the crux of an argument about systemic racism

    to paraphrase Eric Holder, a bunch of cowards pretending to be righteous

  44. 44.

    David Koch

    Taylor Swift Labor leader/Feminist

    I’ve always been indifferent to Swift. But last year she gave speech about becoming a feminist, a subject that most of her fans would have never paid attention to without her.

    Misogyny is ingrained in people from the time they are born.

    So to me, feminism is probably the most important movement that you could embrace, because it’s just basically another word for equality.

    Now she’s forced Apple to cave on exploiting starving musicians.

    Less than 24 hours after chart-topping singer Taylor Swift criticized Apple for not paying royalties to artists during the three-month free-trial period for its new Apple Music service, the company’s chief content czar signaled the policy has been reversed via Twitter.

    “Apple will always make sure that artist are paid,” tweeted Apple’s Eddy Cue on Sunday night, adding, “We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists.”

    The reversal came after Swift, 25, criticized Apple’s policy saying, “I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company.”

    BAMF

  48. 48.

    Kropadope

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    If we replaced the entire WH press corpse with middle-schoolers we would see a marked improvement in the questions asked.

    Maybe not, you think they’re going to change their policy of hiring the cutest ones vs. the smartest ones?

  51. 51.

    shell

    Who was that ass on CNN about an hour ago? A Confederate flag apologist , rambling on about ‘the guy didn’t go in and attack them with a flag , he used a gun…so why are we talking about the flag?”

    Huh? By this guy’s logic, if Roof stabbed people with the pointy end of a flag pole, then it would be okay to take down the rebel flag.

    The fact that the guy was African American must have made CNN feel all happy cause ‘balance!’

  52. 52.

    Tripod

    @Patricia Kayden:

    I’d like these idiots to show the documentation that their ancestors served the Confederacy. That lost cause bullshit also trades pretty heavily in stolen valor. (The southern wing of my family has a bunch of post-reconstruction Roberts and Lees, but none of their forebearers actually served).

  53. 53.

    JustRuss

    @Brachiator: My wife and nephews watched Inside Out yesterday. They thought it was a hoot. I elected to stay home by myself to clean and organize the carport. Best Fathers Day present ever. Yeah, I’m kind of weird.

  54. 54.

    different-church-lady

    @shell:

    ‘the guy didn’t go in and attack them with a flag , he used a gun…

    Well, alright then sir, let’s get talkin’ about guns!

  55. 55.

    Elizabelle

    Clementa Pinckney’s funeral this Friday. President Obama will deliver the eulogy.

  56. 56.

    Tree With Water

    In a vote for which of these two is the bigger idiot, I’d have to fault the drum guy. His common sense-o-meter to step the hell away from any yahoo-jackassing-around-with-an-ax malfunctioned:

    “Fox News’ Pete Hegseth, co-host of “Fox & Friends,” hit a West Point drummer with an axe during a June 14 segment of the show, Mediaite reported on Monday”.

  57. 57.

    AnonPhenom

    @David Koch:
    That and focusing on the use of a ‘bad’ word lets them avoid the substance of Obama’s argument. Thers over at Whiskey Fire coined the term “civility dodge” for it use, as in when a person has no counter to the facts, logic or reasoning of your stated case but instead decides to take offence at the fuckity fuck fucking words you used expressing it. Smoke and mirrors basically.

  59. 59.

    Brachiator

    @JustRuss:

    My wife and nephews watched Inside Out yesterday. They thought it was a hoot. I elected to stay home by myself to clean and organize the carport. Best Fathers Day present ever.

    So, the cool Father’s Day present was to leave you at home?

    I kinda understand. But still.

    Anyway, thanks for the feedback on the movie. I listened to a couple of reviews that talked a lot about the movie from an adult’s point of view, but did not get down to the key question of kids’ enjoyment.

  61. 61.

    sharl

    Aww man, I miss parody twitter account Snark Knoller (Bio: White House Correspondent. Counting cost of Obama.)

    18 Aug 2012:
    Obama heading to N.H. today for 2 fundraisers, will talk about protecting Medicare & keeping seniors alive longer than is actually necessary

    18 Aug 2012:
    Obama wearing red tie today, 376th time he’s worn red since inauguration, wore blue 412 times, assorted colors the rest of the time.

    18 Aug 2012:
    Obama bought 2 bags of peaches & apples at Mack’s Apples in L’derry, NH, cost $16.36. What is the point of fruit? It’s just liquid you chew.

    21 Aug 2012:
    Obama only leading Gov Romney 94-0 with AAs in new poll suggests attacks from Cornel West & Tavis Smiley are having significant impact

    21 Aug 2012:
    Obama & Gov Romney tied 94-0 (within margin of error) with African Americans in new NBC/WSJ/Acorn poll. Lost hope?

  63. 63.

    Steeplejack

    @shell:

    Who was that ass on CNN about an hour ago? A Confederate flag apologist, rambling on about ‘the guy didn’t go in and attack them with a flag, he used a gun . . . so why are we talking about the flag?”

    Hey, he’s right! We should be talking about getting rid of the guns.

  64. 64.

    jl

    @Tripod:

    ” I’d like these idiots to show the documentation that their ancestors served the Confederacy. ”

    I have ancestors who I know fought on both sides. And the more interested younger kin in my family checked out the family stories (many of which turned out to be fabrications and really whopper exaggerations ) on family history genealogy sites. One of them apparently died of starvation in Andersonville prison. Another died under mysterious circumstances after disenrolling form Confederates (family myth of the southern branch if kin is that those Union soldiers MURDERED him on his way home from the war, in the ‘war of southern independence’)

    I got over it. They should too.

  67. 67.

    Elizabelle

    @Valdivia: ABC kind of covered it responsibly. Kind of.

    Opening story seemed to be a puff piece about Nikki Haley, that brave governor, calling for the flag of treason to come down. (Joined it in progress.)

    Next up Obama: used the N word. Bracing myself, but ABC ran a long (for them) excerpt that put its use in clear context and conveyed Obama’s message.

    And there’s Jonathan Karl. Bracing again, what will he say?

    Mild mannered comment. He and Muir talk about Obama being an accomplished writer. Karl says he did not use the word in error.

    Whew. Informative even.

  68. 68.

    Patricia Kayden

    @NotMax: Funny that Donald Trump hasn’t had to apologize for that racist commentary and yet Republicans are “concerned” about President Obama using the N word in an appropriate manner.

  69. 69.

    Eric U.

    @shell: I haven’t seen anyone mention it, but Roof had a jacket with two flags that signaled his racism, but not with the Confederate traitor flag. He was always pictured holding the traitor flag, but didn’t get a patch sewn onto his jacket. He was well-coached, that’s for sure

  71. 71.

    NotMax

    So the South Carolina Compromise (moving the flag from atop the Capitol onto the grounds) now gets tossed into the dustbin of history along with the Missouri Compromise.

    Good riddance to bad rubbish.

  72. 72.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @Elizabelle: Jon Karl: “He knew what he was doing”

    Charles Pierce calls Jon Karl “the republican mole”. I always tense up when Jon appears, because he’s a sneaky, subtle devil, and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

  73. 73.

    Keith G

    @Elizabelle: If you have a chance, email or tweet at any commenters that did right by this story. I am trying to remember to use positive reinforcement in these cases. They hear from the flame throwers like clock work. I want to let them feel appreciation for good choices.

    I have even gotten a few responses. It seems some of them like the good vibes.

  74. 74.

    Baud

    @David Koch:

    Something you may want to listen to at work or during your commute.

    Would love to, but he seems to have no love for Android devices.

  77. 77.

    Baud

    Obama needs to merge the N-word controversy with the tan-suit controversy from a little while ago and go full on 70s black pimp at the next SOTU or state dinner.

    ETA: On second thought, that might be an actual controversy, unlike the other two.

  78. 78.

    Elizabelle

    Tonight might be Lester Holt’s first full-fledged night as official anchor of NBC Nightly News.

    And what does that sneaky Obama serve up for him to deal with? Tuning in … Yup. The N word gets mentioned in first minute of the show as a teaser.

    @Patricia Kayden:

    Some Republicans are already voicing their plans to vote against removing the Confederate flag from the S.C. capitol. This could be nastier than Gov. Haley expects.

    Could be. I think the flag will come down and go into the museum, though. South Carolina depends heavily on tourism. They can’t have people staying away in droves. Disney got some blowback recently; South Carolina is next if it sticks to its flag of treason.

    NBC: “Haley previously defended the flag when running for re-election.” Thank you, NBC.

  79. 79.

    Germy Shoemangler

    NYTImes:
    Obama Lowers His Guard in Unusual Displays of Emotion

    Mr. Obama has admitted that he has been blindsided recently by fits of sadness, many of them prompted by the thought of his daughters — 14-year-old Sasha, who graduated this month from middle school, and 16-year-old Malia, who will go to college next year — growing up.

    “I start tearing up in the middle of the day and I can’t explain it,” Mr. Obama told attendees at an Easter prayer breakfast in April. “Why am I so sad? They’re leaving me.”

  80. 80.

    Elizabelle

    NBC features some plump and bearded white guy who does not think the flag should come down. We’re told his group is considered a hate group.

    And: he looks so much like Mark Knoller. LOL.

  83. 83.

    Elizabelle

    NBC just barely bleeps the n word. You can hear it, and it’s written in the graphic.

    And NBC’s package is very positive about Obama bringing up racism. It’s just excellent so far.

    WTG NBC.

    Valdivia: watch them rather than CBS.

  86. 86.

    Elizabelle

    @Baud: Maybe. They had Chuck Todd on at the end of the piece. And he was fine too. No one stepped in it.

    We can find a clip when it’s up.

  87. 87.

    Sibelius

    @Brachiator: My wife, my (8) and (7) year old girls and I saw it yesterday. Younger one broke down early on, she stayed with it and was fine at the end. My older one took a while longer but broke down as well. We took it as a sign that they are both really intelligent young girls who understand that life moves on and change happens, sometimes for the better, sometimes just randomly.

    The movie was enjoyable, but man, it can get really loud. I actually hadn’t been to a theater in years, didn’t enjoy that part of the experience much. Won’t be back soon I can tell you.

    The story did hit home for us in a funny way. The plot is that the family moves from Minnesota to SF. All the little girls’ memories are of life back in Mn. Wife and I moved to Minnesota a few years ago so I could attend the University of Mn. She hated life there while I loved it. We moved back to our house in San Jose and I’ve been miserable ever since. She’s not exactly thrilled with life here either, but really gets upset when I point out we had more “life” there than we do here. In fact, the last movie I saw I think was back there when we could walk to the theater and have dinner and walk back home.

  88. 88.

    NotMax

    @Bettyy C racker

    Back in high school, someone scrawled “Power to the people” across one of the white stripes on a U.S. flag (forget whether the flag in question was in the lobby or in the auditorium.

    Caused quite the ruckus and much classroom discussion. The administration was quite incensed much later in the school year when a picture of the defaced flag was included in the yearbook’s News of the Year section. (Not to blow my own horn, but I was the editor-in-chief who held fast, against severe pressure, that the picture be included. It was also the first time ever that the yearbook devoted pages – 15 of them, some being double page spreads – to a month-by-month recap of significant world, national and local news.)

  89. 89.

    Woodrowfan

    I’d bet President Obama is probably the first president who never used that word as a slur. I suspect Clinton never used it as an adult but you know growing up in Arkansas he used it as a kid. Carter as well growing up in 1930s Georgia. Nixon Ford, Reagan and Bush I all grew up when it was a common word to use. And Bush II? Please. An asshole white Texan boy? of course he did.

  90. 90.

    Germy Shoemangler

    I finally saw some of Haley’s speech. She says private property is okay (to display your heritage on).

    Get ready for some extreme passive-aggressive displaying of the konfederate flagg. It’ll be on every bumpersticker, every window, every teeshirt.

    The upside of this: brings the a-holes out of the shadows.

  91. 91.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @Woodrowfan: Don’t forget Perry and the sign over his father’s ranch (or whatever it was). I remember the complaints about that one. Perry was all “wuh wuh wuht’s the problem?”

  92. 92.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Elizabelle: Why don’t they just convene a full panel of KKK, Stormfront, and T’Bag members so that we can get our fill of this issue from the bigots’ point of view. As if we don’t already know it.

  93. 93.

    A guy

    I’ll never forget walking thru the street of New York a couple of years ago during the big east hoop tourney. It was during the Jeremy Lin a phenomenon of the Knicks. I’ll never forget a group of black guys saying the Dallas maverick niggers could never beat the Knicks niggers. At least they didn’t call Lin a gook

  97. 97.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Germy Shoemangler: Displaying the confederate flag on your private property or person simply lets people know that you’re a racist. I have no problem with that.

  98. 98.

    Valdivia

    @Elizabelle: Thank you for both reports, glad to hear it wasn’t as bad as the CBS one. Here at home I end up walking by both CBS and NBC and usually Brian Williams drove me crazy with his GOP framing specially of economic stories.

    @sharl: That made me lol. Today they counted how many times Obama has said the word in all settings including his books. They even brought a clip of wet behind the ears Obama saying it. No bleeping at all. The not so subtle message seemed to be he uses it all the time therefore he is the real racist. Ugh.

    @Baud: I love loved that idea. Can he use the music from Shaft too?

    Off to dinner BJ people.

  101. 101.

    Steeplejack

    @Baud:

    Update: If you go to Maron’s main page, under the big blurb for the POTUS interview is a button, Download. I right-clicked on it and selected “Save Link As . . .” and got a 20MB MP3 file. Haven’t listened to it yet, but I presume it’s the podcast.

    Note: If you left-click the Download button, it just starts playing the podcast.

  104. 104.

    Baud

    @Steeplejack:

    I tried that on my Android phone and it froze. I’ll probably download to my computer and then see if I can transfer it to my phone.

  108. 108.

    David Koch

    Gabrielle Bluestone
    6/22/15 11:29am

    Lets see how long it’s going to take for this to become about white peoples right to say Nigger.

    150 fav

  109. 109.

    Elizabelle

    @bemused: CBS Radio correspondent. Prime Villager. Everything framed by GOP talking points. (Reminds you that CBS has been called the Codger Broadcasting System.)

    Keeps lists not far from Snark Knoller.

  111. 111.

    David Koch

    WonderWomanist

    6/22/15 11:32am

    Cue republicans pretending like they’ve never referred to Obama as a nigger in private.

    158 fav

  112. 112.

    Steeplejack

    @Baud:

    Maybe Maron’s server was overloaded. I just went to the site via my Android phone (Moto X), clicked Download and got the podcast, which I was able to play. This is with Chrome. Maybe try it again while everyone’s eating dinner.

    ETA: Just saw that you got ’er done. Congrats!

  114. 114.

    Elizabelle

    Trix cereal eaters: you’re losing blue and green! General Foods (?) is going with natural colors and flavors. Can’t find dyes for those in nature. The sacrifice.

    What is Cap’n Crunch’s natural flavor? Sugar, I guess. And the texture. Love the stuff (as a rare treat), although it is not good for you and probably not really food ….

  115. 115.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Today on Alex Wagner’s show, Harold DLC Ford wagged his finger at Obama for using That Word, inappropriate! distracting! giving permission to others to use it! even though he himself has always found that flag to be a symbol of hatred, oppression and violence (from memory, can’t find a link for a transcript on the MSNBC website).

    Harold Ford is a few years younger than me, I believe. Shouldn’t he be aware of this whole “internet” thing?

  119. 119.

    bystander

    Poor Obama. Conversation shutdown by the PC lieberals again. Why do they always want to shut down other people’s First Amendment rights?

    After yesterday’s MTP debacle, I’m not surprised NBC is treading lightly.

  120. 120.

    NotMax

    Not being at all sports savvy, this I did not know.

    Mississippi joins South Carolina as the remaining states subject to a NCAA post-season boycott the NAACP requested.Source

    So when Gov. Haley talks about no heads of major concerns ever having mentioned it, she’s out and out lying.

  121. 121.

    sharl

    @bemused: I wouldn’t advise expending any of your cerebral capacity on knowledge about Mark Knoller unless you’re really into that sort of thing.

    He’s been CBS Radio’s White House guy for as long as I can remember, and I think I only know that because local Washington DC radio station WTOP, a traffic/weather/news and commercials (lots-&-lots of commercials) operation, has taken CBS’ feed for national news for as long as I can remember.

    He is (in)famous for knowing even the most trivial stats regarding past and current Presidents: Who’s Counting? At the White House, It’s Mark Knoller … Need to know how many times Obama has played golf or used a Teleprompter? CBS’s Mark Knoller is your man:

    …Ask Knoller the most obscure or mundane point of presidential trivia and he’ll have an answer in seconds. You could start with the easy stuff, like public appearances. As of my meeting with Knoller, Obama had made 1,818 speeches, remarks, and public comments as President, using a Teleprompter 689 times.

    But then pick something harder. What does the President do in his downtime? Well, since taking office, Obama had played 106 rounds of golf, 50 of them on the course at Joint Base Andrews, home of Air Force One—on which, by the way, Obama had flown 827 times. Knoller has similar stats on George W. Bush and a partial record for Bill Clinton.

    You could get personal. How often have the President and Mrs. Obama hit the town? The First Couple has dined out at restaurants 18 times, including date nights in Washington, New York City, Paris, Martha’s Vineyard, and Hawaii…

    So there ya go, quality Beltway journamalism!

    ETA: I see Germy beat me to it at (I think) #114, with a more succinct source.

  123. 123.

    PIGL

    @Iowa Old Lady: I think it has to do with historical parallels between the outlaws on the American frontier, post civil war be it noted, apparently mostly southrons who resisted demobilisation. Also, there are tropes in sci-fi, for example Robert A Heinlein’s “Tunnel in the sky”, which posit a mix of 23rd century and 19th century tech in colonizing space. I would imagine Mr. Whedon would have read those books.

  124. 124.

    Keith G

    @Baud:
    I use Podkicker Pro on my Andriod devices. The Pro means a one time $2.00 price. With that I get all the new, cultural, comedy, and lifestyle programing I care to listen to.

    But if you turn into a Maron fan, his app gives you access to his back catalogue, some 600+ interviews. His interview with Robin Williams from a view years back where hear spoke about fighting back thoughts of suicide (while being so funny it hurt) is alone worth the effort.

  125. 125.

    bystander

    PS. Just back from Jurassic World. Snoozer. If all you want is CGId dinosaurs in 3D, you may be satisfied. If you want the whole thing – the matinee hero and heroine facing diversity plus scary stuff, PU.

  126. 126.

    Baud

    @Keith G:

    Thanks. I’ve never really gotten into podcasting, but I wanted to listen to this one because so many people are talking about it.

  129. 129.

    Keith G

    @bystander: I know I should not do this….but:

    Just what the heck are you typing about? Could you clarify that spastic word salad?

  130. 130.

    Elizabelle

    @bystander: Haven’t seen the movie, but if I am ever running for my life from a T Rex, I want to be doing it in high heels.

  132. 132.

    the Conster

    God ‏@TheTweetOfGod 1m1 minute ago

    Walmart announcing it’s removing Confederate flag merchandise from its stores is the most depressing civil-rights triumph of all time.

  134. 134.

    Elizabelle

    @the Conster: I would guess that’s huge.

    Does WalMart sell a lot of flag of treason merchandise? I don’t know … Good news, though.

    Just don’t let them substitute flag of Rhodesia instead. For those in the know.

  135. 135.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I think polls are useless until about Labor Day before the election, and even then there are Events, Dear Friends, Events! but remember about ten days ago when Hillary was doomed by Serious Questions and Inappropriate Appearances?

    Looking ahead to the general election, Clinton also leads Bush by eight points (48 percent to 40 percent), Rubio by 10 points (50 percent to 40 percent) and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker by 14 (51 percent to 37 percent).

  136. 136.

    Germy Shoemangler

    BREAKING
    South Carolina Refuses To Remove Confederate Flag From Capitol Trailer
    COLUMBIA, SC—Shooing away protesters from the brown, debris-covered lawn, state lawmakers reportedly refused Monday to remove the Confederate flag from South Carolina’s Capitol Trailer.

    MORE COVERAGE

    Black Man In Support Of Confederate Flag Triples His Media Appearance Rates

    Jeb Bush Surprised How Easily Stance On Confederate Flag Set Him Apart From Other Republican Candidates

    The Onion
    theonion.com/article/south-carolina-refuses-remove-confederate-flag-cap-50725

  137. 137.

    Mike J

    @bystander:

    If all you want is CGId dinosaurs in 3D, you may be satisfied

    Only if you’re willing to settle for featherless knock offs of dinosaurs.

  140. 140.

    raven

    @Mike J: I think my friend from Colombia is on her way but she is ALWAYS late! Actually that is not true. One year she and her hubby showed up a week early for a Superbowl party!

  144. 144.

    FlipYrWhig

    @bystander:

    the matinee hero and heroine facing diversity plus scary stuff

    “Adversity,” right, not “diversity”? Because “hero taking a stand against diversity” skews very _Death Wish_. :P

  147. 147.

    NotMax

    @Origuy

    Likely ephemera such as keychains, caps and decals, too. One would hope it was stocked primarily in the South.

  152. 152.

    Elizabelle

    Kind of surreal for people to be shocked about Obama using the “N” word (purposefully) when he did it on an online program called “WTF.”

    Have heard no discussion of that phrase.

  153. 153.

    Southern Goth

    @bystander:

    If you want the whole thing – the matinee hero and heroine facing diversity plus scary stuff, PU.

    No comment. Just couldn’t let that one slide by.

  156. 156.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @bemused:

    Isn’t he the one who obsessively counts how many days of vacation the President takes? That’s what I associate him with, for some some reason.

  158. 158.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Maron mentions, again, that he recently played Cleveland and in the neighboring theatre, Dennis Miller and Bill O’Reilly were performing, which makes me ask again, what the hell kind of show is that, besides a two hour (at least) self-indulgent resentment-fueled grievance-fest led by two multi-millionaire white men telling a bunch of (mostly) less wealthy people that they’re the real victims

  159. 159.

    the Conster

    @Bob Munck:

    Somehow that simple observation which puts everything into context, isn’t able to be grasped by 99% of the people opening their yaps.

  161. 161.

    Kathleen

    @Germy Shoemangler: When Marc asked him what he enjoys doing in his spare time, PBO said he enjoys being with his daughters and watching them grow up. Then he said since they’re teenagers, while he knows they love and respect him, they will come in, talk to him for about 10 minutes, pat him on the head and leave and he won’t see them for 2 days. He then said he will have to figure out what he’s going to do for enjoyment since they’re growing up. It was very sweet.

  162. 162.

    Iowa Old Lady

    @Elizabelle: I bet they didn’t hear the podcast or read a transcript. They heard from someone who heard from someone that the president said something. And now they’re all aflutter. Checking primary sources is apparently boring.

  165. 165.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @SiubhanDuinne: I’m old enough to remember the Mad Magazine parody: A woman trackstar crossing the finish line; “I dreamt I was way out front in my maidenform bra”

  166. 166.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @Keith G: In one interview, Maron was asked if Obama met his cats. Maron said he gave them “their own space” in the main part of the house. But Obama saw a photo of them having sex(?) and said he couldn’t talk about that.

  168. 168.

    Germy Shoemangler

    [Hillary Clinton] still talks about the time in 1962 when her youth minister took her and a childhood friend to see Dr. King speak in Chicago. The experience, she often says, opened her eyes.

    In 1972, while working for the Children’s Defense Fund, Mrs. Clinton went helped investigate private schools in the South that had been formed to avoid the integration of public schools. She pretended to be a mother enrolling a child at a private school in Alabama, where she was “assured no black students would be enrolled,” she wrote in her memoir, “Living History.”

    “The environment in which she is in is allowing her to give voice to something she feels deeply about and has felt deeply about for at least the 20 years I’ve known her, and probably 20 years before that,” said Minyon Moore, a Democratic strategist and longtime adviser to Mrs. Clinton.

    Black leaders seem to be encouraged by what they have heard so far from Mrs. Clinton. But, given the congressional impasses that Mr. Obama has faced on gun control and other measures, some seem eager to see what she could actually do, if elected.

    NYtimes

  172. 172.

    Woodrowfan

    @Germy Shoemangler: @Woodrowfan: Don’t forget Perry and the sign over his father’s ranch (or whatever it was). I remember the complaints about that one. Perry was all “wuh wuh wuht’s the problem?”

    t be fair, “wuh, wuh, wuh” is Perry’s answer to most any question.. 8-)

  173. 173.

    Belafon

    @Mike J:

    Only if you’re willing to settle for featherless knock offs of dinosaurs.

    My kids talked and I talked about that on the way home, and the movie had a cover. When the geneticist is talking to the head guy about the dinosaurs he says “You act as though this is some mad science when we’re doing what we’ve always done! We have always had to fill the gaps with the DNA of other animals, if our dinosaur’s genome’s were pure, many of these species would look quite different, but you didn’t ask for real, you asked for more teeth!”

  174. 174.

    Woodrowfan

    @Another Holocene Human: @Woodrowfan: Bush I by social class, religion, and geography does not strike me as the sort to drop n-bombs.

    you may be right. too plebeian. but I can see him dropping it behind closed doors to seem like he’s “one of the guys.”

  176. 176.

    Belafon

    @Elizabelle: Did you ever watch the X-Files? There was the episode where Hollywood was considering making a moving about Moulder and Scully. Tea Leoni and (some guy) are there to follow the two, and there’s the scene were Leoni is trying to keep up with Scully who is running in heals.

  180. 180.

    the Conster

    @Valdivia:

    Lesley Jane Seymour, the More editor, is a personal friend. I’ve known her husband before they were married – I went to their wedding. She’s an amazing person who will probably get her own show. She follows FLOTUS around the world in the press pool with credentials – they’re friends now, and is not only an Obamabot, she’s one of the most Obamabot people in media. She was on Morning Joe this morning, and I enjoyed watching the squint squirm when she was on talking about Barack, who she’s met a bunch of times. She goes to state dinners. Michelle shared a lot of personal stuff with her. Lesley asked Meryl Streep to participate in the whole More guest editor issue, and there’s a video she posted on the MSNBC website that shows the behind the scenes goings on.

  181. 181.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Valdivia:

    I just bought that magazine today! Used to read MORE fairly regularly, but haven’t paid much attention to it in several years. However, with Michelle Obama as guest editor, and an essay by POTUS, I had little choice.

    Haven’t opened it yet, but it will be my bedtime reading for sure.

  184. 184.

    the Conster

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    My daughter’s first car was one of Lesley’s cast offs. I still make her husband’s late mother’s chicken broccoli casserole that she used to bring to him in college in Amherst, and she always made extra to share with me and my husband. I’ve known her husband and his family longer than Lesley has.

  185. 185.

    bystander

    @Southern Goth: Adversity, yes. Correctionator took over.

    My word salad was about the latest rw meme that the liberal PC police is always trying to shut down conservative expression. Yet somehow, Obama gives a vivid example of what they’re really saying and they go nuts.

    This morning on Moanin’ Joe Harold Ford was opening that in the wake of Charleston Obama should have been talking about faith and Gawd and how we are all one big happy family. Ford couldn’t figure out that the interview was recorded a few days before the murders. He’s not just a DINO. He’s an idiot.

  186. 186.

    Valdivia

    @the Conster: thanks for sharing this backstory. Interesting and good to know that there is someone out there cheering for the First Couple this way in the morning shows. Between this and @SiubhanDuinne: endorsement I am going to go buy it tomorrow!

  190. 190.

    the Conster

    @the Conster:

    Also, we vacationed one time on the Jersey shore together, and one of the couples who shared the house was Lake Bell’s father and stepmother. Lake was probably 14 or 15 at the time, and was a completely charming friendly kid who took turns dancing with my daughters by letting them stand on her feet while she twirled them around. Lesley named her daughter, born years later, after Lake.

  193. 193.

    lamh36

    Serious question to be asked of white folk who get all upset over Black ok using the n-word. Why do you want to use it? If allowed to use it, when would you? I mean, I just don’t understand the NEED some white folk have for “permission” to use the word.

  195. 195.

    Belafon

    @lamh36: The only reason I want to use it is when I’m quoting someone who needs to be called out.

    Even though they try to deny it, it’s obvious why FOX news whites want to use it, and it’s for the same reason they keep making it easier for whites to get guns: Intimidation.

  196. 196.

    Tree With Water

    “Pete Rose bet on baseball during his playing career, ESPN reported Monday”.

    If I could choose my all time team to field, Rose would be in the starting lineup. But sad to say he is- or was- a degenerate gambler (to this day Rose steadfastly has denied that he ever gambled as a player). I once knew someone likewise consumed by a gambling addiction, and I credit the report. The silver lining appears to be there was little or no collateral damage inflicted on anyone else. But today’s news makes a sad final chapter even sadder for baseball’s Charlie Hustle.

  198. 198.

    Keith G

    @lamh36:

    Serious question….

    Good luck with that.

    That’s a rabbit hole since the people you reference are not having conflict with that issue (with the use of that word). These are folks moved to an aggressive emotional state because they are sitting on a volcano of uncontrollable bias and they are trying to mask, or at the very least divert, it.

  199. 199.

    lamh36

    @Belafon: See but even then (to let ya’ll in on a secret from the Black folk weekly “make whitey uncomfortable” meeting) no one would have a problem with a white person quoting someone saying “nigger” any “sane” person would understand that.

    But other than direct quote why do white folk who complain bout using it, REALLY want to use it. I suspect they already use it in private anyway.

  200. 200.

    Mike J

    @lamh36:

    If allowed to use it, when would you?

    I can answer this, but please note the opinions expressed are not my own.

    Some racists will make the distinction between “the good ones” (theses could be written about THAT phrase) and the others. Some white people will claim they only want to use the phrase to apply to black people who don’t meet their standards. When Chris Rock made the same distinction, racist white people really jumped all over it. But growing up in the south, I’ve heard this argument all my life.

  201. 201.

    Anne Laurie

    @Elizabelle:

    Kind of surreal for people to be shocked about Obama using the “N” word (purposefully) when he did it on an online program called “WTF.”

    Have heard no discussion of that phrase.

    One of the infotainment tv shows (it comes on right after the news) referred to the President “using the n-word” on “a radio broadcast whose name is so offensive we can’t even use it on the air!!!”

    Did not bother to listen beyond the teaser, because c’mon…

  202. 202.

    Belafon

    @lamh36: I think I understand what your asking a little better. I think the reason a lot of these whites are annoyed is that they’ve been told they can’t do something but someone else can. For rational things, we can all relate to that (women rightfully get annoyed at that all the time). But they want it all the time.

  203. 203.

    Tree With Water

    @Belafon: But for my insight into how gambling can twist a person, I’d say that would be out of the question. His nickname fit him perfectly, eh? And so although I doubt Rose ever bet his team to lose, who knows? Only Rose and his bookies, I suppose.

  204. 204.

    Ruckus

    @lamh36:
    With permission comes acceptance. You give one racist that and they will all assume that it’s OK to use it. They don’t understand why blacks can use it but they can’t. Of course subtly isn’t in their wheelhouse, only hate.

  205. 205.

    rikyrah

    I keep on telling this…about White folks clutching the pearls about HOW COME THE PRESIDENT CAN SAY NIGGER AND I CAN’T…

    they don’t want to be able to use the word..

    they want to be able to use the world WITH NO CONSEQUENCES FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

    they want to rock it like it’s 1948.

  206. 206.

    Ruckus

    @Mike J:
    I have a very old friend who now makes this exact distinction. He doesn’t use the word normally but he sure isn’t afraid to use it when he feels the time is right. I’ve tried to have a discussion about it but he is about as hard headed as it gets. I feel for him but he isn’t changing till his dying day.

  208. 208.

    Keith G

    @Belafon: I think it is just a form of displacement.

    When Charlie Cracker says “I don’t think it is right that they can use that word and I can’t.” What he is really feeling is that, “I don’t think it is right that I have to stand behind them at the grocery checkout.”

    Voicing the latter in public is a lot more of a problem than voicing the former. And they can go a long way in convincing them selves that they do not have a promise with bias.

  210. 210.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @lamh36:

    I think it’s part of a generalized “You’re not the boss of me!” syndrome. Can’t stand the thought of someone telling them they can’t do something, even if it’s something they don’t particularly want to do, and especially if it’s something that “those people” can do. Unfair!

  213. 213.

    Tree With Water

    “Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested at UCLA’s athletic training complex today and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, according to the university”.

    And the assault was by barbell (or some other piece of equipment) and furthermore was videotaped. It sounds ridiculous, but I sat on a jury that convicted a guy for assault with a deadly weapon, and the “deadly weapon” in question was five-16 ounce beer cans that he swung to injure…. still feel a qualm every once in a blue moon about convicting him, too.

  217. 217.

    mouse tolliver

    Maybe Marc Maron should be the new host of Meet the Press. We could have a rotating lineup of comedians hosting the show. Then we’d finally start seeing some real interviews on the Sunday shows.

  218. 218.

    Poptartacus

    “We’ll take the n-words and the chinks, but we don’t want the Irish”
    Not quite the comedic punch

  220. 220.

    SFAW

    @AxelFoley:
    I was going to say “Because we sometimes need to be reminded that they’re out there,” but realized that we’re reminded of that every day, by Fox and the rest of the right-wing media/mouthpieces.

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