Tina Fey was good. Global warming is "God just hugging us closer" was funny. Fey/Palin saying she is experienced in foreign policy because she can "see Russia from her window" is also right on.
When JFK was asked if he had listened to Vaugh Meader's record, JFK said he thought he sounded more like Teddy than himself.
Carly Forina, former H-P ceo and McCain head counselor, ripped into the NYT editorial page this am on George Step.'s ABC show. Forina didn't like Frank Rich, Maureen Dowd and even Tom Friedman's comments this am.
Actually Dowd was right on. She ripped into Palin, writing from Alaska:" Two weeks after being thrown onto a national ticket, and moments after being speed-briefed by McCain foreign-policy advisers, our new Napoleon in bunny boots (not the Pamela Anderson kind, but the knock-offs of the U.S. Army Extreme Cold Weather Vapor Barrier Boots) is ready to face down the Russkies and start a land war over Georgia, and, holy cow, what business is it of ours if Israel attacks Iran?......
Sarah has single-handedly ushered out the “Sex and the City” era, and made the sexy new model for America a retro one — the glamorous Pioneer Woman, packing a gun, a baby and a Bible.
Her explosion onto the scene made Obama seem even more like a windy, wispy egghead. Like W., Sarah has the power of positive unthinking. But now we may want to think about where ignorance and pride and no self-doubt has gotten us. Being quick on the trigger might be good in moose hunting, but in dealing with Putin, a little knowledge might come in handy. "
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14dowd.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
This silly campaign
Columinist E.J Dionne says it best:“The campaign is a blur of flying pieces of junk, lipstick and gutter-style attacks. John McCain’s deceptions about Barack Obama’s views and Sarah Palin’s flip-flopping suggest an unedifying scuffle over a city council seat.The media bear a heavy responsibility because “balance” does not require giving equal time to truth and lies. So does McCain, who is running a disgraceful, dishonorable campaign of distraction and diversion.
But Obama bears responsibility, too: His task is to remind Americans that the stakes in this election are far higher than the matter of who said what and when about Palin. He isn’t doing it.”http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/obama_must_stand_up_for_himsel.html
Obama must begin stinging like a bee, and stop floating like a butterfly. He should ignore Palin, and attack McCain’s radicalism. McCain’s tax cuts will cost $700 billion yearly. He will have to cut Medicare,Medicaid and Social Security by 20%. McCain believes in war, and that “wars are quagmires only until someone figures out a way to win them”.
Obama should proclaim his adminstration will be a new liberal hour, a liberal schock doctrine (Rick Perlstein in The American Prospect, Sept. 08.). He should proclaim that the time is now for “universal health care, a sustainable energy policy and a sane and secure internationalism”. He should proclaim that McCain is Bush 3- the 3 C’s-a continuation of corruption, cronyism and conservative neoism
But Obama bears responsibility, too: His task is to remind Americans that the stakes in this election are far higher than the matter of who said what and when about Palin. He isn’t doing it.”http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/obama_must_stand_up_for_himsel.html
Obama must begin stinging like a bee, and stop floating like a butterfly. He should ignore Palin, and attack McCain’s radicalism. McCain’s tax cuts will cost $700 billion yearly. He will have to cut Medicare,Medicaid and Social Security by 20%. McCain believes in war, and that “wars are quagmires only until someone figures out a way to win them”.
Obama should proclaim his adminstration will be a new liberal hour, a liberal schock doctrine (Rick Perlstein in The American Prospect, Sept. 08.). He should proclaim that the time is now for “universal health care, a sustainable energy policy and a sane and secure internationalism”. He should proclaim that McCain is Bush 3- the 3 C’s-a continuation of corruption, cronyism and conservative neoism
Obama, and McCain, and H.L. Mencken
"Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage.
When a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental — men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they cannot understand. "
H.L. Mencken
"I float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee."Mohammad Ali
Obama needs to begin stinging like a bee, or he will lose.The two recent scurrilous McCain ads on the charge that Obama supported sex education to kindergardeners and the pack of running wolfs going to Alaska treat the voters as unthinking nitwits. McCain's campaign has read Mencken.
Obama should ignore Palen, drop the law professor demeanor, and attack like Truman, Humphrey and JFK. He should borrow JFK's line in 1960, that he carries a great deal of responsibility. He is the only one standing between Nixon and the White House. Obama could say he carries a great deal of responsibility. He is the only one standing between the White House and Bush 3....a continuation of the neo-cons wars, deficits, corruption and cronyism.
Obama's comments yesterday that we will put Bill Clinton to work was arrogant. The Clintons will do the minimal campaigning, and bide their time to 2012
When a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental — men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they cannot understand. "
H.L. Mencken
"I float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee."Mohammad Ali
Obama needs to begin stinging like a bee, or he will lose.The two recent scurrilous McCain ads on the charge that Obama supported sex education to kindergardeners and the pack of running wolfs going to Alaska treat the voters as unthinking nitwits. McCain's campaign has read Mencken.
Obama should ignore Palen, drop the law professor demeanor, and attack like Truman, Humphrey and JFK. He should borrow JFK's line in 1960, that he carries a great deal of responsibility. He is the only one standing between Nixon and the White House. Obama could say he carries a great deal of responsibility. He is the only one standing between the White House and Bush 3....a continuation of the neo-cons wars, deficits, corruption and cronyism.
Obama's comments yesterday that we will put Bill Clinton to work was arrogant. The Clintons will do the minimal campaigning, and bide their time to 2012
Thursday, September 11, 2008
LIPSTICK
You can put lipstick on a $500 billion annual deficit, and it still is obscene.You can put lipstick on 47 million health uninsured Americans, tell them to go to ER, and it is still obscene.You can put lipstick on an illegal, unending invasion of Iraq, that will likely cost $2 trillion, and it is still obscene.You can put lipstick on the receivership of Freddie and Fannie, that will cost Americans $200 billion, and it is still obscene.You can put lipstick on a 6.1% unemployment rate, that is closer to to 15% when part-timers are excluded and those no longer looking for a job are included, and it is obscene.You can put lipstick on the feds' Interior Dept which is in bed (literally) with Big Oil, and it is obscene.
Lipstick as a commodity is really sexist. The 60ies feminists rejected lipstick as a cheap marketing scheme to undercut the natural woman. Lipstick is a marketing tool for females to help capture males. How sexist is that? In fact, the psychoanalytical (babble?) basis for bright red lipstick was to replicate the female gentilia. How sexist is that?
Did Rudy wear lipstick when he would go drag?How much time would a pig need in the morning to apply lipstick?
I've always had a negative vibe toward lipstick since middle school. One day a cute girl blotted her lipstick on a kleenix, throw it at me, and yelled (to all the class) that that was the closest I'd ever get to her lips. Well, after climbing out from beneath my desk, I yelled back that that was the closest I'd ever want to get to her lips. That's when her football center boyfriend jumped from his desk, grapped me by the nape of the neck, and told me to meet him outside under the big tree. After school, I took my 100 #s to the very small tree far away from the school.
Lipstick as a commodity is really sexist. The 60ies feminists rejected lipstick as a cheap marketing scheme to undercut the natural woman. Lipstick is a marketing tool for females to help capture males. How sexist is that? In fact, the psychoanalytical (babble?) basis for bright red lipstick was to replicate the female gentilia. How sexist is that?
Did Rudy wear lipstick when he would go drag?How much time would a pig need in the morning to apply lipstick?
I've always had a negative vibe toward lipstick since middle school. One day a cute girl blotted her lipstick on a kleenix, throw it at me, and yelled (to all the class) that that was the closest I'd ever get to her lips. Well, after climbing out from beneath my desk, I yelled back that that was the closest I'd ever want to get to her lips. That's when her football center boyfriend jumped from his desk, grapped me by the nape of the neck, and told me to meet him outside under the big tree. After school, I took my 100 #s to the very small tree far away from the school.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sarah and the Big Green Purse
My daughter is a complete vegetarian. That was her decision, and she didn't ask my advice. But there's nothing wrong with that (as Seinfeld would say).
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommends we all have one meatless day a week. It would do more to slow climate warming than any other activity. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink).
Females guide our consumer spending. As Diane MacEachern, Big Green Purse) says, even when us males go into Home Depot we call the women to get a list of what to buy.
Sarah, the Terminator, the Barracuda, the Hockey Mom pitbull (what female nicknames) should be asked her opinion of MacEachem's 3 R's...Reduce buying, Reduce what we have, and Recycle our throw aways.
Sarah should be asked if we should add the human element to our chemistry table of elements.
The 1968 Presidential campaign was trumatic. During the campaign, Gene McCarthy said he would have an "automobile advisor" in the White House. Bob Kennedy said we should revise our GNP, to include the human elements, our consumption patterns, and quality of life. Suppose we had an auto advisor in the WH early on. We have 40 million cars on the road. The car forms our life patterns. The car culture is no longer sustainable.
ABC's George Step. asked Barack is he would go one-on-one on the basketball court with Sarah. He said he would win, but he wouldn't go target hunting with her.
Sarah should be asked if she would forego Mooseburgers one day a week.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommends we all have one meatless day a week. It would do more to slow climate warming than any other activity. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink).
Females guide our consumer spending. As Diane MacEachern, Big Green Purse) says, even when us males go into Home Depot we call the women to get a list of what to buy.
Sarah, the Terminator, the Barracuda, the Hockey Mom pitbull (what female nicknames) should be asked her opinion of MacEachem's 3 R's...Reduce buying, Reduce what we have, and Recycle our throw aways.
Sarah should be asked if we should add the human element to our chemistry table of elements.
The 1968 Presidential campaign was trumatic. During the campaign, Gene McCarthy said he would have an "automobile advisor" in the White House. Bob Kennedy said we should revise our GNP, to include the human elements, our consumption patterns, and quality of life. Suppose we had an auto advisor in the WH early on. We have 40 million cars on the road. The car forms our life patterns. The car culture is no longer sustainable.
ABC's George Step. asked Barack is he would go one-on-one on the basketball court with Sarah. He said he would win, but he wouldn't go target hunting with her.
Sarah should be asked if she would forego Mooseburgers one day a week.
McCain and Sarah
McCain has thrown a long pass in selecting Sarah. She is a fresh, and brash.She may get a small % of the Hillary 50+ women. Although it's an insult to these women that they would vote for a female, regardless of Sarah's far right views. It's so sexist.
Why would a woman or Reagan Dem. vote for Sarah?She would outlaw abortions. Abortions should be very rare, safe, but kept legal.Sarah didn't talk about health care in her convention speech. A GOP high-level advisor and Bush says NO ONE lacks health care. The 47 million w/o insurance can use ER. Using the ER, no one lacks care or insurance. The GOP view is absurb.Sarah supports oil drilling in Alaska. That is so parochial and is no real solution.Sarah has foreign policy views, but they're hidden now. When they emerge into the sunlight, they will be strident neo-con nostrums.
Let's get real. Again, as Gloria Steinhem said, the only similarity between Sarah and Hillary is a chromosome.
Why would a woman or Reagan Dem. vote for Sarah?She would outlaw abortions. Abortions should be very rare, safe, but kept legal.Sarah didn't talk about health care in her convention speech. A GOP high-level advisor and Bush says NO ONE lacks health care. The 47 million w/o insurance can use ER. Using the ER, no one lacks care or insurance. The GOP view is absurb.Sarah supports oil drilling in Alaska. That is so parochial and is no real solution.Sarah has foreign policy views, but they're hidden now. When they emerge into the sunlight, they will be strident neo-con nostrums.
Let's get real. Again, as Gloria Steinhem said, the only similarity between Sarah and Hillary is a chromosome.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
High Noon
Grace Kelly/Sarah Palin and Gary Cooper/John McCain___________________________________________
Bill Kristol’s The Weekly Standard has a great cover,High Noon, with McCain as Cooper and Palin as Kelly.
Comparing Palin to the Quaker Kelly in the movie is a stretch. The only similarity is Palin carrying a rifle.
Being a Quaker would require a more gentle Palin. Palin says the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick. That is not a Quakerism.
It’s also an insult to pit bulls. I wouldn’t have one (my dog of choice is a collie). But I understand pit bulls have to be trained to attack. Am I right on this?
Comment by gecannonphd — September 6, 2008 @ 9:45 am
In Kristol’s column in the Weekly Standard referred above, he states:
” First: Thank you, Barack Obama. He lacked the confidence or the strength to ask Hillary Clinton, recipient of some 18 million votes, to join him on the ticket. Such a ticket, uniting and exciting the Democratic party, would have been hard to beat in this Democratic year. Having ruled out Clinton, Obama then lacked the nerve to double down on the theme of change, by selecting, say, Virginia governor Tim Kaine or Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius. A change versus experience election wouldn’t have been a bad bet for Obama. Instead, he settled on an unimpressive vice presidential pick, a long-time, long-winded overrated senator from a safe state, who gave him no lift at all in the polls, and offers no prospect of doing so.
Second: Thank you, John McCain. He showed guts with his pick of Sarah Palin. He also demonstrated a shrewd strategic sense. He knew that running on experience would carry him only so far–most likely to a respectable defeat. He understood the implications of Obama’s passing over Hillary–not that Clinton voters would vote for McCain-Palin (though if even a few do so, it could make a difference), but that his pick of Palin when compared with Obama’s shying away from ”__________________________Everyone assumes Hillary wanted the vp and would have accepted it on the ticket. That may not be correct at all. Hillary was vp, in clout and policy involvement, during the 90ies. She been there, and done that.
Interesting that Kristol supports Hillary as the better Obama choice. If, in fact, it was Hillary, the Kristol neo-cons would make Palin’s hockey mom pit bull look like a collie. I agree that Obama going with an outsider (from Wash.) would have been interesting. But experience is gong to be an issue in this election.
And ignore the polls now. They are not significant. It will be a close election, and the talking heads will likely be on the air into the wee hours of Weds, after election day.
Comment by gecannonphd — September 6, 2008 @ 9:46 am
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Bill Kristol’s The Weekly Standard has a great cover,High Noon, with McCain as Cooper and Palin as Kelly.
Comparing Palin to the Quaker Kelly in the movie is a stretch. The only similarity is Palin carrying a rifle.
Being a Quaker would require a more gentle Palin. Palin says the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick. That is not a Quakerism.
It’s also an insult to pit bulls. I wouldn’t have one (my dog of choice is a collie). But I understand pit bulls have to be trained to attack. Am I right on this?
Comment by gecannonphd — September 6, 2008 @ 9:45 am
In Kristol’s column in the Weekly Standard referred above, he states:
” First: Thank you, Barack Obama. He lacked the confidence or the strength to ask Hillary Clinton, recipient of some 18 million votes, to join him on the ticket. Such a ticket, uniting and exciting the Democratic party, would have been hard to beat in this Democratic year. Having ruled out Clinton, Obama then lacked the nerve to double down on the theme of change, by selecting, say, Virginia governor Tim Kaine or Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius. A change versus experience election wouldn’t have been a bad bet for Obama. Instead, he settled on an unimpressive vice presidential pick, a long-time, long-winded overrated senator from a safe state, who gave him no lift at all in the polls, and offers no prospect of doing so.
Second: Thank you, John McCain. He showed guts with his pick of Sarah Palin. He also demonstrated a shrewd strategic sense. He knew that running on experience would carry him only so far–most likely to a respectable defeat. He understood the implications of Obama’s passing over Hillary–not that Clinton voters would vote for McCain-Palin (though if even a few do so, it could make a difference), but that his pick of Palin when compared with Obama’s shying away from ”__________________________Everyone assumes Hillary wanted the vp and would have accepted it on the ticket. That may not be correct at all. Hillary was vp, in clout and policy involvement, during the 90ies. She been there, and done that.
Interesting that Kristol supports Hillary as the better Obama choice. If, in fact, it was Hillary, the Kristol neo-cons would make Palin’s hockey mom pit bull look like a collie. I agree that Obama going with an outsider (from Wash.) would have been interesting. But experience is gong to be an issue in this election.
And ignore the polls now. They are not significant. It will be a close election, and the talking heads will likely be on the air into the wee hours of Weds, after election day.
Comment by gecannonphd — September 6, 2008 @ 9:46 am
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