Publicity Stunt

Last night I received a text message from a family relative:

Beck to go on leave of absence because he loses feeling in his hands and feet?!

To which I immediately responded:

"God's vengeance!" (If I believed in God.) That's what he gets for making fun of a family whose house burned down. It's probably a publicity stunt."

Then I read this piece of shit and I knew I was probably right.

Glenn Beck is setting himself up to be a martyr. It's sad, really. This pathetic excuse for a man is so insecure despite his fame and fortune, despite his status as the quintessential confidence man of the 21st century, that he is now losing feeling in his extremities.

Who knows? If true, maybe it is stress related. God knows it has to be very stressful to be making over $30 million per year on the backs of ghostwriters, conning helpless rubes hanging on your every word, and the realization that the bullshit you spew daily has gotten so out of control, it has pushed a quarter of the country to the verge of canning food and stocking ammo in preparation for the Rapture, that even a douche like Beck may be suffering from guilt.

But I doubt it.  Maybe he just wants a vacation... but due to his opportunistic, manipulative ways, is making it look like it's all just too much for the Beckster. After all, there's nothing like having millions of rubes not only follow you religiously, but while you're at it, you may as well have them be concerned over your well being in order to give your ego a hand job in the process.  Check out the comments section to see what I'm talking about.

(H/T Elvis Dingeldein)

Hickgate

By now you've probably already heard about West Virginia senatorial race where Republican nominee John Raese put out an call for actors who look "hicky" and "blue collar" to use in an Obama bashing ad and tie his Democratic opponent and WV Governor Joe Manchin to the President.  The backlash was so bad, they immediately pulled the ad.  But Manchin wasn't going to let it go away so easily.

Great response ad.

Colbert's Fearstock.com

Classic!

Must Reads

Chez Pazienza: I, Sanchez

Dana Milbank: Conspiracy theorists find validation from Glenn Beck

Jackie Calmes: Activism of Thomas’s Wife Could Raise Judicial Issues

Bob Herbert: Policy at Its Worst

Gail Collins: Awful, Awfuler, Awfulest

President Obama's Weekly Address - October 9, 2010

Strengthening Education, Not Cutting It

Time Flies

Today would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday.

Seventy years old.  I was fourteen when he was gunned down in front of his apartment on West 72nd Street and Central Park West in front of The Dakota.

It's eerie to think that I am now four years older than Lennon was when he was killed. And strange that 30 years have already passed since that day. But I'll leave the details of that night and the event s that followed for a post on December 8th.

In the meantime, mark your calendars for November 22nd, when PBS will air LENNONYC, an American Masters episode, and check out this NPR interview.

In What Resepect, Sarah PAC?

POSTED BY JHW22

Sorry for yet another Sarah Palin post but she just provides a plethora of observation opportunities. Sarah Palin's PAC, Sarah PAC, states on the front page:

Sarah Palin's Official PAC
Dedicated to building America's future, supporting fresh ideas and candidates who share our vision for reform and innovation.

And on the FAQ page:

How will contributions be spent?
... SarahPac will support local and national candidates who share Gov. Palin's ideas and goals for our country.

Now, when I read those two points, I think that donations pay to fund candidates via Sarah's support. And when I see Sarah Palin at a rally for a candidate she is endorsing, I make the assumption that Sarah PAC paid for her travel and lodging. Maybe I am naive, but when I see her collecting donations to support candidates, I expect her to use those donations to do so.

Looking at her last FEC release, it appears Sarah PAC donated $92000.00 to candidates for the calendar year by the July quarterly date. We'll see what that year-to-date total is since then soon when the next quarterly report comes out. Considering Sarah PAC received $1,258,297.37 in donations from average Joe and Jane Grizzlies, I wonder what THEY think they are funding.

I wouldn't really be asking except that it turns out Karen Handel, who ran for Governor in Georgia, is hurting after "Palin’s demand of a $92,000 private jet and a $13,000 hotel room left the campaign $83,000 in debt." Now, most people are criticizing Palin for bankrupting Handel but I have two points:

1) Karen Handel should have had more common sense than to go into debt -- if she REALLY is a fiscal conservative. ;) ;) So shame on her. 

2) What the hell does the Sarah PAC pay for? If she raises money to support candidates and then charges for a private jet and a fancy hotel, then, um, doesn't something seem just not right here?

I am not an expert on PACs -- in fact I doubt anyone really is because there are more loopholes than in an afghan crocheted for a blue whale -- but I am pretty sure there's some sort of double-billing by way of misrepresentation or something clever like that.

So you support candidates with your PAC, Sarah? In what respect?

Todd Palin E-Mail Outed By... Joe Miller!

That tweet was in response to the leaked Todd Palin email going apeshit when Joe Miller would not come right out and say Sarah Palin was qualified to be president. Because as we all know, it's quid pro quo in the endorsement arena, isn't it? The link in that tweet takes you to a Weekly Standard article (Bill Kristol to the rescue) with a Todd Palin statement trying to explain his email away, and of course he blamed the lamestream media in the process for leaking a private email.

My family has worked hard in supporting Joe Miller, so when I heard he'd said something less than supportive of my wife's efforts, I responded. But it turns out we'd gotten our wires crossed and Joe hadn't said anything like what I'd been told. So there's no story here except the fact that the press put our personal emails online again, and again couldn't even be bothered to conceal our email addresses or take any steps to protect our privacy.

We don't know who leaked the email.

Well, we do. It was none other than Joe. Fucking. Miller!

In attempting to forward the email to his advisors, Joe mistyped his own domain name. Idiot.

Via The Immoral Minority:

...the Senate candidate released a statement Wednesday declaring the messages were “picked up by an owner of a similar domain name, unconnected with the Miller campaign, and then apparently leaked by that owner to the media.”

...So Yale graduate, and constitutional expert Joe Miller accidentally leaked an e-mail showing him getting his ass chewed by the husband of the woman who single-handedly made him a household name? And then TODD tried to blame the MEDIA?

So go fuck yourself, Sarah & Todd Palin. These Wasilla Hillbillies are just pathetic.

Oh, by the way Sarah, would it kill you to just add the 'g' in "trying" instead of using an apostrophe in your sorry attempt to be all folksy while tweeting?

REALLY?!?!

POSTED BY JHW22

I must admit I am pretty sickened and angry right now. I have no plan for what to write because I can't even wrap my head around an email I received and the subsequent shit I found while Googling about the photo in the email. I don't want to link to any sites that support my post because I don't want to give any of these fucking idiots the hits. If you want to see what people are saying about this photo, you can Google and find dozens of sites that prove one thing: Republicans would rather insult the First Lady of the United States over her clothing choices than even TRY to give her or the President an ounce of respect all while minimizing the solemn event that was photographed.

I have taken my share of heat for saying that I actually like Laura Bush. And when people challenge me on that they have valid points related to policies and principles. But I have never heard that I should not like her because of her clothing. I have never heard she was disrespectful to the country or our military because of an outfit.

Michelle Obama attended a posthumous awards ceremony for Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti. His mom and dad were there to receive a Medal of Honor from the Commander in Chief. But the right-wing blogosphere blew up with catty, vile, insulting comments about Michelle's dress. Her dress!

The award ceremony was in September 2009 and YET I received an email TODAY where someone has Photoshopped her dress to look like a pinata. Yep, you can Google Michelle Obama and pinata dress and see what I mean.

I don't care if people like her dress or not. A member of our military died. The President of the United States awarded him the highest honor. And people suggest that Michelle Obama was tacky because of her dress. I'd say that the lack of class falls on anyone who would take a solemn moment and turn it into one more excuse to dehumanize a woman who is serving her country with dignity and compassion. But for some reason (her party, her race, her intelligence, her beauty) people want to make her into a monster because of a dress.

Some of the comments I read made me wish I'd never received that damn email with the pinata Photoshop version of the dress. My friend actually thought the dress was real but with enough hesitation to write "No way???". Someone sent that to her today. Fortunately, she only sent it to me. But it's FUBAR'd that the criticism of one dress on one day is riling the right one year later via the magic of the intertubes and classless emails from classless people.

I hope no one else's medal ceremony is belittled in the manner again.

Palinectomy

POSTED BY JHW22

First of all, if you haven't checked out the blog, The Mudflats, written by AKMuckraker -- aka Jeanne Devon -- you should. Well, you should if you are interested in an Alaskan's perspective on politics or how Alaska politics has become more relevant since a certain woman strutted her stuff across a stage and changed the world as we know it.

Jeanne Devon broke the story about the Palin's fancy cabin that was never properly assessed for taxes, thus they shorted their taxes for a few years. That was a fun week in Palin-watching. And now Devon exposes a secret email written by Todd "Who's Running This Show" Palin to Joe "I Already Measured for curtains in My New Senate Office" Miller and it wasn't a pretty showdown.

The post by Devon was one of the last things I read last night and the first thing I saw on the TV this morning. Everyone is talking about Todd's email, asking what it says about a potential presidential run and what it says about the Hatfields and the McCoys, I mean, the Palins and Miller. But it's Todd's response to all the hoopla that I find most fascinating.

Here's the portion of the initial email that I want to draw attention to:

he can’t answer a simple question “is Sarah Palin Qualified to be President”. I DON’T KNOW IF SHE IS.

Now, to be fair to Todd, Joe Miller wasn't asked if the half-term opportunist was qualified and Joe Miller didn't answer no or I don't know. He was asked if he would support the quitter-in-chief if she runs. How did he answer? Well, he took the long way around by saying (around the 7:35 mark) that's not his race and that she's a star within the party while emphasizing that Joe Miller, who refers to himself as Joe Miller so I will also, didn't make any deals for dual endorsements. Joe Miller doesn't deal. And that is what seems to have everyone all a flutter. Because Todd implied that there is a quid pro quo in the now infamous email:

Joe, please explain how this endorsement stuff works, is it to be completely one sided.

That seems to go against the Joe Miller standard of no deal making (which, sorry to burst the "new" Senator's bubble, but deal making is part of politics and life) which he made quite clear, repeatedly, when asked if he had given assurance of his endorsement of her in exchange for her endorsement of him.

But again, I draw your attention to Todd's statement:

he can’t answer a simple question “is Sarah Palin Qualified to be President”. I DON’T KNOW IF SHE IS.

Because after the whirlwind the email caused, Todd said this:

when I heard he'd said something less than supportive of my wife's efforts, I responded. But it turns out we'd gotten our wires crossed and Joe hadn't said anything like what I'd been told

Frankly, after watching Joe "Fred Astaire" Miller dance around saying he'd support her, I'd say he was "less supportive". He may not have said "I don't know if she's qualified" but he certainly didn't give the support the Palin's expected. So what I think we're seeing is a rewriting of history. Todd was mad about lackluster support from Miller but after being embarrassed by it, he thought he could pretend, and America would accept, that Joe "I Approve This Coded Message" Miller gave a glowing endorsement simply by implying as much.

Now I wonder how Todd will react to this statement made by Miller:

We know that we have a constitutional requirement for somebody that's gonna run for President. Of course she's qualified.

Funny, I recall that same throwaway line being used about Obama by people who had no intention of endorsing him ever. Which by the way reminds me that perhaps we should find some footage or quotes of people saying that about Obama and shoving it up the birthers' asses. But I digress...

See, I think Todd had it right the first time. Joe "I Don't Make Deals" Miller isn't about to answer the question in any way suitable to the Palin camp. Todd can rewrite history all he wants but Joe Miller is plowing ahead without her. He got the endorsement and now he's throwing her to the wolves (do I hear helicopters coming to save her?). And I am pretty confident I know who leaked that email. Seems to me Joe "I Look Like Chuck Norris" Miller ain't takin' shit from the Palin clan.

P.S. I am the last person to criticize Todd Palin's grammar but Holy Crap Strunk and White! His grammar is ten times worse than mine on a bad day.

Rally to Restore Sanity Satellites

POSTED BY JHW22

Friend of the blog, Vera Lynn, has been busy today finding resources for satellite rallies for people who can't get to the epic Rally to Restore Sanity in Washington, D.C. but desperately want to show their spirit and sanity. She found a link with thorough listings of events around the country (and even in the UK).

So check it out and see if there's one near you.

If Sarah Disapproves, It's Probably True

Via Political Wire:

...Meghan McCain says she was exasperated that the media "only focused on Sarah Palin [during her book tour]. In every interview and review it was all Sarah all the time."

She also notes that Palin "made it known to me, via an email to a third party, that she was not pleased with me or what I wrote in my book."

A Sense of Humor

During a speech at Fortune Magazine's Most Powerful Women Summit, the Presidential Seal falls off the front of the podium. Wittiness ensues.

The Human Race Is Screwed

Due to complaints from customers, Frito-Lay, the makers of SunChips, are going back to using regular plastic bags for its tasty treat instead of the biodegradable bags they currently use. The reason? The bags are noisy. Let me repeat that. They are discontinuing the use of biodegradable bags in five of its six flavors of SunChips because fucking idiots are goddamned inconvenienced by the noise the bags make.

The bags were launched in April 2009 with a big marketing effort to play up their compostability because they're made from plants and not plastic.

...Spokeswoman Aurora Gonzalez said the company received complaints about the noise from the bags, although it also received thanks from customers who liked being able to recycle them.

So the decision was made to remove the bulk of the biodegradable line.

"We need to listen to our consumers," she said. "We clearly heard their feedback."

We are so fucked.

Limbaugh on Family Guy

For those of you who missed the Rush Limbaugh episode of Family Guy, enjoy.

Fair and Balanced (The Carl Paladino Threat Edition)

While there was a pretty wide range of coverage of NY Gubernatorial Tea Party/default Republican candidate Carl Paladino's threat to New York Post reporter Fred Dicker, YouTube's LiberalViewer does a great job analyzing Fox News' convenient omission of Paladino's impression of a 1940's mafioso. I suggest subscribing to his videos.

Beck Reveals Himself To Be Most Despicable Human Being On Earth

Glenn Beck thinks health care reform is bad. Because of government involvement. Because it's "enslaving the American public." Oh, and by the way, slavery was not really evil until the government got involved.



Besides being completely wrong and just pulling things out of his ass about the history of slavery, he's equating slavery to participating in health care reform. This guy will say anything, ANYTHING, to put his audience into a frenzy. And the rubes who listen to his daily insane rants take it at face value, without fact checking or reasonable analysis.

Now call me crazy, but there's got to be some kind of blowback from these abhorrent statements. If not from the sane people of the world, there must be at least one of his listeners who'd think to question Beck's deranged train of thought. At least one, no?

If you're a Beck fan, I'd ask you to take a step back and seriously question what it is that makes you follow someone who is obviously a narcissistic, sociopathic, financial opportunist. Glenn Beck is clearly a confidence man.

Donald Duck Meets Glenn Beck

Via Roger Ebert: "Wise to watch it NOW while it's still online."

Quote of the Day

"All he has to do is apologize to us, and we'll hire him back."

~ Jon Stewart on the firing of CNN's Rick Sanchez after Sanchez called Stewart a bigot and claimed that Jews control the media.