You know, position flexible also.

UPDATE: Video via Paddy. This speech (or stream of conscious nonsensical ramble) absolutely goes into the WTF? hall of fame:

The water fowl in the background made me spit out my beverage. It sounds like they're mocking her -- "BAHAHAHA! WHAH-WHAH!" Also, did she suggest that the world needs more children born with Down's?

Anyway, it sounds like her excuse is that she's quitting in order to practice not being a doof in time for 2012.

UPDATE 2: Via the comments, Ed Rollins on CNN:

Republican strategist and CNN contributor Ed Rollins said, to a certain extent, Palin's announcement makes her look "terribly inept."

"I think everyone is shocked by this, and I think to a certain extent everyone is going to assume there's another story. You don't just quit with a year and a half to go. You certainly don't do this as a stepping stone to run for president. You finish the job that you're in, and obviously she's not doing that," he said.

And when reached for comment, the water fowl in the background said: "BAHAHAHA. WHAH. WHAH! BEHEHEHE!"

“I don’t dictate how people vote,” he said in an interview this month. “If it’s an important vote, I try to tell them how important it is to the Senate, the country, the president … But I’m not very good at twisting arms. I try to be more verbal and non-threatening. So there are going to be—I’m sure—a number of opportunities for people who have different opinions not to vote the way that I think they should. But that’s the way it is. I hold no grudges.”

I'm begging you, Nevada -- find a killer Democrat to challenge this guy in the primary. Or just replace him with an actual jellyfish.

Today, most Americans get their health coverage from private insurers. A public health insurance option would create a competitor to private insurers that could potentially drive down costs across the board. I support the concept of a public plan, because if it's done right, it means introducing exactly the kind of competition our system needs.

Bah. Bloomberg is such a socialist.

UPDATE: Going on any second now.

UPDATE 2: All done!

As the United States takes its first steps toward mandating that power companies generate more electricity from renewable sources, China already has a similar requirement and is investing billions to remake itself into a green energy superpower.

Yeah, we could've been a green energy superpower, but the Republicans (and more than a few spineless Democrats) would rather dick around and do nothing. Because Pat Buchanan and Rush Limbaugh think it's a hoax and Glenn Beck thinks that exhaling produces greenhouse gasses. And Brawndo's got electrolytes!

As long as America champions stupidity, we'll be left behind again and again and again.

Not everyone is happy about the return of Lance Armstrong. The 96th Tour de France begins tomorrow!

Adding... Boonen is in. Suck it, Cavendish.

Seriously?

Here's Sarah Palin in the debate describing the role of the vice president -- the job she was running for:

I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are.

And...

Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we'll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation. And it is my executive experience that is partly to be attributed to my pick as V.P. with McCain, not only as a governor, but earlier on as a mayor, as an oil and gas regulator, as a business owner. It is those years of experience on an executive level that will be put to good use in the White House also.

Uhhhh.

Good effing gravy. Very serious!

And you know, there's a special place in hell for that old lady on MSNBC who's whole thing is to rip the guy apart. I'm no fan of Jackson, but this old gasbag is the worst of the worst.

UPDATE: The lead story on Countdown (Shuster hosting) was the emergence of the "final" Michael Jackson video. Just awful, awful, awful.

Enjoy and Digg often.

Do you have any like, ya know...lingering doubts that our political system and media are corrupt?

From HuffPost

Politico reported Thursday morning on a flier being circulated offering an "underwriting opportunity" for "Washington Post salon," where, for $25,000 per sponsor, organizations and lobbyists can cozy up to administration officials:

"Underwriting Opportunity: An evening with the right people can alter the debate," says the one-page flier. "Underwrite and participate in this intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth. ... Bring your organization's CEO or executive director literally to the table. Interact with key Obama administration and congressional leaders...

"We have 60 votes on paper," Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, said Wednesday in an interview. "But we cannot bulldoze anybody; it doesn't work that way. My caucus doesn't allow it. And we have a very diverse group of senators philosophically. I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles."

What muscles?

July 1 (Bloomberg) -- Sixty-nine percent of Americans support creation of a government-run health plan to compete with private insurance companies, a new poll found.

In addition, 52 percent of those surveyed by Hamden, Connecticut-based Quinnipiac University said such a plan would keep the private insurance companies honest.

How can the Coalition of the Corrupt and Spineless continue to ignore numbers like this?

No matter how he approaches his new gig, he's going to drive wingnuts crazy for the next six years and it's going to be so much fun to watch.

It was apparently produced by SarahPac -- Sarah Palin's political action committee. But then they claimed they didn't do it after all. Either way, what the hell?