spoof of larry sinclair video

A glaring double standard

For every 'presidential' and 'charismatic' bestowed on Barack Obama, there are 10 adjectives commentators have used to put down the way Hillary Clinton dresses, talks and emotes. Call this what it is – blatant sexism.

Don Siegelman

Part I:


Part II:

Obamentum

(by Steve Brodner in the current issue of The New Yorker)

CNN Poll: Obama and Hilary in statistical tie in Texas

We are saved!

Nader to run for President

Ralph goes probing for support.

Trying to change the dynamic

Fear is the only option

America is at risk!. GO watch what the GOP has up on their GOP.gov page.

And some video responses:

Ethanol is not the answer

Higher food prices and more CO2

Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. plans to replace 15 percent of gasoline consumption with crop-based fuels including ethanol are already leading to some unintended consequences as food prices and fertilizer costs increase.

About 33 percent of U.S. corn will be used for fuel during the next decade, up from 11 percent in 2002, the Agriculture Department estimates. Corn rose 20 percent to a record on the Chicago Board of Trade since Dec. 19, the day President George W. Bush signed a law requiring a fivefold jump in renewable fuels by 2022.

Increased demand for the grain helped boost food prices by 4.9 percent last year, the most since 1990, and will reduce global inventories of corn to the lowest in 24 years, government data show. While advocates say ethanol is cleaner than gasoline, a Princeton University study this month said it causes more environmental harm than fossil fuels.

...

Researchers led by Timothy Searchinger at Princeton University said their study showed greenhouse-gas emissions will rise with ethanol demand. U.S. farmers will use more land for fuel, forcing poorer countries to cut down rainforests and use other undeveloped land for farms, the study said.

The Anti-Lobbyist, Advised by Lobbyists

This take will probably be more harmful to McCain than the NYTs piece on his alleged affair, or whatever. He says that he doesn't take money from anyone, and yet...

McCain's relationship with lobbyists became an issue this week after it was reported that his aides asked Vicki Iseman, a telecom lobbyist, to distance herself from his 2000 presidential campaign because it would threaten McCain's reputation for independence. An angry and defiant McCain denounced the stories yesterday, declaring: "At no time have I ever done anything that would betray the public trust."

Even before McCain finished his news conference, uber-lobbyist Black made the rounds of television networks to defend McCain against charges that he has been tainted by his relationship with a lobbyist. Black's current clients include General Motors, United Technologies, JPMorgan and AT&T.

Viva Obama

Broadcast Him

GodTube.com

Change Congress (Lawrence Lessig)

From here

19% !?

Concerns over Economy Push George W. Bush's Overall Job Approval to New Low

George W. Bush's overall job approval rating has dropped to a new low in American Research Group polling as 78% of Americans say that the national economy is getting worse according to the latest survey from the American Research Group.

Among all Americans, 19% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 77% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 14% approve and 79% disapprove.

Now that is getting low, lower than I thought possible.

Fall

Pakistan Opposition Wins Nationwide Vote as Musharraf Rejected

Pakistan's opposition parties won national parliamentary elections yesterday as voters sought an end to President Pervez Musharraf's eight years of military rule.
...

Former prime minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif said he will work with the late Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party and other victorious parties to end ``dictatorship forever'' in Pakistan. The two main political groups will need to woo allies and independent candidates to secure the two-thirds of seats needed to reverse constitutional changes that have kept Musharraf in power since a 1999 military coup.

``There has been an anti-incumbency swing, and it looks like it's of a big magnitude,'' said Haris Gazdar, a Pakistani political and economic researcher at the London School of Economics.

...

With 258 of 268 constituencies reported, Bhutto's party moved into the lead with 87 seats and Sharif's group won 66, according to the independent GEO Television's Web site. Four constituencies postponed the election because of violence or the deaths of candidates.

The pro-Musharraf party won in 38 constituencies, Geo said. The official Election Commission tally showed Bhutto's party with 72 seats, Sharif's party with 57 seats and Musharraf's backers with 26 victories out of 212 parliamentary seats.

Sharif said the decision to seek Musharraf's removal or impeach him will be decided in consultation with other parties.

End of an era

Fidel Castro to resign as Cuba s head of state

Bush said, while in Rwanda, that he hopes that this begins a democratic transition:

"Eventually this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections, and I mean free and I mean fair," Bush said.

And if not, he continued, the US will give them a good Democratizing.

Kosovo

To the amazement of Serbians and Kosovars, Miloijkslav the Kosovarian ManHog emerged from his winter slumber in a car boot and saw his shadow thus declaring independence for the State of Kosovo. Many think that global warming caused him to emerge early while the car was still driving to the underground car park where the Serbian government usually honors Miloijkslav's yearly emergence in early March. Meanwhile, Bush recognized Kosovar's independence, immediately causing many Kosovars to reconsider the soundness of Miloijkslav's judgment.

A Q&A on Kosovo's future

Downer Cows

USDA orders nation's largest beef recall. Hidden video shows sick cows being abused at plant that reportedly supplies meat to US schools.

Fortunately for me I couldn't get the video to work.

Top Democratic Contenders

From Pollster.com

Tasering kids

Now legal in the UK

While I disagree, I must say that I have encountered some of the most unruly kids I've ever met in the UK, so on some level I can sympathize. But not really, because this, I think, is really bad social policy. Putting tasers in the hands of police crowds out the possibility of other, non-violent, techniques to bring order.

Calling the GOPs bluff

Countdown Special Comment on FISA: President Bush Is A Liar And A Fascist

Good for the Democrats - they showed some spine. Nice! I hope it gives them a good shot of endorphins and they get addicted to it.

TPMtv: '08 Roundup: Episode #12

Comtempt

FINALLY, the House Passes Contempt Resolution against White House Officials

Well, after all that -- after seven months, it's done. The House passed the contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and Harriet Miers, 223-32. Most Republicans, having staged their walk out, did not vote.

So now the ball's in Attorney General Michael Mukasey's court. He's expected to decline to enforce the citation of contempt, since both Bolten and Miers declined to testify as a result of an assertion of executive privilege.

The resolution included both a criminal contempt citation and the authorization for the House Judiciary Committee to sue the White House if Mukasey refuses to enforce the citation. You can read those here.

Obama: McCain 'Traded Principles for his Party’s Nomination'

These aren't bad barbs

I do think that now the economy is just as important in peoples minds as the war.

McCain for torture

Looks like Maverick wants to torture Goose, voting against the Waterboarding Ban (which passed, btw)... or at least appease his base after taking his wild and straight shooting position of anti-torture. What a guy! Bush will of course, veto the bill, but this is a loser I think in the long run for McCain.

How do people poll nationally on torture, anyway? I assume it is about 30/70 (for and against). Hmm, let's google it. Well, in 2004 Americans opposed torturing suspects nearly 2 to 1, and I imagine the fervor has dipped since. According to another poll done in 2006, apparently the Catholics like their torture just a bit more than the rest, I mean, we all saw how successful that Spanish Inquisition was. Actually, that poll shows that of the total public, only 32% say that torture is never justified... Hmm...

And a more recent poll by the ACLU found that most Americans want to end torture and follow the Geneva Conventions (Dems 80%, Independents 87%, Repub 74%)

So I guess McCain really needs his base fired up, but he will lose independents and Obama, assuming he is the candidate, has shown that he can pull independents, so... looks as if McCain is screwed on this one.

Tapping neurophysiology to improve your marriage

Reinventing Date Night for Long-Married Couples - its all about novelty, apparently. Thats why I recommend role-playing :) (and I don't mean D&D)...

Experience versus change

I'm not a fan of Dick Morris, but here is his analysis of Why Hillary Will Lose

Hank Paulson

The Folly of Attacking Iran: Lessons from History

"Broad Search Authority"

US customs agents can examine, copy data from searched laptops

McCain Inspires

Level of education divide

Another angle to discuss on this board is voiced by 'Dr. Retail', who seems to be some kind of alternate persona for David Brooks, who asks "Why would Democratic votes break down so starkly along educational lines?"

My own anecdotal evidence shows this be true in Boston: in Chelsea, the poorest city in MA, 69% of dem voters selected Hillary. Whereas a couple miles away, in Cambridge (Harvard/MIT), 63% of dem voters picked Obama. (I know, this isnt a scientific analysis).

I suppose this is one of the reasons why I think Hillary is more electable, because I think she has greater appeal among the working class. 'Dr. Retail' mentions the 'self-righteousness' of that 'Yes We Can' video, which I cringed at while watching, because your working class couldn't give a rats-ass about those Hollywood types.

Luckily, I don't think the dems have the problem of the two dem candidates fracturing the party the way the republican candidates are fractured, creating open hostility among republicans.

Electability

Here's my pop psychology analysis of the day. Methinks that there are many democrats whose most important criteria for a democratic candidate is that they can win the general election. Depending upon what you think is needed, you might break either for Clinton (knows how to handle the Republican attacks) or Obama (inspirational and draws independents from McCain). For this reason, I think Obama is wise to play up that he beats McCain in the current polls. Also, if Obama takes the lead in delegates after some upcoming causcuses, then that could be a big momentum swing for Obama. People like a winner. In the back of my mind, I always thought that Hilary would win, but I'm not so sure anymore.

In other news, Mitt's exit speech was a real classy act.

Jon Stewart had the appropriate response.

Kenyans agree on joint government

Hopefully this will bring some stability

Kenya's ruling party and opposition have agreed to form a joint government in an effort to end the bloodshed that has engulfed the country since the disputed Dec. 27 presidential election, an opposition lawmaker said Friday.

The two sides were still discussing who would lead the government and what roles each party would play.

"We have finally agreed there is a problem in the country and neither side can proceed on its own," said William Rutto, a lawmaker from the opposition Orange Democractic Movement. "We have agreed to form a joint government. Details of that government, its time and how to share it are under discussions."

Gloves off

The Dem plan to hit McCain

With John McCain poised to win the Republican nomination, Democrats are already gathering ammunition to use against him in the general election.

In more than a few instances, the best fodder has been provided by the candidate himself.

A case in point: As the economy was rising late last year as a major issue for voters, McCain in New Hampshire delivered this grenade, with its pin still in it: "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should," he said. "I've got Greenspan's book."

...

Doug Schoen, a former adviser to President Clinton, says the Democrats must act quickly. "The trick is to get him on the flip-flops and not let him get back to the center where he can be a real force," he said.

The appeal of a flip-flop assault is that it could undermine McCain's reputation for taking tough stands and sticking with them no matter how the political wind blows.

Carter Eskew, a former adviser to Vice President Al Gore, puts it this way: "Go right after his strengths. Take the Straight Talk Express and push it off the rails."

...

On the economy, McCain has tried to distance himself from his self-deprecating comment about his understanding (or lack thereof) of the economy. But his attempts have fallen flat in part because he's made the mistake of alluding to the weakness more than once.

In 2005, he sat down with Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal, and said: "I'm going to be honest; I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated."

On the campaign trail, he's also suggested he'd look for a vice presidential running mate with strong economic credentials to balance weaknesses of his own. He tried to take that one back, too.

Those comments, coupled with McCain's relatively thin economic message, could leave him vulnerable to recasting by the opposition.

...

McCain should be honored for his "half a century of service to this country," the 46-year-old Illinois senator said, but he's "not the person who is going to lead this country in a new direction."

Darn

Looks like Mittmentum hit a brick wall: GOP sources: Romney to suspend campaign

Civics lesson

Ok, so I had to learn exactly who super delegates were, as they might determine the outcome of the democratic primaries... so here is a primer:



and, in other interesting news, it looks like Zell Miller, Mr. Vitriol might salvage a positive legacy just yet. Why? Because of him, Lieberman is No Longer a Super Delegate

Lieberman's endorsement of Republican John McCain disqualifies him as a super-delegate to the Democratic National Convention under what is informally known as the Zell Miller rule, according to Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo.

Agent of Intolerance On McCain

The movement conservatives are not so pleased with Mr. Straight Talk Express.

A Dem split decision

It looks like Obama, by the narrowest of margins, won last night’s delegate hunt. By our estimates, he picked up 840 to 849 delegates versus 829-838 for Clinton; the Obama camp projects winning by nine delegates (845-836). He also won more states (13 to Clinton’s eight; New Mexico is still outstanding), although she won the most populous ones (California and New York). And Obama’s argument that he might be the most electable Democrat in a general election was bolstered by the fact that he won nine red states versus four for Clinton. Yet with Clinton’s overall superdelegate lead (259-170, based on the lists they've released to us), and when you toss in the 63-48 lead Obama had among pledged delegates going into Super Tuesday, it appears Clinton has about 70 more overall delegates than Obama does (1140-1150 for Clinton versus 1070 to 1080 for Obama).

Against Happiness

Happiness: Enough Already

Wilson, who asserts that "the happy man is a hollow man," is hardly the first scholar to see melancholia as muse. A classical Greek text, possibly written by Aristotle, asks, "Why is it that all those who have become eminent in philosophy or politics or poetry or the arts are clearly melancholic?" Wilson's answer is that "the blues can be a catalyst for a special kind of genius, a genius for exploring dark boundaries between opposites." The ever-restless, the chronically discontent, are dissatisfied with the status quo, be it in art or literature or politics.

Romney Vows to Battle On

You go Mitt!

Aaaaakward

Hilary versus ObamaCare

Krugman explains

But as I’ve tried to explain in previous columns, there really is a big difference between the candidates’ approaches. And new research, just released, confirms what I’ve been saying: the difference between the plans could well be the difference between achieving universal health coverage — a key progressive goal — and falling far short.

Specifically, new estimates say that a plan resembling Mrs. Clinton’s would cover almost twice as many of those now uninsured as a plan resembling Mr. Obama’s — at only slightly higher cost.

...

If you combine the economic analysis with these political realities, here’s what I think it says: If Mrs. Clinton gets the Democratic nomination, there is some chance — nobody knows how big — that we’ll get universal health care in the next administration. If Mr. Obama gets the nomination, it just won’t happen.

I totally knew that N.Y. would win

: Obama, Romney Ahead In California

in the latest Zogby poll, both within the margin of error I believe.

Yes we can.

Imagine a message of hope like this versus McCain. Not even close.

This is better

On the FISA bill

So, after all that, after all the back room offers and counteroffers and fear-mongering and delaying, the Senate has finally struck a deal on the surveillance bill, and everyone has agreed to it, including Sens. Dodd and Feingold, so there should be no filibustering this time around. They'll get to voting on it all on Monday.

Most crucially, the Dodd/Feingold amendment, which would strip retroactive immunity for the telecoms from the bill, will only need 51 votes to pass. The same goes for the related Specter/Whitehouse amendment, which instead of offering immunity to the telecoms, would replace the federal government as the defendant in all the lawsuits.

And look, the whole world didn't come crumbling down! Many props to Dodd.