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Barack “the Rock” Obama v. John “McSame” McCain - Blogger Reactions

Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

1.) A visual representation of last night’s debate:

It feels good to act like a 12 year old fanboi sometimes.

2.) Next, I am in pain from laughing at the caption to the photo over here. Honest to goodness physical pain.

3.) Larison, as always, is worth a read:

First a few words about the bizarre debate over what happened to the “real” McCain, which becomes more relevant as McCain has started asking, “Who is the real Barack Obama?” Even among McCain critics, there are some who still insist on coming up with excuses for the former media darling, and they echo the excuses journalists have made for McCain for years: sure, he’s lying about this or that, but he’s clearly uncomfortable doing it, which proves that he’s actually a good guy. More recently, McCain has seemed angrier and grumpier than usual, prompting the same excuses: he doesn’t enjoy doing this kind of campaigning, and it shows, which somehow makes it better. This has been the strange ethical standard applied to McCain for as long as I can remember. According to this odd view, if someone is not very proficient at lying and smearing his opponents and gives the impression that even he knows what he’s saying is nonsense, that somehow proves that he is honest and decent at heart. The correct view is exactly the opposite–if McCain knows the truth, doesn’t really believe what he’s saying and tells lies unconvincingly, that is evidence of the far deeper corruption of the man. Instead of being badly misguided or misinformed, he willfully says things that he knows have no merit or that he knows are unworthy of anyone in his position. In short, being a bad smear artist does not make someone ethical or honorable; it makes him unethical and incompetent.

I know a lot of you don’t click through, but you really should read the whole post.

4.) This post title made me laugh as well.

5.) This, as well, is pretty damned funny:

The fractious Michigan Republicans may not be doing McCain-Palin any favors by keeping the story that he’s abandoned the state alive. They’re now petitioning for a Palin visit.

The Democrats have answered with a petition to bring Tina Fey to Michigan.

6.) Apparently, the mortgage buyback scheme McCain tossed out last night was not even discussed internally at McCain HQ. Erratic.

7.) So this is how the inevitable meltdown of the right happens- to howls of laughter.

More as I see it…

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Finally Some Good News

Tuesday, September 9th, 2008

I have no idea how this will play out in terms of electing people I like, regardless, this is still good news:

The Department of Veterans Affairs said Monday that it would no longer ban voter registration drives among veterans living at federally run nursing homes, shelters for the homeless and rehabilitation centers across the country.

In May, the department said such drives would violate the prohibition on political activity by federal employees and would be disruptive.

The reversal came after months of pressure from state election officials, voting rights groups and federal lawmakers who said that such drives made it easier for veterans to take part in the political process.

The previous rule made no sense (at least what I understood of it made no sense- there may have been aspects I was unaware of), as it seems to me that the general rule should be to make things EASIER for people to vote should they so desire.

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Friday Open Thread

Friday, June 20th, 2008

I got your public financing right here, punks:

Goal Thermometer

Make my day.

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Open Thread

Thursday, March 20th, 2008

Apparently someone snooped into Obama’s passport file, and the State Dept. never informed Obama. The discussion has taken up the entire hour of Countdown. We will see what comes of it, but I suspect no one will hone in on the real scandal- that our government has something other than simply where we have been recorded in our secret passport files. Why the hell there are notes and the like in there is beyond me and kind of creepy.

Consider this an open thread.

*** Update ***

Here is the CNN story:

On three occasions since January, Sen. Barack Obama’s passport file was looked at by three different contract workers, said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

The contractors accessed information in the file in an unauthorized way, he said.

Two contractors were fired and one was disciplined by the contractor’s company, McCormack said.

He said the contractors are not linked.

Next few days will be interesting.

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Ready On Day One

Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

To bomb the wrong people:

Senator John McCain’s trip overseas was supposed to highlight his foreign policy acumen, and his supporters hoped that it would showcase him in a series of statesmanlike meetings with world leaders throughout the Middle East and Europe while the Democratic candidates continued to squabble back home.

But all did not go according to plan on Tuesday in Amman, Jordan, when Mr. McCain, fresh from a visit to Iraq, misidentified some of the main players in the Iraq war.

Mr. McCain said several times in his visit to Jordan — in a news conference and in a radio interview — that he was concerned that Iran was training Al Qaeda in Iraq. The United States believes that Iran, a Shiite country, has been training and financing Shiite extremists in Iraq, but not Al Qaeda, which is a Sunni insurgent group.

Mr. McCain said at a news conference in Amman that he continued to be concerned about Iranians “taking Al Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back.” Asked about that statement, Mr. McCain said: “Well, it’s common knowledge and has been reported in the media that Al Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran. That’s well known. And it’s unfortunate.”

It was not until he got a quiet word of correction in his ear from Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, who was traveling with Mr. McCain as part of a Congressional delegation on a nearly weeklong trip, that Mr. McCain corrected himself.

“I’m sorry,” Mr. McCain said, “the Iranians are training extremists, not Al Qaeda.”

Will someone break it to Hillary that her new BFF and experienced candidate of choice can’t find his ass with two hands?

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Big Win In Wisconsin

Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

Obama by double digits.

New meme alert: The timing of Obama’s speech was rude (it interrupted her Highness during her non-concession concession speech).

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Parcells Coming to Atlanta

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Not a big football fan myself, but this seems to be good news:

Bill Parcells said he’ll probably accept an offer from the Atlanta Falcons to become the National Football League team’s vice president of football operations, ESPN reported.

Parcells said he has no plans to return to coaching, the network reported on its Web site. He said he’d oversee rebuilding the football team, including hiring a coach to replace Bobby Petrino, who quit after 13 games. Parcells, who led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl championships, quit as coach of the Dallas Cowboys in January.

Again, not a fan (more of a hockey kinda guy) but I recognize the positive economic impact of a winning NFL franchise. Atlanta could certainly use all the help we can get. Can Parcells pull it off?

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A Versatile Beer Simmered Chili Recipe

Sunday, December 2nd, 2007
INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 – tablespoons olive oil

1 – Medium White onion minced

1 – jalapeno minced or*

1 – serrano pepper minced or *

1 – habanero pepper minced*

2 – cloves garlic minced

For Chili Paste

5 – medium Ancho Chile pods (about ½ ounce), toasted and ground**

5 – medium New Mexico Chile pods (about ¾ ounce), toasted and ground

5 – Chile De Arbol pods, toasted and ground

3 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted in dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 4 minutes) and ground

(preground cumin may be substituted if you aren’t into fresh herbs, though I don’t recommend it)

3 – teaspoons dried oregano

1 – teaspoon black pepper

½ – teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ – teaspoon white pepper

2 – teaspoon paprika

1 – tablespoon Worcestershire

1 – Btl. Beer (Chile Beers preferred) ***

3/4 quart homemade or low-salt beef broth

2 14-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

RECIPE:

1) Mix chili powders, cumin, and oregano in small bowl and stir in ½ cup water to form thick paste; set aside

2) Sautee onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for 8-10 minsor until onion is translucent. Add pepper of choice and sautee an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the peppers soften. Add garlic and sautee another 5 mins. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in an 8 quart or larger Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the beef cubes until browned and crusty on two sides, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. With tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the browned beef to a bowl. During searing, it’s fine if the pan bottom gets quite dark, but if it smells like it’s burning, reduce the heat a bit. If the pan ever gets dry, add a little more oil.

3) Once all the beef is seared and set aside, add the onions and peppers to the pan, along with cumin and all ingredients except chili paste. Cook, stirring, until the spices coat the vegetables and are fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Add paste and sautee for 2-3 mins. Slowly add the beer while scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to dissolve the coating of spices. Simmer until the beer is reduced by about half and the mixture has thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beef, along with any accumulated juices, and the beef broth. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer, partially covered, for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Test a cube of meat—you should be able to cut it with a spoon.

4)If not serving immediately, chill overnight. The next day, skim any fat from the top, if necessary, before reheating.

To serve, heat the chili gently. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about 2 cups of the beef cubes to a plate. Shred the meat with a fork and return it to pot. Taste and add more salt if needed. Heat the beans in a medium bowl covered with plastic in the microwave (or heat them gently in a saucepan). Spoon chili over beans in an individual bowl. When serving, top with fresh minced onions, cilantro or sour cream if desired, and a sharp cheddar or jack cheese. Serve with any of several choices, including rice, saltine crackers (yawn), or (my favorite) fresh cornbread.

FOOTNOTES:

*—These peppers may be substituted for each other (or omitted) freely, depending on the type of heat and amount you are looking for. The jalapeno is the lightest of the three, producing more of a smoky than burning sensation on the palate. Serrano peppers have a more intense heat that tends to dissipate quickly, though more should be used since they are smaller than jalapenos. The habanero is the hottest of the three, and it’s not really close. Typically I’ll use just a half or so of the habanero pepper along with an entire jalapeno pepper to open up the meat flavors if the chili is intended for public consumption.

**—To toast and grind dried chiles: Place chiles on baking sheet in 350-degree oven until fragrant and puffed, about 6 minutes. Put smaller chiles (De Arbol) in for no more than 2 minutes. Cool, stem, and seed, tearing pods into pieces. Place pieces of the pods in a spice grinder and process until powdery, 30 to 45 seconds.

***—a chile beer is a lighter beer in which brewers typically use an oil or the pepper itself to induce heat in the drink. I am not a fan of drinking these beers myself, and actually prefer a darker beer to drink alongside the chile. I find they make wonderful cooking agents, however.

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George Ryan: Jailbird

Wednesday, November 7th, 2007

“I’m ready to go,” said former Gov. George Ryan, who planned to caravan with his family to the federal prison in Oxford, Wis., today.

“Look, I’m fine. It’s the beginning of a journey I hadn’t expected, but it isn’t over,” Ryan told Sneed in an exclusive interview Monday night.


Enjoy your “journey!”

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Biblical Justice

Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

I don’t like this:

The federal appeals court in San Francisco yesterday upheld a death sentence from a jury that had consulted the Bible’s teachings on capital punishment.

In a second decision on the role of religion in the criminal justice system, the same court ruled Friday that requiring a former prisoner on parole to attend meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous violated the First Amendment’s ban on government establishment of religion.

In the capital case, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit split 9 to 6 on the question of whether notes including Bible verses prepared by the jury’s foreman and used during sentencing deliberations required reversal of the death sentence imposed on Stevie L. Fields in 1979.

Mr. Fields, on parole after serving time for manslaughter, committed a series of rapes, kidnappings and robberies, and murdered Rosemary Cobbs, a student librarian at the University of Southern California.

After the jury convicted Mr. Fields and while it was deliberating his sentence, the foreman, Rodney White, conducted outside research, consulting several reference works and preparing a list of pros and cons on the death penalty that he shared with fellow jurors. On the pro side, he quoted passages from the Bible, including this one from Exodus: “He that smiteth a man, so that he dies, shall surely be put to death.”

They then sentenced him to having his eye gouged out a tooth pulled. Just kidding.

In all seriousness, I don’t think I need to go into detail as to why this is a bad thing.

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Great Moments In Political Hackery

Monday, July 16th, 2007

This is exceptional:

Buying Time…

...but not much. Rasmussen’s latest survey suggests that the administration has convinced most Americans that we should wait until General Petraeus reports in September before deciding on any change of course in Iraq: 51% hold that view, compared to 38% who disagree.

That’s good, I guess. The problem is that September is right around the corner. How realistic is it to expect conditions in Iraq to change enough in the next eight or nine weeks to convince Americans, most of whom are now pessimistic, that a corner has been turned? If the Democrats were smart, they would have joined with the administration in identifying September as the key date, rather than trying to undermine the surge from the opening gun. In September, it won’t be hard for them to argue that any improvements are modest and the surge, having been given a fair chance, should be terminated.

You see- things are going badly because the DEMOCRATS ARE UNDERMINING our efforts. Just last week, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi were spotted placing IED’s near Baghdad.

You will have to forgive Hinderaker for this one. First, he is an idiot and can not control himself. Second, let’s face it- with Bush guttered out at 26%, any time they see a poll number over 50% they are going to get a little full of themselves.

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One Nation Under God, GODDAMNIT

Thursday, July 12th, 2007

And all you heathen Hindus better recognize or GTFO:

Christian activists briefly disrupted a Hindu invocation in the US Senate on Thursday, marring a historic first for the chamber and showing that fundamentalism is present and shouting in the US too.

Invited by the Senate to offer Hindu prayers in place of the usual Christian invocation, Rajan Zed, a Hindu priest from Reno, Nevada, had just stepped up to the podium for the landmark occasion when three protesters, said to belong to the Christian Right anti-abortion group Operation Save America, interrupted by loudly asking for God’s forgiveness for allowing the ‘’false prayer’’ of a Hindu in the Senate chamber.

“Lord Jesus, forgive us father for allowing a prayer of the wicked, which is an abomination in your sight,” the first protester shouted. “This is an abomination. We shall have no other gods before you.”

Democratic Senator Bob Casey, who was serving as the presiding officer for the morning, immediately asked the sergeant-at-arms to restore order. But they continued to protest as they were headed out the door by the marshals, shouting, “No Lord but Jesus Christ!” and “There’s only one true God!”

Zed, clad in saffron with a prominent tilak on his forehead, then nervously went through the invocation.

Lunatics. Remember who these festering scumbags are when the GOP engages in recreational gay-bashing in a few months to get their votes. This is playing real well abroad, btw.

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Rudy Has Firefighters And McCain has Immigration Activists. Who Does Mitt Have?

Saturday, July 7th, 2007

Answer: Dogs Against Romney.

If some grumpy-looking Vietnam vets can sink the Kerry campaign, I shudder to think what puppies can do to the Mittster.

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Joe-Joe

Monday, July 2nd, 2007

Any Connecticut readers out there? I think it would be a fine idea to call your Independent Senator’s office and tell him how much you support his idea that the government should be able to surveil private citizens purely at its own discretion. I would certainly feel safer if president Hillary kept much closer tabs on the personal communications of a crazy warmonger like Joe Lieberman.

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Happy Birthday to Me

Friday, June 22nd, 2007

It is my 37th.

And like all single dorks, my big plans include watching some movies this afternoon while lying on the couch and then having a big dinner and probably watching some more movies.

I think I am going old school today:

I was seven-eight when SW IV came out, and I think I saw it 8 times in the theatre.

Also, a quick shout out to my younger brother and sisters:

The eldest children in families tend to develop higher I.Q.’s than their siblings, researchers are reporting today, in a large study that could settle more than a half-century of scientific debate about the relationship between I.Q. and birth order.

That is right, Devon, Seth, and Anne. I got the looks, the sense of humor, and the brains. Suck it.

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