The American Dream

You have to be asleep to believe it.

Ron Paul II

I'm not talking about Rand or the pope. I give you RonPaul ReaganRyan, the shapeshifting Gipperbot who has come to complete the GOP's destiny!

Bachmann-Ryan Overdrive

What some saw after Obama's SOTU speech...

Grayson: Hey Cheney, shut the f?!k up

The former vice president and White House puppetmaster just can't keep his trap closed of late, accusing President Obama more or less of treason. Even ballsier lawmaker Alan Grayson, a Florida Democrat, dismisses Big Dick with four familiar letters.

Stuck with Reid forever

I don't much like Sen. Harry Reid. So he's a pragmatist who's willing to cross the aisle to get things done, yeah great. What that's actually meant during his tenure is that he's willing to kowtow to corrupt Republicans to stay on everyone's Christmas card list. Reid is more interested in sealing deals than in right or wrong.

How to boot the moral milquetoast? Granted, his job isn't an easy or glamorous one, and there hasn't exactly been an avalanche of challengers. I had hopes that Sen. Hillary Clinton might push for it, but check this telling info from a piece on President-elect Obama's discussion of Sec-of-State with Clinton in today's NY Times, emphasis mine:

For Mrs. Clinton, there are pros and cons to taking the job as well. Senior Senate Democratic officials say it has become increasingly clear to Mrs. Clinton and her advisers that there was no quick route to a position of influence in the Senate, potentially increasing her interest in a prominent role in the Obama administration.

She had approached the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, about becoming chairwoman of a special subcommittee to handle health care issues, but he squelched the idea, Senate officials said. Aides to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, made it clear that despite his illness, he intended to consider health overhaul before the full committeethat he leads.

Mrs. Clinton was also discouraged from trying to mount a challenge to any junior members of the party's Senate leadership, one official said. In a seniority-driven institution like the Senate, it could take years for Mrs. Clinton to accumulate real power despite her status as a national political celebrity and the appeal she demonstrated in the primary season.

Egad. Well, here's hoping Russ Feingold mounts a challenge, or is he too principled?

Dignity restored

America must look evil if it looks like Obama

So Republicans like to say that the difference between Obama and Osama is a little B.S. Let's take a look at some of the GOP's own B.S.

Check out this post on Brad Friedman's site. It's all from a local Republican elections mailer sent out in Virginia. Let me preface this by acknowledging Brad as one of the best and most important bloggers/investigative journos out there.

The back of the envelope features a pic (above the words "AMERICA MUST LOOK EVIL / IN THE EYE / AND NEVER FLINCH") that Brad says is Obama, which ties in with the reference to the "Democrats who want to control Washington" line inside the mailer, and would also be a natural deduction given the mailer's design color... brown, like Obama's skin such as in this photo.

However, that's not Obama. It's Osama bin Laden. Notice how the original photo has been tinted a la the infamous O.J. Simpson photo on the cover of Time.

I showed the image to a colleague of mine who also thought it was Obama at first, no doubt overtly influenced by the sepia tint. By his and Brad's--and surely the intended recipients'--erroneous IDs, a subconscious connection is made, which is exactly what is intended.

Clever trick, righty ratfuckers. And an old one too. You bastards never quit, do you?

McCain booed by own supporters

After repeatedly allowing planted GOP ratfuckers and assorted riff-raff to shout crap about Obama like "TRAITOR!" and "KILL HIM!" at his rallies, Sen. McCain seems to be losing control of the loons his campaign has driven into a desperate fervor. He even yanks the mic away from some old woman terrified that an "Arab" might get elected. He's starting to sound like Anakin Skywalker after he got Mace Windu offed: "What have I done, my friends?"

I expect one of his lackeys will be on Fox soon explaining that those weren't boos, they were joyous calls of "Magoo!"

Over 70 percent of CEOs fear Obama presidency will be disastrous

Who better to follow the first "CEO president" than a guy whom most corporate bigs want to be the next prez?

Chief Executive magazine conducted a poll of 751 CEOs that revealed they prefer Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) over Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) by a four-to-one margin.

Not only are the biz bosses typically ga-ga over the Republican nominee, nearly 75 percent of them fear that an Obama administration "would be disastrous for the country," according to a press release accompanying the poll.

Some surveyed chief execs even said that Obama's programs "would bankrupt the country within three years, if implemented."

Whatever. Such reactionary corporate fearmongering is to be expected as the non-stop bacchanalia of orgiastic greed that big business has enjoyed under an indifferent dunce in the Oval Office may finally come to a close. Let the chips, and the fatcats, fall.

Zomething different

The fantastic artwork of Zina Saunders. Go there now.

GOP ought to declare War on Error

It no jocke! Despite the hapless Republicans being roused these last few days by the fiery, fuehrery speeches of "Sarah Barracuda" Palin and John "Bushmastered" McCain et al., the GOP still finds ways to embarrass itself at its own convention to the delight of the world.

For instance, Sen. McCain appeared before a giant photo of what his campaign apparently thought was Walter Reed Army Medical Center, site of a shocking exposé of poor living conditions for wounded veterans that subsequently turned into a cleanup effort/photo-op for Pres. Bush and the Republicans.


Unfortunately, the building shown in the massive picture is actually Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, California. Oopsies. (TPM additionally notes that the building was used by West Wing too; a brilliantly subtle jab at Obama then? Doubtful...)

The bumblin', stumblin' Team Magoo have also taken to using the Heart song "Barracuda" at events but apparently forgot to ask the band's permission. Heart's decidedly Democratic members have since had a cease and desist notice issued to the McCain/Palin camp.

More examples of conservagaffes:





Tip o' the hat to all the emailers sending me more goofs.

Obama VP will be Biden

Sen. Barack Obama hasn't made it official yet in the much-awaited email to his special mailing list, but it appears if this ABC News blog post is to believed that Sen. Joe Biden is to be his running mate:

The United States Secret Service has dispatched a protective detail to assume the immediate protection of Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., a source tells ABC News, indicating in all likelihood that Biden has been officially notified that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, has selected him to be his running mate

CNN later confirmed through multiple sources that Biden will indeed be named Obama's running mate on Saturday.

Obama's choice of veteran senator Biden (D-DE) comes as little surprise for many in the media and blogosphere who had expected Obama to pick seniority over obscurity.

His pool of potential candidates had dwindled over recent weeks. Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas were other names often bandied about as possible contenders, but Biden seemed to have the lion's share of the attention.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama's bitter rival in the Democratic primaries, was out of the running early, signified by her and former president Bill Clinton's tepid support for the Illinois senator in the days following her concession. Just recently her brother also had paid a visit to the McCain camp.

Sen. John McCain will announce his VP pick on his 72nd birthday on Aug. 29.

McSame

In that recent ghastly speech of his, Sen. McCain admits what we already knew. This clip has not been doctored, it's just outofcontextually hilarious, like the famous "Drew Drops" on Loveline.

McCain the Bushophobe

You can interpret Sen. John McCain's revealing hand-wiping gesture after he bids President Bush goodbye in the vid below in a number of ways. Skip ahead to the :36 mark, watch for the next minute or so and enjoy.


Hat tip to David Edwards.

Gravelter Skelter

The latest video from '08 Libertarian White House candidate Mike Gravel begs the question: Is America ready for an acid-dropping Shatneriffic president?

Richardson says Viva Obama

This may be the final blow to Sen. Clinton's bleak hopes for the White House. At least Gov. Richardson, who worked for Pres. Bill Clinton, waited till after Texas to endorse Obama likely out of respect and loyalty to his old friends. This must have been tough for him, but apparently it was tougher for Hillary.

The endorsement from Richardson:



The acceptance from Obama:

Obama weds Clinton, McCain in unholy matrimony

So Hillary Clinton, despite the "be my veep" nonsense, says even John McCain is a better choice for president than Obama. Birds of a feather. Here's what Obama has to say about the Clinton-McCain lovefest.

¡Obáma!

Offered sin palabras.


Más información aquí.

Obama: History will not be kind to Bush

In a post-State of the Union response, White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama--enjoying endorsements today from Sen. Ted Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy and Toni Morrison--pans President Bush's "empty rhetoric" and says "I do not believe history will judge his administration kindly." Full text of Obama's response follows the video...


"Tonight, for the seventh long year, the American people heard a State of the Union that didn't reflect the America we see, and didn't address the challenges we face. But what it did do was give us an urgent reminder of why it's so important to turn the page on the failed politics and policies of the past, and change the status quo in Washington so we can finally start making progress for ordinary Americans.

"Tonight's State of the Union was full of the same empty rhetoric the American people have come to expect from this President. We heard President Bush say he'd do something to cut down on special interest earmarks, but we know these earmarks have skyrocketed under his administration.

"We heard the President say he wants to make tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans permanent, when we know that at a time of war and economic hardship, the last thing we need is a permanent tax cut for Americans who don't need them and weren't even asking for them. What we need is a middle class tax cut, and that's exactly what I will provide as President.

"We heard the President say he has a stimulus plan to boost our economy, but we know his plan leaves out seniors and fails to expand unemployment insurance, and we know it was George Bush's Washington that let the banks and financial institutions run amok, and take our economy down this dangerous road. What we need to do now is put more money in the pockets of workers and seniors, and expand unemployment insurance for more people and more time. And I have a plan that to do just that.

"And finally, tonight we heard President Bush say that the surge in Iraq is working, when we know that's just not true. Yes, our valiant soldiers have helped reduce the violence. Five soldiers gave their lives today in this cause, and we mourn their loss and pray for their families.

"But let there be no doubt – the Iraqi government has failed to seize the moment to reach the compromises necessary for an enduring peace. That was what we were told the surge was all about. So the only way we're finally going to pressure the Iraqis to reconcile and take responsibility for their future is to immediately begin the responsible withdrawal of our combat brigades so that we can bring all of our combat troops home.

"But another reason we need to begin this withdrawal immediately is because this war has not made us safer. I opposed this war from the start in part because I was concerned that it would take our eye off al Qaeda and distract us from finishing the job in Afghanistan. Sadly, that's what happened. It's time to heed our military commanders by increasing our commitment to Afghanistan, and it's time to protect the American people by taking the fight to al Qaeda.

"Tonight was President Bush's last State of the Union, and I do not believe history will judge his administration kindly. But I also believe the failures of the last seven years stem not just from any single policy, but from a broken politics in Washington. A politics that says it's ok to demonize your political opponents when we should be coming together to solve problems. A politics that puts Wall Street ahead of Main Street, ignoring the reality that our fates are intertwined; a politics that accepts lobbyists as part of the system in Washington, instead of recognizing how much they're a part of the problem. And a politics of fear and ideology instead of hope and common sense.

"I believe a new kind of politics is possible, and I believe it is necessary. Because the American people can't afford another four years without health care, decent wages, or an end to this war. The woman who's going to college and working the night shift to pay her sister's medical bills can't afford to wait. The Maytag workers who are now competing with their teenagers for $7 an hour jobs at Wall Mart can't afford to wait. And the woman who told me she hasn't been able to breathe since her nephew left for Iraq can't afford to wait.

"Each year, as we watch the State of the Union, we see half the chamber rise to applaud the President and half the chamber stay in their seats. We see half the country tune in to watch, but know that much of the country has stopped even listening. Imagine if next year was different. Imagine if next year, the entire nation had a president they could believe in. A president who rallied all Americans around a common purpose. That's the kind of President we need in this country. And with your help in the coming days and weeks, that's the kind of President I will be."

The Peace Gnome drops out

Word is that Dennis Kucinich will drop out of the race, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Kucinich will make the announcement Friday at a news conference in Cleveland. In an exclusive interview with Plain Dealer editors and reporters, Kucinich said he will explain his "transitioning" tomorrow. "I want to continue to serve in Congress," he said.

His quixotic attempt to impeach President Bush is still on, though, set for this coming Monday. Good luck, Mr. Screwed-by-the-Media, and keep fighting the good fight.