Dylan the Guest Cat has made his presidential endorsement:
This endorsement should help Kerry win critical support from Feline-Americans.
The worst.
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Democats for Kerry
Democats for Kerry
Dylan the Guest Cat has made his presidential endorsement:
This endorsement should help Kerry win critical support from Feline-Americans.
Dylan the Guest Cat has made his presidential endorsement:
This endorsement should help Kerry win critical support from Feline-Americans.
Friday, July 30, 2004
Something I just don't get
Something I just don't get
I was mulling over the Kerry speech in my head today and it hit me. I just don't get the military thing. At all.
Maybe it's the deep resentment of any type of authority that I got from some unknown place deep inside me. Maybe it's pacifism - although I think I'm more anti-authority that I am truly a pacifist. A real pacifist would be more at inner peace than I am. Or maybe it's just that no one in my immediate family was ever in the military, just a couple cousins who are basically strangers, so I was never acclimated to that culture.
Why is it that "serve your country" means "serve your country in the military"? My parents served our country. They were teachers for about 35 years each. I consider my little courthouse job to be "serving my country".
Our office is next door to the National Guard. It gives me the willies. I just don't understand how someone can accept that type of social order, where you die or kill without questioning "orders" from your "superiors". How does any one get to be "superior" in a society where all men are created equal? (well, except women, blacks, Natives, poor people...) How can you defend democracy with an institution that is fundamentally undemocratic?
I understand that in the draft days it was different. And I understand that our economy gives some people very little real choice. But, without trying to come off as morally superior or anything: everybody over in Iraq now volunteered.
I read a couple years back that attitudes toward military service is one of those party indicators, like church attendance. Looks like I'm definitely a blue state kind of guy. One of the first things I ever liked about Bill Clinton was when they released his "I loathe the military" letter. They say Kerry has to talk about this stuff to build up his defense bona fides and to win over those all important, 6 percent, Fear Factor swing voters. Well, I guess. But it leaves me... well, just empty. Kerry's military stuff balances out for me: he's not a chickenhawk hypocrite like a certain Acting President, and VVAW was a brilliant rhetorical stroke. You can't bash these guys for being against the war, they WENT! But the saga of the swift boat, the band of brothers, the honor and duty - it just doesn't connect, and I don't think it ever will.
I don't get the rituals, I don't get the ceremonies, I don't get the mindset, I don't get it at all. To me it all seems like some kind of primitive throwback to the feudal lords.
Good thing I'm never going to run for office again, huh?
I was mulling over the Kerry speech in my head today and it hit me. I just don't get the military thing. At all.
Maybe it's the deep resentment of any type of authority that I got from some unknown place deep inside me. Maybe it's pacifism - although I think I'm more anti-authority that I am truly a pacifist. A real pacifist would be more at inner peace than I am. Or maybe it's just that no one in my immediate family was ever in the military, just a couple cousins who are basically strangers, so I was never acclimated to that culture.
Why is it that "serve your country" means "serve your country in the military"? My parents served our country. They were teachers for about 35 years each. I consider my little courthouse job to be "serving my country".
Our office is next door to the National Guard. It gives me the willies. I just don't understand how someone can accept that type of social order, where you die or kill without questioning "orders" from your "superiors". How does any one get to be "superior" in a society where all men are created equal? (well, except women, blacks, Natives, poor people...) How can you defend democracy with an institution that is fundamentally undemocratic?
I understand that in the draft days it was different. And I understand that our economy gives some people very little real choice. But, without trying to come off as morally superior or anything: everybody over in Iraq now volunteered.
I read a couple years back that attitudes toward military service is one of those party indicators, like church attendance. Looks like I'm definitely a blue state kind of guy. One of the first things I ever liked about Bill Clinton was when they released his "I loathe the military" letter. They say Kerry has to talk about this stuff to build up his defense bona fides and to win over those all important, 6 percent, Fear Factor swing voters. Well, I guess. But it leaves me... well, just empty. Kerry's military stuff balances out for me: he's not a chickenhawk hypocrite like a certain Acting President, and VVAW was a brilliant rhetorical stroke. You can't bash these guys for being against the war, they WENT! But the saga of the swift boat, the band of brothers, the honor and duty - it just doesn't connect, and I don't think it ever will.
I don't get the rituals, I don't get the ceremonies, I don't get the mindset, I don't get it at all. To me it all seems like some kind of primitive throwback to the feudal lords.
Good thing I'm never going to run for office again, huh?
Thursday, July 29, 2004
Cedar Rapids book burning flames out
Cedar Rapids book burning flames out
Well, they went through with it but it sounds like it was kind of a let-down after all the hype. I thought the whole point was for people to see what you were trashing. Catch the bit about the Wal-Mart bags...
Denied fire, C.R. church discards offensive items
By Keith E. Gottschalk Thursday, July 29, 2004
CEDAR RAPIDS -- After all the media attention, the "Cleansing of the Temple" ceremony last night in the parking lot of The Jesus Church in Cedar Rapids turned out to be a solemn and subdued affair.
About 40 church members held lit candles signifying fire, while a handful of people dropped various forms of media or clothing they felt were keeping them from God into a Yardy container.
The Rev. Scott Breedlove, pastor of the church at 726 L Ave. NW, provided Wal-Mart bags so the items tossed would remain private.
"It's between you and God," said Breedlove.
Breedlove's original idea to burn the offending materials was nixed after he discovered city and county fire codes would not allow the open burning of plastics and recyclables.
That plan drew national media attention after it appeared in the July 11 Gazette. Breedlove said he's answered countless media questions about the church's plan, which strengthened his resolve to hold the ceremony in public as St. Paul did in the Bible.
Even though the items were hidden in plastic bags there were telltale shapes of CDs, books and magazines. But anything that weighed on members relationship with God was fair game.
For Renny Danford, 57, of Cedar Rapids, it was peach rings candy that was tossed in the Yardy.
"I've had Parkinson's since I was 38 and when I eat too much sugar I get tired and it keeps me from doing the things I need to do," said Danford.
Danford said she wanted people to know that her fellow congregants were not "radical people," but simply wanted to get closer to the Lord.
Well, they went through with it but it sounds like it was kind of a let-down after all the hype. I thought the whole point was for people to see what you were trashing. Catch the bit about the Wal-Mart bags...
Denied fire, C.R. church discards offensive items
By Keith E. Gottschalk Thursday, July 29, 2004
CEDAR RAPIDS -- After all the media attention, the "Cleansing of the Temple" ceremony last night in the parking lot of The Jesus Church in Cedar Rapids turned out to be a solemn and subdued affair.
About 40 church members held lit candles signifying fire, while a handful of people dropped various forms of media or clothing they felt were keeping them from God into a Yardy container.
The Rev. Scott Breedlove, pastor of the church at 726 L Ave. NW, provided Wal-Mart bags so the items tossed would remain private.
"It's between you and God," said Breedlove.
Breedlove's original idea to burn the offending materials was nixed after he discovered city and county fire codes would not allow the open burning of plastics and recyclables.
That plan drew national media attention after it appeared in the July 11 Gazette. Breedlove said he's answered countless media questions about the church's plan, which strengthened his resolve to hold the ceremony in public as St. Paul did in the Bible.
Even though the items were hidden in plastic bags there were telltale shapes of CDs, books and magazines. But anything that weighed on members relationship with God was fair game.
For Renny Danford, 57, of Cedar Rapids, it was peach rings candy that was tossed in the Yardy.
"I've had Parkinson's since I was 38 and when I eat too much sugar I get tired and it keeps me from doing the things I need to do," said Danford.
Danford said she wanted people to know that her fellow congregants were not "radical people," but simply wanted to get closer to the Lord.
Mock the vote: Unscientific but interesting
Mock the vote: Unscientific but interesting
One of the more fun things I do at my job in the election office is our mock election. Every year we go out to the county fair, set up our voting equipment, and let people cast a mock ballot. We run the preliminary results a few times during the fair. It's voter education and it's fun.
Now, this isn't scientific. We let everybody "vote" - little kids, non-citizens, you name it. The newspaper always runs a picture of a little kid voting. We do make folks sign in and promise to vote only once - to my mind, if you try to cheat in a mock election at the fair you need to seriously consider getting a life. We knock our socks off to include the third parties.
We've been doing it a few years and it lets you compare July 2004 apples to July 2000 apples (even though in November we count oranges).
Our county fair runs a bit more rural and Republican than the county as a whole. Our county is traditionally the most Democratic in the state; in 2000 we was number one in the state for both Gore AND Nader and dead last for Bush (59-34-6). We even had a precinct where Bush ran THIRD behind Nader!
Here's some key numbers from the fair so far (noon of the last day) compared to the final 2000 stats. (My analysis only looks at the top three; complete results for the fair are here and here for 2000. And these are the real 2000 numbers.)
Bush: 42% in 2000, 42% in 2004. Exactly the same. 2000 actual vote: 34%.
Gore: 45%. Kerry: 56%. 2000 actual vote: Gore 59%.
How did that happen?
Nader 2000: 8.3%, on the way to 6% of the actual vote.
Nader plus Cobb 2004: 1.2%.
That's right: 1.2%. Even though it's a silly old mock election that doesn't mean squat, more than 3/4 of the Nader and/or Green vote has shifted to the Democrats.
How many Green apples will vote Kerry in November when all the oranges are on the table?
UPDATE: Final numbers show no major change. Kerry 56.5, Bush 41.2, Nader + Cobb 1.3.
One of the more fun things I do at my job in the election office is our mock election. Every year we go out to the county fair, set up our voting equipment, and let people cast a mock ballot. We run the preliminary results a few times during the fair. It's voter education and it's fun.
Now, this isn't scientific. We let everybody "vote" - little kids, non-citizens, you name it. The newspaper always runs a picture of a little kid voting. We do make folks sign in and promise to vote only once - to my mind, if you try to cheat in a mock election at the fair you need to seriously consider getting a life. We knock our socks off to include the third parties.
We've been doing it a few years and it lets you compare July 2004 apples to July 2000 apples (even though in November we count oranges).
Our county fair runs a bit more rural and Republican than the county as a whole. Our county is traditionally the most Democratic in the state; in 2000 we was number one in the state for both Gore AND Nader and dead last for Bush (59-34-6). We even had a precinct where Bush ran THIRD behind Nader!
Here's some key numbers from the fair so far (noon of the last day) compared to the final 2000 stats. (My analysis only looks at the top three; complete results for the fair are here and here for 2000. And these are the real 2000 numbers.)
How did that happen?
That's right: 1.2%. Even though it's a silly old mock election that doesn't mean squat, more than 3/4 of the Nader and/or Green vote has shifted to the Democrats.
How many Green apples will vote Kerry in November when all the oranges are on the table?
UPDATE: Final numbers show no major change. Kerry 56.5, Bush 41.2, Nader + Cobb 1.3.
Soprano frustration
The frustration of a responsible economic decision
As I've previously mentioned, last March I made the difficult but responsible decision of foregoing the digital cable/HBO package as season five of The Sopranos began. I reasoned that, for the money I would spend getting high-end cable for three months, I could instead BUY the DVD set upon release.
The hard part is staying in the dark about a very interesting and highly publicized program.
Last night I was watching MSNBC's coverage of the convention. Chris Matthews was interviewing an actor to remain unnamed who appeared on The Sopranos. As I puttered about my apartment, sorting my CDs and listening, I gave myself a pat on the back for my responsible economic decision. And as Chris Matthews ended the interview, he said:
"LOVE YOUR SHOW, TOO BAD YOU GOT WHACKED."
Noooooooooooooo! No! No! NOOOOOOOOOOO!
As I've previously mentioned, last March I made the difficult but responsible decision of foregoing the digital cable/HBO package as season five of The Sopranos began. I reasoned that, for the money I would spend getting high-end cable for three months, I could instead BUY the DVD set upon release.
The hard part is staying in the dark about a very interesting and highly publicized program.
Last night I was watching MSNBC's coverage of the convention. Chris Matthews was interviewing an actor to remain unnamed who appeared on The Sopranos. As I puttered about my apartment, sorting my CDs and listening, I gave myself a pat on the back for my responsible economic decision. And as Chris Matthews ended the interview, he said:
"LOVE YOUR SHOW, TOO BAD YOU GOT WHACKED."
Noooooooooooooo! No! No! NOOOOOOOOOOO!
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Reaching the Undecided Voter
The Fear Factor Vote
I've been saying it for weeks, but I meant it as a joke/putdown: "There's 46-47% solid for Kerry and 46-47% solid for Bush. That leaves 6-8% undecided and they won't pay attention till the last week becasue they're watching Fear Factor."
But now I have the research behind me:
"Undecided voters are particularly drawn to cartoons, talk shows and certain TV programs, including My Wife & Kids, CSI: Miami and the reality shows Fear Factor and Big Brother. They are less likely to be found watching dramas or news."
I've been saying it for weeks, but I meant it as a joke/putdown: "There's 46-47% solid for Kerry and 46-47% solid for Bush. That leaves 6-8% undecided and they won't pay attention till the last week becasue they're watching Fear Factor."
But now I have the research behind me:
"Undecided voters are particularly drawn to cartoons, talk shows and certain TV programs, including My Wife & Kids, CSI: Miami and the reality shows Fear Factor and Big Brother. They are less likely to be found watching dramas or news."
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
JER-RY! JER-RY! JER-RY!
JER-RY! JER-RY! JER-RY!
"It's disrespectful during a presidential race to say anything. There will be a time for that. But if I decide to run, I will stop the show this season." -
Ohio Delegate and possible 2006 candidate for governor Jerry Springer
"It's disrespectful during a presidential race to say anything. There will be a time for that. But if I decide to run, I will stop the show this season." -
Ohio Delegate and possible 2006 candidate for governor Jerry Springer
Sigh...
Sigh...
Dean, whose insurgent campaign ignited a wave of anti-Bush fervor in the party, urged Democrats not to be “afraid to stand up for what we believe,” promising that “we’re not going to let those who disagree with us shout us down under a banner of false patriotism.”
“Never again will we be ashamed to call ourselves Democrats. Never. Never. Never,” he said. “We’re not just going to change presidents — we’re going to change this country and reclaim the American dream.”
Missed the actual speech doing Real Life (watching pigs at the county fair, how Iowa can you get?)
On the bright side, Obama was amazing...
Dean, whose insurgent campaign ignited a wave of anti-Bush fervor in the party, urged Democrats not to be “afraid to stand up for what we believe,” promising that “we’re not going to let those who disagree with us shout us down under a banner of false patriotism.”
“Never again will we be ashamed to call ourselves Democrats. Never. Never. Never,” he said. “We’re not just going to change presidents — we’re going to change this country and reclaim the American dream.”
Missed the actual speech doing Real Life (watching pigs at the county fair, how Iowa can you get?)
On the bright side, Obama was amazing...
Monday, July 26, 2004
A flat tire and too many thoughts
A flat tire and too many thoughts
Was making really good time on the drive north Friday when my car started wobbling. Pulled over at the neighborhood historical marker and inspected the shredded remains of my right rear tire: just some steel belt and a few scraps of rubber.
So I pulled out the cell phone, made the call, and waited. And read the marker, and thought about what had happened there.
The Indians fought back with desperation, but little effect. The dense forest and underbrush, fallen logs, backwater sloughs and thick marsh grass offered numerous hiding places and slowed the attacking forces, but also caused confusion in which the army killed untold numbers of women and children. The soldiers' advances forced some Indians into the river, while others continued to resist fleeing down the floodplain onto a series of willow bars. Here more Indians were killed while others jumped into the river. "...many of them men, women and children fled to the river and endeavored to escape by swimming in this situation.
One man's battle is another man's genocide...
Was making really good time on the drive north Friday when my car started wobbling. Pulled over at the neighborhood historical marker and inspected the shredded remains of my right rear tire: just some steel belt and a few scraps of rubber.
So I pulled out the cell phone, made the call, and waited. And read the marker, and thought about what had happened there.
The Indians fought back with desperation, but little effect. The dense forest and underbrush, fallen logs, backwater sloughs and thick marsh grass offered numerous hiding places and slowed the attacking forces, but also caused confusion in which the army killed untold numbers of women and children. The soldiers' advances forced some Indians into the river, while others continued to resist fleeing down the floodplain onto a series of willow bars. Here more Indians were killed while others jumped into the river. "...many of them men, women and children fled to the river and endeavored to escape by swimming in this situation.
One man's battle is another man's genocide...
MSNBC - Democrats try to soften edges
Gore gets censored
So the word is out: the liberal wing of the party is being told to avoid any harsh rhetoric. That could already be affecting tonight's headliners: last night, Al Gore's speech was basically torn up, according to two sources, and is now being rewritten, presumably to fit more closely with the party line.
My disgust at the silencing of anti-war rhetoric is eased by the delightful irony of seeing Al Gore get censored. But since when did Al Gore ever represent the "iberal wing" of the Democratic Party?!?
So the word is out: the liberal wing of the party is being told to avoid any harsh rhetoric. That could already be affecting tonight's headliners: last night, Al Gore's speech was basically torn up, according to two sources, and is now being rewritten, presumably to fit more closely with the party line.
My disgust at the silencing of anti-war rhetoric is eased by the delightful irony of seeing Al Gore get censored. But since when did Al Gore ever represent the "iberal wing" of the Democratic Party?!?
Friday, July 23, 2004
Off the air
Now how can we announce that we're off the air when we're off the air?
We're off the air for a couple days. Wisconsin road trip. Folks. Brother and family. Other pundits will have to document pre-convention weekend.
The temp felines and the permanent felines are doing better so I trust they won't kill each other.
Andy: Les, the transmitter blew up!
Les: Of course! That was my lead!
Johnny: You led off the newscast by telling them that we're off the air?
Les, troubled: ... No. But I can include that in my update.
Ahh, WKRP. I'll just think sweet thoughts of Jan Smithers for a moment.
We're off the air for a couple days. Wisconsin road trip. Folks. Brother and family. Other pundits will have to document pre-convention weekend.
The temp felines and the permanent felines are doing better so I trust they won't kill each other.
Andy: Les, the transmitter blew up!
Les: Of course! That was my lead!
Johnny: You led off the newscast by telling them that we're off the air?
Les, troubled: ... No. But I can include that in my update.
Ahh, WKRP. I'll just think sweet thoughts of Jan Smithers for a moment.
Thursday, July 22, 2004
MLB - Sources: Expos' new home likely D.C. area
MLB Sources: Expos' new home likely DC area
Sources familiar with the Expos' relocation process told ESPN.com on Thursday that union leaders Donald Fehr and Gene Orza met Wednesday with Montreal player representative Brian Schneider and assistant rep Brad Wilkerson.
The player reps were informed by the union that there is now an overwhelming probability that they will wind up in either Washington or Northern Virginia...
Baseball back in Washington. Walter Johnson is smiling. They should switch `em to the AL though...
Think President Kerry will throw out the first pitch?
Sources familiar with the Expos' relocation process told ESPN.com on Thursday that union leaders Donald Fehr and Gene Orza met Wednesday with Montreal player representative Brian Schneider and assistant rep Brad Wilkerson.
The player reps were informed by the union that there is now an overwhelming probability that they will wind up in either Washington or Northern Virginia...
Baseball back in Washington. Walter Johnson is smiling. They should switch `em to the AL though...
Think President Kerry will throw out the first pitch?
Trippi: Why Edwards isn't the presidential nominee
Why Edwards isn't the presidential nominee
The great Trippi writes about how, but for a few simple twists of fate, the man from NC could be on top of the ticket instead.
He misses a couple key points from later in the campaign.
Oklahoma was essentially a three way tie (29.9-29.5-26.8), but Clark got the bragging rights. A few hundred votes less for Wes, and Edwards wins. Heck, even a Kerry-Clark-Edwards finish would have been better for Edwards. Clark only stayed in because of the win, and the anti-Kerry vote in Tennessee the next week split almost evenly (41-26.5-23). Edwards would certainly have scooped up enough of Clark's vote to win Tennessee and tie Kerry for the week (Kerry won VA 51-27-9), setting up a two man race sooner. Wisconsin. Dean made his last heartbreaking stand here and pulled 18%, while Edwards lost by five points (39-34). With Dean out a week earlier, Edwards wins, and we might be going to Boston Monday not knowing who was going to win...
The great Trippi writes about how, but for a few simple twists of fate, the man from NC could be on top of the ticket instead.
He misses a couple key points from later in the campaign.
Kucinich to endorse Kerry
This just in from the About Freakin' Time Department
With the Democratic National Convention set to begin next week, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich on Thursday will announce his support for Sen. John Kerry as the party's presidential candidate, representatives for both Democrats said.
You may not have seen this one blazing in the headlines.
Back in the Primal Scream Era John Lennon described the Beatles breakup as three guys walking off stage then Paul saying "I quit."
Yeah. Kinda like that.
With the Democratic National Convention set to begin next week, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich on Thursday will announce his support for Sen. John Kerry as the party's presidential candidate, representatives for both Democrats said.
You may not have seen this one blazing in the headlines.
Back in the Primal Scream Era John Lennon described the Beatles breakup as three guys walking off stage then Paul saying "I quit."
Yeah. Kinda like that.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Editor Put on Leave After Kerry Donation
Editor Put on Leave After Kerry Donation
William Pates, the Chronicle's letters editor, went on leave last week after Grade the News, a media watchdog organization based at Stanford University, contacted the paper about Pates' donations to Kerry and other Democrats...
Journalists are the world's worst navel-gazers. One of reasons I left that profession was because I was tired of David Yepsen bitching at me because I had a bumper sticker on my car. I doubt he had ever bothered to listen to one of my stories - I was only a reporter for a couple years but I was pretty good. One terrible day I faced probably the ultimate test a reporter can face and I did my job.
American journalists are the worst, setting ridiculous bars of mindless neutrality in the name of the God of Objectivity, and denying anyone in the profession any sort of civic life at all. At least, that is, until one enters the very top of the business, the Punditocracy, at which level you can drift back and forth between a CNN gig and the Administration of the Moment.
Meanwhile, the REAL story of media bias, which is the ever-increasing centralization of ownership, goes unreported.
Well, DUH.
In other news: the first produce has been picked. Four beans.
William Pates, the Chronicle's letters editor, went on leave last week after Grade the News, a media watchdog organization based at Stanford University, contacted the paper about Pates' donations to Kerry and other Democrats...
Journalists are the world's worst navel-gazers. One of reasons I left that profession was because I was tired of David Yepsen bitching at me because I had a bumper sticker on my car. I doubt he had ever bothered to listen to one of my stories - I was only a reporter for a couple years but I was pretty good. One terrible day I faced probably the ultimate test a reporter can face and I did my job.
American journalists are the worst, setting ridiculous bars of mindless neutrality in the name of the God of Objectivity, and denying anyone in the profession any sort of civic life at all. At least, that is, until one enters the very top of the business, the Punditocracy, at which level you can drift back and forth between a CNN gig and the Administration of the Moment.
Meanwhile, the REAL story of media bias, which is the ever-increasing centralization of ownership, goes unreported.
Well, DUH.
In other news: the first produce has been picked. Four beans.
Parrothead Nation
Parrothead Nation: Jimmy Buffett Debuts at #1
Somehing to be said for a niche audience:
There's joy in Margaritaville today: Chief Parrothead Jimmy Buffett is chilling out on top of the album chart for the first time in his three-decade career.
Buffett's License to Chill ended rapper Lloyd Banks' two-week run at number one. According to Nielsen SoundScan numbers released Wednesday, License to Chill jetted to the top with 238,000 copies sold last week.
Pass the Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes...
Somehing to be said for a niche audience:
There's joy in Margaritaville today: Chief Parrothead Jimmy Buffett is chilling out on top of the album chart for the first time in his three-decade career.
Buffett's License to Chill ended rapper Lloyd Banks' two-week run at number one. According to Nielsen SoundScan numbers released Wednesday, License to Chill jetted to the top with 238,000 copies sold last week.
Pass the Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes...
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
What Dean Did
What might have been
Next week's convention will belong to John Kerry and John Edwards. But it will be held in the political house largely built by Howard Dean.
I still can't think about October and November without my heart soaring. And I still can't think about December and January without my heart breaking.
This ticket is hard for me. Not as hard as 2000, which was impossible. Maybe it's a small step up: Gore and Lieberman were contemptuous of me, and Kerry and Edwards just take me for granted.
Like Madonna says, second best is never enough. But what does she know, she liked Wes Clark.
I just tell myself Kerry has a chance, a slim chance, to stop this war, because the rest of the world will talk to him. With Bush, there's NO chance.
Next week's convention will belong to John Kerry and John Edwards. But it will be held in the political house largely built by Howard Dean.
I still can't think about October and November without my heart soaring. And I still can't think about December and January without my heart breaking.
This ticket is hard for me. Not as hard as 2000, which was impossible. Maybe it's a small step up: Gore and Lieberman were contemptuous of me, and Kerry and Edwards just take me for granted.
Like Madonna says, second best is never enough. But what does she know, she liked Wes Clark.
I just tell myself Kerry has a chance, a slim chance, to stop this war, because the rest of the world will talk to him. With Bush, there's NO chance.
Monday, July 19, 2004
Schwarzenegger Stands by 'Girlie Men' Line
The infinite parody loop
"If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers ... if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men," Schwarzenegger said to the cheering crowd at a mall food court in Ontario.
The governor lifted the term from a long-running "Saturday Night Live" skit in which two pompous, Schwarzenegger-worshipping weightlifters repeatedly use it to mock those who don't meet their standards of physical perfection.
Let's put all this in perspective. Here we have a bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-politician quoting guys who were parodying him in the first place. The Politics of Celebrity is devouring itself.
"If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers ... if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men," Schwarzenegger said to the cheering crowd at a mall food court in Ontario.
The governor lifted the term from a long-running "Saturday Night Live" skit in which two pompous, Schwarzenegger-worshipping weightlifters repeatedly use it to mock those who don't meet their standards of physical perfection.
Let's put all this in perspective. Here we have a bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-politician quoting guys who were parodying him in the first place. The Politics of Celebrity is devouring itself.
Pitcher of warm spit
Pitcher of warm spit
"As far as me and the vice presidency is concerned ... I spent a number of years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark and (was) fed scraps, and I don't know why I would want to do that all over again." - John McCain
One of the best quotes about the vice presidency since John Garner's pitcher. Which in the uncensored version was filled with another bodily fluid.
"As far as me and the vice presidency is concerned ... I spent a number of years in a North Vietnamese prison camp in the dark and (was) fed scraps, and I don't know why I would want to do that all over again." - John McCain
One of the best quotes about the vice presidency since John Garner's pitcher. Which in the uncensored version was filled with another bodily fluid.
Temporary guest cats
Temporary guest cats
I have temporary guest cats. They are good cats. They would like a nice home.
The permanent feline roommates are not pleased.
I'm in a complete and total news warp so I am without comment on the affairs of the day.
I have temporary guest cats. They are good cats. They would like a nice home.
The permanent feline roommates are not pleased.
I'm in a complete and total news warp so I am without comment on the affairs of the day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)