President Obama's Weekly Address - December 22, 2012

The President and First Lady Extend a Holiday Greeting and Thank our Troops for their Service

First Lady Michelle Obama: DNC 2012 Convention Speech

Fired Up, Ready To Go!

President Obama in Columbus, Ohio today.

"This is a make or break moment for the middle class, and we've been through too much to turn back now."

Let's Compare!

POSTED BY JHW22

We have alarming levels of heart disease, diabetes, childhood obesity--and all of these maladies are on the rise. Now, I won't stand here and lecture--for very long--but health care reform on an individual basis is often just this simple: we could save a lot of money, and a lot of grief, by making smarter choices.

It starts by ending destructive habits, and beginning healthy habits in eating and exercise. In my case, it's hard to slack when you have the ever-present example of an Iron Dogger nearby. But many of us could use a little more time in our great outdoors--and when you live in the Great Land, there's no excuse.

Protecting good health is largely a matter of personal responsibility, but government policy can help. Our new Alaska Health Care Commission will recommend changes that affect the well-being of Alaskans far into the future.

The emphasis is mine. The words are Sarah Palin's in her State of the State Address in 2009 -- two days after Michelle Obama became First Lady and 18 days before the First Lady launched her "Let's Move" initiative to accomplish the same things Sarah Palin laid out in her plans and speech. Sarah Palin quit her job about 5 1/2 months later, whereas Michelle Obama is still working her butt off to accomplish these goals.

What does the First Lady force on Americans through her "Let's Move" initiative?

Helpful tips and step-by-step strategies for families, schools and communities to help kids be more active, eat better and grow up healthy.

How does Sarah Palin interpret that?

"And I know I'm going to be again criticized for bringing this up, but instead of a government thinking that they need to take over and make decisions for us according to some politician or politician's wife priorities, just leave us alone, get off our back and allow us as individuals to exercise our own God-given rights to make our own decisions and then our country gets back on the right track."

Considering the "Let's Move" agenda sounds just like Palin's agenda as governor, the question is, why she isn't claiming the First Lady stole the plan from her, just as Palin claimed Obama stole the "Change" messaging from her?

Breast Pumps

POSTED BY JHW22

Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin have a beef with boobs. Since I consider those two women boobs, I guess I do, too.

But seriously, folks, MB and SP are mad that Michelle Obama is encouraging women to pump their breast milk AND take the tax exemption a breast pump now qualifies for as a medical expense. Now, you'd think that Grizzly Mama, family values lovin, baby-havin, women would be with the First Lady on this issue. And because they aren't, you KNOW they're just grasping at straws.

Here's why MB and SP should support the First Lady:

Breastfeeding is good for the baby and the mom.

Exclusive breastfeeding for six months has many benefits for the infant and the mother. Chief among these is protection against gastro-intestinal infections which is observed not only in developing but also in industrialized countries. Early initiation of breastfeeding, within one hour of birth, protects the newborn from acquiring infections and reduces newborn mortality. The risk of mortality due to diarrhoea and other infections can increase in infants who are either partially breastfed or not breastfed at all.

Breast milk is also an important source of energy and nutrients in children 6 to 23 months of age. It can provide one half or more of a child's energy needs between 6 and 12 months of age, and one third of energy needs between 12 and 24 months. Breast milk is also a critical source of energy and nutrients during illness and reduces mortality among children who are malnourished.

Adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, as well as lower rates of overweight, obesity and type-2 diabetes. Breastfeeding also contributes to the health and well-being of mothers; it reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer and helps space pregnancies -- exclusive breastfeeding of babies under six months has a hormonal effect which often induces a lack of menstruation. This is a natural (though not fail-safe) method of birth control known as the Lactation Amenorrhoea Method.

Pumped breast milk is good for the baby and the dad (hey! don't go there!)

Hooray for Hands-on- Dads! Three cheers for helpful grandparents, relatives and friends! Hats off to day care providers! With mom pumping and you giving the baby bottles of breast milk, you're giving your baby the best nutritional start and following The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that babies ideally receive breast milk for the first year of life. Not to mention being hands on with your baby and saving both time and money. Pumped breast milk is low cost compared to formula and you can't even compare the quality. Don't forget that a breast pump is a one time only investment; if you buy formula it can cost you as much as $2000.00 a year.

A breast pump helps the family by allowing the mom to go back to work sooner to help pay all those new bills that come with a baby.

Really, families who make a lot of money are the ones who can claim the deduction (since the standard deduction makes the breast pump deduction moot) and we KNOW MB and SP love rich people.

Don't Republicans always WANT tax deductions?

And hey, if there's a breast pump, there's a baby. A breast pump means the woman didn't choose an abortion. That right there should be reason enough to get on board with the First Lady's encouragement of breast feeding and buying breast pumps!

EDITOR'S NOTE:  I wanted to add a couple of things on this subject.

First, here is the new information for the dedcution:

The IRS ruling on the tax deduction savings states that the new deduction "will allow mothers to use pretax money from their flexible spending accounts to cover the cost of breast pumps and other supplies. Those without flexible spending accounts may deduct breast-feeding costs if their total unreimbursed medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of their adjusted gross income and they itemize."

Now there will probably be debate from those who think this a frivolous deduction, or whether all breast pumps should be included. A hand breast pump goes for around $50. A electric/battery operated breast pump can cost upwards of $350 and some much higher. So is someone taking advantage of the tax deduction by purchasing the more expensive pump?

The short answer is no. While it may seem a luxury to get a double pumped electric model with leather seats as a opposed to a single shot Model-T version with roll down windows, the fact is that the time, efficiency and effort saved is well worth the money. And from experience, as you can throw your back out cranking up that old Model-T, you can actually cause carpal tunnel flareup or repetitive motion injury using a manually operated breast pump.

And let's not forget that 7.5% threshold for the deduction. They more money you make, the less likely you'll be eligible for the deduction.

Secondly, does hypocrisy know no bounds? Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, both mothers of five, should be the last people to criticize Michelle Obama's support of breastfeeding. While breastfeeding isn't for everyone, we all know the benefits of it. So did a certain governor just 3½ short years ago (emphasis mine):

WHEREAS, breastfeeding is recognized as an unequalled means of providing food for infants.

WHEREAS, throughout their lives, breastfeeding can offer children protection against serious health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Breastfeeding also saves lives by reducing the incidence of life-threatening cancers in women and preventing premature death in infants.

WHEREAS, breastfeeding forms the most basic bond between mother and baby and is a foundation for lifelong health and wellness.

WHEREAS, government and community organizations have a vested interest in protecting and promoting breastfeeding as a means of preventing infant malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality.

WHEREAS, during October, organizations throughout our state will promote the importance of breastfeeding. This year, in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week - October 1 through October 7 - the State of Alaska will support networks that encourage and promote breastfeeding in all communities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim October 2007 as:

Breastfeeding Awareness Month

Just further proof that Palin and Bachmann are unserious goofballs who will oppose anything that arises from the Obama administration for the sake of being contrarian just to stoke their base, even disagreeing with philosophies and ideals with which they were once proponents.

- Broadway Carl

Oh, Grow Up!

POSTED BY JHW22

I just watched Joan Rivers on Lawrence O'Donnell (no link as of yet) and I will paraphrase it this way:

I think Obama needs to "get to work"; not go to Nantucket while telling Americans to go to the Gulf Coast; while in a recession not send your wife and her forty friends to Europe; I hate the "death tax."

OK, although some of that is fair criticism (the Obamas COULD have vacationed in Louisiana but there are reasons pro and con for that debate), some of Joan's criticism is incorrect and catty (the forty friends in Europe for example). She said she voted for Obama but her rant sounded almost like Fox talking points to me.

When she said she is against the "death tax" I knew she was a victim of right-wing spin. She went down the "I worked hard for my money" path. And that, aside from sounding like a Fox guest, made her sound like the biggest bitch (which is a totally appropriate term for a woman who made a career using that word) in stretched skin. Let me see: she thinks she worked so hard for her millions and wants her daughter to get it all and she's mad that her daughter will have to pay too much in taxes. Is that right? Well, hmmm... if JOAN worked hard for the money then you can't say Melissa worked hard for the money simply by being her daughter. If you think freedom from taxes is correlated to work exerted, then estate taxes aren't the car you should be chasing because the worker is dead and the recipient just sat there inheriting money.

Now, early in Joan's career she did work hard. And I am sure she puts hours into her current career. But excuuuuussse me, but earning millions while insulting clothes and hair does not, in my opinion, equal hard work that should be free of any taxes when given to her daughter -- who did even less hard work while doing the same lame-ass job simply because she's your kid.

You make millions of dollars, spend a huge chunk of that on your face and then you want to whine to me that your no-talent daughter has to pay taxes on the chunk you've left her? Hey, Joan: GROW UP.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Here's the video.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Pedestrian Deaths? Michelle Obama's Fault!

No, really. Some idiot is trying to link an uptick in pedestrian deaths to Michelle Obama's "Get Moving" program.

Governors Highway Safety Administration spokesman Jonathan Adkins told 630 WMAL that Michelle Obama is "trying to get us to walk to work and exercise a little bit more. While that's good, it also increases our exposure to risk."

After four straight years of steady declines, pedestrian deaths were up during the first six months of 2010, the latest figures available to be studied.

The article goes on to mention that other factors include distracted pedestrians, distracted drivers, "aggressive pedestrians," and alcohol. But hey, why take a look at real causes like walking/driving while texting when you can just blame the uppity black woman in the White House?

S#*! Sarah Palin Says (S'mores Edition)

Apparently, Sarah Palin's take on the Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity means she can't have dessert.

"...in the latest episode of Sarah Palin’s Alaska, [P]alin rooted around for s’mores ingredients and then said that it was “in honor of Michelle Obama, who said the other day we should not have dessert.”

What makes this woman so full of hatred? Is it her bitter campaign loss? It is a realization that she's not as smart as she thinks she is and needs to lash out? Is it a petty need for attention and confrontation where none exists? How sad this woman is; everything she says and does is a direct response to perceived slights, including her agitation during her dwindling book signings.

Let them eat cake -- or whatever

POSTED BY JHW22

Michelle Obama is NOT telling parents what to feed their kids. There isn't some food Gestapo in America. A parent can send their kid to school with a paper sack full of lard if they want. All she is saying is that if schools are going to use tax dollars to feed kids, those tax dollars should provide healthy meals. So if you want to spite Michelle Obama, go ahead and pack some slabs of bacon and blocks of caramel for your kid's lunch. That'll show her.

Oh, and by the way, what does Sarah Palin have against farmers? Doesn't she know that Michelle Obama's initiative is good for farmers?

Hey, if Sarah Palin can send her kid around the country telling teenage girls not to get pregnant, I think the First Lady should be able to tell families they should try to eat healthy and get some exercise. But apparently food is a taboo subject for some.

Edit: Or as my husband put it, "We can talk about nookie but not about cookie."

Brain Dump

POSTED BY JHW22

OK, so I've been away for a while and that last post felt good. But I need to get a few things out that aren't really post-worthy. More reflection and curiosity than anything deep and thoughtful:

I fear I am inadvertently raising a Republican. My child hates change. He likes the Christmas tree but is mad that I moved a bookshelf to put the tree up. He hates when I change throw pillows. He hates the new toothpaste. He falls apart over transitions. He falls into ritualistic OCD. SEE! He's a Republican. What am I doing wrong? ;)

Why did Bristol Palin drive to LA for DWTS? Her mom flies all over the country on private jets and she can't bother to send her kid to LA on a plane? Is it so she could have a "truck" in LA? Or was it just for a story? And really, a truck? Who is she? Scott Brown?

Did people call Laura Bush a fascist for encouraging parents to read to their children? No. So why can't Michelle Obama encourage healthy eating and *gasp* exercise without being labeled a Nazi? I have a friend in a small red-state town who seriously fell into the trap of blaming Michelle Obama for the cafeteria menu changing to things her kid hates. The whole town is in an uproar over Michelle Obama personally changing every elementary school menu in the country. Yet, I don't hear them yelling at Rachel Ray for doing the same thing. Shame on that hyperactive speed-cooker for trying to discourage crappy eating habits. Personal freedom means being able to raise an obese child if a parent chooses. Don't tread on them and don't make them use a treadmill, damn it.

Wikileaks: Someone needs to plug that leak. Transparency is one thing. Theft is another. And really, it pisses me off that it's not even an American who has single-handedly decided what to do with our documents.

I cheer each time a judge determines that the health care law isn't unconstitutional.

The DADT study is exactly what I thought it was going to be: a review of what the effects of repeal will be and how to move forward. I wish people like Rachel Maddow and Bill Press, etc, etc, would have realized that sooner rather than acting as if it were a survey about whether to repeal. They really ranted about a lot of nonsense. Much Ado About Nada.

I like Secretary Gates.

I think I'll be writing another Palin post soon. Trying to figure out how to write something thorough and organized. I tend to lose my mind when thinking about her and I want to be clear and linear and make relevant connections. Trying to manage that when discussing the walking chaos factory is hard.

She's So Classy

A former governor who quit in the middle of her term to take advantage of her new found celebrity status and laugh her way to the bank, Sarah Palin decides to rehash hackneyed attacks on Michelle Obama in her latest book she didn't write, proving she's as much of a sore loser as her senile, creepy running mate, John McFlip-Flop.

In a passage on perceptions of racial inequality in the United States, Palin slams President Barack Obama, who, she asserts, "seems to believe" that "America -- at least America as it currently exists -- is a fundamentally unjust and unequal country."

And then she goes after Michelle Obama:

Certainly his wife expressed this view when she said during the 2008 campaign that she had never felt proud of her country until her husband started winning elections. In retrospect, I guess this shouldn't surprise us, since both of them spent almost two decades in the pews of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright's church listening to his rants against America and white people.

Must we go down this road again? Of course, Palin's ghostwriter doesn't use quotes from that Michelle Obama speech because she didn't say she was "never proud of her country until her husband started winning elections." What she did say was this:

What we have learned over this year is that hope is making a comeback. It is making a comeback. And let me tell you something--for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction, and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment. I've seen people who are hungry to be unified around some basic common issues, and it's made me proud.

Afterwards, the First Lady further clarified her remarks by noting that she was referencing the "record number" of young voters participating in the political process in the 2008 campaign:

For the first time in my lifetime, I am seeing people rolling up their sleeves in way that I haven't seen and really trying to figure this out, and that's the source of pride I was talking about.

What? Sarah Palin's ghostwriter lied? Say it ain't so, Mama Grizzly! And the added racism in that last line, sitting in "Reverend Jeremiah Wright's church listening to his rants against America and white people" is really something else. Nothing like overtly calling the Obamas racists in her latest screed to gin up the wingnut base and get them properly angry and/or scared for 2012.

ADDING... Ms. Wasilla also thinks that leaking quotes from her upcoming book without her permission may be illegal. What a nitwit.

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.

The Non-Existent Double Standard

The more I think about these last few Carrie Prejean meltdown interviews, the more it pisses me off. It may be that the ladies on The View actually gave her her most challenging interview to date. And without fail, Prejean brings up liberal media double standard. Or should I say the non-existent liberal media double standard.

I suppose it feels real to her after participating in softball interviews on Hannity or some other Fox show. But as she appears on other shows, as evidenced on Larry King, I think she thinks she can dictate how the interview goes. Sure, you're going to get uncomfortable questions when not surrounded by supporters, but that's how these things work. If you write a book about yourself and start publicizing it at the same time that it's revealed that you made a sex tape, lied about the age at which you made it, then the fact comes out that there could be a couple of dozen of them at a LEGAL age, which you also lied about, you might wind up being in a couple of situations that don't feel so homey.

And her accusations continue to have the mainstream media by the balls. For any criticism by talking heads or news outlets about a Republican or Conservative, especially when that criticism is truly warranted, they are all accused of the "double standard" that Carrie Prejean was whining about. How many times has that idiot already said, "If Sean Hannity or Bill O'Reilly said some of the things about Michelle Obama or Sonia Sotomayor that Keith Olbermann has said about me, they would be off. The. Air." They know it's coming. They've seen previous interviews. And they know that that pretty, little vacuous head of hers can't hold too much information except for the usual talking points, but do they prepare for a rebuttal?

Something like, "Well, actually, Hannity has constantly taken quotes from Michelle Obama's Princeton thesis completely out of context to make it sound like some racial views she was quoting were her own. Did you know that? Did you watch Fox News Channel at all during the election when pretty much every program was characterizing Michelle Obama as a bitter, militant, angry black woman?" But nothing. Prejean, and every other Republican or Conservative frankly, attacks the non-existent "liberal" media bias and the talking heads walk to the corner with their tails between their legs and don't bother challenging that lie for fear of being labeled "liberal."

But fine. Let them keep propping up Prejean's tome, the life of a 22 year-old beauty pageant queen. Riveting reading. Let Oprah hawk Sarah Palin's new, five chapter book. Then let's see Palin run in 2012. It's a win-win, and you know the GOP is quaking in its shit-kicking boots. If she runs on a Conservative ticket she'll fracture the party and the Democrats win just like NY-23. If the Republicans are stupid enough to nominate her, they'll lose the Independents and the Democrats win. Sit back and think for a minute on a debate between President Obama and Sarah Palin. Oh. My. God.

Do you think he'll have to bone up on some winking and some fancy pageant walkin'?

Outrage, Please.

First it was the Stimulus Bill/Monkey shooting editorial cartoon and now comes word that South Carolina Republican party activist Rusty DePass felt the need to insult Michelle Obama with an ape characterization.

A prominent S.C. Republican Party activist is in hot water after describing an escaped gorilla at a South Carolina zoo as an “ancestor” of First Lady Michelle Obama.

The exchange occurred after Trey Walker, an advisor to S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster, posted an innocuous Facebook update about this morning’s escape of a Western Lowlands Gorilla from Columbia’s Riverbanks Zoo.

Walker’s harmless update, however was followed by a highly-questionable comment from longtime SCGOP activist and former State Senate candidate, Rusty DePass.

These people are just crawling out from under their rocks lately. Daily Kos has more.

Adding... I wonder if this story will get as much play as David Letteman's "slutty flight attendant" joke?

Seriously?

RNC: "As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan's theater district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills," the GOP said. "Have a great Saturday evening -- even if you're not jetting off somewhere at taxpayer expense."

I'm waiting for them to figure out the cost of security and gas every time President Obama decides to go out to lunch for a burger.

Hey, douchebags, he's the fucking President. Security is what is required especially in light of right wing extremism and domestic terrorism. I'm too lazy to do it, but it's only a matter of time before someone exposes this latest hypocrisy and finds a story of former President Bush taking Air Force One to a rodeo and tractor pull or some monster truck rally. Besides the fact that the RNC got their facts wrong again (as usual):

The president and first lady Michelle Obama flew to New York from Washington on what a White House press pool report called a Gulfstream-type plane, rather than one of the larger craft that serve as Air Force One, Politico reported.

The Obamas also reportedly paid for their own tickets and dinner. When the hypocrites figure out how much taxpayer money was spent on Bush's 900 vacation days with Air Force One flying to Crawford, TX practically every weekend, then maybe they'll see a little perspective. Until then, they should remember that Obama is president, he won the election and unless they have something of substance to say, they should just shut the fuck up.

Wanda Sykes Is Funny

Does that joke make her a racist?

Hannity Uses Dixie Chicks Reference While Criticizing President

Pot, meet Kettle.

The latest Sean Hannity head explosion found Hannity criticizing President Obama for comments made during his European Union trip and accused him of the "Blame America First" meme, said Obama was "doing his best Dixie Chicks impression" and then proceeded to bring up Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers and Angry Michelle Obama.

"America is arrogant. That's what Mr. Obama said today, doing his best Dixie Chicks impression.... [T]he liberal tradition of blame America first, well, that's still alive. But should we really be surprised from a man who sat in Reverend Wright's church, from a man who launched his political career in the home of a man who bombed the Pentagon and is unrepentant. Mrs. Obama may not be proud of her country, but I bet she's proud of her husband tonight. [...]

So remind me again, what were the Dixie Chicks vilified for? Oh, right - for criticizing the President. The irony immunity continues.

The worst part of the whole thing, but par for the Hannity course was the omission of President Obama's statement in which he criticizes the EU for it's range of casual to "insidious" anti-Americanism, being too quick to blame America and ignoring the good that the US does. But that would blow a hole in Hannity's rant, right? Douchebaggery knows no bounds.

(H/T Steve Benen & Bob Cesca)

Brave New Films: Michelle Obama

Robert Greenwald calls out Fox yet again on their attacks and smears of Michelle Obama.



You can sign the petition here.

Defending Obama On FISA

I woke up Friday morning to an e-mail in my box from the Obama campaign. It was a two and a half minute video of Barack Obama and his announcement that he was foregoing public funding for the campaign.

"Join me and declare your independence from this broken system, and let's build the first general election campaign that's truly funded by the American people."

So I gladly donated for a second time to Senator Obama's campaign. I spent the rest of the morning writing a rebuttal to an Obama smear e-mail and taking great joy in sending it to every schmoe that ever e-mailed me crap like that and giggled as I imagined their faces as they read. On my way to work, I felt good for the first time in a while, sending some cash to Obama and fighting the lies. I actually felt a spring in my step.

Then I got to work and read this: House Passes New Steny Hoyer/FISA Bill. KAPOW!

It took me a couple of minutes to regain my breath, and just as I was starting to feel better, I read this: Obama on FISA - "It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives - and the liberty - of the American people."

KABOOOOOM!!!! Kicked in the balls!

Still seeing stars, I decided to take a deep breath, count to ten, and try to sort this all out. Steny Fuckin' Hoyer... that's where the anger needs to be directed. Hoyer and Nancy "impeachment is off the table" Pelosi.

Think about it. It's been barely two weeks since Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign and endorsed Barack Obama. The most recent polls show Obama leading McCain in swing states, rewriting the fucking electoral map by the minute. No scandal du jour to speak of - Rev. Wright is forgotten, and guest preacher Father Michael Pfleger's Hillary rant was the last straw that caused Obama to actually sever ties with Trinity United Church of Christ. Even Michelle Obama co-hosted The View to improve her image and show the world that she's always been proud of her country. A hard stance on the "compromised" FISA bill voted in the House would fan the flames of dying embers.

He's stuck between a rock and a hard place and it's the House Democrats who put him there. The worst part of the whole thing is that it always seems like the Democrats in Congress don't know what the fuck they are doing. Maybe because they really don't. They are so petrified of being perceived as soft on national security that they capitulate to the whims of a lame duck president who made us less safe in the first place; and they don't realize that the capitulation itself is what truly makes them look weak. It makes the Republicans look like they were right all along.

Let's take a step back and realize that through it all, Barack Obama is a politician. And at this point in time, it's not wise to come out in harsher tones than is necessary regarding a crap FISA bill that still has to pass through the Senate.

Unfortunately, before you can say "telecom immunity", the liberal blogosphere goes apeshit and acts as if Barack Obama just ran over their dog. Twice. Atrios calls Obama "Wanker of the Day." Digby is "tempted to say this is a Sistah Soljah moment." It's understandable to a point. But why trash our own Democratic nominee and likely next President of the United States before we've gotten him out of the wrapper?

Here's John Cole's reaction to the liberal freakout entitled "Things I Learned Today":

Obama can not snap his fingers and magically change the minds of hundreds of Democrats elected by people other than Barack Obama, and because of it, he does not deserve the votes of the netroots.

Also, compromise means getting everything you want, not just shifting the debate and working to remove portions of a bill that you find objectionable. Compromise to the netroots is much like George Bush’s definition of compromise. Who would have thunk it.

Additionally, Obama apparently hates the Constitution.

The last thing I learned today is that the ideal candidate goes down with the ship. It does not matter if that candidate was right on the issue all along, did everything he could to win the fight, but that he must go down with the ship. It does not matter if the fight is already over and the battle lost, real candidates try to maximize the loss by inflicting political pain on themselves.

You all make me cranky. Enjoy President McCain, whiners.

And he makes a good point. Is Senator Obama supposed to slit his own throat with a FISA tantrum to satisfy his loyal base, damn the consequences? Don't forget that he also said this in his statement: "It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses."

And is he the only Senator opposed to this bill? Did everyone forget the existence of Russ Feingold? Or Chris Dodd? Filibuster away. My hope is that Harry "Poopy Pants" Reid will get all flustered because nothing else is getting done in the meantime and table the bill. And if they are able to strip the retroactive immunity from the bill, then Mensa Man will veto it anyway and at least the Dems can say they tried, but Georgie doesn't care enough about national security and too much about the corporations that did his evil bidding in the first place.

So chill, people, or I will hide your Firebird keys. Direct your anger at the cowards who voted for the bill.

My other thought (initially, while I was still angry) was that both sides are knee deep in shit (would that be so surprising?) and this is a way for the whole thing to go away. Immunity equals the end of getting the bottom of things and finding out the truth. If there are Democratic hands that are as dirty as Republican ones, then the bill will pass. And that would make me very sad indeed.

And I started the day with a spring in my step.

Time For Bill O'Reilly To Go

Don Imus gets fired for his "nappy headed hos" comment regarding the Rutgers Women's Basketball team. Kelly Tilghman was suspended for two weeks from the Golf Channel for saying last week that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley." David Shuster was suspended from MSNBC for his "pimped out" comment regarding Chelsea Clinton's role in her mother's presidential campaign bid. The list goes on and on as far back as Howard Cosell and Jimmy the Greek.

And now we have Mr. No Spin Zone, Bill O'Reilly with his "lynching Michelle Obama" comment regarding her misquoted statement about "truly" being proud of her country. The man is unhinged and has proven time and again that he is a racist and it's high time he should be fired or forced to resign.

Of course, we know it's never going to happen.

Bob Cesca: It's not just his flippant threat to "lynch" Michelle Obama. It's the Sylvia's Restaurant rant. It's the wetback remarks. It's the white power remarks. All of it. How many other reporters, personalities and celebrities need to be suspended and fired while Bill O'Reilly, time and time again, gets a pass? Instead, FOX News and Roger Ailes enable his prime time behavior because Bill O'Reilly's radio and TV shows are, of course, somewhat popular among similarly simplistic dolts.

Let's get this straight. This is what Michelle Obama said. "For the first time in my adult lifetime I'm really proud of my country, because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback." Immediately, Fox News and all the right wing nuts actually edited out the word "really" to make it sound as if she'd never been proud before this statement. Take a look. Or just Google "Michelle Obama proud country" and you'll get dozens of wingnut websites and edited videos to peruse for yourself. It's so ridiculously obvious that it is outrageous to me that those who want to believe the smear actually do. And yet everyone jumps on the bandwagon including Cindy McCain without knowing the actual quote.

Well, here's an actual quote by O'Reilly. "I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels -- that America is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -- then that's legit. We'll track it down. "

Unless there's evidence?! We'll track it down?! Jeebus Christ! The man is putting conditions on the idea of lynching someone. It just so happens that the "someone" is the African-American wife of the likely African-American Democratic presidential candidate.

Do you think we'll get an apology from O'Reilly? Absolutely not. He never apologizes because he knows that to this date, there have never been any repercussions for any of the offensive, racist, outrageous things he's spewed in the past.

Here's Olbermann last night:

It's time for O'Reilly the Racist to go. Fired? Angry... mob? Either would suit me fine.