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April 26, 2008
Blogtubing Today
Going to Gettysburg for the day. Use this post as an open forum -- first commenter sets the topic.
10:50 AM | Comments (7) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Far-Right Radio Is Crazy
I drove down to my brother's house in Philadelphia last night and hit some major traffic on the famous "Blue Route," aka. Interstate 476. So I figured since I was being tortured by the traffic, I might as well check out some of the far-right talk radio shows.
I heard Michael Medved say that there should be no laws governing campaign contributions. Any corporation can give unlimited amounts of cash to political candidates -- as long as it's made public "on a website or something."
Then I dialed over to Hugh Hewitt, perhaps the most disingenuous far-right talker and blogger (which is saying a lot), and was treated to a discussion about "anyone who has exploded a bomb for political purposes [Hamas, Ayers] supports Obama."
And then there was this other show in which some doddering old codger was making the same comparison -- that Hamas supports Senator Obama. Oh wait -- now that I think about it, that was Senator McCain talking during a newscast. Crazy.
10:25 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
The Reality
"We keep talking as if it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter that Obama gets 92 percent of the black vote, because since he only got 35 percent of the white vote, he's in trouble," Clyburn said. "Well, Hillary Clinton only got 8 percent of the black vote. . . . It's almost saying black people don't matter. The only thing that matters is how white people respond. And that's what bothered me. I think I matter."
That's about right. Hopefully the superdelegates are smart enough to recognize that the Clinton campaign has resorted to just making shit up. The primaries have nothing to do with the general election.
10:06 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Morning Awesome
09:47 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
April 25, 2008
Whitey McAsshat
I think it's very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States. So apparently has Danny Ortega and several others. I think that people should understand that I will be Hamas's worst nightmare....If senator Obama is favored by Hamas I think people can make judgments accordingly.
How much BBQ will it take to convince the easily-bought traditional media to ignore this one?
12:42 PM | Comments (8) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Thanks, Republicans!
This is what I paid yesterday at a Wawa. Today, at the same station, gas rose to $3.65.
For what it's worth, I drive a Prius and the tank is only 11 gallons or so -- plus, I get around 400-450 miles per tank. But holy shit, I can't imagine what you guys are paying per week to fuel a normal car. Share your horror stories in the comments...
11:41 AM | Comments (19) | Posted By Bob Cesca
The C-Word
Hold on, let me drop the facetious tone I was using for the front part of this piece. John McCain called his wife the C-word (or for people from England: cunt) in front of a bunch of people?!!!!! And we're talking about Obama's preacher? McCain dropped a C-bomb and we're spending hours on Hillary exaggerating a trip to Bosnia?!!!
Yeah. You know, it's time to start seriously shaming the cable news people. And apart from Olbermann and a couple of other standouts, CNN and MSNBC are just as awful as FOX News. Easily.
By the way, Adam is referencing Cliff Schecter's new book, The Real McCain, which you can purchase here.
11:33 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
The Question
If John McCain can't stand up to the North Carolina GOP swift-boat freaks, how can he stand up to al Qaeda?
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
09:33 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Wright v. Hagee
Why is cable news covering Rev. Wright and not Pastor Hagee, who repeated that God punished New Orleans? Ask them:
But I'll give you the real answer. Wright is a scary, shouting black man. Scary black people = ratings. Hagee is a non-threatening, white fat guy. Unless it's Christmas -- ratings not so good.
09:19 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Slash And Burn
Senator Clinton can't win. And if she were to win by nefariously convincing superdelegates to tip the scales in her favor, she'd lose the black vote in November and Senator McCain wins. Congressman Clyburn agrees:
Mr. Clyburn added that there appeared to be an almost “unanimous” view among African-Americans that Mr. and Mrs. Clinton were “committed to doing everything they possibly can to damage Obama to a point that he could never win.”
She's in it to win it in 2012.
09:14 AM | Comments (3) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Morning Awesome
Balance. I haven't seen this since I fell in love with it in 1990 -- the year it won the Oscar for Best Animated Short.
05:59 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
April 24, 2008
Liebercrats Go!
Oliver Willis agrees that Senator Clinton could run as an independent:
So she’s going tooth and nail to bloody up Obama. Why? So he’ll lose? Is there any scenario where she could gracefully exit? She’s been spectacularly ungraceful so far and I can’t see that happening. So why should we assume she’s going away? The Clinton campaign has made Fox News and Scaife legit — is it too far gone to think she’ll go independent in order to take the entire election down?
Nope. She'll do it. If she takes her coalition and runs as an independent, it would be extremely difficult for Senator Obama to win in November. Then, if Senator McCain wins, Senator Clinton gets to run in 2012.
UPDATE: Question from the comments: "Where's is she going to get the money?" She doesn't need any money to hold onto a decent chunk of her base.
UPDATE THE SECOND: I'm also pondering an even more bizarre scenario. I'll make a new post for this.
08:44 AM | Comments (5) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Morning Awesome
Anthony Hopkins as John Quincy Adams in Spielberg's Amistad. By the way, you can visit the Old Supreme Court inside the U.S. Capitol. It's breathtaking.
Happy birthday to Djimon Hounsou.
08:37 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
April 23, 2008
The Clintons Love Fox News
They. Will. Run. As. Liebercrats. I'm almost to the point of betting money on this crazy idea of the Clintons running as a spoiler third party in the general. They're just that shameless. FOX News, Terry? Seriously?
10:38 PM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Latest Spread
99.44% reporting
CLINTON, HILLARY 1,237,696 54.6%
OBAMA, BARACK 1,029,672 45.4%
Difference: 9.2%
03:35 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
The Cudgel Called Race
As the Clinton tactics are at this point a perfect mirror of the Atwater/Rove GOP slime-n-lie approach, it's instructive to view them in light of what Senator Obama, our nominee (yes, let's just start saying that, because we know Hillary won't be getting her required 71% of the vote in any, let alone all, of the states remaining), will face against McCain.
And what he will face, in myriad subtle and obvious forms, is this: you're black.
This is what Ed Rendell has been pushing to his new favorite hang-out joint, Fox News.
I happen to think that there are more thoughtful people in this country than there are closet KKKers. And I think Senator Obama's track record thus far bears out my belief.
01:28 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By JumpyPants
Afternoon Awesome
01:18 PM | Comments (3) | Posted By Bob Cesca
1,726
Here's something to smile about. Senator Obama is only 299 delegates away from officially surpassing the 2,025 threshold and securing the nomination.
As I stroke my handsome Chuck Todd Mathematical Goatee, and calculate the delegates based on worst-case very, very conservative numbers, Senator Obama can win less than half of the remaining pledged delegates and still pick up, maybe, 170 more delegates. In other words, he can basically lose the rest of the primaries and still pick up 170-180 delegates. That would mean he'd only need around 110 out of the remaining 250 (approximate) uncommitted superdelegates to surpass 2,025.
Of course, this is the worst case. Senator Obama will win North Carolina, Oregon and South Dakota. He's leading in Indiana by 5 points right now. 2,025 is right around the corner.
12:27 PM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
What Also Matters
Gas prices just jumped to $3.59/gallon in my area. I wish someone would have kept track of how many times the words "gas prices" and "close the deal" were used this morning on the very serious cable news networks. I don't think "gas prices" would've stood a chance in that tally. And as I watched this morning, not a single mention of the soldiers who were killed in Iraq today.
11:15 AM | Comments (3) | Posted By Bob Cesca
What Matters
While Chris Matthews and Joe Scarborough talk about choosing a president based on orange juice and bowling scores, shit like this happens (via Atrios):
BAGHDAD (AFP) — A suicide car bomb and roadside bombings against have killed five US troops, including three marines, the American military announced on Tuesday.Two marines were killed and three others wounded when a bomber slammed his explosives-laden car into a checkpoint near the western Iraqi city of Ramadi at around 7:30 am (0430 GMT), the military said.
Two Iraqi policemen and 24 civilians were also wounded in the attack near the city, the capital of Anbar province, which was once the symbol of Sunni Arab insurgency against US forces.
Joe Scarborough keeps talking about that goddamn Lee Greenwood song and how patriotism should be measured by how much we cry when we hear it -- how Senator Obama needs to somehow embrace that song. Really? This is the traditional media narrative?
11:08 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Stupid Quote Of The Morning
Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC just said, "The New York Times hates Hillary." That's funny since the New York Times endorsed Senator Clinton. But okay, Mrs. Greenspan.
I guess calling out Senator Clinton for her nefarious tactics somehow means "hate."
08:56 AM | Comments (4) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Rove Won The Day
As Sullivan points out, this race would've been much closer had Senator Clinton not resorted to attacks based on divisive politics. Farrakhan and the like.
It's worth recalling what this primary came to be about, because of a self-conscious decision by the Clintons to adopt the tactics and politics of the people who persecuted and hounded them in the 1990s. It was indeed in the end about smearing and labeling Obama as a far-left, atheist, elite, pansy Godless snob fraud. That was almost all it came to be about. It was the Clintons' core message and core belief. And if anywhere would have proved its salience, it would surely have been beleaguered and depressed central and western Pennsylvania; and it would surely have worked with white ethnic voters over 50.
You know, I'm all for tough campaigning. Against the goddamn Republicans.
Good job, Senator Clinton!
08:50 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Clothing And Diners
I'm hearing Joe Scarborough and High Pitch Pat Buchanan complaining about Senator Obama's clothes. And now Chris Matthews is bringing up the diner factor. He's saying that old guys in diners mumble and grumble to each other, "[Obama] doesn't seem to know how to do that 'mumble talk.'"
You know, it's times like these when I don't feel so ashamed for my use of foul language. After all, what's worse? Saying 'fuck' occasionally, or suggesting that elections ought to be based on clothing and mumble talk?
ADDING... The "balance" on MSNBC this morning: Buchanan, far-right racist. Scarborough, Republican. Chris Matthews, conservative Democrat. Andrea Mitchell, married to Clinton supporter Greenspan.
08:29 AM | Comments (4) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Leave Them Wanting More
Here's a crazy idea... Senator Clinton ought to bail out now while she's on top. Just saying. The New York Times has a more brutal suggestion:
It is getting to be time for the superdelegates to do what the Democrats had in mind with they created superdelegates: settle a bloody race that cannot be won at the ballot box. Mrs. Clinton once had a big lead among the party elders, but has been steadily losing it, in large part because of her negative campaign. If she is ever to have a hope of persuading these most loyal of Democrats to come back to her side, let alone win over the larger body of voters, she has to call off the dogs.
But none of this will happen. She's in it to win it in 2012.
08:24 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
The Actual Spread
The traditional media is clearly trying to sculpt their narrative for this thing. Boosting Senator Clinton's victory gives them the ability to say over and over, "Why couldn't Senator Obama close the deal?!" We'll be hearing this until North Carolina and Indiana when Senator Obama will totally negate any Clinton gains from yesterday.
So yeah, the traditional media appears to be screwing with the numbers. Senator Clinton's victory margin was NOT ten percent. From the official PA Secretary of State with 99 percent reporting:
CLINTON, HILLARY 1,234,547 54.3%
OBAMA, BARACK 1,041,136 45.8%
That margin is 8.5. Which, even rounded up, would only be 9 percent. Not nearly 10. But if they can say 10, then I get to say 7.
08:10 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Morning Awesome
08:09 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
April 22, 2008
Liveblogging For The Huffington Post
Do that thing over there goin' round and round in that area down there.
07:52 PM | Comments (17) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Exit Poll
According to MSNBC... Who do Pennsylvania voters believe will be the Democratic nominee? Obama 52, Clinton 44. This isn't about who people voted for -- just about the eventual nominee.
Drudge has an exit poll that shows Clinton 52, Obama 48.
06:11 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
On The Radio
I'm going to be on the Mike O'Meara Show in Washington, DC at around 5:10 EDT. So if you're in the DC area, dial up 106.7FM WJFK and I'll be there.
04:45 PM | Comments (3) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Clinton And Nuking Iran
John Aravosis assembled a timeline of Senator Clinton and her threat to attack and possibly nuke Iran. The latest chapter of which involves the Senator denying that she made such claims. That's funny because on Countdown last night, she said the words:
“their use of nuclear weapons against Israel would provoke a nuclear response from the United States.”
What sort of context or explanation would successfully walk that back?
12:48 PM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Willie Horton Again
The creator of the Willie Horton commercial is gearing up to paint Senator Obama as weak on terrorism. Big shocker. So the terrorism fear mongering campaign, which began under Senator Clinton, will now be joined by far-right strategist Floyd Brown. TIME:
The new ad recounts the deaths of three Chicago residents in 2001 at the hands of criminal gangs. "That same year, a Chicago state senator named Barack Obama voted against expanding the death penalty for gang-related murders," an ominous female narrator intones. "So the question is, can a man so weak in the war on gangs be trusted in the war on terror?"
Naturally, the whole thing is driven by racism. In the chapter titled "The Great Fear of 2008" in my forthcoming book, I compare Floyd Brown and his ilk to the Southern pro-slavery fire-eaters of 1860 -- the fear mongers who spread rumors about how Lincoln and abolitionists were secretly organizing a slave revolt.
Brown's new ad focuses on a 2001 vote by Obama in the Illinois Senate to oppose a bill that would have expanded the use of the death penalty if the perpetrator of a crime belonged to a gang. The links between Obama's vote on that issue and the deaths of three Chicago resident's are indirect and tenuous, as is the further connection the ad draws between the issue of Obama's position on the death penalty and the issue of international terrorism.
That law was racially motivated. Why should gang (black) murderers be treated any differently than other criminals? Well, because they're black, right?
12:30 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Four More Wars! Four More Wars!
"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran," Clinton said. "In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them."
Senator Clinton is war mongering for votes again. This is why she voted for the Iraq resolution -- in order to appear "tough." And with her Iraq vote as proof, she tends to mean what she says on this shit. In other words, this isn't pandering. She'll actually do it.
Last night on Olbermann, she said she would nuke Iran. That's awesome. Solution-y! She wants to want to kill innocent civilians (who support democracy, by the way) in order to settle a score with Ahmadinejad and stop him from making nuclear power plants weapons.
Does anyone agree with me yet that Senator Clinton might defect to the other side -- or even run as a Liebercrat -- if she doesn't get this nomination? I tell you what, I wouldn't be suprised if Senator McCain offered her the veep slot.
FEAR '08!
10:25 AM | Comments (4) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Hey Everyone! I Voted!
I wrote-in Ron Paul. Was that a mistake?
09:35 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
My Vote
Here's a shocker: I'm voting for Senator Obama.
08:31 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Vote Stranahan
Go vote for Lee Stranahan's 'Obama In 30 Seconds' entry! Just because you can't vote in Pennsylvania doesn't mean you can't vote for Stranahan.
07:29 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Morning Awesome
06:29 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
April 21, 2008
Obama's Get Out The Vote Effort
A volunteer just stopped by with a doorknob flyer (we have an Obama sign on our lawn). The ad contained my polling place information; ID information; an 800 assistance number and the polling place hours. And, naturally, everything is slick and in keeping with the Obama fonts and brand.
09:00 PM | Comments (3) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Greetings From Berks County
So I infiltrated the Clinton rally at the local high school gym on Saturday. And I must say, I was knocked out by the power of the capacity crowd.
Well, the moderate enthusiasm of the 10 percent full crowd. Actually, they had to move the press area closer to the stage in order to make the floor section seem smaller and thus more filled with Clinton supporters.
There were some crazy kids with McCain and Bush-Cheney signs in the line. And this was awesome: one of the Clinton advance guys shouted to them, "That's my vote if Hillary loses!" Good people.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Senator Obama filled the gym at Reading High School. In fact, tickets -- yes, the Obama event required tickets -- were gone by Noon on Saturday, some 24 hours prior to the event.
So tomorrow is the big day. While you're watching the coverage, keep an ear out for mentions of Reading and Berks County. That's my area. And I will predict with some confidence that Senator Obama will win here. The city is poor, Latino and African-American; the suburbs are middle class, and the whole damn place is an extension of the Philly suburbs. However, based on the sheer multitude of signs, Ron Paul might actually win this area among Republican voters. Here's a map via Atrios:
08:37 PM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
'The Toughest Job In The World'
Senator Clinton's new fear mongering Bin Laden commercial leads off with a weird line:
"It's the toughest job in the world."
Oh yeah? Seriously? Look, I'm all about the American Presidency. It was my concentration in college and it's the focus of my political junky addiction. But it's not the toughest job in the world. I reckon that Senator Clinton is saying this because it's all about her and her ability to tackle the world's toughest job. Because she's Hillary Clinton: the toughest person ever.
Sorry, Senator. This job is tough:
Fishing: 142 deaths per 100,000 workers
Air traffic controller must be way up there, too. Police officer, fireman, combat soldier.
03:46 PM | Comments (6) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Very Serious Mark Halperin: Fear Monger
So who is this dude named Mark Halperin? Well, I'll tell you.
Mark Halperin is the douchebag who recommended that Senator McCain exploit Senator Obama's unusual name and use it to paint Obama as a terrorist. Of course, no mention of that in this New York Times profile. But we get this awesome quote from Howard Wolfson:
“Four years ago, Mark defined the political zeitgeist and set the agenda with The Note,” Howard Wolfson, communications director for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign, said in an e-mail message. “Now he has done it all over again from scratch with The Page. It’s absolutely essential.”
Yes. It's "essential" because of very serious advice like telling America that Senator Obama is a terrorist. Essential reading! Serious! For instance:
11. Emphasize Barack Hussein Obama’s unusual name and exotic background through a Manchurian Candidate prism.
01:31 PM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Bob Schieffer On Patriotism
This is perhaps the centerpiece argument against Bush's America. You can have 100 lapel pins, but it doesn't make you 100 times more patriotic. You can say "we don't torture" a thousand times, and it doesn't mean that we don't torture. CBS's Bob Schieffer:
Finally, today, I watched the ABC debate the other night when that question came up again about why Senator Obama doesn’t wear a flag pin in his lapel. Since no one asked me, here is my thought on all that. I think it’s a nice thing if people want to wear a flag on their lapel. But I believe it more important to keep the flag behind our lapel in our hearts. I feel the same way about wearing my religion on my sleeve. It just fits me better on the inside. When I go to see our local baseball team, I do wear my Washington Nationals baseball cap. But am I less a fan if don’t wear it to work? The truth is I have been known to wear a red, white and blue stars and stripes tie on the Fourth of July. But am I less patriotic when I trade it for my Santa Claus tie at Christmas? Patriotism is no more about signs or pins than religion is about reminding others how pious we think we are. No, the proof in these puddings is not the signs that we wear, but how we act. Wouldn’t that also be a better way to judge our presidential candidates than by the jewelry they wear?
By the way, right after 9/11 I directed an improv mockdoc about idiots who turn patriotism into a contest. Here's the first 10 minutes of the movie:
(Order the DVD here)
12:58 PM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Bin Laden For You And Me
BAH! Senator Clinton included Bin Laden in her new ad. Scary, scary, scary.
Write to the Clinton campaign and tell them that their fear mongering won't work on you.
12:18 PM | Comments (4) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Assume A 10 Point Loss
This PPP poll for Pennsylvania was just released and, while they've been spot-on accurate, I don't want to believe it:
Barack Obama 49
Hillary Clinton 46
We need to assume that Senator Clinton will win by double digits tomorrow and plan accordingly -- that means getting out the vote.
11:05 AM | Comments (2) | Posted By Bob Cesca
$118
On one hand, high prices mean less driving which is good for the environment. But $118 isn't part of a plan to conserve, it's part of a plan for the oil companies to suck down the last of their milkshake before the Bush administration gets driven out of Washington on a rail.
So... When are the hearings?
08:39 AM | Comments (4) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Michael Moore Endorses Obama
Whoa:
Yes, Senator Clinton, that's how you sounded. Like you were nuts. Like you were a bigot stoking the fires of stupidity. How sad that I would ever have to write those words about you. You have devoted your life to good causes and good deeds. And now to throw it all away for an office you can't win unless you smear the black man so much that the superdelegates cry "Uncle (Tom)" and give it all to you.
Read the whole thing here.
08:32 AM | Comments (3) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Morning Awesome
Not safe for work.
08:29 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
April 20, 2008
Arnold Nails Bush On Climate Crisis
Thursday, on PBS’s Charlie Rose, Schwarzenegger sharply rebuked Bush: “this administration is just not really with the program”:We have to go and make decisions today. Time is running out there’s an urgency there. This is the important thing here. For him to say we should start really reducing greenhouse gases by the year 2025, by that time we’ll have no more glacier left. By that time, our sea level will be rising. We will be in a dangerous situation. I think it is somewhat irresponsible. I think the action is now.
If the Bushies had been around in 1776, they would've phased-in liberty and independence over 25 years.
09:47 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Morning Awesome
The final part tonight. I wish it would go on and on and on.
09:41 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
