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Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Nymr83 Dec 22 2009 07:04 PM

Some Congressman from Alabama, who was narrowly elected in a district that went heavily for McCain and saw which way the winds were blowing, switched over from "D" to "R" today. Thoughts? * *your answers will be compared and contrasted to the thread on Arlen Specter so as to allow the pointing out of any hypocrisy.

Gwreck Dec 22 2009 07:34 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

My thought is that it's telling you don't even know the guy's name. Or district. In all seriousness, didn't one of the Alabama senators used to be a Democrat?

Frayed Knot Dec 22 2009 07:50 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Hell, until fairly recently (like a few decades ago) virtually everybody from Alabama was a democrat. But, more recently, you're probably thinking of Richard Shelby. He switch his parenthetical letter to 'R' in the late '80s or early '90s.

Valadius Dec 22 2009 07:53 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Parker Griffith is a freaking idiot. He's going to be primaried by teabaggers and lose.

Kong76 Dec 22 2009 07:56 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

ny83: Thoughts? <<< Yeah, I'm a registered and voting person independent of a political party and glad for it in this holiday season.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 23 2009 07:02 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I heard a clip of his speech on the radio this morning. If he feels that he's more in line with the Republicans than the Democrats, then he might as well switch.

Willets Point Dec 24 2009 08:49 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Bully for him. Now if he'll take the rest of the Blue Dog Republicrats with him. Or better yet, just dissolve political parties and let each individual representative legislate based on his/her conscience and the desires of his/her constituency.

Nymr83 Dec 25 2009 06:38 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Willets Point wrote: Bully for him. Now if he'll take the rest of the Blue Dog Republicrats with him. Or better yet, just dissolve political parties and let each individual representative legislate based on his/her conscience and the desires of his/her constituency. I would be very happy with a law that prevented the little "R" or "D" appearing next to names on ballots. I'm pretty sure some court decided it violated voting rights or something

Nymr83 Dec 27 2009 02:28 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Mir Housavi's nephew, along with 4 others, have been shot dead during anti-gov't protests in Iran

Ashie62 Dec 27 2009 09:32 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Mitt Romney for President 2012

Nymr83 Jan 19 2010 07:39 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

The Massachusetts special election for the seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy looks like its going to get called for Scott Brown. I'm sure the cable news shows are salivating at the weeks and weeks of stories they'll get to tell about this. Will Democrats in Washington try to shove healthcare reform down our throats before Brown can be seated? Will the House pass the existing Senate bill with no changes? or will any new initiative actually require the vote of at least one Republican? there were already accusations flying from Democrats everywhere that Coakley ran a horrendous campaign, acting as if she, by virtue of winning the Democratic primary, was entitled to the seat, was this really a sign of massive conservative gains in 2010 or just a really well run campaign against a shitty one?

Ashie62 Jan 20 2010 08:18 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Coakley pulled a "Mets" and MA has had enough of the Kennedy's BS since 1953

Number 6 Jan 20 2010 10:28 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

You sure do cram a lot of annoying into such a tiny space.

Edgy DC Jan 21 2010 10:58 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Cindy McCain: http://www.noh8campaign.com/

Nymr83 Jan 21 2010 11:04 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Cindy McCain: http://www.noh8campaign.com/ it re-directed me to something that wouldnt load. The Supreme Court today invalidated part of the anti-free speech McCain-Feingold Campaign Financing law in a case over anti-Hillary ads from the 2008 primaries

Edgy DC Jan 21 2010 11:06 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Sorry, fixed. The former First Lady to Be has joined her daughter on the Same-Sex Marriage Campaign.

Edgy DC Jan 21 2010 02:54 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Bigger news than Brownie and bigger than Cindy is that the Supreme Court has handed down a ruling pretty much gutting most campaign finance restrictions.

Nymr83 Jan 21 2010 03:19 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Bigger news than Brownie and bigger than Cindy is that the Supreme Court has handed down a ruling pretty much gutting most campaign finance restrictions. I actually only noticed earlier that the ruling cut out part of McCain-Feingold preventing corporate (or union) funded ads against candidates, i didn't realize they also removed the much older spending restrictions. its a victory for free speech, even if you (and i) dont like the "speech" this will generate.

Farmer Ted Jan 21 2010 05:15 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I'm the President and CEO of [insert accordingly, i.e. Goldman Sachs/Teamsters/NY Yankees] and I endorse this candidate with $100 million of our [corporate/union dues/season ticket holder] dollars. Thank you for voting.

Edgy DC Jan 21 2010 07:47 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

If you think about it though, under such rules, nobody in New York could spend anywhere near what Bloomberg was jizzing on himself, unless you found another plutocrat to run against him.

Frayed Knot Jan 21 2010 08:00 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Yup. McCain-Feingold, however well-intentioned, was a great incumbent protection measure.

Nymr83 Jan 21 2010 08:11 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: If you think about it though, under such rules, nobody in New York could spend anywhere near what Bloomberg was jizzing on himself, unless you found another plutocrat to run against him. very true, which is another strike against these laws. Yup. McCain-Feingold, however well-intentioned, was a great incumbent protection measure. without a doubt it could have accurately been named the "Bi-Partisan Incumbent Protection Act", and i don't think it was very well intentioned at all, i think most who voted for it must have realized the enormous self-interest in doing so.

Ashie62 Jan 23 2010 09:32 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Number 6 wrote: You sure do cram a lot of annoying into such a tiny space. Just being economical, thanks!

Nymr83 Jan 24 2010 11:43 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Ashie62 wrote: Number 6 wrote: You sure do cram a lot of annoying into such a tiny space. Just being economical, thanks! the gov't should learn from you.

Vic Sage Jan 28 2010 10:25 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Free Expression Network: "money is not speech, corporations are not people"

Nymr83 Jan 28 2010 10:39 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

i heard something was passed by the senate yesterday (1/28) strengthening sanctions against Iran, but i cant seem to find the text or who voted for/against it (perhaps it was passed unanimously without an official recorded vote taken?) i also read on the senate website that a bill was introduced (to curb a side effect of the recent supreme court decision) to keep foreigners from getting involved in political campaigns, but the text wasnt there, any idea where i can find it. without having read the actual bill, i support the concept. i dont think the free speech protections of the constitution were meant to extend to foreigners. weird 3rd amendment question that just popped into my head for any lawyers out there, can the government quarter soldiers in a building that is NOT a "house"? It would be really funny if Obama ordered a division to take up residence inside Walmart's corporate headquarters.

Edgy DC Jan 29 2010 07:07 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Well, since, in many cases, the rights of individuals are found to extend to corporations, I would guess not. But I imagine it's not exactly a clause that gets revisited very often, since the government has long since found ways to house her troops. Plus there's the wartime exemption, and the court tends to side with the government during national emergencies that may not qualify as open war. Maybe during Katrina it could have been an issue. But what miserly corporaton would take issue with it? I mean, besides Starbucks.

Ashie62 Jan 29 2010 05:56 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Whole Foods

Nymr83 Feb 03 2010 08:29 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Both the Republican and Democratic primaries in the race for Illinois governor are neck and neck. One is about 8,000 votes apart (900k cast) and the other a few hundred (700k) with absentee ballots not counted. Let the fun begin!

Frayed Knot Feb 03 2010 08:43 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Are the ballots from the area cemeteries in yet?

Edgy DC Feb 03 2010 09:11 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Do they do that in the primaries? (If they gotta, I guess.)

Nymr83 Feb 03 2010 10:18 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Do they do that in the primaries? (If they gotta, I guess.) yeah, but since it was a primary the opponents called the same guy to [crossout]dig up[/crossout]bring out the dead vote

Nymr83 Feb 26 2010 03:41 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Patterson has ended his re-election campaign.

Valadius Feb 26 2010 07:30 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Wasn't a re-election campaign, he was never elected.

metirish Feb 26 2010 08:00 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Come on Val , you know like we do that Petterson announced only last week that he was going to run in the election . I only hope now that he resigns and doesn't try to finish out this term, he is and has been beyond useless.

Nymr83 Feb 26 2010 08:37 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

it is (was) a re-election campaign because he was running for an office which he holds. And lets not act like he was never elected like Gerald Ford, he was part of the ticket (and in fact the reason i personally didnt vote for Spitzer) i dont like him either irish but i dont see what his stepping down accomplishes other than to have him be replaced by the temporary president of the senate, Malcolm Smith (hey at least its not Bruno anymore), who will roll over to his legislative buddies and let that corrupt institution run the state even further into the ground. thats assuming the senate doesnt change hands again from more idiocy between now and then. Albany's motto should be "hey, at least we're not New Jersey"

sharpie Feb 27 2010 08:56 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Actually, I think Richard Ravitch would take over as the courts have approved him as Lt. Governor.

Valadius Feb 27 2010 09:26 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

It was an election campaign. You can't be re-elected if you haven't been elected yet. And in Paterson's case, he hadn't been. Same thing with Menendez in 2006, it was an election campaign, not re-election.

Nymr83 Feb 27 2010 10:18 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

sharpie wrote: Actually, I think Richard Ravitch would take over as the courts have approved him as Lt. Governor. I was unaware of that, you're right that he'd then take over. Main Entry: re·elect Pronunciation: \?r?-?-?lekt\ Function: transitive verb Date: 1601 : to elect for another term in office not to elect again, but to elect for another term, as in a term additional to the one he is already serving.

Valadius Feb 28 2010 08:40 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Rumors are flying around this morning that John Smoltz may run for a U.S. House seat being vacated by Rep. John Linder (R) in Georgia as a Republican.

Nymr83 Feb 28 2010 09:50 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Smoltz could probably run as a Monarchist and win in Georgia in an election for an open seat.

Ashie62 Feb 28 2010 02:08 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Nymr83 wrote: it is (was) a re-election campaign because he was running for an office which he holds. And lets not act like he was never elected like Gerald Ford, he was part of the ticket (and in fact the reason i personally didnt vote for Spitzer) i dont like him either irish but i dont see what his stepping down accomplishes other than to have him be replaced by the temporary president of the senate, Malcolm Smith (hey at least its not Bruno anymore), who will roll over to his legislative buddies and let that corrupt institution run the state even further into the ground. thats assuming the senate doesnt change hands again from more idiocy between now and then. Albany's motto should be "hey, at least we're not New Jersey" At least in NJ we don't have any mayors that don't abide by term limits

Frayed Knot Feb 28 2010 02:49 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

That's because they're usually facing sentencing before ever getting to that point.

metirish Feb 28 2010 02:51 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

With the way things are in Albany any state could use the " at least we're not NY".....what a mess it is up there.

Ashie62 Feb 28 2010 02:56 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

It's all true in all 50 states and DC

Edgy DC Mar 11 2010 10:25 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

“...we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”

Nymr83 Mar 11 2010 08:06 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: “...we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” which IDIOT said that? meanwhile, the clowns in Albany want to take out a loan to cover this year's 9 billion budget gap and make sure we're paying it off for 30 years. not taking loans to pay for the annual budget is like "good governance 101", the taxpayers end up paying back twice as much.

Edgy DC Mar 11 2010 09:10 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Broader context. You’ve heard about the controversies within the bill, the process about the bill, one or the other. But I don’t know if you have heard that it is legislation for the future, not just about health care for America, but about a healthier America, where preventive care is not something that you have to pay a deductible for or out of pocket. Prevention, prevention, prevention—it’s about diet, not diabetes. It’s going to be very, very exciting. But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV-05TLiiLU For the bill or against it, if you have a heart, you'll want to weep. I imagined this was more widespread. Annoying teapartiers are going to rally around this like freakazoids.

metsguyinmichigan Mar 12 2010 06:05 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I met Mitt Romney yesterday. I covered his appearance at a Grand Rapids bookstore. He's friendly and accessible enough. Grand Rapids seems to be the place for Conservative politicians and pundits to sell books.

Nymr83 Mar 12 2010 05:40 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Broader context. ah, it was the Queen of Idiots herself. even "in context" its a horribly dumb statement.

Ashie62 Mar 12 2010 09:49 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

New NJ Governor Chris Christie pissed off DOT and its' union so much the proposed budget cuts all bus service in Morris County including the bus that passes his house in Mendham I'm waiting to hear Ron Paul/Sarah Palin 2012...oye

Edgy DC May 18 2010 10:09 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Richard Blumenthal looks finished.

MFS62 May 18 2010 10:31 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Richard Blumenthal looks finished. Tom Seaver joined the (Marine) Reserves to avoid the draft, too. (As did many other ballplayers at the time.) But at least he never claimed he served in 'Nam. Blumenthal is a goner, as he should be from that lie. It is an insult to all who served there proudly. Later

metirish May 18 2010 10:43 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

How do you tell that lie in 2008 and expect it not to get checked up on?

Edgy DC May 18 2010 10:50 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

My guess is that he started out with nebulous references to his "Vietnam-era" service. (His campaign today huffily responded with reference to his proud service in Parris Island and in the reserves, as if basic training and serving are the same thing, though it was clearly the hardest part for him. ) As he got away with --- and capitalized on --- implying that he served in country, it became too easy, and the outright lie would just occasionally slip out. Lies are slippery things.

metirish May 18 2010 01:25 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

An article from 2005 on fakers http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/ ... ontentBody Robert Sorensen's excuse is a classic

Frayed Knot May 18 2010 01:42 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Lying about military service is so stupid because the records are gov't which means it's going to be found out sooner or later and almost anyone with enough initiative can be the one to blow the lid. On the other hand, you can lie about your connection to some private college or business and get away with it for decades and usually it takes an insider to expose you. Who was that weatherman who referred to himself as "Dr. ______" and claimed to have gone to Columbia or somewhere even though he had never done either? By the time he got ratted out he was a middle-aged man and had been in the TV weather business for like 20+ years.

Edgy DC May 18 2010 01:53 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Pretty cool to expose Dan Rather in a CBS article.

themetfairy May 18 2010 02:03 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Frayed Knot wrote: Who was that weatherman who referred to himself as "Dr. ______" and claimed to have gone to Columbia or somewhere even though he had never done either? By the time he got ratted out he was a middle-aged man and had been in the TV weather business for like 20+ years. Dr. Bob Harris. Someone wanted to honor him at his alma mater, only to discover that Columbia does not have a school of meteorology.

Frayed Knot May 18 2010 02:18 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Yeah, that's the guy. Turns out he didn't get away with it for nearly as long as I thought but, still, the guy had no college degree at all and was nearly 40 and a decade into a career when exposed.

Edgy DC May 18 2010 02:30 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

And because I'm an equal-opportunity guy, Mark Souder is also out after being exposed as a phiilanderer: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... id=topnews Why he went ahead with the primary and resigned after is a head-scratcher.

Edgy DC May 19 2010 08:52 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

One thing Republicans and Democrats are sharing is contempt for entrenched incumbents. Arlen Specter fails to gain any boost by jumping parties and is out, losing to House member Joe Sestak in his primary election, despite the support of President Barack Obama. Rand Paul, an opthamologist but also the son of Ron Paul, wins the republican primary in Kentucky as he seeks to become the standard bearer of the Tea Party movement. His opponent had Mitch McConnell's support. Blanche Lincoln faces a primary runoff in Arkansas.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 19 2010 09:34 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Rand Paul, an opthamologist but also the son of Ron Paul I'm guessing older siblings had already taken "Galt" and "Roark" for their firstborn?

Edgy DC May 19 2010 09:51 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Fun thought (along with twins Milton and Friedman) but he does deny he's named for Ayn. http://libertymaven.com/2009/05/20/rand ... rand/5796/

MFS62 May 19 2010 10:29 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Frayed Knot wrote: Lying about military service is so stupid because the records are gov't which means it's going to be found out sooner or later and almost anyone with enough initiative can be the one to blow the lid. Re: Blumenthal -Except that many Army records were stored in a warehouse in the Midwest (St. Louis?) and there was a fire there in the late 60s that destroyed many of those records, including many from the Viet Nam era. (Mine included) Maybe he was hoping his were among those that weren't recovered. Still idiotic and just plain wrong. Later

Valadius May 21 2010 05:51 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

The Times did a piss-poor job on the Blumenthal story, hell in the same exact video that they only took a clip from he accurately stated his service. All-around smear job that was fed to them by Linda McMahon.

Nymr83 May 21 2010 10:12 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

It seems pretty clear that Blumenthal lied, and not just that one time. The story doesnt name McMahon as a source, and does site to its other sources. So are you (Val) just throwing accusations at Blumenthal's opponent because you support him, or do you have proof of your accusations that a) she fed them the story AND b) its an "all around smear job"* *which i would take to mean that it is untrue and the source knew it, but do tell me if you have a different take on "smear job"

Valadius May 22 2010 07:19 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Here is Blumenthal accurately stating his military record on March 1: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEZm_Gc8-Xw It's not some big secret. The Daily Caller, a conservative website, confirms it. The McMahon campaign also confirmed it until they walked back the confirmation. I think it's quite clear. [url]http://dailycaller.com/2010/05/18/mcmahon-campaign-says-they-fed-blumenthal-story-to-new-york-times/

Nymr83 May 22 2010 11:01 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Thank you Val, you've shown that her campaign was the source, but i still don't buy the "smear" part, he's claimed to have served in vietnam on several occassions, even if he usually tells the truth. do you find something wrong with a campaing telling the press about an opponent's misdeeds? i don't as long as its true.

Ashie62 May 22 2010 12:53 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: One thing Republicans and Democrats are sharing is contempt for entrenched incumbents. Arlen Specter fails to gain any boost by jumping parties and is out, losing to House member Joe Sestak in his primary election, despite the support of President Barack Obama. Rand Paul, an opthamologist but also the son of Ron Paul, wins the republican primary in Kentucky as he seeks to become the standard bearer of the Tea Party movement. His opponent had Mitch McConnell's support. Blanche Lincoln faces a primary runoff in Arkansas. Very interesting indeed. Mcconnell took quite here in a party trying to rebrand itself as zero tolerance fundamentalists. Then Paul drops an affirmative action question and becomes a politician in 12 hours.

Ashie62 May 22 2010 12:56 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Valadius wrote: The Times did a piss-poor job on the Blumenthal story, hell in the same exact video that they only took a clip from he accurately stated his service. All-around smear job that was fed to them by Linda McMahon. Maybe it was presented by Linda McMahon COO of the WWE?

Nymr83 May 22 2010 02:31 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

pssst Ashie, its the same person, she's Vince's wife. Politics and the WWE are very similiar business. Most of what you see is done for show. As for Rand Paul, wow did he drop the ball on that one. It wasn't Affirmative Action related though, it was a question about the '64 Civil Rights Act and the ability of private business to exclude customers. McConnell and the others who supported Trey Greyson knew what they were doing, Rand is as unelectable on a state-wide (or nation-wide) scale as his father, and the Republicans who voted for him in the primary (or more likely the moderates who dont attend primaries) will regret it when the GOP loses that senate seat in November.

Ashie62 May 22 2010 02:49 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Nymr83 wrote: pssst Ashie, its the same person, she's Vince's wife. Politics and the WWE are very similiar business. Most of what you see is done for show. As for Rand Paul, wow did he drop the ball on that one. It wasn't Affirmative Action related though, it was a question about the '64 Civil Rights Act and the ability of private business to exclude customers. McConnell and the others who supported Trey Greyson knew what they were doing, Rand is as unelectable on a state-wide (or nation-wide) scale as his father, and the Republicans who voted for him in the primary (or more likely the moderates who dont attend primaries) will regret it when the GOP loses that senate seat in November. The same Linda! Suplex me Rand was tripped up on the 64 Civil Rights act. The idea of private vs. public became sticky. I'd like to see him do well.

Edgy DC May 22 2010 03:06 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I don't think he was tripped up so much as he didn't want to give the same answer he'd give a more sympathetic audience.

Nymr83 May 28 2010 01:31 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

If this is really all that happened, then Sestak is a dope who blew things way out of proportion when he accused Obama of offering him a job to drop out of the race last year. Is this really what he got so upset about, or has he changed his story to try and keep this from becoming a full-blown scandal? The following is a statement from Rep. Joe Sestak elaborating on the job offer the White House indirectly offered him last summer: "Last summer, I received a phone call from President Clinton. During the course of the conversation, he expressed concern over my prospects if I were to enter the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and the value of having me stay in the House of Representatives because of my military background. He said that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had spoken with him about my being on a Presidential Board while remaining in the House of Representatives. I said no. I told President Clinton that my only consideration in getting into the Senate race or not was whether it was the right thing to do for Pennsylvania working families and not any offer. The former President said he knew I'd say that, and the conversation moved on to other subjects. "There are many important challenges facing Pennsylvania and the rest of the country. I intend to remain focused on those issues and continue my fight on behalf of working families."

Edgy DC Jun 07 2010 07:33 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Helen Thomas holy CRAP.

metirish Jun 07 2010 07:43 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Helen Thomas holy CRAP. Well , you can't say things like that.....apologies my arse. Iconic White House reporter Helen Thomas was dropped by her speaking agency and booted as a high school commencement speaker Sunday following inflammatory remarks she made about Jews and Israel. Although Thomas apologized, Nine Speakers Inc. dumped the octogenarian journalist over her videotaped declaration that Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine" and go back to Germany and Poland. The principal of Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md., said in an e-mail to students and parents yesterday that next Monday's speech was canceled, saying "graduation celebrations are not the venue for divisiveness." Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politic ... z0qAtDSDUo

metsguyinmichigan Jun 07 2010 09:27 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Helen's been getting stranger and stranger in recent years. Remember her question to Obama about "so-called terrorists?" Perhaps the old mind isn't quite what it used to be. And, perhaps the advanced age is allowing her to show how she's felt all along, but knew better than to verbalize.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 07 2010 09:43 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I've often noticed that tact diminishes with age.

Fman99 Jun 07 2010 09:46 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

If I were Helen Thomas, and someone offered to take me on a wonderful and informative tour of a glue factory, I'd be nervous. Or maybe I'd just be spaced out and think that it sounded delightful.

Edgy DC Jun 07 2010 10:05 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Yeah, one's internal censor doesn't seem to fire as cleanly when we age. That may be a mental deterioration thing, or it may be a product of the deference and respect elders are granted/demand. Or it may be a little of both. So, who's going to be the new senior correspondent?

Edgy DC Jun 07 2010 10:50 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

And... she's retired. It will of course be spun into her being a victim of speech opressors.

metsguyinmichigan Jun 07 2010 11:42 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Heck, it looks like they won't let an opinion columnist in the front row after this. Of course, Helen Thomas wasn't your typical opinion columnist, and was probably the first and only opinion columnist to get that kind of seat. Was it mentioned that Thomas is of Lebanese descent? Her niece is an anchor here in Grand Rapids.

Edgy DC Jun 07 2010 11:45 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I knew that, but no, it hasn't been much noted in the fallout over this.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 07 2010 08:20 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Fox News wants her seat... badly, it seems.

metsguyinmichigan Jun 08 2010 05:52 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Fox News wants her seat... badly, it seems. Well, you can make an argument to have Fox there since its the most watched news network. And while it's not the White House's call, you'd think they'd lobby to have Fox there. Put your harshest critics front row center and show you're not afraid to answer their questions.

Edgy DC Jun 08 2010 03:00 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I'm sure there's no shame being in row two. I must say, more than one person I've encountered in the office has, dissapointingly, expressed that they view what she said as no big deal.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 08 2010 03:05 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: I'm sure there's no shame being in row two. I must say, more than one person I've encountered in the office has, dissapointingly, expressed that they view what she said as no big deal. Considering the context/speaker, or absolutely?

Edgy DC Jun 08 2010 03:44 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Absolutely, I think. I'm thinking, question the right to sovereignty of Israel? OK, yeah, that's certainly an open question. Suggest that Israel is there as some sort of surrogate for German or Polish control? Tell Israeli Jews to go "home" to Germany or Poland? That's an alamingly twisted view of history.

Nymr83 Jun 08 2010 10:57 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I'd like to see how well "send all the niggers back to Africa" would go over. or perhaps "send all the white men back to europe" she should have been fired on the spot, but as is often the case it is ok to criticize israel and/or the jews in a way that you could never get away with when talking about other groups oh and there were primaries tonight, and Reid seems to have a new lease on life with a "tea party" candidate beating out sue lowden and danny tarkanian to give Reid a supposedly easier opponent

Edgy DC Jun 09 2010 05:31 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Well, refreshingly, the media outrage over her comments has come from across the spectrum, with many who consisered her a trailbrazer expressing embarassment for their profession.

Frayed Knot Jun 09 2010 07:14 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Well, refreshingly, the media outrage over her comments has come from across the spectrum, with many who consisered her a trailbrazer expressing embarassment for their profession. Yeah, the outrage came from across the spectrum from those who were ignoring or even hiding her views all along. I love all the insider-ish media comments like, "oh everybody knew she felt this way, she talked about it all the time" stuff. No, YOU people knew she felt that way because she talked to YOU about it all the time, but either this stupid 'seniority' system that is in effect for some reason, or the deference paid to her for once being a trailblazer, or just the usual habit of wanting to look under every rock to examine the slime unless it's in your own business kept it under wraps while she was tiptoed around by her colleagues, lauded by the pols she was supposedly covering (and embarrassing), and kept on by employers long past the 'sell by' date.

Edgy DC Jun 09 2010 08:18 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Well, it's not like she hasn't openly embarassed herself at press conferences on these issues in the past, with Dana Perino and Tony Snow taking deep breaths and finally moving on from her fantastical pelletting with a resigned "Anybody want to show grandma what a fair question sounds like?" attitude. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICq2AuxYTTE Even as she was boldy ahead of the curve, challenging the Bush adminstration on hard questions related to the Iraq war, she would preface her questions with opinion-stated-as-fact phrases like, "You've came into office looking for a reason to go to war with Iraq, so how do you respond to..." (a paraphrase and not an actual quote) that actually hurt her position and made it far easier for Bush to respond when she might have otherwise had him cornered. But certainly, she has deserved far more challenges from inside her profession. (Though there had been a few.)

MFS62 Jun 15 2010 09:57 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

South Carolina politics in action. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/12/us/po ... reene.html Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 15 2010 10:08 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

South Carolina politics in action. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/12/us/po ... reene.html Later By chance, has Alvin Greene ever done any landscaping work?

Fman99 Jun 15 2010 10:11 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Fox News wants her seat... badly, it seems. Yeah, tap that ass!

dgwphotography Jun 15 2010 12:58 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Really? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v60oNUoHBYM

Edgy DC Jun 15 2010 01:13 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Be fair. Congressmen beat me up on the street all the time. It's their privelege. Yikey, the kid looks ready to wet his pants.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 15 2010 01:45 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Senator Robocop meets Emil. WHO ARE YOU. WHO AAAARRRRRE YOU?

Nymr83 Jun 15 2010 05:55 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I've been teading about that SC primary a bit the last few days, mostly from Nate Silver's site. It does seem bizarre.

themetfairy Jun 15 2010 05:57 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Last night's episode of The Daily Show had some good coverage of the SC primary.

Edgy DC Jun 16 2010 07:46 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Seriously, though, how could you not see this as the logical result of an open primary?

Frayed Knot Jun 16 2010 11:04 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: Seriously, though, how could you not see this as the logical result of an open primary? And just as California is going in the same direction. California: We don't just start stupid fads, we seek out bad ones from other places and follow those too.

Nymr83 Jun 16 2010 08:57 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I'm not sure that an open primary is a bad idea, but I'll happily watch some OTHER state test it in important elections.

Edgy DC Jun 23 2010 08:23 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

"Listen Mr. President, there's only so much shit this soldier's going to eat. You get my drift?"

MFS62 Jun 23 2010 09:17 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

"Listen Mr. President, there's only so much shit this soldier's going to eat. You get my drift?" Obama: "But you only eat it once a day." Later

Ashie62 Jun 23 2010 09:19 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: "Listen Mr. President, there's only so much shit this soldier's going to eat. You get my drift?" Mr. President, "Bite me".

Edgy DC Jun 23 2010 09:33 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

i came in this morning thinking the president shouldn't fire him. Now I'm kind of swinging the other way.

Edgy DC Jun 23 2010 11:54 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

McChrystal out. Patraeus in charge. I'm not sure if that's a promotion or demotion or what for Patraeus. It's sort of like the GM taking over as manager as well, isn't it?

metirish Jun 23 2010 12:03 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Didn't Patraues get the Iraq job on the strength of his previous results in Afghanistan?

Edgy DC Jun 23 2010 12:23 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

He headed operations with the 101st in Iraq, and was promoted to Head of the Multi-National Force there. He's been most reacently Head of Central Command, which sort of made him McChrystal's boss, right?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 23 2010 12:38 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: McChrystal out. Patraeus in charge. I'm not sure if that's a promotion or demotion or what for Patraeus. It's sort of like the GM taking over as manager as well, isn't it? That's it precisely, it seems. "Necessity-driven redistribution of responsibilities" isn't quite as punchy as either "promotion" or "demotion," but it's about right.

Farmer Ted Jun 23 2010 01:09 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

McChrystal headed up military black ops for several years. That's one mofro you don't fuck with.

Fman99 Jun 23 2010 01:25 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Farmer Ted wrote: McChrystal headed up military black ops for several years. That's one mofro you don't fuck with. Black ops are much bigger than regular ops. The girls like it I hear.

Edgy DC Jun 23 2010 01:43 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I wonder if, what with all the Lincoln modeling, this will get compared to McClellan getting sacked. Of course, neither Burnside nor Grant were given one year to win the war.

metirish Jun 23 2010 01:50 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

A fascinating article http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/ne ... how_page=0 plenty of controversy with the fella , Tillamn , prison abuse , but there is also plenty of stuff in here that showed he gave a damn.

Nymr83 Jun 23 2010 06:13 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I wonder if, what with all the Lincoln modeling, this will get compared to McClellan getting sacked. Of course, neither Burnside nor Grant were given one year to win the war. Nor were Hooker or Meade. I suppose McChrystal needed to go if only because he was going to become a huge distraction, but the comments attributed to him (as opposed to those attributed to his unnamed aide) didn't seem too bad.

Edgy DC Jun 24 2010 08:20 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I just realized (though I should have earlier, duh) that this means Patraeus actually gives up Central Command. Ouch. You probably don't feel like a president until you fire your first general.

Nymr83 Jun 24 2010 06:35 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Story I hadn't seen before in the Post today about Patraeus- back in '91 he was shot in the chest during a live-fire training exercise and people present thought he was dead. who was his surgeon? Bill Frist! Spitzer gets a TV show and a (reportedly) 400k salary. I guess stepping down from public office under scandal isn't such a bad thing.

Nymr83 Jun 29 2010 08:48 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

For those of you who read Nate Silver, he got a cease and desist letter from a polling operation that he has said may have been fudging their numbers (the company was recently fired by daily kos, which was apparently tipped off about the company's bullshitting of the polls they "conducted" for Kos by Silver) The polling company is "Research2000". I've been reading Nate for awhile, mostly because (I feel) he does a good job seperating his own political agenda from his analysis. Here's hoping he caught these suckers lying and they lose big (Kos is suing them)

Edgy DC Jun 29 2010 09:19 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

From Baseball Prospectus to the Time 100. Hard not to respect that in a 32-year-old.

TransMonk Jul 15 2010 03:29 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

This Financial Reform Bill is a piece of crap. Sen. Durbin's contribution is going to hog-tie small banks and credit unions into charging more account related fees while Walmart and Home Depot add to their bottom lines. The bill is as vague as can be on what guidelines are being given to regulators and this is going to come back to bite everyone (but Wall Street) in the ass eventually. Democrats may tout this as their best effort to stop Wall Street, but they are either truely naive about how our financial institution/merchant system works or they are blatently lying in hopes of saving their asses at mid-term all while keeping corporate America happy. I vote the straight Democrat ticket every election, but today I give them a big fat BOOO!!!

Valadius Jul 15 2010 06:04 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Then you'll have no qualms about voting for Russ Feingold in November, as he voted no.

TransMonk Jul 15 2010 08:09 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I've worked for his campaign during every election since '92, so yup.

Edgy DC Jul 15 2010 08:54 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

TransMonk wrote: Democrats may tout this as their best effort to stop Wall Street, but they are either truely naive about how our financial institution/merchant system works or they are blatently lying in hopes of saving their asses at mid-term all while keeping corporate America happy. As long as their rhetoric speaks monolithically (and demagogically) about "Wall Street," I'll be pessemistic.

MFS62 Jul 16 2010 07:42 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

For all of you who compared him to Darth Vader: http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/ ... 2010-07-15 Later

Willets Point Jul 16 2010 07:44 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Looks like he's gearing up for the 2012 Palin/Cheney campaign.

MFS62 Jul 16 2010 09:51 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I would like to have read more about the procedure. But neither the Doctor, nor his assistant, Igor, were available for comment. Later

Valadius Jul 16 2010 11:32 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Half man, half machine. Par for the course. Honestly, though, he doesn't have much time left. That's a very aggressive form of heart disease, and I doubt he gets a transplant.

metirish Jul 31 2010 03:13 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

The Weiner man cometh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4zwCMf8 ... _embedded#!

Edgy DC Aug 05 2010 02:34 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Met Fan Confirmed to High Court.

Nymr83 Aug 05 2010 08:57 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Will Mr. Met be on hand for the swearing in ceremony?

Edgy DC Aug 09 2010 08:37 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

A Supreme Court with pinch-hitters?

Gwreck Aug 09 2010 11:37 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: A Supreme Court with pinch-hitters? Ok in theory, but little use in practice. Having several retired SC justices is very uncommon. Most of these guys (+1 woman) either die while on the bench or very shortly after retirement.

Edgy DC Aug 09 2010 11:47 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Oh, sure, practice would be tough, in more ways than that. They might, however, be more willing to retire while still active if this reserve role were available to them. Both getting a judge with a conflict ruling on your case, or getting less than a full allotment of judges, is getting some watered-down justice.

sharpie Aug 09 2010 11:51 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

The only way this could work is if the retired justices were used in rotation so that the Chief Justice wouldn't have two votes. What if you didn't want to do it, though. Let's say David Souter says "I'm done with this and don't want to see those guys anymore." That should be allowed. Really, the only way this would work is if there weren't lifetime appointments. If you served for, say, 20 years, this proposal would make more sense.

Edgy DC Aug 09 2010 12:02 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Sure, but the article lists three other alternatives to letting the Chief Justice pick --- rotating the substitution assignment, letting the recusing justice select his or her replacment, or letting the court vote. Clearly, Leahy and/or whoever have to write it well to make it practiceable. And even then, the court itself might well find it unconsitutional, and therefore require it to be established through amendment.

Gwreck Aug 09 2010 02:30 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Again, though, any of those choices only make sense in the rare circumstance that you have multiple retired justices which isn't that common.

Edgy DC Aug 09 2010 02:34 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

And I responded by writing that they might be more willing to retire while still active if this reserve role were available to them.

Nymr83 Aug 17 2010 07:25 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Blagojevich convicted of lying to the feds, hung jury on 23 other charges. According to a juror on the case, they were 11-1 in favor of convicting on the charge of trying to sell Obama's former senate seat. AP via yahoo wrote: Juror Erik Sarnello of Itasca, Ill., said one woman on the jury "just didn't see what we all saw." The 21-year-old Sarnello said the counts involving the Senate seat were "the most obvious." Other jurors tried to persuade the holdout to reconsider, but "at a certain point, there was no changing," he said.

Frayed Knot Aug 17 2010 07:26 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Forget it Jake, it's Chicago.

Edgy DC Sep 10 2010 08:50 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I discovered this completely by accident, I have no idea what's going on, but I can't. look. away. http://nysportsdog.blogspot.com/2010/09 ... leave.html Politics is a disease.

Nymr83 Sep 14 2010 10:46 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Republican primary voters in NH and DE have done an excellent job shooting themselves in the foot today, defeating the electable Mike Castle (DE) and possibly Kelly Ayote (NH, still too close to call), in favor of far less electable far-right candidates.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 14 2010 11:40 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Don't shake Christine O'Donnell's hand too hard when you congratulate her on knocking off Mike Castle-- all that rubbing and squeezing may elicit some suspicion. O'Donnell has said, for example, that masturbation is wrong, and that looking at pornography is equivalent to cheating on your spouse. She outlined her views in a November 1998 article titled "The Case for Chastity" for Cultural Dissident. She wrote: When a married person uses pornography, or is unfaithful, it compromises not just his (or her) purity, but also compromises the spouse's purity. As a church, we need to teach a higher standard than abstinence. We need to preach a righteous lifestyle. On an MTV show about abstinence (as summarized by Huffington Post), O'Donnell explained: The reason that you don't tell [people] that masturbation is the answer to AIDS and all these other problems that come with sex outside of marriage is because again it is not addressing the issue. ... You're just gonna create somebody who is, I was gonna say, toying with his sexuality. Pardon the pun. ... She insists, however, that she had nothing to do with former campaign organization aide Yates Walker, who questioned her rival Rep. Mike Castle's (R) sexuality in this video, and accused Team Castle of "mudslinging" in a statement on Friday. Walker is a former staffer from Doug Hoffman's ill-fated campaign in New York's 23rd Congressional district. But, as WDEL Radio's Allan Loudell wrote last week, O'Donnell repeated the innuendo "several times" when saying she doesn't support what Walker said.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 15 2010 04:41 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Nymr83 wrote: Republican primary voters in NH and DE have done an excellent job shooting themselves in the foot today, defeating the electable Mike Castle (DE) and possibly Kelly Ayote (NH, still too close to call), in favor of far less electable far-right candidates. O'Donnell is a nutjob who got a bag of money from the Tea Party so as to F things up in Delaware. Castle had been serving public office since the 80s.

Edgy DC Sep 15 2010 05:42 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

DC maybe took a big step back last night also.

Willets Point Sep 15 2010 07:47 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I'm pretty sure the Tea Party will make overwhelming inroads into Congress come November.

Edgy DC Sep 15 2010 07:53 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

It'd be hard to make overwhelming inroads, as they won't even have candidates in enough districts, but I've been waiting for an antimasturbation candidate to get behind for a long time.

Edgy DC Sep 15 2010 08:14 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

And how about that Charlie Rangel?

RealityChuck Sep 15 2010 08:44 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Willets Point wrote: I'm pretty sure the Tea Party will make overwhelming inroads into Congress come November. I see. This is a definition of "overwhelming" I wasn't aware of before. I don't think 25 representatives -- all in Republican strongholds -- is particularly overwhelming.

metirish Sep 15 2010 09:31 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Pedro Espada is gone and that can only be a good thing for the Bronx and NY State, a crook of the highest order even by Albany standards.

MFS62 Sep 15 2010 09:58 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Don't shake Christine O'Donnell's hand too hard when you congratulate her on knocking off Mike Castle-- all that rubbing and squeezing may elicit some suspicion. O'Donnell has said, for example, that masturbation is wrong, and that looking at pornography is equivalent to cheating on your spouse. She outlined her views in a November 1998 article titled "The Case for Chastity" for Cultural Dissident. She wrote: When a married person uses pornography, or is unfaithful, it compromises not just his (or her) purity, but also compromises the spouse's purity. As a church, we need to teach a higher standard than abstinence. We need to preach a righteous lifestyle. On an MTV show about abstinence (as summarized by Huffington Post), O'Donnell explained: The reason that you don't tell [people] that masturbation is the answer to AIDS and all these other problems that come with sex outside of marriage is because again it is not addressing the issue. ... You're just gonna create somebody who is, I was gonna say, toying with his sexuality. Pardon the pun. I guess her opponent will run on a pro-masturbation ticket. Later

Willets Point Sep 15 2010 10:03 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

RealityChuck wrote: Willets Point wrote: I'm pretty sure the Tea Party will make overwhelming inroads into Congress come November. I see. This is a definition of "overwhelming" I wasn't aware of before. I don't think 25 representatives -- all in Republican strongholds -- is particularly overwhelming. Yes, but they've effectively taken over the Republican party platform and I expect the GOP will gain supermajorities in both houses, hence Tea Party rule.

Nymr83 Sep 15 2010 10:24 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Willets Point wrote: Willets Point wrote: I'm pretty sure the Tea Party will make overwhelming inroads into Congress come November. I see. This is a definition of "overwhelming" I wasn't aware of before. I don't think 25 representatives -- all in Republican strongholds -- is particularly overwhelming. Yes, but they've effectively taken over the Republican party platform and I expect the GOP will gain supermajorities in both houses, hence Tea Party rule. where are you coming up with "supermajority" from? Even getting to 51 Senate seats seems pretty difficult for Republicans now that Castle has been defeated. The Republicans would need to hold all their seats (likely unless Ayotte loses the still-counting primary in NH) and win 11 other seats. AR and ND seem like gimmes, lets give them PA, IN, and CO too. You then need 6: DE (maybe they can still win it but I don't see it), WA, IL, NV (thanks alot Tea Party, Reed would have been dead against a non-nutjob candidate), WI, and CA. If you think O'Conell (DE) and/or Angle (NV) can't win or that Boxer (CA) or Feingold (WI) won't lose their seat, you need to bring another seat into play. WV (Byrd died and the popular D governor is running) or CT seems to be the only ones that are even possible. There are also seats that could possibly be lost in NC, OH, KY, or most likely FL (where a 3-way race could split the vote allowing the democrat to win, or put independent charlie christ in the senate, with it being unclear with whom he would caucus.) i suppose it is also possible that Lieberman could switch over under the right circumstances (Arlen Specter set the precedent, and unlike him, Liberman was elected as an Independent and even campaigned for McCain) on edit- Ayotte has been declared the winner in NH.

Valadius Sep 16 2010 05:54 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Ayotte's been severely damaged by the right-wing tacks she took for her primary and the Sarah Palin endorsement (Palin is deeply unpopular in New Hampshire) and the latest poll shows the race tightening (47 Ayotte 43 Hodes) after months of bigger leads.

metirish Sep 16 2010 06:54 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Carl Paladino is a piece of work huh? , should make the race for Gov interesting to say the least.

Edgy DC Sep 16 2010 07:20 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Willets has a long history of fatalism at such junctures.

metirish Sep 16 2010 01:17 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Two morons right here http://tv.gawker.com/5639268/sarah-pali ... -candidate

Nymr83 Sep 16 2010 02:15 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Sorry, but I don't think either one them needs to remember the name of every candidate in every race in the 2010 elections It would be different if, say, it was a senate race and one was in charge of the national senate campaign committee or if one of them had endorsed the guy (Palin I know endorsed Ayotte not Lamontagne, I don't know [or care] if O'Reilly made an endorsement.)

MFS62 Sep 20 2010 08:35 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Don't shake Christine O'Donnell's hand too hard when you congratulate her on knocking off Mike Castle-- all that rubbing and squeezing may elicit some suspicion. O'Donnell has said, for example, that masturbation is wrong, and that looking at pornography is equivalent to cheating on your spouse. She outlined her views in a November 1998 article titled "The Case for Chastity" for Cultural Dissident. And now she has admitted "dabbling in witchcraft" http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20 ... e-odonnell So, she thinks its bad to jerk your gerkin but its fine to play with your broomstick? Later

metirish Sep 20 2010 01:46 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

You may have heard or not about the Irish prime minister giving an interview to the national broadcaster last week where he was severely hungover.....his drinking habits have been fodder for the public for years...still getting caught on tape was a bit much it seemed.... Interview here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwjJFvyD ... re=related condensed version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5VOJuch ... re=related recapped here http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/wee ... tml?via=mr parody song here to a Steve Earle tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zJkdJ2I58o His nickname is BIFFO....Big Ignorant Fucker from Offaly....Nightcrawler might suit him too

Willets Point Sep 23 2010 01:10 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

For the second time in four years I'm happy to hear that Larry Summers has lost his job. People need to stop hiring this guy.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 24 2010 09:47 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Stephen Colbert is testifying before a House Immigration Subcommittee today. In character. In other news, I want to be Stephen Colbert when I grow up.

Edgy DC Sep 24 2010 11:11 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

That's just too weird. millions of real lives are being impacted and the committee is informing themselves with a live satirical performance?

Benjamin Grimm Sep 24 2010 11:22 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

They should also invite Jonathan Winters so they can find out what Aunt Blabby thinks.

Frayed Knot Sep 24 2010 11:24 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Reminds me of the time Congress invited Jessica Lange and Meryl Streep up to testify on the farm crisis. Why them? Because they played farmers' wives in movies of course !! The Colbert thing is a disgrace.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 24 2010 11:30 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: That's just too weird. millions of real lives are being impacted and the committee is informing themselves with a live satirical performance? Some committee members asked him to leave and he said he would if the one who invite him said so, but she wanted him there.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 24 2010 11:38 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

On the other hand, Colbert was one of only seven Americans to take up the UFW's "Take Our Jobs" offer, and as such, likely now has more firsthand knowledge about the subject than a majority of the subcommittee. Also, it's likely to be the only time this Congressional session where discussion of migrant workers and immigration makes the CNN/Fox airwave ambit. Also also-- and kinda sadly-- this may be the smartest dissection of the clamor over amnesty offers to migrant workers you'll hear in a subcommittee this year: But this is America. I don't want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American, then sliced by a Guatemalan, and served by a Venezuelan in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian. Also also also, it's less frivolous than, say, Elmo testifying about music education a few years ago.

Edgy DC Sep 24 2010 11:59 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I'm certainly not against Colbert per se, but rather Congress inviting farce (rather than merely descending into it themselves). I know it certainly isn't the first time.

Ashie62 Sep 28 2010 11:49 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Chris Christie as GOP nominee or VP in 2012.

Ashie62 Sep 28 2010 11:52 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Ashie62 wrote: Chris Christie as GOP nominee or VP in 2012. Don't worry. he's a Mets fan and unable to win.

metirish Sep 29 2010 04:48 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Hilarious goings on in Dublin as a cement mixer truck is driven into the gates of Leinster House... http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... ing10.html replies to #cementgate on twitter.... http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... ing19.html

Edgy DC Sep 29 2010 07:07 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I don't know. That's a pretty serious line crossed. I say that, but yeah, I once snuck onto the floor of the Dail late at night after the Fianna Fail Christmas party.

metirish Sep 29 2010 07:15 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: I say that, but yeah, I once snuck onto the floor of the Dail late at night after the Fianna Fail Christmas party. Do tell please. I got to say though that things in Ireland are really bad again, once more people are immigrating in droves for Australia, New Zealand but not so much America....no work here either of course. My brother just graduated Limerick Institute of Technology with a degree and no hope.

Edgy DC Sep 29 2010 07:28 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Not much to tell. Another young Yank named Megan and myself were coming back to the Leinster House offices late at night after putting Sile De Valera in a cab to the hospital (the deputy broke a leg on the dance floor), and I noticed how unsecure the corridor leading to the chamber and the swinging door into the chamber were. In the great tradition of young men doing stupid things in collossally futile attempts to impress young women, I entered the chamber, took a few steps toward the venerable Ceann Comhairle Seán Treacy's chair, was interrupted by blessed sweet wisdom descending on me, and got the Hell out. I don't know what I might have set off, but as Megan and I continued to our Deputies' offices, a pair of security officers were hustling the other way. They briefly looked us over, shot us each a Dia duit, and continued on past. I think Megan's smile saved me. Your brother will do fine.

Willets Point Sep 29 2010 07:47 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

metirish wrote: I got to say though that things in Ireland are really bad again, once more people are immigrating in droves for Australia, New Zealand but not so much America....no work here either of course. Maybe I should emigrate to Australia or New Zealand. An Aussie I met in Ireland said he couldn't tell the difference between my accent and the Irish.

metirish Sep 29 2010 07:50 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Willets Point wrote: metirish wrote: I got to say though that things in Ireland are really bad again, once more people are immigrating in droves for Australia, New Zealand but not so much America....no work here either of course. Maybe I should emigrate to Australia or New Zealand. An Aussie I met in Ireland said he couldn't tell the difference between my accent and the Irish. I have always found the Boston accent very close to the Irish one.

Willets Point Sep 29 2010 07:59 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

metirish wrote: metirish wrote: I got to say though that things in Ireland are really bad again, once more people are immigrating in droves for Australia, New Zealand but not so much America....no work here either of course. Maybe I should emigrate to Australia or New Zealand. An Aussie I met in Ireland said he couldn't tell the difference between my accent and the Irish. I have always found the Boston accent very close to the Irish one. True, but I'm not native to Boston. I have a more generic American accent where we pronounce the r's.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 29 2010 09:13 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Maybe you're just a lilter. Or were you pissed, mate?

Valadius Nov 15 2010 12:33 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Looks like things in Ireland are flaring back up again, as word is that the Irish government may need monetary assistance from the EU to stay solvent.

metirish Nov 15 2010 12:36 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Valadius wrote: Looks like things in Ireland are flaring back up again, as word is that the Irish government may need monetary assistance from the EU to stay solvent. It's a mess, complicated by the current government wanting to stay in power and avoid doing the inevitable and getting the help ,it's going to happen....just a matter if when....they wanted to hold of the budget until after a Donegal By-election on the 25th.....

Valadius Nov 22 2010 06:21 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

90 billion euros - and now Fianna Fail's coalition is collapsing. The Green Party is threatening to withdraw from the government unless an early election is called.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Nov 22 2010 09:33 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Yeah, maybe an outright denial-- for 4-5 days-- that they were asking for money from the Euros WHILE they were expressly asking for money from the Euros didn't help the PM's credibility.

duan Nov 23 2010 05:11 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

if it wasn't so serious it'd be funny, actually, to be honest, at this stage I just laugh anyway. Y'know when the Financial Times that socialist organ starts questioning the wisdom of your support of the banking sector you probably should have listened. Anyway, complicated situation, caused by a bunch of fucking idiots who I've never gone near voting in my life listening to a bunch of gobshite civil servants in the Dept of Finance. NONE OF WHOM could see the problem with a transaction based tax being the prime fueller of their increased spending and reductions in personal taxation. Thing is, if we can actually just stop the paralysis there's a lot of good ready to go - we're 'back at 2005 levels' well y'know if we can just get on with it that's fine by me, the problem is at every time they've been asked to make a 50/50 decision they've taken the wrong one. Still, did you know that we're the UK's 5th biggest trading partner and that they're prepared to loan us 7 billion STG so that we don't take them down with us? UK exports more to us then they do to China, Brazil, Russia & India combined. Jobs wise, we need to know that you can borrow money off a bank again and then jobs will grow.

metirish Nov 23 2010 05:50 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Good analysis Duan , hilarious to see Osbourne getting accused of helping the Irish because his heritage is Irish......Anglo-Irish aristocracy mind.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Osborne

Ceetar Nov 23 2010 05:59 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I find it disturbing and annoying that CNN is always talking about Sarah Palin and speculating about 2012 already. And by always I mean, every time i go to the gym after work and look at the screen, she's on it.

Edgy DC Nov 23 2010 06:11 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

No doubt. Her seeming lack of viablity is irrelevant because them constantly pointing the camera at her makes her viable, whether or not her skllls do. Highly annoying and a terrible disservice to the electorate. When's Nymr coming back?

Frayed Knot Nov 23 2010 06:27 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

A near-simultaneous release of a book and a TV show doesn't help matters much - although I suspect the cameras would be following her around anyway. I got a good chuckle out of watching a couple of political round-tables over the last week or so. The democrats or leftists on the panels all talked up Palin as if her run for the nomination was a virtual certainty and about what a formidable candidate she was going to be, etc., etc. Meanwhile, the republicans or right-wing pundits were much more down both on the odds that she'd actually run and on her chances if/when she did. And I couldn't help thinking that both sides were doing a lot more wishful thinking than they were actual prognostication.

Edgy DC Nov 24 2010 06:19 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

A big part of the problem, you know?

Valadius Nov 24 2010 08:22 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I want to write a book about cutting through the spin cycle. It drives me crazy.

Ashie62 Nov 24 2010 08:35 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I believe Palin gets the play she does because it starts through the social media and snowballs towards traditional media.

Edgy DC Nov 25 2010 10:14 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

There are millions of people posting inane things on Twitter, with countless followers. None of those followings generate the credibility-lending news coverage that hers does. The stupid petty dramas of silly people may make for entertainment. It should not make for news coverage. And the large news outlets are failing us terribly. The twelve lead stories on CNN.com these days generally include two about Palin, two about recent film releases, one about Kanye and one about a missng person story --- if the missing person is fortunate enough to be a white blonde female of appropriate age and weight.

Ashie62 Nov 25 2010 11:58 AM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

So Sarah Palin is a silly person?

Edgy DC Nov 25 2010 07:32 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

If you think she's worthy of this coverage, fine. I don't think anybody --- let a lone a private citizen --- is worthy of this coverage, unless they have the president hostage. She has an approval rating in the twenties. She thinks we're allied with North Korea. But you know, you can give her all the slack for mis-speaking you can give, but the moment she lost any sort of slack with me was when she gave encouragement to Texas secessionists. That's it. You're promoting yourself as a rallying figure for patriotic Americans while encouraging secession? Enough. Cover a real political story. There's enough of them out there that deserve it.

metirish Dec 28 2010 12:13 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Obama getting hammered for giving Michael a job with his administration.

Frayed Knot Dec 28 2010 02:53 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

metirish wrote: Obama getting hammered for giving Michael a job with his administration. Michael who --- Bloomberg? ... Jordan? .... the guy who rows his boat ashore?

Ceetar Dec 28 2010 02:53 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Frayed Knot wrote: metirish wrote: Obama getting hammered for giving Michael a job with his administration. Michael who --- Bloomberg? ... Jordan? .... the guy who rows his boat ashore? Myers.

metirish Dec 28 2010 03:13 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Frayed Knot wrote: metirish wrote: Obama getting hammered for giving Michael a job with his administration. Michael who --- Bloomberg? ... Jordan? .... the guy who rows his boat ashore? Vick, not sure what happened there .....that sound you hear is me bombing.

Edgy DC Dec 28 2010 05:21 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

I don't see any report of that. I just see where he complemented Lurie for Vick's second chance and re-emergence.

metirish Dec 28 2010 05:38 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Edgy DC wrote: I don't see any report of that. I just see where he complemented Lurie for Vick's second chance and re-emergence. There I bomb again....my straight man kills me...I was making fun of the fact that the way some are reacting to Obama praising Lurie for giving Vick a chance you might be forgiven for thinking that Obama actually hired him or something important...

Edgy DC Dec 28 2010 06:49 PM Re: Politics (run and hide from this thread)

Ah, I dum-dum. Don't pay attention to the folks feigning outrage. It's just about peppering him enough to move the polls a fraction. Obama has spoken in the past in favor of rehabilitative employment, so his position on the matter is nothing new.