You Think I Work for YOU?
AXELROD himself, Barack Obama’s right-hand man, is too hip to even have a desk. He sits on a leather beanbag chair, with his feet up on a beanbag ottoman for support. He does all his work on his iPhone and iMac, which rest on a side table next to him. For his guests, other beanbag chairs are casually strewn about. A large metal box sits on the coffee table in the center of the beanbags. It has no markings or buttons whatsoever, but it is clearly very important due to its central location. A small Exacto knife sits beside it.
A knock sounds at the office door.
(BILL BURTON, Barack Obama’s campaign manager, enters somewhat timidly.)
AXELROD (standing, impatiently): Come in, Bill. I told Frieda to send you right through.
BURTON: Geez, Dave, you know I can’t understand that accent of hers.
AXELROD (sniggering): Yeah. But who needs her to talk?!
(BURTON and AXELROD snicker manfully.)
BURTON (scornfully): Anyway, Dave, I just heard that John McCain picked a woman to be his VP. Some chick from Alaska – a small-town mayor or something? Seriously, what is that old idiot thinking?
AXELROD (casually): Really? Hmmm. Let me check it out! (cruises the Intertubez on his iPhone for a moment)
AXELROD (wonderingly): You mean, Governor Sarah Palin?! America’s Hottest Governor? Wow. That bastard has balls, I’ll give him that.
BURTON (confused): Dave, is this something for Barack to worry about?
AXELROD (impatiently): Bill, you moron, of course it is! This Palin bimbo is young, pretty and has a 70% -90% approval rating in Alaska. Plus, the fundies will LOVE her, since she’s one of them. Meanwhile, Barack is stuck with that gaffe-tastic old fossil, Joe Biden.
BURTON (sighing): Too bad the President didn’t pick Hillary as his VP. Then McCain couldn’t have stolen his thunder this way.
AXELROD (annoyed): FOCUS, Bill. We lost that argument to Michelle WEEKS ago! Now, the old man pulled a possible game-changer out of his ass, but I think I’ve got just the thing to stop the bleeding. (gestures towards the metal box on the table)
BURTON (in awe): Wow. Is that – what I think it is?
AXELROD: Yes. It’s – The Rove-inator.
(The men observe a moment of silence for the Rove-inator.)
BURTON (whispering): But Dave, I heard that machine steals your soul. Once you use it, it might work, but you can never stop feeding it.
AXELROD (heartily): Oh, come on Bill, that’s just superstitious nonsense! Anyway, we had to get rid of YOUR machine a while ago, since the PUMA virus kept infecting it. (walking over to the machine, stroking it) This little baby is guaranteed to find your opponent’s greatest strength and turn it against him or her. It’s not afraid to make up stories where none exist. Best of all, it exercises iron control over both the corporate AND the fauxgressive blogosphere!
BURTON (doubtfully): Well, if you say so, Dave. How does it work?
AXELROD (proudly): Let me show you how it’s done!
(AXELROD crouches in front of the machine. He picks up the Exacto knife and pricks his finger so that a small drop of blood falls on the box. As soon as the blood hits the Rove-inator, a prissy male voice issues forth.)
ROVE-INATOR: Oh, it’s you. What do YOU want?
AXELROD (solemnly): O Great Rove-inator, I desire to know how to destroy Governor Sarah Palin to make sure that my Master, President Obama, is not prevented from fulfilling his destiny.
ROVE-INATOR: With pleasure. First, have your operatives in the media and blogosphere create a fake scandal about her Down’s Syndrome baby. She could get a lot of sympathy for keeping that baby. Better nip that in the bud! Then, when she’s reeling from that, leak the true story that her 17-year-old, unmarried daughter is pregnant.
BURTON (interrupting): She IS?!
AXELROD: SHHHHH! Don’t interrupt it. I’m taking notes!
ROVE-INATOR: After several days of this onslaught, make sure that Barack comes out and sternly denounces all the hoopla. You know, the way he did after we accused Hillary of wanting Obama dead when she referenced RFK. By that time, the damage will be done and the media will continue to dog her until the election. If we’re really lucky, she might even be forced off the ticket!
(AXELROD and BURTON look at each other: AXELROD smugly, BURTON awestruck.)
BURTON: Wow. That’s the most brilliant thing I’ve ever heard! Kudos, Dave. You were right to use that machine. I’ll alert Kos, Olbermann and all the other media operatives. (begins to exit, then turns around) Uh, Dave?
AXELROD (who has not moved from his worshipful contemplation of the Rove-inator) Yes?
BURTON (somewhat frightened again): Why did the Rove-inator say “we?” Have you ever used this machine before?
AXELROD (reassuringly): No, no. You must have imagined it.
BURTON (dubiously): Well, okay then. I’m off. Great work, Dave! (exits)
AXELROD (addressing the machine): Do you think he’ll ever realize we’ve been together this whole time? I mean, how dumb can you get? We’ve been using the same tactics against Palin that we used against Hillary. It seems like someone would make the connection.
ROVE-INATOR: Oh, they will. But by that time, it will be too late, and Obama will be President. All your fondest dreams are about to come true. After all…would I lie?
(LIGHTS OUT.)
Filed under: Barack Obama, Blogosphere, Hillary Clinton, Media, Politics, Presidential Election 2008 | Tagged: Barack Obama, Karl Rove, snark |
The Confluence 
AP Headline of the Hour:
Obama’s DNC bounce smaller than others & shrinking
Translation: Zero. and going to Less Than Zero fast
The Democratic Party Elites “selected” the WRONG nominee:
“Get-Over-It”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How Obama lost the election
Excerpt: On television, Obama’s spectacle might have looked like The Ten Commandments, but inside the stadium it felt like Night of the Living Dead http://countusout.wordpress.com/
(Cheering)
Wow!! MadamaB, This is fantastic. It seems like each play is better than the last.
This one MUST be performed on blogtalkradio!
The Republicans are business as usual.
The bottom has fallen out of the Democratic (sic) Party.
Sarah Palin has been a glimmer of joy – a nice gotcha to the smartypants party.
Yet, for me there is no joy in Mudville. The mighty Clinton has struck out.
For now anyway.
Madamab, Brava, brava!
I’ve had a’hankerin’ for another great one act the last couple of days and here it is. Thank you.
great play LOL!
looks like robinson at wapo got the memo too. a little drive by post he made today..disgusting
shoot forgot link:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/_as_i_tried_to.html
Thanks, KB! (blush)
The problem with the Rove-i-nator is that the Dems know how to shoot the gun well, but their aim sucks.
Rove turned his nasty weapons on specific targets in a way that was strategically advantageous, always. His targets were narrow. He never EVER hit those whose votes he wanted to win in the midst of his shooting sprees.
The Dems are standing around congratulating themselves on their ability to blow things up! Just like TEH ROVE! We can do this TOO! Booyah!
The problem is that they are taking out their own supply lines, and randomly raking bullets over potential allies like the bitter clingy working class, women, and people of faith. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.
my favorite part is Axelrove sits on a leather bean bag chair (hehehe).
soupcity – Robinson is absolutely repulsive.
He is blaming Palin for his own obsession with her daughter.
I wish I were surprised, but at this point, I really do think they’re all doing Rove’s bidding, wittingly or not.
The Obamites are doing to Palin what they did to Clinton. No surprise there. The tragedy is that it’s been an invitation for every sexist pig in the nation to broadcast their ignorance via the mass media. And sadly, it’s evidence that women have made very little progress since the 70’s in achieving civil rights.
Robinson: More panty-sniffing, slut-shaming, and “bad mommy” shrieking.
Leaving politics aside, as a mother I am REVOLTED. And I’d bet my bottom dollar that most mothers in America are as well.
Love it, madamab!
WMCB: “…I am REVOLTED. And I’d bet my bottom dollar that most mothers in America are as well.” Well, this mom is!
from another blog, interesting tidbit:
Illinois unemployment rates jumps to 7.3%
Illinois employers eliminated a total of 9,700 jobs statewide during the month of July, state officials said today, pushing the Illinois unemployment rate leaped from 6.8 percent to 7.3 percent — the state’s highest jobless level in almost 15 years.
The national unemployment rate was 5.6 percent.
Is this the change Obama believes in?
So basically while he’s been running around trying to be President for the last 3 years, his state that he’s supposed to work for has gone to shit and whats he done about it, ZERO!
mcCain needs to shoot off a few ads
“Obama says he can manage the economy but look at his state, Illinois, crime up, unemployment over 7.3% and Sen Obama’s been missing in action in the Senate for the state he was voted to serve. Thats change you dont want.”
I’ve only been a mommy to cats, and I’m REVOLTED.
WMCB – See, I think most women are going to look at this behavior and say, Wow! Isn’t this how they treated Clinton too?
The dots are being connected, and the REAL Rove is grinning.
Chuck Todd is having a “oh shit, my race baiting agenda is in the toilet”!
I sooooooo want Palin to say something like
“I’d like Senator Obama to explain how the lives of the people of Illinois have changed for the better since he was elected to serve them.” Because here is how the lives of Alaskans have improved under my administration.” And start ticking the accomplishments off. “I did not use my office as a mere stepping stone to greater glory. I served my constituents, as I was elected to do, and that is exactly what I would do as Vice President.”
Just remember, Carol, it’s okay to vote for a skin color, but not for a gender.
These are the Obama RULZ!!!!111!!!
madamab, this one’s a riot! But within any effective piece of satire is some truth, and it is truly lamentable that the Democrats are stooping to Rove’s despicable tactics.
I do hope the dots will be connected. Last night, O’Reilly (disclaimer: I know he’s not on our side) ripped DK a new one for the way they spread the malicious Palin rumors. He was revolted and outraged, but he did not make the connection to DK’s treatment of Clinton. He also tried to mention the fact that Olbermann writes for DK, but he never got to finish his thought. Hopefully he will keep pushing that. He lit into MSNBC on Friday for its lack of objectivity. Of course, he’s got Colmes on his own network, so Fox is no better.
carol, these people are idiots. We kept telling them that winning a Dem primary via race-baiting is a DUMB move even if it works, because that tactic is going to be completely ineffective at best, and backfire at worst, in the general.
I have news for the Chuck Todds of the world. Unlike the latte elitists, most of America does not give one rat’s ass about expiating any sins of their forefathers, and does not navel-gaze over their own white guilt. That dynamic only exists in Liberal-land. These people are not racists, they just have common sense and think the whole parade of reasons why they “owe” this particular man the presidency is a crock.
jules – That’s how I feel. My Party is desperately wounded. Whether it will recover or not remains to be seen. I hope so….
I laughed, I cried- brilliant, madamab!
When the primary started I put a lighted candle on my desktop as I was so worried about Hillary and was concerned that Obamabots might ease her out of the race….They did as we all know by illegal means…the candle is still on my desktop and it has now occured to me that the candle now stands for “whatever is best for my country”…..I have decided to vote for McCain/Palin and will leave my candle on the desktop till after November 4th…..
I am reposting this , sorry .. I just got back .. you may all ready know this . Also , does anyone here have a link to Palin stating she is against birth control or for it ? . .or a “it ‘s your decision thing ” . ?? ..
“Obama Gains Among Former Clinton Supporters”
http://www.gallup.com/poll/109957/Obama-Gains-Among-Former-Clinton-Supporters.aspx
I want my party back..!
Briana, I will try to hunt up a link, but I have read several things that say she is NOT anti-birth control.
Briana – The Time article quoted in RD’s post earlier states that Governor Palin is a member of Feminists for Life, which is FOR birth control.
As for that poll, it still states that 19% of HRC’s supporters are voting McCain. That is absolutely devastating.
And the 527’s haven’t even gotten started yet.
madamab:
“. . . Obama will be President. All your fondest dreams are about to come true. After all…would I lie?”
“. . . I really do think they’re all doing Rove’s bidding, wittingly or not.”
“. . . The dots are being connected, and the REAL Rove is grinning.”
Have you read “the feeling of being herded” (http://lynjaci.blogspot.com/2008/09/feeling-of-being-herded.html)?
What if the Dem leadership is not stupid, but complicit?
Where does that leave us?
I never thought I would say this, but thank god for 527’s at this point…When the media refuses to do their job and we have to depend on 527’s, the world is upside down for sure…..
The GOP this year reminds me of my baby girl when she would fight with her older brothers.
She would instigate, get them ready to explode, and then push them over the edge just before I walked in the room. Then she would sit there quiet and looking scared while they were yelling and ranting.
My oldest wouldn’t shut up because he was mad, so guess who got in trouble?
I finally caught on, but she was a sneaky, evil Daddy’s little angel
Rove on the other hand, is just sneaky and evil.
t. you .. I read the Times article .. I just didn’t see anything on Palin stating that ..
I will use that article if I have to ..
Thanks wmcb & Madamab
Madamab.. ;)) .. another insightful play, that’s makes me smile at the ‘sickening ‘ truth .
I say boycott big media; why provide salaries for these clowns?
gmanedit – We’re scrod for 2008. Like it or not, there are no good choices.
I did my very best to get a Democrat in the White House this year. Many, Many thousands of PUMAs did so much more. But now we are stuck between a real Republican and a fake Democrat.
I just cannot honor the takeover of my Party with a vote for Obama. If the Republicans had revolted against the takeover of their party by right-wing extremists, starting with Raygun in 1980, this country would be in a lot better shape right now.
madamab
Great play.
The faux new democratic party forgot “be careful what you wish for, you may get it.”
Every time they open their mouth something stupid comes out.
Every woman with a family or without a family should take a long hard look at what the democratic party has become and realise we are better than that.
The disinfecting process has to begin now.
by the way Sarah Palin is one of those people, I think she is one of us.
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS,BUBBAS,AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE.
Shorter version of Robinson and the fools who rode in on that horse: what kind of *mother* would allow ME to push horrible sexist rants about their daughter by running as VP candidate…
Can you even imagine being Palin’s daughter and finding out YOUR MOTHER turned down the VP offer because you were pregnant? In my opinion, THAT would be the worst a mother could do.
Helen – I’ll tell you one thing, I doubt Governor Palin is paying $10,000/year on ballet lessons for her daughters and b*tching about the price of arugula.
LOL
Rove said they’re keeping Palin on FOX. She was very thoroughly vetted.
donnadarko – This “vetting” thing will bite them on the butts, of course.
Rezko, Ayers, Wright.
Opening the doors to some very ugly closets there….
Sarah Palin is expected to address the Repug Convention tomorrow night. She will blow it out of the water! Why? Because she is one of us. Her story is not exotic. Her background mirrors much of our own. She is lovely to look at. The GOP loves her already. The country will be tuning in, many for the first time, and they will be introduced to someone who is one of them. No Ivy League background to waltz around the stage, no long time backers looking for another free ride, no one hiding a Rev Wright in their skeletal closet. Someone proud of America.
Instead, a gun toting hockey Mom who has faced some serious problems in her personal life. Now who wouldn’t be able to link to that? Sarah will come out fine. The MSM may have for once gone to far in their vitriol.
Whatever it takes to bring the DNC down is fine with me.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLAY!!!
Thank you Madamab! THe beanbags are so Dr. Evil/Austin Powers, brilliant!
madamab: I wouldn’t be surprised if Rove wants the Dems to win but badly damaged, and then take all the blame for the next four years. Here’s an interesting comment to the Robinson article:
“Does the GOP (Republicans, better known as the Bush Administration) really want to win this election? I don’t think so!
If you look at the timeline over the last 2 years I think you can “check off” the number of times the GOP has attempted to help the Democratic Party to win this election.
Several GOP candidates who were still in the running for the nomination, only to suddenly drop out; Republicans crossing over in open primary states to attempt to bolster Senator Clinton’s campaign against Senator Obama believing she had a better chance to win.
And now nominating an inexperienced, unknown Governor from the State of Alaska, whose family values include abandoning your family in order to pursue your political aspirations, and a destiny to crush a former brother-in-law’s career in order to appease a sibling.
In case you are unaware of this, the McCain Campaign is being managed by a former counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney, and was an assistant to GOP henchman Karl Rove.
I’m sure the GOP understands that it will take a Herculean effort to gain control of a country that is so far out of whack due to an Administration that has raped our treasury and our Constitution, and lost any respect we held around the world with our allies, that the American public may hold that President in disregard for years to come. The GOP understands that and realizes that if a Republican President were elected in this election year, it could do irreparable damage to their party.
This latest catastrophe to hit John McCain’s campaign is just a little bit too incredible to be just a coincidence. If John McCain is really the “Maverick” his campaign is trying to portray him, maybe he rubbed the Bush Administration, the Christian Conservatives, and the “K” Street gang the wrong way a little too often.
Posted by: Hello | September 1, 2008 11:58 PM”
I finally saw what the dems are so afraid of. I just watched a bit of the latest rally with McCain and Palin. Even with the crap that’s been flying, the comfort and happiness that’s in both of them is obvious. And what I just noticed with that and with the crowd, I saw power. I mean, like kennedy kind of power. You can see it in their eyes. Neither party likes them, they know it, and the feel the power anyway. I think many dems saw this right away and got scared sh*tless. Interesting.
I predict this will be a bumpy ride. And I predict the dems will have to bring extra underwear as they’ll be changing them often.
And with any luck, this will shake up the dem party until it’s my party again.
I always enjoy a good laugh when reading any of the regular posters and all of the comments – so thank you!
Now for something completely different from our “good” friends at FoxNews:
Obama: I Have More Executive Experience Than Palin
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/02/obama-i-have-more-executive-experience-than-palin/
Sorry, I dont’ know how to make that a hyperlink but it is worth reading.
Does anyone believe that the Palin’s didn’t ask their daughter her feelings about the situation 1st??!! PLEASE………………!
gmanedit – I’ve wondered that too, but I think now they see a real chance for their side to win. They’re always playing a double game. They try to maximize the positive effect on their party no matter what.
If McCain wins, he’s too old to run again, and they’ve got an exciting conservative VP to run for Pres against Hillary in 2012.
If Obama wins, he’s in bed with enough of them that nothing will impact their hedge funds.
The only thing we know they did not want is Clinton. That information you are promoting about GOP crossover to help her is false. The GOP uniformly helped Obama in the caucuses.
Andy Martin has a press conference this afternoon in which he intends to blame the Obama campaign for the smears on Palin.
Whether or not the smear can be traced to the Obama campaign is doubtful, but it was started by Obama supporters. Maybe if Obama takes some heat for their actions they will realize they are damaging Obama with their lies. But, as they aren’t the brightest bulbs in the box, probably not.
Mountain Sage
Fox News on CNN’s Interview:
“For Barack Obama to argue that he’s experienced enough to be president because he’s running for president is desperate circular logic and its laughable. It is a testament to Barack Obama’s inexperience and failing qualifications that he would stoop to passing off his candidacy as comparable to Governor Sarah Palin’s executive experience managing a budget of over $10 billion and more than 24,000 employees,” said spokesman Tucker Bounds.
Did you all see this? http://www.andrys.com/palin-kilkenny.html
I had previously wondered why McCain was not defending Sarah and then it occured to me that their strategy is to get it all out at once, just dump all the bad stuff and let them wipe the slate clean with one stroke.
If they had to keep defending one issue after another it would have looked worse. Plus it sends the message that they are not worried.
This must be driving the cynical pundits nuts. Their little world was previously so predictable.
I must say I am really upset that Obama didn’t get this kind of scrutiny and he is running for President. Nor did Joe Biden. Where were all the journalist after he was announced. Did they dig into his background at all? No.
Our media is so lazy, it is a disgrace.
phlaming – Hilarious, no? Running a campaign is the same as running a state according to Obama!
You just cannot believe a person can possibly be that stupid. Hill and Bill must be biting their tongues so hard right now….
ok, it just keeps getting stranger. I have stepped through the Looking Glass. I actually listening to Limbaugh on the way to work today to get his take on the Palin hit job. He’s still a “big fat idiot” as Franken so aptly called it, but it was very interesting. He said the attacks on Palin are rallying the base like nothing else has, and he “hopes it continues!” He talked about feminists, yada yada yada, and the liberal Washington elite, and how disconnected they are from middle America.
My favorite part: he quoted Kriston on Fox today who said that the McCain team talked to Palin before the decision and asked her if she was ready for the attacks that were coming, including against her children. She said, “Do you know the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull?”
Answer: “Lipstick.”
I like this woman.
WMCB: I read somewhere that Palin is a member of Feminist for Life and that they are not opposed to birth control. Don’t remember where I read it, but maybe we should research that group.
Carol,
That is the argument Jerylan was trying to make and when I read it I thought it was about the most ignorant defense of Obama I have ever read. Jerylan has either lost her mind or is being paid money to act like she lost her mind. I hope it is the latter.
ie: Kristol
Feminists for Life is a very liberal pro-life group. I think they make a lot of sense, personally.
The link for Feminist for Life:
http://www.feministsforlife.org/
Gmanedit – Do you seriously think some anonymous letter on the Internets is going to make us vote the way you think we should?
You’re getting edited if you keep this up.
“The Obamites are doing to Palin what they did to Clinton.
No surprise there. ”
The MSM now doesn’t have anymore the excuse that what they did to Hillary was because of her person, not because of their misogyny.
So, with all due respect (as I am watching this from outside), I think this is a “surprise”. The can’t hide anymore.
Carol, I actually wrote to the McCain camp last night via their website and included the quote from Obama’s interview with Cooper re: his experience as a candidate is superior to her “mayoral experience.” Obama didn’t even acknowledge that she is a sitting governor. I’m so glad they came out with this preposterous comparison. It IS interesting that he is defending himself against the VP candidate though isn’t it? It only highlights how woefully unqualified he is.
One thing that continues to nip at the heels of the BZero campaign like chihuahuas in stretch wigs is the fallacy of believing we can be told how to think. In their minds it was historic if not more histrionic to support someone who decided his r*ce as opposed to a woman. Now, we are told that we should think lesser of a candidate who came from “No-wheres-ville” and her daughter is pregnant. Note to the Obanauts, she is one of us — we like to vote for someone like us and we can do it without an arugula salad dressed with hypocrisy, vitriol and hyperbole.
fif – It’s so stupid that he keeps doing that. He would call Hillary “Mrs. Clinton” and keep pretending she had not served more time in the Senate than he by referring to her First Lady credentials.
He really has serious woman issues.
Prolix – Wow. You said it!
Don’t worry, they just need to send ONE MORE sternly worded letter….
😉
I just know that McCain’s camp/Palin is preparing a slam dunk smackdown response to the experience comparison. That is going to be delightful to see.
Doesn’t it say something when Obama feels the need to justify his experience in comparison to the VP candidate. Isn’t he running against McCain?
Oh, and Obama has to use running his campaign as a comparison to Palin’s time as a Mayor. Weak!
He’s not bound by the same rules and regulations as she was running his campaign. Spend as much as you want and raise more money. Try balancing a budget where everyone feels good about it and then report back.
Okay, does it not– even that’s bad – I know.
Madamab, given their penchant for crowds, big bands and free food, they might well be served to send their sternly worded memo to us deadenders via a message board on a blimp.
It occurred to me today, that this is actually going to be a huge breakthrough year for women. By having two strong, capable, intelligent women from very different sides of the aisle take center stage on an international scale, it is going to have revolutionary repurcussions from thispoint forward. Hillary, bless her, was strong enough to weather it for the sake of all women. I have a hunch Sarah, the pit bull barracuda, is also going to rise to the challenge. This is actually a powerful opportunity in disguise!
They keep comparing Palin to Barry ! But she’s running for VP and he’s running for POTUS
Hello …paging Joe Biden
I read some of the stuff on Feminists for Life and while I am strongly pro-choice, some of the stuff makes complete sense.
TheRealKim: do you have a link/source?
fif: I think it might also help to blow the doors off the sexism crap. How many times do we have to hear commentators dealing with the appearance of women, the virtue of women and demeaning the experiance of women before everyone recognizes sexism when they see it?
It is right there for ANYONE to see and tough not to recognize.
Bonita, on September 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I should have read up thread! You said the same thing before I! Why are they comparing the VP to POTUS?
fif: The link is a few comments above.
fif: I agree completely. This has been a revolutionary year for women. And of course it’s been a revolutionary year for african americans as well. I think that’s all to the better. Maybe this country will actually grow up.
But of course the dirt coming from the Obama campaign will leave a nasty stain. Even if they win, what will the cost be. What kind of party will be left of the dems after this. So there’s such good, and such bad at the same time. I think the best thing that could happen for both parties actually is if McCain/Palin win. It would shake up the republican party and make them wake up to women. And it would really shake up the democratic party and make them wake up to corruption and insider dirty politics. That’s my fondest hope.
The top ticket/bottom ticket comparisons are really interesting. Probably a bonus for McCain since he doesn’t have to attack obama’s experience anymore, the very presence of Palin takes care of it for him.
fred, @ 11:57 am
Thanks for the link to that article in Asia news. Said everything I was feeling and so well.
This is a sad time for American Politics – the best candidate is no longer in the race and the bar for standing for the hiughest public office is lowered daily !
Save both parties, vote McCain/Palin!!! (Just thought I’d emphasize that more from my comment just above).
Annetoo: I can only guess that it’s the Executive experience that she has that he doesn’t. Everybody whose followed this election know that he doesn’t have experience running anything.
Someone in the media should do there job and point out the ludicrousness of him comparing himself to the VP candidate.
jjmtacoma: definitely. It is a brutal educational experience for the nation. Like opening an abcess.
Limbaugh rushed to defend Palin against the “hypocritical feminists” & some definitely are, but he misses the point about true feminists, because he then goes on to say that Palin “can actually wear skirts because she has thin ankles.” Pig–that reminded everyone of his vulgar criticism about Hillary’s ankles. He’s a troglodyte.
What really blows the lid of the sexism is it can’t hide behind the ” Well, she’s a Clinton BS” They pretended Hillary was being savaged because she was Hillary….ok, then what caused the instant sexism when Palin showed up? The women haters have been thoughly outed
Here is a recap of the Headlines and Sub-Headlines for the last 7 of 8 DailyKos MAIN PAGE articles today. (This does not include the many, many disgusting diaries which have been written about Palin in the kossacks’ manifest panic.)
“Palin’s Golden Touch” – “another day brings another embarrassment for John McCain.”
“Free Market to America: Dump Palin” – “The Invisible Hand Gives McCain the Finger”
“Palin 451” – “Sarah Palin: Separatist, former mayor of a village, and a wannabe book-burner”
“You’re Slipping, Karl” – “John McCain’s running mate is facing questions about her qualifications to be a 72 year old heartbeat away from the presidency … and Karl Rove has been reduced to talking about Joe Biden”
“Country First or Alaska First?” – “it has been confirmed that McCain’s VP was once a member of the controversial Alaskan Independence Party (AIP)”
“They Don’t Like Her. They Really Don’t Like Her” – “a Frank Luntz/AARP focus group … had a negative impression of Palin by a 2-1 margin.”
“Recapping Palin’s Secession Scandal” – “the story that broke here regarding Sarah Palin’s 1990s membership in the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP).”
Also, late yesterday DK main page had this article:
“Palin Candidacy Death Watch (With Poll)” – “What do you think will happen? Will McCain keep her on the ticket, with a strong possibility of a negative drip, drip, drip, drip, drip of negative, embarrassing and even bizarre revelations about his impulsive choice for V.P. destroying his campaign? Or will Palin decide to lay on the sword and not accept the nomination for V.P.?”
WOW!!!! They are truly running scared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep doing what you are doing media. You certainly haven’t leaned any lessons, have you?
madameb, I bow before you. This was EXCELLENT.
The problem with the Rove-i-nator is that the Dems know how to shoot the gun well, but their aim sucks.
I look forward to David Axelrod and Obama’s final Avada Kedavra backfiring on them. Hillary just did an expelliarmus on them at the convention with her and Bill’s speech, and she succeeded in explosing them for the twisted, torn, broken, mutilated souls they are.
Gov Palin’s turn up next – to finish these guys off. J K Rowling couldn’t’ve scripted a more riveting election season :-).
I would love to hear a private conversation between Palin and Hillary after all of this!
fif – Yes, Limbaugh is a complete sexist pig. You know who his favorite “feminist” is?
Camille Paglia.
Of course, a total Obamabot. Because no “real” feminist would support a woman for President!
(shoots self in face)
OhVoter – there is an entire page on HuffPo devoted to trying to scandalize us about Palin.
Yup, they are f*cking TERRIFIED.
Hey, thanks for that Feminists for Life link! I am totally pro-choice, but I wish I’d had that info handy recently, when I got into an argument with a “right-to-lifer”. I basically said “Why do you keep wasting your time and money trying to make abortion legal when you could be spending your time and money making it unneccessary?”
Bonita, on September 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm Said:
Someone in the media should do there job and point out the ludicrousness of him comparing himself to the VP candidate.
Exactly It’s too funny!!
I think the press and Barry are comparing VP to POTUS because they know a real threat to Barry when they see it….comparing her to the lackluster Joe Biden is not going to help them ….gotta bring up the Barry guns , but they won’t be much use either! .
Hillary blazed this trail, but Palin will walk it and I bitterly and forever blame the DNC
that was “Why do you keep wasting your time and money trying to make abortion ILLEGAL…”
I worked with victims of domestic violence for many years and this whole debacle that has gone on through this election cycle has literally nauseated me. If one group can vote for a candidate based on r@ce then why the hell can’t I because she is a woman. I am so sick of the female candidate bashing, it is, in short, abuse, plain and simple. Hillary was the best candidate out there and a lot of Bots now admit that, but they preface it by saying its too late now. Maybe McCain’s choice doesn’t share my values and beliefs, but by God I am sick of being bashed because I don’t have a third leg.
I have raised my family almost single handedly, while working, caring for older parents, and having very little money left; but I balanced my damn budget and managed. There are plenty of women like me and without us, there would be a lot less qualified men.
The MSM needs to lay off this woman and lay off her daughter!
If the Obamabots are so sure that Palin is the death of McCain’s bid, why are they trying so hard to remove her from the ticket? They should rejoice thinking that they can coast to victory the next two months.
Instead they lay the groundwork for McCain to pick a “stronger” VP and thereby reducing Obama’s chances for victory.
Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.
julies – I agree. That group really impressed me. 🙂
“Palin Candidacy Death Watch (With Poll)” – “What do you think will happen?
The Dems mistake( one of oh so many) is thinking the GOP are like themselves. That they will cave in very easily . But this is the GOP and they fight.
This pick is great to attract women voters AND shore up GOP base….plus get the blogger boys to expose their women hating parts…. super smart
what a pen!
bravissimo!
take a bow!!!!!!!!
48, on September 2nd, 2008 at 1:54 pm Said:
If the Obamabots are so sure that Palin is the death of McCain’s bid, why are they trying so hard to remove her from the ticket? They should rejoice thinking that they can coast to victory the next two months.
lol! great point. Plus rule number one: Don’t take advise from your competitor!
TheRealKim, I have a dear friend (liberal but staunch Catholic) who is a member of Feminists for Life. Yes, they are staunchly pro-life.
However they see many of the hateful tactics of the right as very abusive of women. My friend gets JUST as pissed off at some maniac screaming “murderer” at some poor woman at a clinic as I do.
Her approach is that women are victimized across the board by the entire abortion debate, and that many women would choose to carry to term if that victimization disappeared, and support were offered. She fights for things like an end to the “slut-shaming” of women who get pregnant, more pressure on MEN in the child support department (make it easier and less burdensome for women to obtain it), strict penalties for employers that have “soft” hiring discrimination for pregnant women, more child care options, tax credits for stay-at-home care by either parent, paid maternity leave, etc.
I disagree with their hard pro-life line, but the women of this organization seem to be saying “Let’s stop bludgeoning women over this issue, and offer some solutions for the societal pressures that push women into making a choice we disagree with.”
Like I said, I think they are wrong in their “life of the fetus is worth as much as the mother’s” agenda, but I can’t argue that much of what they want to do is in fact good for and empowering to women. I agree that many times the choice to terminate is forced by circumstances and sexism in the workplace and economic issues, and that is not any more fair to women than forced birth. They do recognize that most women involved in a decision to terminate are not heartless femi-nazis, but real people who are getting little to no support from our society to help them if they actually wanted to carry to term.
If they achieved some of their goals, and the abortion rate dropped drastically in this country, geez, wouldn’t THAT take a lot of the wind out of the haters sails, and those who want to keep abortion as a political football would likely have to find other employment.
I am pro-choice as they come, and would fight them hard on any legislation limiting choice. But I can respect that a lot of what they want to do is, indeed, very pro-woman.
TheRealKim, on September 2nd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
great post ! Thank you for writing it
Having worked with the courts for so many years, I have told many pro-lifers to talk to me about choice when the stigma of chosing to have the child without the benefit of a ring is removed, when the father is forced to accept as much responsiblity as the mother and when there are financial options available to mothers.
I can relate to FFL’s credo somewhat. I am still entirely pro-choice, but I do believe that if all the above were removed from the board, the number of women chosing abortion would drop greatly.
WMCB – That’s why I like the group. I too do not think abortion should be restricted by anyone, but I would guess that most women would rather keep then lose their babies.
Thank you Anne!
New post up by LadyBoomer NYC!!!
madamab:
“Gmanedit – Do you seriously think some anonymous letter on the Internets is going to make us vote the way you think we should?
You’re getting edited if you keep this up.”
1. “some anonymous letter on the Internets” — I take it you’re referring to “Hello,” as Anne Kilkenny published her name. “Hello” is pseudonymous, not anonymous. Is it against Internet custom to quote pseudonymous or even anonymous sources?
2. You don’t know how I think you should vote. I don’t even know how I should vote.
3. I quoted Hello because of the line “The GOP . . . realizes that if a Republican President were elected in this election year, it could do irreparable damage to their party.” I should have elided the line about “bolster Senator Clinton’s campaign,” as Hello is of course wrong here. Sorry.
4. My concern is that, one way or another, we are being played. The idea that the Democrats are working in concert with the Republicans helps me make sense of the last two years of congressional inaction. As Rod Serling used to say, “Presented for your consideration . . . in the Twilight Zone.”
5. As an editor, I think what the world needs is more editing. Just use brackets and ellipses.
HT lurker: Responding to your previous post about women being their own worst enemy. I absolutely agree with you. I am in my mid-20s and most of the women I know are Obamabots. My own roommates (love them) are Obamabots. One of them is 21-years-old and voted for Obama and recently went on a diatribe about how she was not a fan of Palin because of her “inexperience” and anti-choice views. But then again, she didn’t like Hillary either who was by all accounts experience and pro-choice. So what is good enough for these young women my age? When will they be satisfied with women on either side of the political spectrum?
As a young person I never understood why young women love Obama. Is it because some find him attractive, “cool”, a “change” from politics because of his r_a_c_e? Women like my roommate are also only in their early 20s. You have to give them some slack too. This sweet girl is naive and protected from the real world thus far. She doesn’t seem to grasp the fact that Obama is just as inexperienced as Palin and he is running for president. She doesn’t grasp or have first hand knowledge of sexism at the workplace or in personal relationships. She doesn’t grasp the violence and humiliation faced by too many women around the globe – even privileged trailblazers like Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. I think that if we fast forward 20 or 30 years, many of these young women will have a change of heart but unfortunately many like Nancy Pelosi and Maureen Dowd will live their privileged lives with little sympathy or affection for their fellow sisters who continue to fight for equal treatment in our society.
Does anyone else see the irony in this? We have had choice thrown at us from almost every troll that has ever visited this site. Their mantra is choice, we will lose that choice, blah, blah, blah. For me, choice goes both ways, I am free to decide what is right for me. If abortion is something I could never do-that is my choice. These same yahoo’s are now demeaning someone for making a choice.
TheRealKim, I have seen the obamabots and some feminists ridiculing Feminists for Life.
But over the years, I have heard a million times how hypocritical the right-to-lifers are, if they are so concerned, why don’t they do something about those babies they profess to love, why don’t they help those women instead of screaming at them, yada yada yada…. they are all HYPOCRITES!!”
Yet when a group like FFL steps up to the plate and says, “Okay, we are going to do just that. We are going to work to support women, stop blaming them, and help make abortion unnecessary”, what do many of these same people do? Spit on them.
Hmmm…..so who is the hypocrite again? I don’t have to agree with FFL to recognize that they are putting their actions where their mouth is, without demonizing women, and respect that.
gmanedit –
I am not clear what you’re trying to accomplish with your warnings about “we are getting played.” Both parties are sucking *ss right now. I think that point has been made to death. We cannot know who’s in cahoots with whom. So what is your point? What do you recommend we do about it?
And no, I don’t think it’s good practice to quote anonymous Internet sources. The person published her name. Okay. That doesn’t mean she knows Sarah Palin or give her any validity whatsoever.
Are we ready for a new thread yet?
what happened to LadyBoomer’s post?
They’re keeping Palin but imagine if the Obots took her away from us? Another 10% for McCain? It’s already at 33%.
Dunno?
I couldn’t find it either
I saw it up and read it, but when I clicked on comments it was gone.
I was wondering the same thing, Mawm
DisenfranchisedVoter, on September 2nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm Said:
As a young person I never understood why young women love Obama.
—————
This is just my theory, but my observation is that it’s about hip product, like Che or MLK on a t-shirt. Actually, I saw a BO t-shirt this summer, with the stylized poster face. I don’t think this is necessarily age-dependent, though — I see people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s chasing down the next hip product.
The dynamic is a product appropriated as an attempt to say something about one’s lifestyle, like a Karl Marx fridge magnet or a “retro ironic cool” plastic Jesus figurine — an adoption of signs of mass market cool, always with that oh-so-hip touch of irony, without any knowledge of or resposibility towards actual ideas. How, for example, MLK got morphed into a teddy bear, feel good, “I have a dream” figure, completely robbed of his beliefs on social justice, war, and capitalism, I have no idea.
Sorry for my cynicism, but it obviously can’t be hopey-changey, not after FISA, Biden, Sunstein, Wall Street $$, Cheney Energy bill, Donnie McClurkin, and bloviation on Bin Laden in a cave. However, I think it’s not so much outright hypocrisy (except in the case of the online deranged freepers who call themselves Dems). I think it’s more that they don’t particularly care about the product. They don’t think about it that much. They see it marketed as “new!” and see that it’s “hip!” and that’s enough.
Same here, re: LadyBoomer’s piece. I read it, saw 2 comments, hit refresh, and then the post was gone.
Just finished reading that last post, LadyBoomer. It was great. Now it’s gone. Hope it comes back soon. Great job on it by the way. I hope it’s just someone hitting the wrong switch (vs. a hacker).
I think LadyBoomer is editing her post. Let me ask her….
You can read it at her site
So I read somewhere out there in blog world that Joe Biden’s son fathered a child when he was a teenager. Shouldn’t the media be discussing this little item if they are targeting Bristol?
And about Sarah being anit-contraceptive – that is just simply teenager idiot chat. However, since Senator Biden is Roman Catholic I would like to hear what he has to say about contraception, his church’s views on contraception and the roll it played in his son getting a girl pregnant.
Dee, great comments!
I agree, Jules – and I’ve been thinking: Why didn’t Mitt Romney get the same treatment as Sarah Palin?
Where was HIS foreign policy experience? And doesn’t his being a father of many children preclude him from being the President?
(bangs head lightly on desk)
Is that Joe Biden rumor what Joe Scarborough seemed to be hinting at this morning? I knew it couldn’t be something about obama’s kids cause they are too little.
Hey everyone – I think Garychapelhill asked LadyBoomer to post later. He has a new one up now about downticket Dems in NC. 🙂
gmanedit-I dont believe it is that nuanced-the GOP wants to win this bad if they can take Obambi down in a year where 80% of americans say the repugs are on the right track then they can distroy the democratic party.
sorry but that is how I see it Repugs win even if they lose because a disasterous Obama Victory would send America into a economic tailspin to be followed by 20 years of Republican Rule….
It is Lose lose situation but if McCain wins in November we can at least attempt to salvage something for 2012 if not I do not believe the democrats will see the inside of the Oval from behind the desk for 20-30 years.
fuzzybeargville
madamab: I have no recommendation, just wait and watch. I want all the dirt to come out on everybody. I don’t think we can count on “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” (Arthur Silber wrote an essay about the hero who turns out to be working with the villain.) I’m reserving judgment from now till November.
Anne Kilkenny is a Wasilla resident, quoted in the Anchorage Daily News in 2006 (http://www.adn.com/education/story/192363.html). Let’s see if her assertions pan out. I can decry sexism against Sarah Palin without being enthusiastic about her as a politician.
Okay, I’ll stop now.
The Spengler article referenced up top is just excellent. The analysis seems insightful and I hope it is correct. It does not speak well of Obama’s leadership.
Fuzzy – that’s how I see it too. (waving at Fuzzy)
Bravo! And very likely too!
madamab, on September 2nd, 2008 at 2:52 pm Said:
“and I’ve been thinking: Why didn’t Mitt Romney get the same treatment as Sarah Palin? Where was HIS foreign policy experience? And doesn’t his being a father of many children preclude him from being the President?”
HA! Right, — who took care of all those children when he was governor of MA? Was he a neglectful parent? Geez, the double-standard is so blatant it blows my mind.
Why is it that women say they’ll never vote for a woman on the basis of gender alone? They not only say it but take great pride in it as if it demonstrates a kind of “post-feminist” independent thinking. This election shows how that kind of thinking does nothing but perpetuate the marginalization and abuse of women. I suggest that women vote for women and stop putting every other issue ahead of their own civil rights.
Hey justsaynotobo, you had me at ‘vote for a woman.’ This year has convinced me. I know who I am fighting, but more importantly, I now know what I am fighting for. And fighting for things is a real edge up on fighting against things.
And regarding questioning why a mom would work. Bah, ridiculous. Moms work every day by necessity and by choice. I reject a ‘she should be at home’ argument out of hand. Does not even deserve a cursory sniff-over.
Kudos for this commentary. In-depth and insightful and echoes what I was thinking as I watched that tragic farce of a “roll call.”
How dare Obama “negotiate” to “allow” a roll call at a convention????? What has happened to this party when the presumptive nominee gets to make all the rules? This shouldn’t have been Obama’s convention. This should have been the Democratic Convention, anmd half of the Democrats favored another candidate. JFK went to the Convention in 1960 knowing there would be a roll call and support for his opponents. He sucked it up and dealt with it, and then he unified the party by selecting his primary opponent as his VP (should have been a hint for Obama). But every story I read leading up to the convention was about how Obama was “allowing” this or that and was “allowing” a roll call, but with certain rules and with the understanding that Hillary would stop the roll call after a certain bumber of states had read their votes. Allowing democracy as long as there was a staged, guaranteed result… Geezus isn’t this how Saddam Hussein ran things in Iraq?
I’m looking at your chart right now. As a Massachusetts voter, I am royally p**sed off. I’m an Independent, and my state just got open primaries this year. That means that before this year I was unable to vote in primaries. I left work and waited in line to cast my first primary vote ever, for Hillary Clinton. I was mad enough that some of my superdelegates like Kennedy, Kerry and Deval Patrick decided to go against the will of their voters and endorse Obama. But now come to find out that suddenly “pledged” doesn’t mean anything either, and that “pledged” delegates are not pledged at all? What the hell did I vote for then? My vote was a “request?” Like a pretty-please-with-a-cherry-on-top request? Give me a break.
Oh, and even worse, New Hampshire gave ALL their delegates to Obama. I have a lot of friends in NH and they are quite upset about that. They all voted for Hillary and Hillary won that state. New Hampshire is the first primary of the year and they votyed for Hillary. So the New Hampshire 2008 Democratic Primary was the first presidential primary in history to go for a woman. And they didn’t think that was significant enough to put on record at the convention? Unity my A**.
My stomach turned when New Mexico yielded to Illinois and when Illinois yielded to New York, I knew what was coming. Then it was all a blur, with “Love Train” in there somewhere and me reaching for a bucket. Obama and the DNC not only shot a bullet through any pretense of democracy, but they also forced Hillary to pull the trigger.
Seriously, this whole thing was a sick joke. Howard Dean and Donna Brazile need pink slips. If McCain wins, I will start campaigning for Hillary 2012 on Nov. 5.
Rudy is stealing from Hillary’s Primary Campaign, saying the run for POTUS is like a job application – which applicant would you choose?
First Barry steals Hillary’s good stuff in his speech, and now the GOP. I love it, but wish it was HRC giving it.