Eclectablog

He's one of these people who doesn't need much, much less much more... (David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest)

7/2/2008 - This Guy is Running for President???

Whoops.

Senator McCain made another little oopsie the other day. Seems he confused Sudan and Somalia. Luckily for him, once again, he had someone to step up from behind him to whisper in his ear and help him get it straight. I guess all those war-torn African countries look alike to him or something.

I know he doesn't want anyone thinking he's going to be Bush's 3rd term but when he makes ridiculous gaffes like this, it's hard to see it any other way. Note how I'm steering way clear of the he's-too-old-to-remember-shit line here. I'm being generous by saying he's just confused like our current Ding-Dong-In-Chief.

Is it just me or does it seem like the good senator makes mistakes like this a LOT???

I'm just sayin'...

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6/28/2008 - Wait, Who's the Snobby Elitist One Again???

SEVEN fucking houses "including condos in California and Arizona"??? Just how many houses does one couple need? Lots apparently.

So many that, well, you sometimes just forget to pay your taxes on one of them. Whoops.

And then there's Barack Obama, a guy who was raised by a single mother and his grandparents. A guy who went to college on scholarships, worked his way up the ladder and has shown Americans what it means to live the American Dream, the dream that says if you work hard, you can do anything in this country, even be president. This is the guy that Karl Rove recently said this about:

"Even if you never met him, you know this guy," Rove said, per Christianne Klein. "He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by."

The Republican smear machine is going to get stalled this time. Why? Because even stupid people aren't believing this shit this time. Nobody believes that Barack Obama is in any way described by this characterization. This is a guy who is the embodiment of open-mindedness, diversity and bringing people together.

I think Karl has Senator Obama confused with Senator McCain, the guy with seven houses. Now that is a guy you might find standing around at the country club with their trophy wife. You know, like Cindy McCain.

I'm just sayin'...

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6/28/2008 - Bill Clinton: Democratic Disappointment

I really, really liked Bill Clinton as president. I loved how he bridged political chasms. I loved how he seemed to genuinely give a damn about people not at the top of the social scale. I particularly loved that he took us from deficit to surplus, raised our credibility globally and got America back on its feet again.

Then there was the blow job. I lost a great deal of respect for him because of that. In my mind, if he was incapable of making good judgment calls in his personal life, I was pretty wary of trusting him to make good decisions for the country. It was a big disappointment. I still think, overall, he did well by the country but I never really felt as good about him again after the Lewinsky crap.

But now THIS. His wife's campaign has brought out the absolute worst, the most childish and petulant side of him. He has become a parody of himself, an SNL skit that is real.

A senior Democrat who worked for Mr Clinton has revealed that he recently told friends Mr Obama could "kiss my ass" in return for his support. "He's saying he's not going to reach out, that Obama has to come to him. One person told me that Bill said Obama would have to quote kiss my ass close quote, if he wants his support. "

Nice. What a self-important piece of shit to act like this. Fuck you, Bill. The political world quit revolving around you quite awhile ago. Get over it. And get over yourself.

I'm just sayin'...

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6/25/2008 - Ruh-Roh

Is it just me or does this kind of stuff have to be driving (other) Republicans ape shit?

A fairly stunning new ad from Oregon's Republican senator Gordon Smith leaves little doubt as to which way the wind is blowing there.

In the ad, Smith, running hard away from Bush, associates himself at length and explicitly with Obama.

"Who says Gordon Smith helped lead the fight for better gas mileage and a cleaner environment?" the female narrator asks. "Barack Obama."

The ad shows Obama's face and an image of his website.

Keep in mind that this guy, Gordon Smith, is a REPUBLICAN!!! LOL!

Senator Obama's campaign responded with this li'l tidbit:

Barack Obama has a long record of bipartisan accomplishment and we appreciate that it is respected by his Democratic and Republican colleagues in the Senate. But in this race, Oregonians should know that Barack Obama supports Jeff Merkley for Senate. Merkley will help Obama bring about the fundamental change we need in Washington.

Ouch! That'll leave a mark.

Poor, poor Republicans.

Watch the ad over at Ben Smith's Blog.

I'm just sayin'...

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6/21/2008 - The Politics of Nominees' Spouses

This is awesome. Dan Abrams and Jonathon Alter positvely own conservative talk show host Lars Larson. Larson is a complete tool who has made a career recently making hay out of Michelle Obama's comment about being proud of America for the first time in her adult life seeing her husband being embraced by the electorate.

According to him, it's okay to do that, okay to obtusely refuse to understand what Ms. Obama was really trying to say, because someone once took something Trend Lott said out of context. Hoooookay... Whatever you say, d00d.

It's pretty bad when someone like Laura Bush, someone on the opposite side of the political aisle, has a bead on things more accurately than you do.

Lars, you are a douchebag. What's worse, you're a douchebag who got his ass owned on national television. You're a goddamn parody of yourself.

I'm just sayin'...

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6/19/2008 - Detroit Obama Rally

Here's some more photos taken by my lovely wife at the Barack Obama rally in Detroit Monday night. Given all the talk of putting Gore on the ticket as Veep, maybe these photos are going to be worth more later on than they are now...

The people holding up the letters at the top there were kinda lazy. Half the time they spelled "We Wan Chang". Not sure who Wan Chang is...

I'm just sayin'...

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6/19/2008 - Tacky Is as Tacky Does

Are you kidding me? THIS is what passes for a political ad these days???

Cornyn actually wants us to believe that he's a cowboy-type? That he actually rides horses more than once a decade?

Whatever.

That dude doesn't even rake his own leaves much less ride a damn horse.

BTW, this is the guy who was a complete DICK to Al Gore, a former vice-president of our country, during the global climate change hearings last fall.

What a damn phony.

I'm just sayin'...

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6/17/2008 - John McCunt

'Cause, well, it's not like they're going to report THIS on network news, right...?

I'm just sayin'...

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6/11/2008 - John Cusack: You Go!

Love it.

Can YOU tell?

I'm just sayin'...

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6/9/2008 - McCain's Memory Going?

Honestly, he can't even remember something he himself said four days later? Really?

From a June 7th Newsweek interview:

Newsweek Reporter: Want to back up a little bit and talk about press coverage. One of the things that you mentioned in your speech in New Orleans was that you felt that the media hadn't recognized or had overlooked some of the attributes that Hillary Clinton had brought to the race. And I wondered—

McCain: I did not [say that]—that was in prepared remarks, and I did not [say it]—I'm not in the business of commenting on the press and their coverage or not coverage … My supporters and friends can comment all they want about the press coverage, and that's their right. They're American citizens. I will not because I believe it's not a profitable enterprise for me to do so. I can't change any of the coverage that I know of except to just campaign as hard as I can and try to seek the approval of the majority of my fellow citizens.

Here's the problem, though: He totally DID say it. Watch the speech on YouTube. He totally said it.

But he can't remember saying it four days later? Musta forgot his memory pills that day or something, eh?

I'm just sayin'...

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6/9/2008 - Obama By a Landslide!!!

If Europeans had anything to say about it, that is.

Meanwhile, back in the USA, Gallup says things are looking sweeter by the minute for Senator Obama. Of course this is probably just a post-nomination "bump" but I like it. I like it a LOT.

I'm just sayin'...

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6/5/2008 - But Wait! That Was Our Talking Point!

Ah, well. So much for the "Hamas Hearts Obama" McCain talking point...

“Obama’s comments have confirmed that there will be no change in the U.S. administration’s foreign policy on the Arab-Israeli conflict,” Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters in Gaza.

“The Democratic and Republican parties support totally the Israeli occupation at the expense of the interests and rights of Arabs and Palestinians,” he said.

“Hamas does not differentiate between the two presidential candidates, Obama and Mccain, because their policies regarding the Arab-Israel conflict are the same and are hostile to us, therefore we do have no preference and are not wishing for either of them to win,” Zuhri said.

Maybe they can find 'em some good Burma leader quotes or something. No. Wait. That's McCain's territory...

I'm just sayin'...

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6/5/2008 - Who's Leadershipping Whom?

From an article at The Hill:

McCain’s Senate office contacted Obama’s office Monday night asking to sign on to a bill opening federal government contracts to public scrutiny, according to three knowledgeable sources.

Before the call, Obama had been working on the measure primarily with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), an ardent proponent of eliminating wasteful government spending and an early supporter and longtime Senate ally of McCain’s.

After learning that Obama and Coburn were introducing the bill without his backing, McCain’s staffers immediately contacted Coburn to express concern and a desire to be named as an original co-sponsor of the update. They then called Obama’s office.

Obama staffers were happy to comply with McCain’s request to sign on, an Obama adviser said, because they knew support from the two presumptive nominees could propel the legislation to passage in the final months of a packed legislative schedule.

McCain got left behind on this one, I guess. He was probably too busy trying to learn how to use those danged teleprompter widget thingees...

I'm just sayin'...

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6/5/2008 - "Straight Talk"??? Whatevs...

John McCain is having a rough week. First he barely squeeks out 70% of the vote in South Dakota despite having literally no opponents. Then his worst two nightmares come true: (1) the Democrats finally pick a nominee and (2) that nominee is Barack Obama.

Then he gives what can only be considered a complete embarrassment of a speech the night Obama claims victory. Even the Fox News people couldn't say enough bad things about it. At one point he talked about the American government's responsibility to give bottled hot water to dehydrated babies. Squoink? BTW, he's been planning to do this speech for three weeks. And that's the best he could do?

Watch:

As one pundit said, if "That's Not Change You Can Believe In" is going to be your campaign slogan...well, good luck with that!" You have to admit that when you're reduced to stealing your opponents slogan (Obama: "Change We Can Believe In", McCain: "A Leader We Can Believe In"), you're argument begins to look pretty damn weak.

But! Yesterday. Hoo boy. Gaffe stacked on gaffe piled on gaffe. Yes, it's a bad week for McSameyPants.

From Sam Stein's article:

A series of misstatements and verbal gaffes hampered Sen. John McCain on the day that unofficially marked the beginning of his general election campaign against Barack Obama.

Appearing at a press conference in Louisiana on Wednesday, McCain claimed that he had supported "every investigation" into the flawed response to Hurricane Katrina, when, in fact, he had twice voted against creating a commission to inspect the tragedy.

The remark immediately bounced around political circles and websites. After all it was just a few months ago when McCain defended those very votes on the back of his campaign bus, casting them as part of a broader campaign against wasteful spending...

That trip-up, however, was mild in compared to the gaffe that happened earlier in the day, when McCain acknowledged he was not aware that Obama had introduced a bill that called for international divestment from Iran.

Reporter: Are you familiar with his disinvestment bill?

McCain: No, I am not familiar with it at all. I do not know if it passed the senate or had any hearing or anything else. I had, so, literally thousands and thousands pieces of legislation are proposed every year. I know what he did. He voted against the Iranian revolutionary guard being declared a terrorist organization.

The admission could prove damaging for a variety of reasons. For starters, Obama's bill, which passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, is currently being held up in the Senate by Republican Sen. Richard Shelby. More significantly, two McCain surrogates, Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Rep. Eric Cantor, are co-sponsors of Obama's measure despite, on Wednesday, ripping the Illinois Democrat for not having the experience to deal with Iran.

This general election is going to be very entertaining, that much is clear. McCain seems to be stumbling badly just when Barack Obama is just hitting his stride. This is gonna be fun.

I'm just sayin'...

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6/4/2008 - Oops, Not So Fast

Ouch. Rough night for our intrepid senior citizen Republican nominee in Montana. Seems that, while running against that wily opponent "nobody", he could only squeak out 22% of the vote, coming in third place behind two guys who aren't actually running for president.

That's gotta sting. In fact, I do believe that might just leave a mark.

So solly, Cholly.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that someone is gonna get they ass positively OWNED in November and his name rhymes with Flon Flickane.

I'm just sayin'...

UPDATE: Rene points out in the comments that the Republican caucus in Montana was actually in February. Why can't they just have their caucus on the same night as all the other parties, eh?

P.S. I STILL think the Flickane guy is gonna get his ass owned.

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6/3/2008 - A Stark Contrast

John McCain gave a speech tonight attended by what appeared to be about 200 of his closest elderly friends. They chanted in unison and then stopped on a dime in a clearly orchestrated event. He gave the most boring possible speech one could imagine, repeatedly tearing down his opponent, smiling creepily and unnaturally and his refrain was "That's not change we can believe in".

Barack Obama gave a speech tonight attended by 32,000 of his closest diverse friends (17,000 attendees inside, another 15,000 outside). His crowd was irrepressible, frequently interrupting him and charging him up. He gave an inspirational speech where he honored his opponent, smiling naturally and enthusiastically and his refrain was "That's the change we need."

Compare and contrast these two. An old man, an entrenched Washington insider, giving a lackluster, almost depressing speech, trying desperately to wrench the mantle of change from a young, charismatic, thoughtful man, a man who truly represents a true change from the path we've been on for much, much too long.

Game on, muthafuckas!

I'm just sayin'...

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6/3/2008 - Congratulations to Mr. McCain

I'd just like to congratulate Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, for dominating the South Dakota primary where he won a solid 71% of the vote. Well done, suh. It's not easy defeating "nobody" but, once again, you've managed to do it.

I'm just sayin'...

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5/31/2008 - John McConfuseyPants Gets It Wrong AGAIN!!!

John McCain misspoke about the situation in Iraq yet again this week, claiming that we've drawn down to presurge troop levels and that things in Mosul are quiet.

Watch it:

Problem is, Mosul is far from quiet with THREE suicide bombers attacking the same day McConfused made his comments. Also, and probably more importantly, we are nowhere near presurge troop levels. We are actually 20,000-25,000 ABOVE the levels before the surge. When called on it, McCain's camp went into full-frontal spin mode:

From McCain aide Tucker Bounds:

Clearly John Kerry and Barack Obama have very little understanding of troop levels, but considering Barack Obama hasn’t been to Iraq in 873 days and has never had a one on one meeting with General Petraeus, it isn’t a surprise to anyone that he demonstrates weak leadership. What informed people understand, John McCain included, is that American troops are not even close to Surge levels. Three of the five Army ‘Surge’ brigades have been withdrawn and additional Marines that were initially deployed for the ‘Surge’ have come home as well – the remaining two brigades will be home in July. Talk about a political stunt, it’s sending out campaign surrogates to parse words about a topic Barack Obama has no experience with, and has shown zero interest in learning about.

In other words, forget that McCain actually said PREsurge levels. Pretend that Obama and his camp actually misheard him when he was talking about SURGE levels. Too bad about that pesky YouTube thing, though, huh, Tucker & John?

More from Ben Smith:

On a McCain campaign conference call, [McCain supporter] Senator Jon Kyl did not concede that McCain had made an error in saying, "We have drawn down to pre-surge levels," instead accusing the Obama campaign and reporters of "trying to nitpick the tense of the verb about the surge troops being home."

"The surge troops will be home by the end of July," he said.

McCain advisor Randy Scheunemann hit the same talking point.

"To get into a debate about a verb tense rather than the real fundamental national security issues at stake is really a distraction," he said.

This verb tense thing is a novel excuse, with potentially wide future use on both sides. Hillary, for instance, could have been referring to the risk of future sniper fire. Obama, perhaps, meant that the U.S. will, at some future date, add seven states.

"If you’re going to start fact-checking verb tenses, we’re going to make sure we start monitoring verb tenses a lot more closely than we have in this campaign," Scheunemann said.

Are you fucking kidding me???! VERB TENSES???! Jesus, Bill Clinton much?

As is usual, Obama calmly put it all into perspective:

[McCain has] been proposing a joint trip to Iraq that’s nothing more than a political stunt. He’s even been using it to raise a few dollars for his campaign. But it seems like Senator McCain’s a lot more interested in my travel plans than the facts, because yesterday – in his continued effort to put the best light on a failed policy – he stood up in Wisconsin and said, “We have drawn down to pre-surge levels” in Iraq.

That’s not true, and anyone running for Commander-in-Chief should know better. As the saying goes, you’re entitled to your own view, but not your own facts. We’ve got around 150,000 troops in Iraq – 20,000 more than we had before the surge. We have plans to get down to around 140,000 later this summer – that’s still more troops than we had in Iraq before the surge. And today, Senator McCain refused to correct his mistake. Just like George Bush, when he was presented with the truth, he just dug in and refused to admit his mistake. His campaign said it amounts to “nitpicking.”

Well I don’t think tens of thousands of American troops amounts to nitpicking. Tell that to the young men and women who are serving bravely and brilliantly under our flag. Tell that to the families who have seen their loved ones fight tour after tour after tour of duty in a war that should’ve never been authorized and never been waged.

Ooo! That's gonna leave a mark...

I'm just sayin'...

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5/30/2008 - Hey! Quit Arguing!

McCain vs. McCain. Times two.

Painful innit?

I'm just sayin'...

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5/28/2008 - Sheezo, I Go On Vacation And....

Mrs. E and I spent three luxurious days utilizing our zero-carbon emission vehicle (canoe) (well, except the carbon emissions emanating from ME) on the Jack's Fork River in the Ozark Mountains over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. No phones (lie: we had a satellite phone for the newbie parents on the trip), no internet, no politics, no pets, just lots and lots and lots of beer and totally inappropriate sexual and poop humor. Three days. I go away for three damn days and come back to this:

"I'm very disappointed to hear that Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is near death because of a brain tumor. I always hoped Senator Kennedy would live long enough to be assassinated."
--ESPN Talk Show Host Mark Madden

And this:

"My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it," she said...

And this:

"…and now we have what some are reading—as a suggestion that somebody knock off Osama , umm, ah… Obama, well both if we could…haha…"

(Hat tip, Rene/Texican.)

Yeah! BOTH if we could! HA HA HA HA HA ha ha. Ha.

Ha.

Ha.

ha.

ahem...

What the fuck, people???! You can't go one damn holiday weekend, one where we're supposed to be honoring people who have given their lives in war TO DEFEND OUR DEMOCRACY, without talk of assassinating progressive liberal presidential nominees and senators??? For shame, you lame fucks.

I'm just sayin'...

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Eclectablog

Name: Mr. E (get it?)
Location:
Ann Arbor-ish, Michigan, USA, Earth
EFx2Blogger since:
September 19, 2007

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Some folks sleep on a problem, but you can camp on one as well. Camping is for the mind what a high-speed run on the highway is for a car. It tends to blow out all the sludge that accumulates in the type of urban driving most of us are forced to do in order to earn a living.
-- Tim Cahill

To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.
-- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The most alarming sign of the state of our society now is that our leaders have the courage to sacrifice the lives of young people in war but not the courage to tell us that we must be less greedy and wasteful.
-- Wendell Berry