I like the Tomasky-Lowry matchup. Two smart guys who know how to discuss politics across the aisle with civility and respect for one another.

Lowry is one of the shrillest anti-Obama voices out there. One of those mainstream guys who seem to believe all the nuttiest things about Obama the secret terrorist, and the rebirth of Lenin. On abortion, I'd like to ask Lowry what was the purpose of the born-alive bill(the one Obama voted against) when there already an Illinois law that required medical attention for fetuses that survived an abortion. I also want top ask him why, since he's so incensed about Obama's associations, he is not equally incesed about McCain's association to 1. G. Gordon Liddy, who was convicted for firebombing a public building (at least Ayers wasnt convicted) who has hosted several fundraisers for McCain. 2. Oliver North, who sold weapons to the dangerous Iranian regime that McCain now wants to bomb? 3. Ralph Reed who was Jack Abramoff's wing man in several corrupt dealings. 4. Jack Abramoff who 5. The Keating 5 scandal. 6. The crazy Pastors whose endorsements he sought, including this man James Robison, Bush's spiritual adviser who once said "America is doomed, sure as God". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVn3SEHYU2o

Quoting seyoyo: Lowry is one of the shrillest anti-Obama voices out there.

Dude, totally, that's what I was thinking the whole time I listened, I was like "Lowry, keep it down, man, calm yourself already, let's have a civil discussion for once, stop using your shrill anti-Obama voice!"

I think the reason McCain chose Giuliani as keynote speaker is because McCain likes his politics to be personal. My (unsolicited, amateur) psychoanalysis of McCain is that growing up in a military family was not as happy a thing for him as he portrays it to be. I think his rebellious maverick nature is part of his internal conflict, an expression of his suppressed anger against the restrictions and guilt imposed on him growing up in such a rigidly militaristic family, leaving him with a perpetual internal conflict and desire to stir up trouble with his frustrated need for self-expression. He likes and admires Giuliani personally. Choosing Giuliani pleases McCain in some deeply personal way, even though it is a very STUPID choice politically. This is where the personally self-expressive maverick part of McCain becomes self-destructive. I think Governor Jindall (sp?) would have been a fine choice for keynoter. It wouldn't be too soon for him. Obama, after all, was still a state legislator when he gave a spectacularly successful keynote address. But McCain likes to give people the finger. That's what choosing Rudy does. Gives the finger to structured obligatory side of

Certain leftwing bloggers, in noting McCain's detachment from a working-class lifestyle, argue that it's telling that Mrs. McCain II claimed : “In Arizona, the only way to get around the state is by small private plane." My friends, how dare they ? The only decent answer to these class-envy carpers is that none of his critics has paid the price for flying in airplanes that John McCain, POW, has.

McCain is going to pick his VP at the end of this week and Obama supporters will begin to pick the poor guy apart and criticize McCain's choice. He's in a no-win on this Veep thing - because no one he chooses, including awesome Democrat Joe Lieberman with a higher ACLU rating than Hillary Clinton and a 100% NARAL endorsement, will still these shrill voices. But it's important to remember that McCain spent years alone in a POW cell with no Vice Presidential nominee at all to help lighten his burden and help make his case to his tormentors. So these folks who would rather lose a war than a presidential campaign need to stop the attacks.

Quoting brucds: My friends, how dare they ? The only decent answer to these class-envy carpers is that none of his critics has paid the price for flying in airplanes that John McCain, POW, has.

brucds, try harder. What about something like "John McCain wants you to know he has plenty of experience flying a plane, he was doing that when he was shot down and became a POW." Or maybe "John McCain answered critics by pointing out that it was an airplane that carried him home to America from Hanoi where he had been held as a POW."

Quoting brucds: But it's important to remember that McCain spent years alone in a POW cell with no Vice Presidential nominee at all to help lighten his burden and help make his case to his tormentors. So these folks who would rather lose a war than a presidential campaign need to stop the attacks

Again, more effort, brucds! Try tying the POW-mention into the attack being answered. Something like "John McCain can stand up to these shrill voices attacking his VP pick, though, just like he stood up to the shouts and torture of his Vietnamese captors attacking his body and spirit when he was held or years as a POW, as he's happy to tell everyone, so these attacks won't harm him at all."

I fear that the Obama gang are going to begin dredging up the old Savings and Loan scandals to attack John McCain's character. Did I mention that for years John McCain (R.POW) lived as a captive of Gooks (TMc) and didn't have access to any U.S. Dollars at all - whether in the form of savings accounts, loans or campaign contributions. None. Zilch. His pockets were empty. So those who don't connect with America because they are the most famous global celebrity ever need to tread very carefully before they say bad things about POWs before millions of hysterical cult followers.

I read this:http://www.tnr.com/story_print.html?...f-70c43db4246a
And then I wrote this: "Clarifying article: which for me raises the argument that Obama was principled and courageous in voting no to the Illinois legislation. Jerrold Nadler's advice to assent to the bill was tactical and strategic and arguably wise in some tactical and strategic senses. But Linker's piece makes clear there were laws on the books giving full legal protection to any child born, whether of a botched abortion or otherwise. So long as that proposition holds water, the bill was clearly unsubstantial; it was posturing; it was meant to force abortion's hand by working the bill's legislative, educative and cultural impact from after birth to before birth. Obama could have been, like Nadler, *wiser* to have been more "deft" and approve the state bill. And I don't know what motivated Obama to vote against it: principle; his own cost benefit calculus; some of both. But the argument from principle is there to be made: why approve a bill the legislative impact of which is redundant and the real purpose of which is to eventually swamp Roe? As well commenter mjhollerich is incorrect in my view to see infanticide as the

Even as much as I don't buy much of Lowry's spin-driven analysis, this pleasant little discussion reinforces the grim reality that our friend Barack has blown two months of Hillary-free sailing and as Krugman characterizes it, "brought a knife (a pen-knife I might add) to a gun fight." Will his selection of Biden save Obama's ass? (Dem-donkey pun intended.) It was a reasonably astute choice, given he and Michelle just couldn't stomach the alternative, but not even Biden is a miracle-worker. (Also, I notice his rhetoric is adequately sharp, but a little bit loosely strung.) I hope Biden can pull Barack out of the fire, but, no, I don't think so. Now, on to the Convention errors, among which the first is even allowing Michelle to do more than smile, wave, and disappear back into the kitchen to bake cookies. This just reinforces what the McCain people want reinforced for the racists. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The second?: The big stadium speech in Denver. Berlin ego-mania all over again. He'll never live it down, and with his luck, it'll be torrential rain and lightning strikes, spinnable by the right wingers as harbingers of the wrath of (their) god. EW

I think EastWest's suggestion that Michelle Obama be relegated to just smiling and waving is as awesome and insightful as his usual stuff. Kudos. In other news...
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Monday no security agreement with the United States could be reached unless it included a “specific deadline” for the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq. (AP) Apparently al-Maliki would rather lose a war than lose an election. Or something… Isn’t it time for John McCain, who knows a thing or two about losing because he lost 5 planes in the course of his Navy career, to begin directing his fire at the Iraqi government for repudiating his plan to keep American troops in Iraq until John McCain (R.POW) has determined that the war for Iraq has been “won” on terms agreed upon not just by the Shiites, the Sunnis or the Kurds, but also by that oft-forgotten minority in Iraq, the Kagans.

brucds, this one's better, but still not great--you pass up the clear opportunity to mention Sen. McCain's wife's great wealth! Try adding something about how, although he didn't have any money when he was held as a POW--did he mention he was a POW--he has so much money from his wife--his SECOND wife--now that there's no chance he'll fall in with a bad crowd and taint the office of the President with associations with shady characters like Charles Keating. Seriously, it's easy if you put in a little effort. But you're doin' better, keep at it!

East West -- The big stadium speech in Denver. Berlin ego-mania all over again. He'll never live it down and with his luck, it'll be torrential rain and lightning strikes, spinnable by the right wingers as harbingers of the wrath of (their) god.

I agree with you but believe the decision to go ahead with the stadium was made before Berlin was viewed as a net minus. Frankly, I feel that the move was initially made to blunt any lack of enthusiasm on the part of Hillary supporters when the big speech is made by diluting them with hoards of his own and now they are stuck with it. Regarding the weather comment, there were already 4 tornadoes near Denver on Sunday which is almost unheard of for that part of the country resulting in web comments from the far right and Native Americans regarding their Omen potential. In other words why tempt fate? You also really have to wonder if Obama learns from his mistakes. For example his not too subtle 3 a.m. VP announcement didn't win over many from the other side. Why couldn't he just avoid that unnecessary

Quoting brucds: I think EastWest's suggestion that Michelle Obama be relegated to just smiling and waving is as awesome and insightful as his usual stuff. Kudos.

Actually, that doesn't reflect my approach to feminism which is in fact very supportive, but rather the analysis that Obama's foregrounding of his social-matrix issues just juice-up rather than tone-down the incipient racism present in a very high percentage of the General (as opposed to Primary) electorate. So, before going off half-cocked, maybe allow your brain cells to interact with each other to produce a deeper analysis and response. Cheers,
EW

Given the Maliki administration's dangerous and defeatist insistence on timelines for withdrawal of U.S. combat forces in Iraq, I think it's incumbent on John McCain to announce Joe Lieberman as his Vice Presidential pick this Friday - August 29th, 2008. The uncanny timing would be momentous if McCain/Lieberman use it to remind Americans (and that Obamacon bastard Maliki) that 45 years before to the very day - 8/29/63 - another great Democrat "got the message" in a communique from his Vietnam ambassador that "there is no possibility, in my view, that the war can be won under a Diem administration." It's time to up the ante against Maliki.

EW - Like Bill Clinton, you made a stupid leap from my thinking that you were venting predictably based on pinched vision, deliberate pettiness and ingrained biases to the assumption that you were being accused of "sexism." The only point worth making is that you've pretty much shot your wad on this and related questions to near-zero credibility.

Quoting Clingon: You also really have to wonder if Obama learns from his mistakes. For example his not too subtle 3 a.m. VP announcement didn't win over many from the other side. Why couldn't he just avoid that unnecessary gesture when restraint would have served his own personal interests better?

Precisely. He's already got a much-deserved rep for being an ego-maniac. He makes it all the worse when he "plays with people's minds" by playing little drama games like making people hang in suspense not knowing when he'll deign to let them know his VP choice, even though he made a point of stating early on that he'd already made is decision, "but that's all you're getting out of me for now." That's what's really scary about this guy: He really doesn't seem to learn from his experience. Doesn't that sound kind of familiar? (Think GWB.) EW

Quoting brucds: EW - Like Bill Clinton, you made a stupid leap from my thinking that you were venting predictably based on pinched vision, deliberate pettiness and ingrained biases to the assumption that you were being accused of "sexism." The only point worth making is that you've pretty much shot your wad on this and related questions to near-zero credibility.

You still failed to absorb the principle to which I specifically referred which, btw, is undeniable, given the demographic character of the General election voters. EW

And you fail to grasp that I have no interest in engaging a blowhard, boring hack whose shown every card in his deck in any discussion.

Quoting brucds: And you fail to grasp that I have no interest in engaging a blowhard, boring hack whose shown every card in his deck in any discussion.

The quality of your thought and rhetoric make your disinterest in ideas-based discussion abundantly clear. Rave on. EW

"rave on" I'll leave it to other readers to determine whether my economical albeit dismissive comments or your rather extensive diatribes that inspired them fit the definition of "rave."

not "disinterest": you mean "uninterest".

Quoting basman: not "disinterest": you mean "uninterest".

As a noun, "disinterest" means "absence of interest; indifference." As a noun, "uninterest" means "lack of interest; indifference." (These per Dictionary.com) I wrote what I meant and meant what I wrote. EW

Let's not get all huffy and illiterate in the same breath. Disinterest means neutral. Uninterested means not interested in. So for example a judge in a case is/should be disinterested but interested. Get me? If you meant to write what you wrote you need to get your money back for your English courses.
Itzik Basman

Despite the motivation evidenced most recently in your second paragraph - Obama is fundamentally bad because he is not Hillary - I think the conclusion implied of the first three graphs is depressingly likely. That is, the way politics works in this country Obama and the Democrats in general are likely to lose unless they attack, attack, attack. And they are unlikely to do so to the degree required, since they tend to try to emphasize the "change for the better" theme. As noted in some of the more interesting diavlogs not explicitly about politics, human decison making is basically irrational and has ingrained biases toward reacting more strongly to negative rather than positive results. En masse, we are governed more by our fears than our hopes. There is plenty of experimental evidence showing this, and smart people have figured out that they get much better results persuading people to do something by stressing the negative consequences of not doing so rather than the benefits gained by doing so. People say they don't like negative campaigning, but it works. We like to think we are above such things, but like

The McCain campaign in an official statment today disclosed that they were moving their campaign headquarters from Virginia to WingNut World: "The fact that Barack Obama chose to launch his political career at the home of an unrepentant terrorist raises more questions about Senator Obama's judgment than any TV ad ever could. And the fact that he's launching his own Convention by defending his long association with a man who says he didn't bomb enough U.S. targets tells us more about Barack Obama than any of tonight's speeches will." Any criticism of this move of McCain '08 HQ to the outskirts of the popular amusement park, known for it's popular "SwiftBoat Ride", can easily be deflected by noting that John McCain didn't bomb enough targets back in the '60s either, as his plane got shot down and he ended up in a POW camp. Addendum: I think this signals that Mark Halperin was primed by McCain's guys to make that wack comment on "This Week" about McCain being, in effect, ready to roll out the Ayers/Wright garbage truck because Obama "started it" by noting McCain not knowing how

couldn't agree more! If Obama can't get off his empty, ridiculous "hope/change" rhetoric and start really hitting McCain - well then he doesn't deserve to be president - because he obviously doesn't know jack about how the world works. win first. then be magnaminous.

Quoting basman: Let's not get all huffy and illiterate in the same breath.

Disinterest means neutral.

Uninterested means not interested in.

So for example a judge in a case is/should be disinterested but interested. Get me?

If you meant to write what you wrote you need to get your money back for your English courses.

Itzik Basman

Gad, I don't know at which university you studied English, but you do have some odd ideas about the word about which you are pontificating. Refer to the above, or frankly any ordinary dictionary. What's the moon in? "Off Topic"? EW

Quoting popcorn_karate: couldn't agree more!

If Obama can't get off his empty, ridiculous "hope/change" rhetoric and start really hitting McCain - well then he doesn't deserve to be president - because he obviously doesn't know jack about how the world works.

win first. then be magnaminous.

Mais Oui: No room for daintiness here. There are so many ripe targets with McCain as regards character, elitism, war-mongering, phoniness, cluelessness about the economy, and vision of the future that he should have been so picked apart as to be 20 points behind in all polls by now. Unless Barack drops the cheese knife and picks up the AK, keeping the barrel smoking hot all the way into the first week of November, he's dead meat. Biden can do the lion's share of the trench warfare, but Barack himself has to figure out a way to remain genuinely jovial and funny whilst also being ruthlessly take-no-prisoners in his assaults and counter-assaults. (Meanwhile, it would be way nice if he could figure out a way to sound less pompously "wooden" and hence more "real" in his rhetorical style. I don't know where the hell people get this impression that he's eloquent. Maybe compared to

If McCain is such a joke and Obama is practically walking on water why isn't the Illinois senator kicking booty on the various polling sites? Frankly, with the country supposedly going to h in a hand basket I can't figure this one out either. Frankly, I would think any Democratic presidential candidate should be cleaning house at this point. John

Quoting bkjazfan: why isn't the Illinois senator kicking booty

Read through the short thread above for some suggestions.

Quoting bkjazfan: Frankly, I would think any Democratic presidential candidate should be cleaning house at this point.

John

Totally. Obama's had two months of open-field running without the HRC albatross and has succeeded only in destroying his own lead. In fairness, it's not just Obama. The closer we get to the general, the more baldly obvious and more clearly stated (in the poll numbers) becomes the racist character of the broader electorate. I'm afraid, no matter what Barack does, he can't get elected. I predicted that to my Obamaphile son last winter, sort of hoping I was really out of touch with a new supposedly race-neutral electorate, but now I fear I was right. And then I read the news thing about the cops now thinking they intercepted a couple snipers with two rifles (one a sniper rifle) headed towards the convention. Mild nausea, memories of the Sixties, when you didn't know which charismatic free-thinking figure would be assassinated next: JFK, MLK, Malcolm, Bobby ... Then I just read Shafer's piece in today's Slate (http://www.slate.com/id/2198597/) on the actual ultra-creepy nature of Biden's plagiarism history, first five full pages in college, then completely adopting Kinnock's whole persona in his earlier presidency run, and I just about puked. Given the ruthless nature of

Quoting Eastwest: Given the ruthless nature of the right-wing opposition, I'm now feeling way grim about the November election. God, politics is totally pukesville.
EW

You are articulating very well our worst fears regarding this election. I can only acknowledge the same kind of sickness to my stomach when I read how the polls sway. I wholeheartedly hope you are very wrong. I refuse to believe that the people in this country haven't learned after the last eight years of disgrace.
I'm optimistic and also know that we have a couple of months ahead to make some strategic corrections and perhaps motivate people to come out and vote.

Quoting Ocean: ....I wholeheartedly hope you are very wrong. I refuse to believe that the people in this country haven't learned after the last eight years of disgrace.

Gad. I too hope I'm completely off base. This thing really ought to be winnable. Not just winnable, but "landslidable." The Dems have every fact based advantage in their own possession. I mean: What sane person, given the wholesale destruction of the country for the last eight years, could possibly even consider voting for McCain?! It would be just plain nutz! Unfortunately, voters don't really seem to care about facts. Just feed them a little spin-poison and they lap it right up and vote accordingly. History proves it. Ugh! EW

Quoting Eastwest: Unfortunately, voters don't really seem to care about facts. Just feed them a little spin-poison and they lap it right up and vote accordingly. History proves it. Ugh!

EW

I think that's precisely the point. Democrats try to come up with these well-balanced platforms, they appeal to facts and reason. But people respond to something else. They seem to like someone that they can understand and relate to in a very basic and simple way. They seem to be able to take in one message at a time. Something simple and consistent even if it's ridiculously irrelevant. It just makes the candidate predictable. Well, this is totally out of my league...

Quoting Clingon: You also really have to wonder if Obama learns from his mistakes. For example his not too subtle 3 a.m. VP announcement didn't win over many from the other side. Why couldn't he just avoid that unnecessary gesture when restraint would have served his own personal interests better? It implies a certain nastiness, lack of self-control and common sense to me and I have to wonder how that will translate into his Presidential decision making.

I have read that the reason for sending out the text messages when they did had to do with the fact that the news had leaked. The plan had been to send out the IMs starting at 8 am, EDT, but seeing all the headlines, starting around 1-1:30 am, made them think they had to pull the trigger earlier, lest they look ridiculous sending out "first notification" six or seven hours after everyone already knew. It should also be pointed out that it's not really accurate to say that the message went out at 3am, precisely. As I understand it, it took something like four hours for all of the messages to be sent. I guess if you're predisposed to see

Quoting basman: not "disinterest": you mean "uninterest".

I'm with you on this one, basman. I wish people were more careful to preserve the distinction. It's a useful one, since apathy and neutrality are clearly two different states of mind. Unfortunately, too many are not aware of the distinction, and since dictionaries these days lean more towards descriptive than prescriptive, our position is being lost. Eastwest: Citing dictionary.com is kind of lame. Just because the semi-literate rabble misuses the word, you don't have to. As someone who takes pride in his writing, you should embrace the distinction.

Quoting bjkeefe: Eastwest: As someone who takes pride in his writing, you should embrace the distinction.

Dems fightin' woids.

Quoting graz: Dems fightin' woids.

Awesome pun!

Assuming Harriet Christian...I mean EastWest...has bored the shit out of you, there's this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/0..._n_121310.html

Quoting bjkeefe: I'm with you on this one, basman. I wish people were more careful to preserve the distinction. It's a useful one, since apathy and neutrality are clearly two different states of mind.

Unfortunately, too many are not aware of the distinction, and since dictionaries these days lean more towards descriptive than prescriptive, our position is being lost.

Eastwest:

Citing dictionary.com is kind of lame. Just because the semi-literate rabble misuses the word, you don't have to. As someone who takes pride in his writing, you should embrace the distinction.

Oh my, BJ, what a fountain of misinformation you have become! I never thought you'd sucker into that little word-game trap with such an ignorant post based on imprecise recall of a lesson you never really learned. You guys only prove here that neither one of you can make any special claims to literacy. Your grade on this topic: "D-minus." My above-used quick citation of Dictionary.com was just a quick way of proving Gasman wrong (mispelling intentional) whilst hoping to not blow time on a ridiculously off-topic post exposing a command of English stunted at the GED level. OK, you wanna cite a real dictionary for the same answer? See

EW: I won't read a post filled with shouting. If you want me to pay attention to your arguments, resist the temptation to put every other sentence in boldface. All you're doing is making yourself look like you're trying to win by sheer volume. To the extent that I tried to suffer through your tantrum, let me just add this: there's no need to mock someone else's username. It's incredibly juvenile. That's the sort of thing Whatfur used to do, and I doubt you really want to be thought of in that light. Plus, it's another reason for me not to read your words and not to take you seriously. Just so you know.

Quoting bjkeefe: EW:

I won't read a post filled with shouting.

And this post of yours is just evidence that you read my irrefutable reply and realized you were so embarrassingly wrong that to attempt to engage it would result in your abject humiliation in front of your peers. How extremely disingenuous of you, BJ. You've been proven utterly wrong and yet you can't bring yourself to admit the obvious. What a mark of greatness. Perhaps you should run for office. ("Dogcatcher" maybe?) As for altering the poster's name to "Gasman" through changing the first letter of his pseudonym, he deserved it for pontificating about something about which it turns out he was entirely ignorant. As for your own literary credentials, they seem comparable to the recent supposed discovery "Bigfoot" which turned out to be merely a gorilla suit stuffed with rotting roadkill. EW

I agree, but Tomasky, too, started to match with his hype about Clinton-Obama divisions. This diavlog was done just too early. I watched the Obama and Kennedy speeches at the DNC this morning (I live at GMT +9). The way Michelle Obama portrayed her own role in the duo, with her family's struggles, is just something McCain will be hard pressed to match. I can't imagine McCain's stepford robot making such a speech. Kennedy, doddering and all, passed on the Kennedy torch (after all, Biden is only the second Catholic anywhere on a ticket - am I right?). I expect Clinton tomorrow to attack McCain. It fits the script: attack dog does her bit to help. At times the speech veered towards mawkishness. Biden is being refit as a working class hero with deep family roots. Authenticity seems to be the Obama team's strategy to soften the edges of a populist message (rich v. poor) and reach out to the Clintonites. I think McCain's team could now really attack too hard and distastefully. Finally, Lieberman, as a modern-day Tyler, would only be an aisle-crossing benefit for those who are conservative, not for Dems in general. Gawd-forbid, a President McCain drops dead after the inauguration.

EW: I can only say that I for one am happy that you have found a non-lethal outlet for your bitterness. Your neighbors should be funding BH.tv. P.S. Thanks for the lack of boldface in your last. Baby steps, to be sure, but still progress.

If McCain continues to deepens his distance from the majority of the independent, middle-class voters by talking about activities like flying private planes, I think the Dems should play It's a Wonderful Life and stills of henry Potter. As far as biographies, McCain's post-Vietnam story is not very rosy: http://www.tnr.com/story_print.html?...8-fd079b476a0a

A celebrated aviator and POW, McCain was then the Navy's chief lobbyist to the U.S. Senate. Two of his groomsmen were friends he'd acquired on the job--the young Maine Senator Bill Cohen and Senator Gary Hart of Colorado. It was the type of rarefied company that would normally have turned heads at a provincial wedding. But, over the course of the day, it gradually dawned on Cohen that the bride's family was the main attraction. Cindy's father, Jim, was one of the most successful businessmen in the state--the owner of its largest Anheuser-Busch distributorship. The wedding of his daughter was a bona fide social event. "The Hensley family was very prominent," Cohen recently told me. "Having Gary and I there--it may have impressed a few people, but it didn't make an impact. . . . We were walk-ons."

There was, as it happens, one small incident that hinted at this dynamic. At

Dear My Friend Keefe,

It's a pity this diavlog was recorded on Thursday, given Rich's claim that McCain has the "ultimate trump card" to play -- his biography.

It's not the biography, my Friend Keefe. It's my VP Pick, coming this week. Here's some straight talk: Now that B. Hussein Obama has picked my esteemed senatorial colleague, the plagiarist Catholic Joe Biden, I have reconfigured my VP list to include one of the most spectacular girl candidates in human history, Maggie Thatcher! Here is my new and revised VP short list: My Friend Maggie Thatcher. Attributes: Mission accomplished in Faulkland Islands with 650 Argentine scalps to show for it! Loved Ronnie. Never surrendered. Only 83 years old and smart as a whip. Supported Ronnie on Apartheid (never flip-flopped). My Friend and fellow POW Salim Ahmed Hamdan. Attributes: veteran, young, does not crack under torture, completely vetted by Homeland Security. Downside: Infidel with self-proclaimed “boiled mind” from 7 years of Gitmo torture. My Friend Ann Coulter. Attributes: Girl. Young. Reborn. Nice knockers. Downside: Soft on Islamofascism. My Friend Georgian Olympic gold medalist in Sporting Pistol event, Nino Salukvadze. Attributes: Girl. Young. Pro-gun. Anti-commie. Could deliver electoral votes in key home state. Downside: Taller than me. My Friend Dick Cheney: Attributes: Experience. Ready on Day One. Shot guy in face. Appearance: He looks like how I imagine Jesus. Downside: bum ticker, lesbo daughter.

Quoting John M: Dear My Friend Keefe,
My Friend Maggie Thatcher.
My Friend and fellow POW Salim Ahmed Hamdan.
My Friend Ann Coulter.
My Friend Georgian Olympic gold medalist in Sporting Pistol event, Nino Salukvadze.
My Friend Dick Cheney:

Better cool it on the BOLDFACE, John. BJ will never read it. (It's his new rationale for avoiding debates he can't win.) EW

If the Dems want to really get down and dirty and make Tony Rezko look like a relatively small fry operator they should send some opposition research into Arizona and dig up stuff on Cindy's daddy. I think its fair to say he was mobbed-up. He wasn't a major king-pin but definitely carried water for unsavory types who paved his way to the top of the Arizona plutocracy. If someone in a town hall can ask McCain whether he ever called his wife a c***, maybe there's somebody out there who can ask him if his initial political career was bankrolled with dirty, filthy, bloody lucre. This might be that chink in his highly polished POW armor or at the very least enough of a challenge to his honor that when confronted with it he could really blow. By the way, does anybody know who originally said behind every great fortune there's a crime?

Quoting John M: Dear My Friend Keefe,

It's not the biography, my Friend Keefe. It's my VP Pick, coming this week.

Here's some straight talk:

Now that B. Hussein Obama has picked my esteemed senatorial colleague, the plagiarist Catholic Joe Biden, I have reconfigured my VP list to include one of the most spectacular girl candidates in human history, Maggie Thatcher!

Here is my new and revised VP short list:

My Friend Maggie Thatcher. Attributes: Mission accomplished in Faulkland Islands with 650 Argentine scalps to show for it! Loved Ronnie. Never surrendered. Only 83 years old and smart as a whip.

Well, as smart as you, anyway:

In her prime, she was unbelievably well-informed, quick, with a prodigious memory. But her daughter is now confirming that since 2000, her mother declined:

In an extract serialised in a Sunday newspaper, she describes having to break the news of Denis Thatcher's death to her mother more than once. He died in 2003 of pancreatic cancer. "Dementia meant she kept forgetting he was dead. I had to keep giving her the sad news over and over again. Every time it finally sank in that she had lost her husband of more than 50 years, she'd look at me sadly and say, 'Oh', as I struggled to compose myself. 'Were we all there?' she'd

Quoting Eastwest: Better cool it on the BOLDFACE, John. BJ will never read it.

Quite the contrary. I found the use of boldface in the Senator's post appropriate and helpful. He was setting off headings, not shouting, and not trying (and failing) to make weak points seem strong.

It's really a shame that Michelle Obama and the Dems don't take the advice of sages like EastWest. The woman completely blew it...oh, wait a minute. “Michelle and the girls were a homerun for Dems tonight,” Wingnut Crank Kathryn Jean Lopez writes at The Corner. From Obamacon A. Sullivan, who'd been dissing the convention: "One of the best, most moving, intimate, rousing, humble, and beautiful speeches I've heard from a convention platform. Maybe she should be running for president. You don't need any commentary from me. This was a home-run." Later: "(I)t succeeded in the most important task. Michelle did it. She more than did it. She struck fear in the GOP tonight. Their lies about the Obamas will fail. As they should."

Quoting baltimoron: How many real men are ruled by fantasies..?

Uh, basically all of them, yeah? Also, I'm not sure "John McCain: Not a REAL Man" will work as a bumper sticker, but best of luck!

Quoting John M: Here's some straight talk:

I have reconfigured my VP list to include one of the most spectacular girl candidates in human history, Maggie Thatcher!

My Friend Maggie Thatcher. Attributes: Mission accomplished in Faulkland Islands with 650 Argentine scalps to show for it!

My enemy friend JohnM, Why do you provoke me? Let's have some straight talk here. I don't know what gender Margaret Thatcher was interpreted to have at birth, but by the time she became UK PM she was no woman! She had balls! Yes, she did! I don't know what surgical procedures or supernatural powers were invoked but she was no feminine nurturing creature. Now, there's nothing wrong with that. But let's get the facts straight. So that you know... Now, about the Islas Malvinas issue. Back in that almost pre-historic time, my noble country of origin was neutral to the conflict. I personally favored (in spite of my very young age) to have the Malvinian second-class British citizens decide what to be. And their sheep should also have a right to self determination, after all. Having said that, what really, really turned me off were those vicious Gurkhas... They took the war seriously! They didn't realize that these South American countries have "let's pretend" armies. Sort of regular

Quoting brucds: It's really a shame that Michelle Obama and the Dems don't take the advice of sages like EastWest. The woman completely blew it...oh, wait a minute.

“Michelle and the girls were a homerun for Dems tonight,” Wingnut Crank Kathryn Jean Lopez writes at The Corner.

From Obamacon A. Sullivan, who'd been dissing the convention: "One of the best, most moving, intimate, rousing, humble, and beautiful speeches I've heard from a convention platform. Maybe she should be running for president. You don't need any commentary from me. This was a home-run." Later: "(I)t succeeded in the most important task. Michelle did it. She more than did it. She struck fear in the GOP tonight. Their lies about the Obamas will fail. As they should."

If she did succeed (I didn't watch it as I wouldn't have a TV in my house if you paid me), good. More power to her. But success "in-house" in front of the already-converted choir is one thing. Success with the swing-voter idiots who, whenever reminded of the racial component of this contest, move farther and farther away from voting their own genuine economic interests--that's actually quite another task. I suspect they're aggravated all the more by this sort of thing. Sounds like she had

EAST WEST: What sane person, given the wholesale destruction of the country for the last eight years, could possibly even consider voting for McCain?!

It did seem that way a few months ago but a lot of things have transpired since then so I believe that a portion of Blue Dog and DLC Democrats are fairly comfortable voting for McCain who has been seen as challenging Bush on torture, lack of boots on the ground early on, getting rid of Rumsfield and some other issues. Add his amenability to the reality of climate change and the environmental and he is perhaps the only Republican who is acceptable to these folk. I know that Bill Clinton once remarked that the Reps were smart in nominating John McCain and I have to agree. Although racism is part of the mix in this election I still believe that Obama would have had a much clearer path to the Presidency against any other opponent.

Quoting Eastwest: If she did succeed (I didn't watch it as I wouldn't have a TV in my house if you paid me), good.

Judge for yourself.

Quoting Ocean: But I want to add a final piece of advice. I would suggest that you consider Hillary as your VP. Sharp, unrelenting, balls! Your kind of gal! Come on, JohnM, use your imagination. Be creative! Daring!

LOL! Can you imagine? The sound of that many rightwingers' heads simultaneously exploding would deafen us all.

Esatwest, for whatever reasons I have not paid you any attention around here until this thread. Breaking my rule about getting at all personal: you are a strange, little dude. Itzik Basman

Quoting Clingon: Although racism is part of the mix in this election I still believe that Obama would have had a much clearer path to the Presidency against any other opponent.

Your probably right about that. EW

Quoting basman: Esatwest, for whatever reasons I have not paid you any attention around here until this thread.

Breaking my rule about getting at all personal: you are a strange, little dude.

Itzik Basman

Sounds like your still smarting a little from having your literacy-pomposity exposed. That's OK. It's natural. EW

Quoting bjkeefe: Judge for yourself.

She pulled it off in fine style and manifesting a human three-dimensionality which I would love to see Barack manifest more fully and more often. It would help immensely in neutralizing the "Empty Suit" charge which has dogged him for so long now. Thanks. EW

Dear My Friends Chiquita Banana and Keefe, Thank you for your support! Especially on my use of bold, my friend Keefe. Here's a little known fact: I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Not a lot of people know that. I lived for 5 and a half years without using bold. The Cong banned bold. If I want to use bold, I'll use bold. And here's some straight talk: I did consider HRC for my VP. Hell, Hill would be on anyone's short list. The problem with my esteemed colleague is not that she lacks testicular fortitude. As Ocean has pointed out, she's got quite an enviable basket in the crotch dept. And it's not that she's pro-abortion and anti-life. Hell, her vote for the Iraq War redeemed any liberal leanings she may have had as a young Wellsely commie. Her comment about obliterating Iran out-war-monged me and John Bolton combined! That alone puts her in a testosterone class unmatched by anyone not literally a member of a more macho species like Gorilla beringei, As you know, real gorillas live in Africa and do not have Green Cards, so they are out as VP. That's why Bush picked Cheney. He sneered and

John M, thanks for the hillarious posts. Unfortunately I can't give you my vote until you answer two questions: 1. "Have you stopped calling your wife a cunt?"
2. "When you call her that, do you do it in boldface?"

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: John M, thanks for the hillarious posts. Unfortunately I can't give you my vote until you answer two questions:

1. "Have you stopped calling your wife a cunt?"
2. "When you call her that, do you do it in boldface?"

Dear Uncle Ebe, Some people here (like the Comment Nanny and I) have been trying really hard to clean up Johnny's toilet-mouth. Why are you trying to make him relapse? Besides, you should learn how to spell correctly. It's B-A-L-D face. Don't confuse the man, he can barely hold it all together... Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Ocean
(B-A-L-D Ministry of Defense)

It's as bad as McCain for President: "He Endured the Hanoi Hilton; He Can Endure the White House" Or: "McCain: A POW Knows How to Lead In a Disaster" Or: "McCain: The Fox in the Lobbyist Hen House" Or: "McCain: A Leader Any Lobbyist Could Love" Or: "McCain: Because Barbie Is Still a Role Model for Our Daughters and Wives" Or: "McCain: Please Give Me My Reward for Marrying a Trophy" McCain, real character, right!

Dear My Friend Uncle Ebeneezer, Thank you for your support! I am happy to answer your questions.

1. "Have you stopped calling your wife a C-word?"
2. "When you call her that, do you do it in boldface?"

I never called Cindy “c-word,” not in bold, not talking dirty in bed, not anywhere or anyhow. Here’s what happened and how it was MISreported by the lying liberal MSM: For several years I had an assistant -- a guy from Baton Rogue -- whose name was Mike Hunt. So one morning during the 2000 campaign I said in a normal voice, “I can't find my Yankees cap or my jelly beans. Where the hell is Mike Hunt?” George Bush, who was campaigning against me at the time overheard this conversation and quipped, “Do you always talk about your wife that way, you stupid queer with an illegitimate black daughter?” So I hit him over the head with a chair. He kicked me in the gonads and whacked me with a lava lamp. And then it was over. We hugged, kissed and made up. Boys will be boys. George apologized. The President is a good guy. I like how he kisses. Not too wet (unlike Cindy, speaking of the devil). Then there’s this other

Quoting John M:
War is peace (trust me, I was a POW, I know stuff you don't),

John

Yeah... like kissing George...

Quoting Eastwest: She pulled it off in fine style and manifesting a human three-dimensionality which I would love to see Barack manifest more fully and more often. It would help immensely in neutralizing the "Empty Suit" charge which has dogged him for so long now.

Thanks.

EW

You're welcome. I'm glad we saw some of the same good things in Michelle's speech. I'm not sure how much more Barack should go for that approach. I suppose it's worth considering, if the "empty suit" idea is something that really bothers people, and is not just something to say because one doesn't like him for other reasons. On a related note: I read something yesterday about a focus group that got some news hours, because one or some of them had said something about "not knowing" Obama. (Can you say "fit into the narrative?") The guy rolling his eyes about how many people pounced on this story said that this is exactly the sort of thing that people say in focus groups all the time, because it sounds sort of smart (or at least not dumb), and it's the kind of thing people who haven't made

On a related note: I read something yesterday about a focus group that got some news hours, because one or some of them had said something about "not knowing" Obama.

Yes, that's hilarious. I'm convinced that both campaigns are now vying only for the illiterate vote. Everyone who is not in a coma has long ago made up her mind about the election. Unless some major gaffe or world event intrudes, no informed opinions will change. There is a bloc of educated independent waverers, but I think their numbers are greatly exaggerated. So it's down to the people who believe Obama might be a Muslim or who care if Michelle bakes cookies vs. talks sassy or who need to get pumped up by some inane display of McCainian flag-waving and international belligerence. Hate to sound like an effete liberal snob, but that's all that's up for grabs -- the clueless vote.

Quoting Wonderment: ... or who care if Michelle bakes cookies ...

Argh. That's almost as irritating as "guy you want to have a beer with." Never did I like Hillary Clinton so much as when she cut loose with disdain on this trope, way back in 1992.

Hate to sound like an effete liberal snob, but that's all that's up for grabs -- the clueless vote.

As much as I hate sweeping generalizations, there's a lot of truth to that.

Ok John, I accept your story. But I still won't vote for you. How can I respect anyone who managed to get shot down by a 3rd world military..."failed mission" is the only way I can see it. I expect more from a president. And you really should have done the right thing and committed suicide to keep any secrets you had safe from the VC, but you selfishly decided to keep living, as if somehow your life was more important than your country. Have you no shame? For what it's worth, if I were married to Cindy I bet the C-word would slip out from time to time.

Quoting Wonderment: ...but that's all that's up for grabs -- the clueless vote.

But that's a way larger sector than you seem to realize. Cluelessness, after all, is the American way. EW

Quoting bjkeefe: ....
Part of the problem might be that he has a personality that if you like him, you might call "cool," and if you don't, you might call "aloof." To this end, I'm not sure what there is to be done about it. There's a big risk of coming off as phony if someone who is not "folksy" tries too hard to present as such.
....

Your right that if he can't just make it happen naturally, then he would come off weirder even than now. Like artifice stacked on top of artifice. I just can't believe his interpersonal persona (as, say, with real friends) is at all as "wooden" and artificially "presidential" as his typical speech-giving persona. I was only suggesting he let in just a little more of what he's really like when not "on the stump." That's all. But, yeah, it could be he just doesn't have it in his DNA in which case he should simply "stand pat" I suppose. EW

BTW- Kudos to HRC for that great speech. It really raised my opinion of her. She showed alot of class in using her inflience to do the right thing. And she made some great jabs at the GOP. Good stuff. I'm glad she's on our side. Bring it on McCain!

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: BTW- Kudos to HRC for that great speech. It really raised my opinion of her. She showed alot of class in using her inflience to do the right thing. And she made some great jabs at the GOP. Good stuff.

I'm glad she's on our side. Bring it on McCain!

Still looked to me (watching the NYT link to MSNBC feed) like she was in some pain at the beginning with her voice sort of constricted and not so well modulated and her phrasing-timing not as natural and convincing as I'm used to hearing from her. But that wasn't a matter of not trying her best. She really did seem to try her best and by the time she'd warmed up and gotten into it, you really couldn't ask for more than she gave. I'd have sworn I heard booing at the very beginning and at other points as well and if so, hearing that (as she surely would have been able to), that could have dampened her effervescence a couple clicks. It can't be easy trying to work a crowd half of which you know is really, really invested in

She seemed pretty enthusiastic to me (and so did the crowd.) A little choked-upedness would be expected given the emotional nature of the setting. But it didn't seem like she was "mailing it in" in the least. Best of all, she made a strong case for why people who care about the issues she cares about, need to vote for (and support) the Democratic nominee. She said it herself, it's not about her anymore, it's about stopping John McCain. With a Democrat in the oval office and Hillary in the Senate, there's no telling what we could achieve.

Quoting Eastwest: I just can't believe his interpersonal persona (as, say, with real friends) is at all as "wooden" and artificially "presidential" as his typical speech-giving persona. I was only suggesting he let in just a little more of what he's really like when not "on the stump." That's all.

It's a good suggestion, if he can do it. Some people just can't, though -- they have an in-person air and an on-stage air, and they can't make the two completely blend. The classic illustration of this, for me, was hearing my old landlord, a staunch Republican, rave about how warm Mike Dukakis was when he got a chance to talk to him at a party. There's the flip side, too: many articulate and emotive people cannot bring it on the big stage. Hillary Clinton is a good example of this (I haven't seen her DNC speech yet) -- when I hear her in small groups or debates or in interviews, she's impressive. When she hits the big stage -- nothing. Wooden at times, and at others, downright phony. She cannot, in particular, pull off exhorting a crowd by any stretch. She's as bad as George HW Bush at this. Of course, these are highly subjective reactions, and all I can say about Obama is that

Quoting bjkeefe: Granted, these were shot with the idea that if they "worked," they'd be released to the rest of the world, but I do think they give opportunities to see him in a different light. I wonder what your reaction is to these two videos.

Hmmm. OK, that answered my question about why he defaults to speaking on the stump the way he does. Maybe I'm just too hard to please or, more likely, I just don't have "chemistry" with this guy. But he just seems kind of "drained" and frankly "boring" to me when he "goes natural" like this. Not wishing to seem uncharitable, I think people who find him personally charismatic are bringing to the encounter a big charge of their own hopes and dreams which amp up their sense of awe. Probably best he just keep doing what he's doing persona-wise while pulling out all the stops in focusing on how to neutralize and counter the rising tide of Republican slime. Sometimes we just have to settle for the cards we've been dealt. I'm hoping it's a winning hand. Thanks. EW

After watching both Clinton and Michelle Obama deliver their speeches, with support from Schweitzer and Warner (who wasn't as good as his keynote spot would predict, but still delivered his "future versus past" message), and listening to Paul Begala, I can see a strategy forming. 1. Michelle Obama is the middle-class touchstone who is also more of a Hillary-like First Lady, too. 2. Joe Biden, gaffe-prone at worst, is the attack dog. He's landed more than a few zingers in the primary and this past weekend. But, he's got the style independents in the Midwest and Appalachia will admire. Hell, I grew up with his type of rhetoric and I like it. 3. I say this as a Clinton voter since 1992. Both Clinton and Bush, as boomers, introduced a sordidness into the office of the Presidency. Clinton was too casual and current; Bush makes sewer politics an art form. All that's missing from both is the Johnson-Nixon thugs. Both made permanent campaigning a part of governance, to the detriment of the political class and the bottom line. I think Obama is trying to rise above the fray without giving up any firepower, to restore presidential authority. I think this strategy is now coming into shape

Quoting Eastwest: Hmmm. OK, that answered my question about why he defaults to speaking on the stump the way he does. Maybe I'm just too hard to please or, more likely, I just don't have "chemistry" with this guy. But he just seems kind of "drained" and frankly "boring" to me when he "goes natural" like this.

Perfectly understandable. We react to different people in different ways. Where you see "drained" and "boring," I see gravitas and a low-key manner. I have the sense that I'd greatly enjoy talking with him one-on-one. I would not even object to having a beer with him.

Not wishing to seem uncharitable, I think people who find him personally charismatic are bringing to the encounter a big charge of their own hopes and dreams which amp up their sense of awe.

I think, here, you're as much projecting your own visceral dislike as anyone else is projecting their own hopes and dreams. I highly doubt that many people could simultaneously be fooled into thinking him attractive. I do grant that he has the knack of letting people project onto him somewhat, though. I have to say, I don't think this is such a bad thing. If a country wants to turn itself around, people have

Balt: Most of what you say, I more or less agree with. This:

Also, I think McCain is a one-man show, with no help, like Obama has. If Obama can rise above the fray, then the GOP's nastiness will stick to McCain personally because there's no other place for it to go.

I'm not so sure about. A lot depends on the MSM, and how willing they are to stop bending over backwards on his behalf. You always hear the Villagers, even the supposed liberal ones, excusing him to the point of outright denial -- "He's not really like that ... I know he hates that he has to do this ... that's not him doing that, it's just his underlings." It'd be funny if the stakes weren't so high.

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: BTW- Kudos to HRC for that great speech

I was about to watch it, but decided to have a look at Kucinich's first. Anyone here care to speculate about the hidden subtext of the music they played while he was walking to the podium? (Watch/listen.) Love Rollercoaster? Now, I like the Ohio Players as much as anybody, but ... oh, wait. Just figured out my guess. Yeah. Where he comes from. Probably better than Neil Young's "Ohio," anyway. P.S. I liked the "Wake up, America" riff starting at about 2:26.

I love the pep talk video. "Because we won we now have no choice. We have to win." That's great. It's weird how people just don't want to hear what Obama's saying. It's easy for people who are against him to pretend he's the simulacrum that McCain and the villagers are putting out there. I mean, anyone who thinks he's an elitist and McCain is not needs a dictionary. There are rational reasons to be against Obama. Making up all this shit is just pathetic. Folks in the reality-based community can see he's pretty much your basic wonk who can make a great speech. Bill Clinton with discipline. Anyway, he stuck to his plan in the primary and it worked. I don't doubt he knows what he's doing now either. So far he's been a f#&% of a lot smarter than the villagers.

Bravo, Dennis!!! I liked the dedication to Stephanie Tubbs Jones I liked it all, actually. Up with peace!

"No way. No how. No McCain."

Quoting bjkeefe: ...I think, here, you're as much projecting your own visceral dislike as anyone else is projecting their own hopes and dreams. I highly doubt that many people could simultaneously be fooled into thinking him attractive.
....

Well, not hard to see why you'd think of it in those terms, but I think I'm over the primaries and don't now have anything either for Obama or against him. (Like, why bother, anyway?) With me, rather than being anything like "visceral dislike," it's now more like what goes on between a dead magnet and a piece of wood. No there there. Rather than explain it away in the manner that you do (...highly doubt that many people could simultaneously be fooled, etc....), I tend to just see these "generational affinities" whereby each generation tends to think the other is pretty damn clueless while gravitating en masse towards very different figurehead characters or cultural pre-occupations, this even though neither the politicians nor the music possess any genuinely transcend qualities not brought there by the observer. (Though I can't think of any politician, not even Bobby Kennedy, who I really thought all that worthy of reverential admiration.) So, for instance, maybe I and others of like

Quoting Wonderment: "No way. No how. No McCain."

Yeah. She done good.

D. Aristophanes: "The Unknown Souljah."

EW: FWIW, there's a part of me that hopes Obama is the impetus to a return to some of the good parts of the 1960s mindset. Corny as it might sound to the resident Gen-Xers. Also FWIW: I always loved Herbie Hancock and Jimi Hendrix. (I'm a little annoyed at your generational bias which caused you to snub Duke Ellington, though.) We're in agreement about the likely benefits of 500 mics for pretty much everyone who hasn't had the experience. But you've exposed a gap in my knowledge: Pharoah Sanders? (Added: Yes, I have since Googled and YouTubed.)

Quoting claymisher: I love the pep talk video. "Because we won we now have no choice. We have to win." That's great.

Glad you liked it.

I mean, anyone who thinks he's an elitist and McCain is not needs a dictionary.

I agree, somewhat. But there are people who can't get past someone who insists on giving nuanced answers, who went to an Ivy League school, and who speaks at his educational level. Especially if they only listen to Fox and Rush telling them 24/7 that he's is an elitist and McCain POW is POW a POW hero. And then, it must be admitted: for some non-trivial fraction of the country, "elitist," here, is codeword for "uppity."

Folks in the reality-based community can see he's pretty much your basic wonk who can make a great speech. Bill Clinton with discipline.

Nice! I don't think the Big Dog would like to hear that, but there's no doubt that we'll never see Obama in a cartoon like this. Also, credit where it's due: For as queasy as the patented catch-in-the-throat and other Clintonian tics made me, he was very good at convincing people that he understood their problems and fears. Ahh, that's too cynical. He was just plain good at relating to

Quoting claymisher: I mean, anyone who thinks he's an elitist and McCain is not needs a dictionary.

I forgot about this.

I checked out Pharoh Sanders a couple years ago, mainly because one of my favorite drummers (Will Calhoun, of Living Colour) frequently collaberates with PS. I was somewhat underwhelmed by his music. I love jazz, so I liked it, but wouldn't put him on my short list by any stretch. The whole generational difference meme, is one that I'm thoroughly tired of. I was tired of it when my parents said it to me when I was a kid 20 years ago. Tired of it now that my friends are starting to use it about how things are so different than when we were growing up. Things change, but not all that much. You can either adapt or sit around and be bitter. To me, it's an obvious choice. EW- there is plenty of great music out there nowadays. And it's far more accessible than ever before. If you need any suggestions, I can point you to all kinds of good stuff.

I was reading something somewhere a day or two ago, in which the writer speculated that Obama's plan all along was to hold fire on the attacks until "the rest of the country" starts paying attention; i.e., after the conventions. The idea here is that only the strung-out junkies like us pay attention to day-to-day politics during the summer, and all Obama would have to show for a summer of attacks is a vague reputation of running a negative campaign.

I think this makes alot of sense. He can have Bill (who totally rocked tonight), Hillary and Joe Biden go out on the attack, while he can continue to play the good cop role that has been appealing to so many. Then when the time is right and he has a justification he can get a little nasty but only after he's been provoked.

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: I checked out Pharoh Sanders a couple years ago, mainly because one of my favorite drummers (Will Calhoun, of Living Colour) frequently collaberates with PS. I was somewhat underwhelmed by his music. I love jazz, so I liked it, but wouldn't put him on my short list by any stretch.

Excuse me: I was only referencing Pharoah Sanders as I heard him live in the late Sixties and on one particular album: Tauhid, in particular the longest cut on that album. It was one of those total brain-cleansing blow-out over-the-edge mind-benders pushing the mind into timelessness. Like so many others, he might well have gone plastic as he got older and jazz became less popular and he searched for something you could actually make a living at playing. There's a real problem with sometimes-great musicians: They often, chasing popular trends, go from sparklingly marvelous to god-awful and unlistenable. (After all they're just people.) Drugs can do it, chasing commercial success can do it. No arguing that Herbie Hancock was really something fine, but he, too, lost me as he moved into the next decade. Still got some satisfaction out of jazz going down to the Keystone Corner in North Beach (SF) even into

EW, I wasn't knocking your like of PS or suggesting that you were naming him as a perennial guy, I just felt like weighing in with my opinion of his playing. I agree with everything you said about so many jazz guys losing their edge and selling out to chase success. Well said. For what it's worth: Brad Mehldau, Ben Allison & Man Sized Safe, the Bad Plus, and Kurt Rosenwinkel are all doing some VERY interesting stuff in the jazz world nowadays. I think you might like them.

Un fur gettable. Just back from China...don't @#$k with me.

Quoting Whatfur: Un fur gettable.

Just back from China...don't @#$k with me.

Did you win any gold medals?

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: EW, I wasn't knocking your like of PS or suggesting that you were naming him as a perennial guy, I just felt like weighing in with my opinion of his playing.

Uncle Eb, I didn't take it as a knock at all. I was just riffing on the issue of "identity groups" featuring in the Dem primaries and in election races in general. (The Joshua Knobe - Kwame Appiah DV was kind of nifty in exploring this much more deeply.) Thanks for the suggestions. Cheers, EW