Poisoning the People

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/washington/30labor.html?th&emc=th

I am so sick of hearing the gas bags go on and on about what a marvelous transition it has been, and how gracious and presidential the Doltish Dauphin has been. In my book, presidential and the DD should not be mentioned in the same sentence. What the gas bags ignore it the push to "burrow" the incompetent Bushies, and the rush to push through regulations to pollute the environment and poison the American people.

The Spirit of Brownie lives on

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/29/AR2008112901776.html?hpid=topnews

The Bush administration knows no shame, but we knew that didn't we. What with their last minute regulations that favor oil companies, I guess it shouldn't surprise me that they think it is a swell idea to install incompetents in high level civil service posts. So the lingering effects of the Bushies will linger on. I am sure that each person "burrowed" into a government job is either longing to destroy the agency they work for, or they are so incompetent that they will do so, just by attempting to do their job. For people who hate government, they sure do like to cling to it.

More Fine Republican Family Values

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_3T6q88QF4 (hat tip Wonkette)

This is a must watch video of the Chambliss families Holiday Greeting. It is beyond creepy. Who calls the grandfather Big Daddy? And why is he groping his own granddaughter's boob? I thought Chambliss said that Jim Martin didn't protect children. Protect children from whom?

Irritating People

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2008/11/lieberman_contributed_to_gop_s.html

I hate to beat a dead horse, but frankly I can't help myself - Lieberman is just that irritating. I wonder just how difficult is was to find out just how much money had Lieberman had contributed to Republican Senators and Congressmen. Lieberman had been outspoken about how disastrous a Democratic sixty seat majority would be, so would it be such a leap to think that he had made contributions to try to ensure that wouldn't happen? I wonder how those senators feel now that they have made peace with the odious troll and let him keep his plum committee assignment. Even the fine people of CT can't stand him.

A turkey with a turkey

How about this for a study in contrasts? You have Barack with his totally adorable daughters at a homeless shelter about to serve food. And then you have the doltish Dauphin pardoning a turkey, making a face that makes him look more gormless than usual. I guess his daughters are somewhere sleeping off their excesses of the night before.

Some Redemption for Elizabeth Drew

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22170
This is a good piece by Elizabeth Drew. As I recall she wrote a puff book about McCain, but she too, joined the vast legion of disappointed McCain lovers. Among other things in the article, she refutes the notion that without the financial crisis Obama would not have won, and I agree. She points out that even though McCain had a bounce from his convention and pulled ahead in polling in the popular vote, Obama was never behind on the electoral map. I know someone who worked on the Obama campaign for a long time, and she said they never paid attention to the polling of the popular vote, but solely concentrated on the state by state polls. The conventional wisdom that states that the financial collapse caused the victory, takes away from what caused McCain to loose - empty policies, erratic behavior, irresponsible vp pick, etc. the list is long. It makes it seem that poor old John was at the mercy of events that he had no control over, which is far from true. He ran a horrible race and it is all his responsibility. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

What's the Matter with Georgia

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/
(hat tip to mydd.com)

These are disturbing poll numbers. What is wrong with the people of Georgia? When Cleland lost his Senate race, there were rumors of funny business - pre election polling not matching up with the end results, exit polls not quite in sync, but the polls seem to favor Chambliss. How bad does a Republican have to be to loose in some of these states. Look at the AK race, or the repulsive crookish Coleman who might hang on to his seat, and now Chambliss who accuses Martin of not defending children. Aside from running a horrible campaign, he is a fool and a crook.
http://www.savannahnow.com/node/542481 His dealings in the wrongful death case against Imperial Sugar are very questionable, especially since he received a nice little donation from that very company. Saxby is hoping that lots of "his folks" will turn out on the day of the runoff. Here is hoping they do not.
Wake up, Georgia.

New Lows

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/national_gop_groups_accuse_cri.php

I honestly didn't think Saxby Chambliss could go any lower, when he attacked Max Cleland, a decorated Army veteran who lost several limbs during the Vietnam War, for not defending the Constitution. Chambliss hadn't served in Vietnam because of his "bad knee." Now, I have no criticism for those who didn't serve who opposed the war, but the health problems of those who were just dying to go is pretty remarkable. My personal favorite being Rush Limbaugh couldn't serve because of a giant cyst on his behind. Now there is illness as metaphor. After the '02 election I read a piece, I think it was in Salon about how devastating the loss was for Cleland, and how he went into a severe depression. No one deserves that kind of treatment during a campaign. But in the Republican race to the bottom Saxby isn't disappointing this time around. He is attacking Jim Martin of being soft on crimes against children. Mind you, Jim Martin's daughter was a kidnap victim, and although she was returned safely, I don't doubt for an instant that this was a life changing event for everyone in the Martin family. I keep wondering what new lows Chambliss can reach, but even with my vivid imagination, I can't think.

Feeling good yet, Jimbo?

I have just watched James Baker and William Daley on MTP. Jim Baker seemed desperate for Obama and Bush to meet and formulate a short term plan for the economy. Daley was less than enthused. It is quite a spectacle to see Baker, the mastermind of the Florida recount, advocating for the Idiot Prince to abdicate. Feeling good about your role, Jimbo? "They've counted them once, they've counted them twice..." I hope he is haunted by those words, as he tosses and turns at night. Now let me think, you have one candidate who won the popular vote, and if all ballots had been counted, would have won Florida, who after his loss, dedicates his life to solving environmental problems. Then you have the candidate you installed, with the help of the Supremes, who has dedicated his life to screwing up the environment and everything else, whose popularity is in the toilet, for good reason. How can these people live with themselves?

Most Insufferable

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112102649.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

There is an editorial in the Wapo by Sally Quinn, who is clearly in a neck and neck contest with Cokie Roberts for the title of Ms Insufferable. Honestly, I can't decide who is more annoying, but currently Sally Quinn is in the lead, most likely because I just read her editorial. However, it is possible when I hear Cokie's dulcet tones emanating from my radio, I might change my mind. Sally is pontificating about which church the Obama's should attend. Her choice is the National Cathedral for reasons I won't go into. And even though I am sure it is a swell church, because I am petty and childish, I hope they go elsewhere. But then again maybe the poisonous Quinn will then turn on them and write horrible untrue things about them, like she did with the Clintons. I don't remember the exact quote, but during the impeachment hearings, she wrote that Ken "The Pornographer" Starr was much more her kind of people because his children went to the right schools and his wife knew other DC power wives. Enough said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/quinn110298.htm

Ahhh Google is a wonderful thing. Out of curiosity I googled Quinn + Starr and found this article written in '98 about Bill Clinton. Read it if you have a strong stomach. The outrage! The disappointment! The scandal! Even at the time it was pretty unbelievable reading, but now after enduring eight years of the Bush Criminal Cartel, it is even more startling. OK the guy lied about sex, but he didn't lie about going to WAR!!! for god's sake. Some of the same ghastly names - Lieberman, Andrea Mitchell, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and even Cokie is quoted. It would be a quaint period piece, in the realm of wasn't that interesting that the Beltway crowd was so obsessed, but given what the Bush administration has done to the country, you wonder where was the outrage about the ruination of America at home and abroad.

Bless her heart...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/20/sarah-palin-holds-news-co_n_145375.html

This is a link to a pretty unbelievable video. It shows Sarah P. pardoning a turkey. Now I have a bit of problem with the whole notion of pardoning a turkey. I don't like anthropomorphizing of food, so the notion of a turkey being some sort of criminal in need of a pardon is somewhat disturbing. The video first shows Sarah P being too squeamish to touch the lucky bird. Then she proceeds to give an interview with turkeys being slaughtered in the background. Speaking of having a tin ear. The CNN crawl said something along the lines of Palin oblivious to the slaughter behind her...It seemed to me that the man who was doing the slaughtering was gawping and leering at the camera as he beheaded bird after bird, while Ms P pontificates. This is maybe her Mitt Romney moment (Mitt strapped the family pooch on top of the car to go on a family vacation,) where she will argue that the bird actually likes being beheaded.

The Vetting Process

There is a sweet story about when Michelle Obama brought Barack home to meet the family. Apparently, the Robinson family vetted suitors by having Michelle's brother Craig play basketball with the young man. Obama clearly passed the test.

This brings me to Devendorf of Syracuse University. When I read the story of his arrest for assault on a young woman and her car, I was not surprise. He is a singularly unprepossessing player, and any child of mine brought him home as a possible beau, I would be horrified. Now I must confess that my children attend or attended Syracuse's arch rival and are all fearsome fans, so I read this story with some degree of grim satisfaction. And maybe if I were an alum of Syracuse, I would find him a thing of beauty, but if that were so, I am sure my son in law would find that another black mark against the Orange.

Good news and bad news

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/us/politics/19cong.html?_r=1&hp

I was happy to see that Ted Stevens lost his Senate seat, on his 85th birthday no less. His present from the repugs in the Senate - they didn't boot him out, but instead waited for the election results, touching, no? Things I will miss - Jon Stewart doing a montage of Stevens repeatedly bellowing, "No, No No," on the floor of the Senate. Things I won't miss - Stevens being allowed to bellow, "No, No, No," on the Senate floor. The extra bonus is that no doubt Sarah P is gnashing her teeth up in AK. I am sure she was already scooping out luxe housing in DC and planning a killer wardrobe. I guess God is showing her the door... It is nice to see that not all the people of AK think it is a fine idea to return a convicted felon to the Senate.

The bad news in the Times article is the failure to bounce the odious Joe from his committee chair. There are so many reasons that this is horrible, I don't know where to start. I think one of the most petulant comments from Joe was how hurt his feelings were when colleagues didn't campaign for him. Boo hoo. Well, Joe, guess who did? Much to my disappointment, Barack did. Joe Lieberman has no loyalty to anyone other than to Joe Lieberman. The only positive, and it isn't much, is that hopefully he knows he owes his post to Obama, but frankly, I don't think it will make a difference in how he behaves. What the Senators who voted for him to keep his chair, fail to understand is that this isn't about payback, he was a crap chairman, showing the morals and wisdom of snake. It also makes the Dems look spineless and pathetic. The so called 60 seat filibuster proof majority is meaningless if you don't have party loyalty. Does anyone really imagine that Lieberman will vote with the Dems if his buddies across the aisle lure to have one of his notorious attacks of his so called conscience? I don't think so.

Republican Family values, again

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081116/ap_on_el_ge/giuliani;_ylt=Any5HZH5JjMvNijvuo3S04Cs0NUE

Now here is some disturbing news - Rudy is contemplating running for Governor of New York. I think all David Patterson will have to do for advertising is replay endlessly Rudy's truly terrifying speech at Hate Fest '08 (aka the Republican Convention.) What Rudy forgets is that sometimes a politician's time has passed, and his has passed big time. Joe Biden put the knife in beautifully - A noun, a verb and 9/11. He is a not an appealing candidate and a really horrible human being. I mean, who dumps his wife of many years, the mother of his children on live TV? Oh wait, maybe that is the loop to play endlessly.

Bitter

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/11/16/dorgan-lieberman/

I was happy to see that Byron Dorgan finds Lieberman's actions unacceptable. I know that Leahy and Sanders called for Lieberman to loose his committee chair, but that not very surprising. I called Dodd's office on Friday to rant, saying I was a CT resident and had been a big fan of Chris Dodd (all true, by the way,) but was appalled that he was supporting Lieberman as chair for various reasons, including that Lieberman was useless and investigated nothing, and showed the terrible judgement of supporting McCain who was clearly a deranged candidate, and that Lieberman clearly did not represent CT voters. I held back and did not say things like, he is an odious little toad who deserves NOTHING but CONTEMPT!!! The person I spoke to was very polite, and said that she would pass on my remarks to the Senator - fat chance, she didn't take my name or address and clearly thought I was a crank, which I guess I am. I read somewhere that Evan Bayh said Lieberman should keep the chair otherwise he would become bitter. I have news for you - Lieberman is the personification of bitter. I read that it is going to be a secret ballot, so maybe the spineless dems will annonomously stab Joe in the back - as Rahm would say, Dead, Dead, Dead!

Doris, not all rivals are capable of being on a team

The other night I went to a talk given by Doris Kearns Goodwin about her book A Team of Rivals. She was quite an entertaining speaker, and she mentioned that Barack had called her after reading her book. Having seen DKG on one of the gasbag shows, I knew she had the lunatic idea that Obama should offer McCain a post in his cabinet. I have to say I think this is a horrible idea, and my auntie wanted me to harangue her about the suggestion. I mean after all, why on earth would you have someone in your cabinet whose every idea is horrible? I chickened out, even though the audience was pretty elderly, they were so worshipful I would have feared for my safety. It is a nice story about Barack calling her, though. It will be strange having a president who actually reads and thinks.

Our Dear Laura

You may wonder why I have all these fine photos of Laura Bush. It is a long story and in fact, this post is a tribute to my sister who used to read and post on the Our Dear Laura (ODL) site on Salon. But please be prepared, this is a really superficial and mean post. I know I should be charitable because she has the misfortune to be married into that dreadful family. Imagine having that terrible old tartar Barbara Bush as your mother in law? But ODL bears some responsibility. When the Doltish Dauphin concocted the scheme of running for president, why didn't she schedule an intervention? She of all people should have known what a bad idea it was to install her booze/cocaine addled husband as president. Anyway, I was struck by many things when looking at the photograph of the Obama's with the Bushies. Not just how elegant and fabulous the Obama's looked, but by the strange position of ODL's breasts. They seemed to me to be almost at waist level. Now I know she is a woman of a certain age, and so I should be charitable not being a spring chicken myself, but it seems to me that if I were married to the most powerful man on the planet even if he is a dunce, I would seek out some remedies for this condition. Surely there are some high end undies she could purchase, or failing that, NASA is filled with clever engineers or the Army Corps of Engineers, oh wait, they designed the levee system in New Orleans, forget them.

Premature measuring

Alaska is much in the news, what with Ms Palin flouncing about. For a while, it looked likely that she would grace the Senate with her presence, due to a convicted felon being re-elected. Stevens because he lives in an alternate universe, clearly not the reality based community, said he wasn't really a convicted felon and continued to run his campaign. I worried that if re-elected and then booted out of the senate, Ms P would appoint herself, not wanting to go back to real American up there in Alaska. Miracle of miracles, it appears that Begich has pulled ahead. According to an article in http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/begich_pulls_ahead_of_stevens.php
he has actually pulled ahead by over 800 votes, and they are still counting absentee ballots. So speaking of measuring the drapes, Sarah P may have to spend her time in Alaska. Eventually the MSM will tire of going up there, after all they have very short attention spans, and I am sure it is bloody cold up there, and a snowmobile ride might not seem so glam in sub zero weather. Hopefully she will fade, because I personally am sick of hearing her honking voice coming over the airwaves.

The fat lady has sung

http://www.jedreport.com/2008/11/the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving.html

It must be a pretty slow news day if the msm is still obsessing over Sarah P. I can't believe the networks think there is so little news that they can send their intrepid reporters up to AK to eat moose chili. Gee, what happened to the financial crisis? Oh I forgot, no good visuals. But honestly, the vapid, grotesque, self aggrandizing Sarah P? As Josh Michah Marshall over at http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/ said, Can someone tell Sarah Palin the election is over? And the inauguration hasn't happened yet. I must admit I don't remember talk of the next election before a new president is even sworn in, but maybe I wouldn't know, because after so many elections, I have been in bed curled in a foetal position, refusing to read or look at anything, enforcing a news blackout.

Bill, Bill what are you thinking?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/1108/Obama_Bill_Clinton_hoping_Lieberman_will_stay_a_Democrat.html

I have to say, Bill Clinton has a very strange notion of loyalty. During the campaign, he was kind to John McCain who made the incredibly cruel and tasteless joke about his daughter - "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because Janet Reno is her father?" And now he is making phone calls for the odious toad, Joe Lieberman. Joe infamously stood on the floor of the Senate trashing Clinton for his relationship with Monica. This act opened the flood gates of the impeachment circus. If Joe, former friend and current moralist, could denounce him, well then let the blood letting begin. Now we have the spectacle of various dems defending Lieberman after he went against the will of democrats in Connecticut and ran for senate as a party of one, went back on his word and actively campaigned against Obama. But even Chris Dodd is actively saying he should keep his committees chair. My husband wants me to ask Dodd for tickets for the inauguration. But gee, do you think it would be a good move if I called Dodd's office and harangue him about Lieberman and then ask for tickets?

Politicians to avoid

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/11/08/2008-11-08_jersey_city_councilman_steven_lipski_is_.html

For some reason, my husband is quite amused/horrified by this story and keeps giving me tips about the latest revelation. What kind of a place is Jersey City when it seems to drive their fine politicians to drunken foolishness? Frankly, I think an assault charge is too lenient. Just the thought of having the misfortune of attending a Grateful Dead tribute band concert makes me ill, but the thought of being peed on by a drunken pol would make me rethink my stance on the death penalty. There is a really fine bit of reporting at the end of the article on a pol who was found nude and drunk on a stoop before he was elected mayor of Jersey City. Just so you know I am really bipartisan, Lipski is a dem.

Who's your daddy now?

Barack is going to the White House today to meet with the doltish Dauphin. I can't imagine what that meeting will be like, and not just because both campaigns were basically trashing all the policies of the Bush administration, but also because of the stark contrast in their personal histories. And what a study in contrast - Bush had every advantage thrust upon him and earned nothing on his own, except perhaps the title of The Least Popular President in Modern History, but now that I think of it, he had some help with that too. His education - prep school, legacy admit to Yale, Harvard B school, did he get into any of these places his own merit? All of his business misadventures were all with the help of his daddy's cronies. Even the presidency was awarded to him by his daddy's cronies. Sure Barack went to elite schools, but he earned his admissions and took advantage of every opportunity that came his way. When he finished Harvard Law, instead of going corporate, he dedicated himself to public service. )It is sort of delicious that the Repugs so mocked him for having been a community organizer, and it was those very skills that helped propel him into the White House.) You have one person who is proud of his ignorance and limited thinking, and the other who is deliberative, thoughtful and intellectual. The list of differences goes on and on. McCain is in fact, not all that different from Bush. He too, had an amazingly privileged life and relied on his daddy's and grandaddy's connections to make his way through the world. People seem to think that he sprung from a ranch in Arizona, but he, like Bush, was a born Washington insider. Well, it is really nice to think that both Bush and McCain are OUT!

Avoiding group think

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/opinion/09rich.html?ref=opinion

Frank Rich has a wonderful column in the NYT today about how most of the conventional wisdom about the election was wrong. I think another strength for Obama was his tuning out the gasbags, and their endless supply of group think. Maybe not having been inside the Beltway for a long time and being grounded by family and friends in Chicago, made it easier to think clearly. There was one moment in the campaign when McCain suspended his campaign to deal with the financial crisis. I worried that Obama would fall into a reactive trap, but he didn't and wisely said, A president should be able to do more than one thing at a time. He kept on talking about policy instead of getting tangled up in the minutiae of attack ads, tempting though it might have been. Can you imagine looking at the 'celebrity' ads and not succumbing to, What are you talking about - you have been THE most frequent political guest on ALL the late night shows, and you were the one that called the press your base. But he was right not to - this time the American people were not bamboozled into voting for the fear and smear candidate.

Broder speaks, but is anyone listening?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/07/AR2008110703146.html
What planet is David Broder on? This Sunday, instead of writing about Obama's election, The Dean of Conventional WIsdom writes about hopeful signs for the GOP, citing the election of several republican governors, including one in Vermont (Vermont???? what happened?) Granted, the election results were not all good, but is hopeful signs for the GOP on peoples minds right now? What a tool.

Up to their old tricks

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/11/06/young-voters-powered-obamas-victory-while-shrugging-off-slacker-image.htmlAlready the knives are out and the repugs are trying to spin the election. I was out and my visiting auntie was watching tv. I came back and she was in a gloomy mood - she had been watching C-span and had seen some show with Charlie Cook and some other stooge was on. I had seen an article by Charlie Cook that I decided to avoid, the title of which was something like, Obama had limited coat tails. Now given that the dems picked up quite a few seats, I thought that this was a ridiculous headline and most annoying. So when I heard that she had been depressed by Charlie Cook saying that this was an ordinary election, the youth vote as usual had punked out and not voted - in other words, same old, same old. Well guess what, I have been following elections for a long time, and I don't remember ANY election where there were shots of people all over the world dancing in the streets when one candidate went over the top. Did anyone see someone weeping when W was elected? (Oh yeah, that was me, but I sure wasn't weeping for joy,and I didn't even know what a horrible pres W would turn put to be.) The internet is a wonderful thing, as I quickly found articles to comfort my auntie - the youth vote turned out in record numbers, but so did everyone else, so one can twist the stats and say there wasn't a higher percentage of the youth vote, but that is quite disingenuous. This election is a BIG deal in many, many ways and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I'm taking my marbles...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15401.html

According to Lieberman's aide, he is threatening Reid that he will bolt the party if his committee chair is taken away from him. He wants to take his marbles else where. He said the most outrageous things during the campaign about Obama and the Democratic party, even saying, Heaven help us if the Democrats win sixty seats. Now is that being a loyal party member? Let him go, he is worthless, and I can't wait to see his reception in the Party of Yahoo's (aka Republicans.) Don't tell me they don't despise him, and as everyone knows, they are not the most tolerant bunch.

Twisting in the wind

http://blogs.courant.com/stan_simpson/2008/11/easy-call-on-lieberman-joe-got.html

We are all witnessing the disgusting spectacle of Joseph Lieberman attempting to slither back into the good graces of the Democratic Party. I can't say I wish him luck, even with heavy sarcasm. The man is an embarrassment, even when he is trying to crawl. I saw a clip of him after his press conference, and believe it or not, he is still his sanctimonious old self. He stressed he supported McCain for the good of his country, and he said that basically he should skate, in the interest of being bipartisan. How he could support McCain and his disgusting campaign is beyond me. Many republicans jumped ship because they couldn't stand the nasty, vapid campaign that McCain was running - Colin Powell, Jim Leach, the list is long. I am sure he was convinced that McCain would win, and that he would be rewarded with a plum cabinet position, as he clearly has no future in Connecticut politics (speaking of buyers remorse - it is hard to meet anyone who will confess to voting for the man in the last election.) It is kind of fun to watch Joe twist in the wind as Harry Reid considers his options.

Pinch me

It is still hard to believe the election results. Often that sentence is followed by a How could this have happened? and What is wrong with the American people? It is amazing to be happy about an election result. So far, the press has not started trying to put the knife in Barack's back - even MoDo has a positive column. I think the gasbags on the tube are actually giddy, even the slimy Joe Scarborough. Yesterday, he was taunting European countries, saying When will you elect a black presidents, you snotty superior people? or words to that effect

Those law and order Repugs

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/us-election/joe-the-plumber-escapes-speeding-ticket-due-to-negative-repercussions-14035388.html

I know this is kind of kicking a sick puppy and in the really old news department but... I think it sort of funny that ole Joe the Plumber weaseled out of a speeding ticket due to his undeserved celebrity. The fact that McCain could base so much of his campaign on the wit and wisdom of the fine intellect Joe the (fake) Pluming tax cheat is indicative of his complete idiocy.
Wait a minute ----The west coast is called. It is official. BARACK!!!

The wheels on the bus go round and round...

Howard Fineman just reported that Mark Salter (0ne of McCain's best buds) looks like he has been run over by a bus. Honestly, it couldn't happen to a more deserving campaign. It was perhaps one of the most cynical, shallow campaigns, and given the dire straights of the country, the most tone deaf that I can remember. They deserve to feel run over by a bus.

Revenge is sweet

Yeaaaaaaahhhhhhh. Chris Shays is tooooooooast!!! My very own mavricky Congressman is out on his sad little behind. Aside from being a source of my greatest shame, he is such a dick. My husband and I went to a debate in a previous race and was asked about cancer rates in CT. He spent approximately 2 seconds on the question and launched into his campaign speil. I went to the Bennett Cancer Walk and who turns up? but the loathsome whiny Shays meeting and greeting and then fleeing when the walk began. Ha Ha! he is gone.

I am too hyper to link but I love Josh Micah Michael. He has the best posts and I love his F--Ya Ohio. That about says it all. I now have friends who are beginning to get sick of the chirpy Rachel M. Why does she keep saying that things don't look good yet for Barack? Yah!!! Jack Reed (yeah I know, no surprise) won reelection, but sadly, they didn't have his pix under the fine banner of the K- ittens.

Still fretting

Jeepers, I am getting sick of the gloomy Rachel Maddow (I know, I know everyone loves her.) I want a red state wahhhhh. It is bizarre when I take comfort from repugs like Mike Murphy. I was really happy to hear that PA went so quickly for Obama. Yeah!!! ABC just called Ohio for Obama. But this is killing me.

Fretting...

I am glued to the tube watching basically nothing. Some returns from Indiana, but basically, meaningless. I have no time to link, but search for Barack's Manassas speech which is funny and wonderful. For me, the key state is VA - if it goes quickly for Barack then the rest is gravy; however, I will be in despair if PA goes for McCain. Eugene Robinson is a must read in the Wapo, talking about just what this election means to him as an African American and how, for the first time, he is proud to be an American. Good for him. I must say, as I was driving to PA this past weekend, I turned to the woman I was going to GOTV with and said those very words. She was dumbstruck because she said she felt exactly the same thing. I know Michelle took a lot of heat for her remarks, but we have been in the wilderness for such a long time. I lived in England during much of the Nixon years and my god I had a heap a lot of explaining to do. And Reagan, please, I know he is a sacred cow these days, but what a horrible president. An ignorant fool and damn proud of it. Bush One - sold his soul to Satan and never recuperated. And Bush Two - the idiot prince continues to wreak havoc on the world.

Decent people

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gugBpfv2Z-qzsewN3AkWpIZdNk6w

This is an incredibly sweet article about the death of Barack's grandmother. There is never a good time for a loved one to die, but it is incredibly poignant to read this article on the eve of what should be an historic day and a wonderful day for the country and Barack Obama. I was very touched by Barack's remarks describing her as one of the quiet people who sacrifice for their children and grandchildren. There have been other articles talking about the courage and decency it must have taken for his grandparents to love him, raise him and sacrifice so much for him.

Hope

It is hard to believe it is election eve. I know that many people have already voted, and although I think that any way to get more people to vote is a good thing, the traditionalist in me likes trouping off to the polls on election day. One of the most surprising and horrible thing about the 2000 election, aside of course having the doltish dauphin thrust upon us by his daddies cronies, was that during the Florida debacle, so called voting experts said, each election millions of ballots are never counted. Huh? In other words, your vote may or may not count. Who knew. It is really appalling that in this day and age that the integrity of voting is not guaranteed. I thought voting was the bedrock of democracy, but apparently not. What is astounding is that so little has been done since 2000 to make voting easier, safer and more democratic. The fact that state governments indicate think it is OK that people may have to stand in line for hours to cast their votes, is shameful. But then I guess in many areas (rich, white areas) do not, so I guess that is supposed to make it OK. Well it's not. Keep the faith, keep your fingers crossed, knock on wood, and don't agonize - organize. Let us hope for a better tomorrow.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/us/politics/03penn.html

McCain finds some hope in Philadelphia...gee, what an unpleasant headline to wake up to, although I can understand why he might. I went to Philadelphia to GOTV on Saturday, and the identified Obama supporters were few and far between in northeast Philadelphia. It was sort of depressing to walk by many houses, realizing that self identified McCain supporters lived there, even though they are registered Dems. The first house we went to was supposedly an Obama supporter. We rang the bell and a huge hound came barking and leaping at the door. The man of the house opened the door, and we gave our spiel in our nicest smiley middle aged non threatening way. The man looked at us and said a big, "NO!!!" and slammed the door. We put him down as a McCain supporter, and tempted though we were to go back and ask about his wife, we resisted. I just hope there are enough latte drinking socialist dems in the burbs to counteract these defections

My new image

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/13/the-coming-thugocracy/print/
Gee, according to Michael Barone in the Washington Times, the Obama volunteers are studenty thugs. Well, as a proud Obama volunteer I must say I am pretty far from a youthful thug. None of my friends who volunteer mind being called youthful, but as my moniker the Hag might indicate, I am far from young. Now thug... but I must admit being a teacher of young children I find the thug a bit hard to take, and it is a pretty silly label for the other people I saw at Obama headquarters - teachers, lawyers, architects, nurses, women's advocates, and although there were quite a few young people they looked pretty tame to me, you name it, this was a very mixed group. But who knows, maybe I will warm to my new tough image.

I do wonder what I will do with myself when the election is over. My daughter had one word for me DEEEEFENSE. I never understood why the Washington elites were so dismissive of and horrible about the Clintons. I remember the Cokie's and the Sally Quinn's dripping with their disdain and contempt about everything Clinton. Just read the Hunting of the President by the wonderful Joe Conason and you will see that the knives were out day even before day one. The Republicans believed that that Bill Clinton was not a legitimate president. Geez, I wish the dems had been that fierce about Bush, the ultimate illegitimate president.