From Upside-Down World: The Presidential Ticket That Fights Republicans...

There's a new ad out this week from the McCain campaign, still pushing for John McCain to be seen as Mr. McMaverick, new and improved, now with extra Palin Power! My question and problem is this: do people who care about his once independent streak, and care about change really believe McCain is still the same change agent he once was?

If you knew nothing of context here and simply watched the ad below, what party would you believe these two are part of? Probably not the Republicans, right? Still, if you listened to the speeches at the GOP convention last week there wasn't exactly a lot of policy laid out that sounded all that new or different from the same ideas Bushie & Co. have been rolling around for years. So wazzup?

I'll give them this, it sure is a jazzy little ad, tantalizing like, say, a fancy speech might be to some. But what is it worth, if the Maverick storyline is either entirely in the past or largely trumped-up?



Weigh in, let me know what you think of the Original Mavericks!!!

"Words Mean Something!" - Obama

YES! This has been a rallying cry of mine for quite some time, and I was very extremely wonderfully pleased to read today on HuffPo that Barack Obama used a line I think everyone who gives a crap about the future, truth, and reality should adopt. The article linked in the last sentence reports on Obama taking his first direct attack on Sarah Palin, criticizing her for billing herself as an earmark fighter while she successfully chased over $4,000 a person worth of earmarks (that's over $27 million total) for the small city of Wasilla, AK while she was mayor.

In his remarks on the subject, Obama said:

"She's a skillful politician. But, you know, when you've been taking all these earmarks when it's convenient, and then suddenly you're the champion anti-earmark person, that's not change. Come on! I mean, words mean something, you can't just make stuff up."

Lazy Blogging

You know, I could post and pretend that I've got lots of original thoughts and interesting things to say about John McCain's speech at the GOP Convention, or I could just post the video from the start of yesterday's Daily Show. Brilliant!

Haven't heard about Walter Reed Middle School, Sarah Palin's love of Wasilla Earmarks, the giant gravestone image, or the phallic... er middle finger stage? Check it out.

Toby Says His Piece

Who doesn't love West Wing? I will admit that it is a community collective pass-time among people in my age bracket who live or have lived in Washington DC to imagine what the world would be like if only President Bartlett had reached power in 2000, rather than Dubya. Still, all make-believe aside, the cast of the show are a remarkable bunch, now turning out stellar performances, like Allison Janney's turn in Juno. Today I read a remarkable piece of writing by Toby (Richard Schiff) over at Huffington Post, and I simply had to post a bit of an excerpt.

The whole thing isn't too long, and I strongly encourage anyone troubled by the tight state of the current presidential race to read it quickly. His piece focuses on the fact that his wife, a strong Hillary supporter, appears likely to be voting for McCain this fall. Here's a stretch that I was especially struck by:

"... The bottom line is that this is where we are: a still fractious and divided nation, split right down the middle, as represented by my very own household. I am moved to think that we, along with the Obama/Biden team, will begin to change the very culture of the way we do business with each other and the world at large. That we should use 'Example as power rather than power as example'; that 'America's promise [is] of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.'

I ask myself why these tenets are so rejected by the opposition, by my wife. Is it racism? Is it the propaganda of family values and God and the manifest destiny of American domination of the world as a righteous cause? Is it that John McCain is still perceived as a maverick and revered for his heroic war service? Is it the singular issue for some women that Hillary Clinton was castigated in certain media and an object of old-school misogyny that is unacceptable and cause enough to abandon the very politics that she supports?

I can't answer these questions, as I don't understand the thinking and emotional investment that defends them.

My opinion of John McCain is different. Here is a man who had his moment in history already pass him by. After being eviscerated and politically castrated in the 2000 Republican primaries by the Bush PR machine; accused falsely of fathering an illegitimate and racially mixed child, he was given a chance at redemption and a chance to save the world from a man he considered at the time to be dangerous and untrustworthy. He could have run as a third party candidate and taken enough votes away from George W. to seal the election for Al Gore. He passed.

Four years later, John Kerry had talks with McCain about running as his Vice-President; a dream ticket that would surely bring down the Bush regime. Again he passed. When I ask Washington insiders why, they can only conclude that the reason was simple, unadulterated ambition to be President. But what a price to pay. This is a man who could have saved the world from the last eight years of disaster and instead is content to inherit the aftermath. But the other half of the divide chooses to imagine the younger McCain, the independent, free thinking, iconoclast he may very well have been once, long ago.

And now McCain has picked Sarah Palin of Alaska for the office of Vice-President. I'm sure she is capable of governing the frozen tundra of her state (couldn't help myself) and is surely a force to be reckoned with on some level. But no one can convince me thatMcCain has chosen a running mate who is capable of stepping into the Oval Office in the event of the death of the President. And let's face it, that scenario isn't beyond the realm of possibility. And even with this, I hear in real and electronic voices 'we like her,' 'she's warm and personable,' 'she's a soccer mom who has become accomplished and powerful.' What?

And so we stay divided: My country, my wife and I. I am stumped. But I am stubborn in my hope that Americans across the great divide, including one who sleeps in my bed, will wake up to more lofty dreams.

I imagine an America that can actually change. That we become a nation that prospers again but without pillaging the resources of nations that make their people hate us. That we become a nation that, as the constitution says in its preamble, its very first paragraph, 'promotes the general welfare' of its people.

When new ideas and belief-altering evidence confronts us, many of us still shout that the world is flat, or global climate change is cyclical, or women belong in the home. I can only remember when great agents of change come to us, it seems as many reject their presence as rejoice in it. Kennedy won office by the slimmest margin in our history to that point. Martin Luther King made as many or more enemies than there were marchers by his side."

I know that's a ridiculously long excerpt, but I recommend reading the whole thing, I found it an interesting meditation on the state of the nation/election.

Fun and Games: HORSE

Thanks to Larry for pointing this out... what fun stuff. The video below shows the match up between factory worker David Kalb and LeBron James in a game (actually two games) of HORSE. Kalb won an online contest for the best trick shot, and as his prize got to take on James in a game of HORSE, going head-to-head with one of the most talented men int he NBA, Kalb showed remarkable creativity and athleticism, and generally it's just fun to watch the wacky shots he hit. James really couldn't keep up with the strange stylings of Mr. Kalb, and honestly who could? I'm not really a basketball fan, but this is worth a watch.

UPDATE: I took out the video itself because I couldn't switch off auto play, but you can still watch it on the LA Times website by visiting the link above.

Taking Issues Off the Table

Many have said that John McCain took the experience issue off the table in this year's election by choosing Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Was he on a bit of a spree with taking issues off the table this week? Perhaps! HuffPo documented the fact that on his big night, at his big speech, in front of his big ole lime green screen Mr. McCain was not fulfilling on of his sacred duties as a God-fearing, red meat-loving, apple pie-eating 'Country First' son of freedom, liberty, and democracy. No Idea what I'm talking about? Well, it turns out, John McCain wore no flag pin to his speech last night. Oops! Why does he hate America so much? Sorry, this is really a pretty goofy post, but I couldn't resist. Cheers everyone to the death of non-issues (or my wish for them to fade away)!!!

Did anybody catch this?

Apparently the RNC showed some pretty graphic footage of 9/11 last night before McCain's speech. I had a softball double-header so I missed it, but apparently Keith Olbermann found the whole thing so off-color that he made the apology you see below. Now, while I like Olbermann a bunch, and I enjoy his show I will be the first to admit he makes quite a bit of his outrage on a regular basis, but was anybody out there watching? Did you see the video in question, and was it as nasty and extreme as they suggest? If so, I guess I really wouldn't be surprise. From the Boston Globe's coverage of it all, you would think they seriously crossed a line. Interesting. I found this all on AmericaBlog but haven't seen it picked up too many other places... at least not yet.

Magical Disappearing Reappearing Veep!

Interesting tidbit from MSNBC below, apparently after her impressive speech the other night (that's a negative thing, right?) Sarah Palin is headed back to Alaska to tend to personal business before joining the campaign. This is explained in the video as being a front for her going off to "begin the education of Sarah Palin," which is a somewhat incredible statement to me. Is there any possible world in which this doesn't constitute an implicit acknowledgment that she is not ready for prime time? Thoughts?

Talking Out Both Sides of Their Mouths

The Daily show does some really nice work wrangling clips to show some fun... changes in opinions on the fair and balanced side of the news, from Karl Rove's thoughts on what experience would make for a good VP candidate to various right wing pundits spouting off about gender and sexism. This is worth a watch... and if you missed the GOP Vetting Emporium and Taco Stand... do yourself a favor and track back to that one. It's "vetter than nothing!"

The Unbearable Cuteness of Being Piper Palin

Cute kids are the in accessory for all hip politicians this fall. Obama has got two amazingly adorable daughters. Remember when his youngest couldn't stop talking to daddy when he appeared live via sattelite after Michelle Obama's speech at the DNC convention (watch the end of the video I posted of Michelle's speech here if you want to relive the cuteness)?

Last night's speech by Sarah Palin provided the media a great opportunity to soak in the cuteness of Piper Palin... and boy did they grab some incredible stuff. I was happy today to find a YouTube clip of my favorite moment during the speech last night... the point where cameras cut away to little Piper holding her baby bro Trig and spitting on his head... er... fixing his hair. Awesome!

“No matter how cynical I get, it’s just never enough to keep up.”

Outstanding piece from Roger Simon at Politico apologizing profusely for the elite liberal commie media's indulgences over the past week. I know this article will never see the light with the people at whom these "kill the media" attacks are aimed, yet the piece is so good... so good. It provided the Lily Tomlin quote I stole for the title of my own post. It also provided these nuggets:

"On behalf of the media, I would like to say we are sorry.

On behalf of the elite media, I would like to say we are very sorry.

We have asked questions this week that we should never have asked.

We have asked pathetic questions like: Who is Sarah Palin? What is her record? Where does she stand on the issues? And is she is qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency?

We have asked mean questions like: How well did John McCain know her before he selected her? How well did his campaign vet her? And was she his first choice?

Bad questions. Bad media. Bad."


FOOTNOTE on ELITISM: Salon's War Room just posted the fact that Cindy McCain's outfit worn on the first day of the GOP convention cost a mere $300,000. I'm sorry... $300,000. Maybe it's me, but that's simply incredible. An outfit. 300k... literally many times what I make in a year. Wow.

Damn those liberal Northeastern elites and their elitist elite ways. SERIOUSLY!?!?! Wtf? Their post references this post over at Vanity Fair. How is it possible at all that these two-faced fakers can get away with such blatant ridiculousness? I begrudge nobody their ability to work and make as much money as they like... but for such filthy filthy rich people to call anybody elitist... ARGH!!!!!!!!

Come For The Vetting, Stay For The Tacos

The fine folks at the Public Service Administration have done it again... already responsible for an amazing rework of the 3am ad and numerous other funny YouTube vids to date, they have hit the GOP VettingGate hard right in the funny bone. Wow... that's the worst thing I've ever written. Oh well, here goes: