I am sorry. Its been a big week. My arm is killing me and I am on the West Coast so I miss all the fun. But I also met a man and so I am enjoying that too.
I just got up! For me is a miracle. I’ve been waking up at 5 for months. Thats 8am for all you East Coasters.
Great catch Lisa. Colleen, The evengelicals are leaning toward Obama. at least the ones I’ve been talking to. The Abortion issue is hard held with the Catholics and that one I can’t speak on. But the fact that Obama is an Evengelical means something to them.
Is the Race issue the talk of the POlitical Talk shows? I don’t get to see them yet.
Shelia,
Nancy P. on ThisWeek. Pretty good. The round table was ok, Jake Tapper good, but David Gergen was excellent. Interesting perspective of someone who came from the south on the “Celebrity” ad.
Lieberman and Kerry on MTP, screaming at each other. Kerry was pretty good. Lieberman spouting talking points.
Heres the next subject to get shoved down our campaign throats. And even though my stomach is turning just reading it, I can’t say I blame the hospitals.
Shelia,
I knew a bunch of people at HP when Fiorina was at the helm. NOBODY liked her. And it wasn’t just because she made the share price plummet. She almost single-handedly brought down one of the greatest technology companies ever. So I find it curious that McCain picked her as a business and economics adviser and spokeswoman.
Go Pelosi in “Free Our Oil”. She says, if the big oil companies want to drill, let them drill on the land that they have already leased. Leave the rest alone. Tapping new fields would only add 2 cents of relief in ten years.
You don’t hear that all this dust up was all the big oil companies coming to the Hill.
I don’t wonder that McCain has been approached by them too.
Sorry all that I did not get a chance to stop in yesterday. Have family in town and about five places to go today, but wanted to check in to see what was happening.
Kinda funny but I wrote that piece about the economy earlier last week sometime after seeing that stupid interview with McCain. Just threw it together and told Brian he did not need to post it, because frankly the conversations had been going in other directions. Then, this morning on Meet the Press I heard whiny ass Liberman talking about national security. Mike Murphy, who led McCain’s campaign in 2000, has actually come out against the latest McCain attack ads against Obama. He doesn’t think they will work. But, either he or one of the other commentators mentioned that with the price of oil/gas coming down somewhat that the national security would probably re-enter the mainstream media again. It may have been Chuck Todd, who I really like. It’s bound to happen with a McCain running.
Also, McCain is really in the tank for big oil promoting their tax breaks and off shore drilling when they have all of those millions of acres already leased and ready to drill. Why not more conversation about that? I think the big oil want to ensure that either Bush or a possible McCain presidency gets them ALL of what they want. They know that if a D gets in the presidency with a D congress that it will be difficult pushing for big oil then.
When I hear McCain talk I think how can I we listen to him drone on for four years after having Bush for the last eight years not able to complete one intelligent sentence.
this morning at the diner I was settling in at the counter with my Sunday paper when the old fart next to me said, “Any good news, like Obama taking checks from the mullahs?” I said no. I said I didn’t really want to have a president that called his wife a cu*t in public and I would hope the next president was smarter than graduating about 4th or 5th from the bottom of the Navel Academy. To which he said I hope I never hear Obama say the US sucks again. I then asked where he said that as I had never heard that at all. I said I had heard him ask for the US to be BETTER and that I agreed with that sentiment. I asked if he agreed that the last 7and one half years could have been better? He did not answer. I then told him that arguing politics with me would not be a winning agenda. I told him I was a “yellow dog Democrat” and he said , “Oh, what’s that?” I told him. He left shortly after.
Ever notice how crotchety old fools in Diners like to spout off opinions as if every one held them? We have a senile old bus driver at work who goes around spouting off misinformed opinions all the time.
He used to do that with me until I started directly getting in his face and making his life a living hell.
Yes, I’d say at this juncture that I am looking forwards to some laughs for an extended period of time. I feel like I’ve met a twin. not exactly alike, but so near its great.
Doots and all
Another thing about putting these assholes in their place is the next time they will think before spreading their manure around so freely in the company of strangers…..
the photo that was used in your article is a very famous photo that came out of the Farm Security Administration. I is commonly known as “Migrant Mother”. You can order this photo from the Library of Congress for a small fee.
Destitute pea pickers in California… (Often referred to as “Migrant Mother”). 1936.
Photographer: Dorothea Lange
Reproduction Number: USZ62-95653
Dorothea Lange was an incredible photographer of her time.
thanks all I really need to work on my court ordered anger management. I did say all that without getting red in the face or waving my arms or shouting. I can see improvement. 🙂
For all you guys that don’t want Clinton on the ticket. My gut is still rumbling that ole Clinton song…
Its going to be close. The Rove Junior Varisty (love that label) has done a sharp number that none of us were expecting. If Axelrod can’t come up with something to knock is off its new found balance,,,,,this Britney Paris thing has legs. It could energise the Republican base and start a movement on its own.
Clinton may become a necesray player. Like Gergin said, She says things that Obama isn’t capable of saying.
We shall see; This is gearing up as a real fight. My dukes are up and I’m ready!
(The Politico) Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Barack Obama is “absolutely” injecting the issue of race into the presidential campaign on Sunday morning, and twice calling it “a lie” for the Democratic presidential nominee to claim otherwise.
“To say that Barack Obama did not intentionally inject the idea of his name and his race is a lie,” Graham said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that Sen. Obama is trying to suggest that he is the victim of something,”
Shelia,
I think Gergin is a genius, and I agree with him that Hillary would be a ruthless bad-cop, the kind Obama needs. But she’s got high negatives, which might hinder the ticket. I think if she’s to elevate herself on the political stage, she can be the bad-cop without being on the ticket.
I think Lindsey Graham is a tool. And not a very good one at that.
While I agree with you, I can’t ignore the 18 million to add to the tally.
My new found Twin is a 58 year old 35 year strong contract and human relations with the teamsters. A real hero in my books.
he’s on the fence. today on his day off, he is meeting with some men who are being laid off of Pepsi. Everyone is in cut back. He is as stressed as anyone and says that a lot of his people are so terrified of what is coming, they want a known to feel safe.
I guess put that way, I understand. We junkies fail to remember that sometimes. Especially now in a crisis era, there are those that can’t afford to sit and debate the fine points.
I think Mr teamster struck a cord in me. I understand now why the hold outs are doing so.
We may know what we are talking about, but we still have to convincingly convince the the ones that are being effect more achingly at risk. To us, the oil prices are uncomfortable. To THEM its reached crisis mode now.
Shelia,
Chuck Todd said this morning on MTP that only 10% of Hillary supporters aren’t on board with Obama. And that about 10% of the dems are crossover voters.
And please tell Mr. Teamster about McCain’s thoughts on unions are.
BTW, only about 8% of the workforce is unionized. And a significant number of them are public sector jobs.
Well, I’ll do my best dnd, but my “Bleeding Heart Liberal” has a bleeding heart right now. ;0)
He’s told me he isn’t a Junkie and so will be willing to listen to me. Maybe he can explain it to his people in the Food and Beverage industry in Oregon and Washington.
Politico: Beware the Ides of August. Prime time for character assassination.
Author info: John P. Avlon is the author of “Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics.” He served as chief speechwriter and deputy policy director for Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign.
High oil means it can be too expensive to ship more cheaply manufactured goods to US — might bring back local manufacturing and sourcing. (Caveat at end of article that we’ve already lost our manufacturing base, but that may not be totally so.)
Shipping Costs Start to Crimp Globalization, by Larry Rohter
In between gorging on cheap food and products, we Americans are becoming obese and renting up storage space right and left and buying up all manner of self-help books on dealing with clutter and materialism.
Perhaps buying more locally/regionally/nationally produced products — even at a slight premium — could be a help.
Brian put this NY Times story on hospitals flying uninsured illegally present patients to their home countries.
Having read it, I do not have a problem with the hospitals doing this, and do not see why US taxpayers should pay and pay and pay for those not legally in this country. None of us would expect to receive first class care from Guatemala or France or Britain in perpetuity were we injured while visiting.
Personal tragedy for this gentleman and his family, yes, but bad public policy to make the American public liable for the medical care on an unending basis.
Heartless of me? Yes. A country that can barely fund a future for its wounded Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans need not take on ceaseless care for traumatic brain injury of a citizen of another country.
Perhaps the NY Times and its more humanitarian readers can sign up personally to fund the cost of these cases, in perpetuity.
see y’all tomorrow if we don’t melt. My mother (82) tried to invite herself to go with us. I can’t imagine her walking in this heat as far as we have to walk
Did I mention it’s copacetic here at Beagle central? Balmy evening; temp just right. Sipping wine and waiting for dinner to finish; eating on the deck tonight.
I’m following the anthrax suicide. I see a lot of similarities to Watergate, although this one involves seven deaths and one suicide thus far. Watergate started out as a non-story, a break-in at DNC headquarters, great investigative reporting, and the resignation of a president. The details, of course, are different but the hundreds of unanswered questions and now Tom Daschle’s concerns about lousy FBI investigations and am $5 million pay-off to a wrongfully accused scientist. Then, throw in John McCain (and you thought I couldn’t rag on him, eh?) who told David Letterman one month after 9/11 that the anthrax attacks came from Iraq and they were on the administration’s hit list, and you have not only the making of a conspiracy but a hot lead to the lack of accountability by BushCo. Maybe the Congress will get a backbone and investigate this one.
Good morning kids! I am going to watch some of “Morning Load” to see what the McCain Negative Me me is for the day. I’m sure a-hole Joe will be loaded with his talking points.
OK, 9 Minutes in, they played McCain’s little Moses Ad. Scarborough is blabbing on about it., So thats what the GOP is going to be talking about all day.
I was away for a week, but I’m baaaack! Read about the new BF, Teamsters, huh? Impressive. How’s your arm? My back and leg are still hurting like mad, so I’m going to get more medically aggressive this week.
Well I agreed with what Bob Herbert said for sure, but this is all maneuvering to talk about race, which is what they have been doing for nearly 2 hours. It’s a hatchet job.
Yeah, my wife and I both saw it and Scarborough is just right in McCain’s pocket. You can watch these shows all day and they are going to maneuver everything around race. I bet the McCain boys spent all weekend studying poll numbers and found out this is going to work for them. Now the little heel clicking storm troopers have their orders for the day.
Muffy and Biff feel the pain too. The rich are starting to economize.
I had wondered about this; saw an awful lot of third tier mansions on the market in Newport, RI. More than would usually be for sale, I guessed. (First tier being the Breakers and other Gilded Age mansions that could house part of the Library of Congress. But the probably 7-bedroom homes with ocean or bay view and 4-car garage were on the market right and left this summer.)
Olympics start at the end of the week. A little vacation from this stuff.
My bottom line is this will be slander from now on. The Obama campaign will have to roll up their sleeves now and womp some republican boote’ and would love to see it.
I know they are taking the push back with dignity. But I think a little fat lip would cause the media to stop the McCain love fest.
Might be posting this in duplicate. Salon article on anthrax and its role in heightening post 9/11 fear. (Haven’t read it yet; Andrew Sullivan had this up on his site.)
My question: yes, researcher Ivins committed suicide, but is there any chance that he was driven to it by the FBI investigation and the destruction of his career and not by his own complicity?
Have not followed the story closely yet, but we have the court filing by the therapist — and her conclusions on Ivins’ danger to society sound very over the top. One wonders how and why Fort Detrick would have kept such a loose cannon around, working with deadly substances, for years.
Remember the Hatfill and Richard Jewel full-bore investigations.
We have not heard much further on the gentleman who took anthrax to a Las Vegas hotel a few months back; resulted in his hospitalization and the death of his pet dog (from neglect in the hotel room).
It makes me ill that this campaign might come down to race — when there are so many other differences between the candidates, and that the race card might work.
Walk your neighborhoods. Make phone calls. Write letters to the Editor — as Sheila suggested — and we can even work on drafts together by email.
EPROF brought up a very interesting about the anthrax researcher. I would like to read more. I wonder if EPROF would write something and present it here for conversation?
If you lurk today Eprof, I for one, would love to read your theory.
Emailed this response to Steve, and see now that you live in a rural county.
Dang, you’re right Steve — no Neighbor to Neighbor tool on Georgia website, which is great for getting a list of really local doors to knock.
How close is your nearest Obama HQ office? Find out if you’re in a targeted precinct or near a walkable precinct and see if they’ll hook you up with a list of voters to contact. Door to door canvassing, ID voters and make sure they’re registered to vote at their current address — top priority.
You write so well — maybe essays for as many blogs and sites as you have time.
Just plain call your local HQ — they will find something for you to do!
Even if it’s calling other prospective volunteers and getting them slated for phonebanks or events or registration tables at local shopping centers.
=========
Good luck, Steve. Voters are paying attention and now is the time to get out there. Can not take anything for granted this election, because McCain could absolutely win this thing.
Doots, you sound like a really fun person. I like your attitude. The Yellow Dog Democrat sounds like something I would say to someone, even though I couldn’t say exactly that being from the Midwest. My sister and I can really be pesky bitches if we hear something from someone out in public. We don’t usually confront anyone directly, but we get our point across especially is somone is lying.
Sheila, Your comments about your friend dealing with the Pepsi people brings back many memories. What most going through something like a downsizing usually get to know is that there is nothing they can do about it so just relax and take what they give you and move on. Going through my first two downsizings, I knew they were coming for months because I’ve worked for presidents and CEOs for many years. The second one was difficult because I loved the company (Levi Strauss) and especially the people. The third one was a major surprise, even though I also worked for the President and CEO. Everyone was called into a different room at the same time and told it would be their last day and you would be escorted to the door and that was it. IMO, that’s an archaic way for any HR person to tell someone they are losing their job, but it still happens. Life goes on and “this too shall pass”.
Back from my walk. Chock one for Sheila! Now if I can just go down another dress size…..or maybe pant size is more my style.
Hi karolenna, Downsizing right now is like a great dirty secret. Its happening and no one is talking publically. most of the country is being told the economy is just fine and yet all the lay offs and coporation restructuring to save it….
We are living such a lie right now. Obama has to get in just to rip the bandaid of the wound.
What I did for Kerry and about to do for Obama is righting an intelligent letter a week. Then send it to every major paper in the country. There are email addresses for Opinion Pages.
I also wrote opeds. I wrote to Countdown and Hardball, Lou Dobbs…..you get the drift.
If I noticed that something wasn’t being discussed, I wrote about it, short and sweet to the producers of each program. The producers are the ones who need ideas to pose to the “Face” on the screen.
Each week are wrote and then did mass emailings..
Oh! and I took senators and congressmen to task if the surrogates weren’t getting out there and making good argument.
I also wrote the young reporters on the trail and congratulated or thanked them for great reporting on something they did or caught.
I took the OPEDS and the Letters and forwarded them to friends who forwarded to friends and so on and on.
Good Morning to all my friends,
I am sorry. Its been a big week. My arm is killing me and I am on the West Coast so I miss all the fun. But I also met a man and so I am enjoying that too.
I just got up! For me is a miracle. I’ve been waking up at 5 for months. Thats 8am for all you East Coasters.
Tell us about the guy Sheila.
Eric Cantor,
Great catch Lisa. Colleen, The evengelicals are leaning toward Obama. at least the ones I’ve been talking to. The Abortion issue is hard held with the Catholics and that one I can’t speak on. But the fact that Obama is an Evengelical means something to them.
Is the Race issue the talk of the POlitical Talk shows? I don’t get to see them yet.
;0)
Well Brian, I can tell you something that will make you smile. He’s a negotiator for the Teamsters.
We have a lot in common and we’ve been talking for hours for the last week.
Mike Keefe on what’s under the hood of the McCain campaign:
http://www.denverpost.com/keefe
DND!
Perfect! You should have heard my Gaffa!
Shelia,
Nancy P. on ThisWeek. Pretty good. The round table was ok, Jake Tapper good, but David Gergen was excellent. Interesting perspective of someone who came from the south on the “Celebrity” ad.
Lieberman and Kerry on MTP, screaming at each other. Kerry was pretty good. Lieberman spouting talking points.
Fiorino is on Face the Nation….didn’t know it was on.
She is condescending. I can’t see her being his running mate.
……or Whatever her name is. lol
Hey troops-
Up and about checking in
Spotted this on MTP:
http://liebermanmustgo.com/
Immigrants Deported, by U.S. Hospitals
Heres the next subject to get shoved down our campaign throats. And even though my stomach is turning just reading it, I can’t say I blame the hospitals.
Hi Hip!
Good to see you!
Wow, I have to find MTP.
Ths referendom on Obama. Its working. I wish I have an answer to how to over turn this. Axelrod is going to earn his pay this next couple of months.
Shelia,
I knew a bunch of people at HP when Fiorina was at the helm. NOBODY liked her. And it wasn’t just because she made the share price plummet. She almost single-handedly brought down one of the greatest technology companies ever. So I find it curious that McCain picked her as a business and economics adviser and spokeswoman.
It makes me wonder too….where are all the big names in the Party?
Wow mark this. George Stephanopolis is on…..
No special sports programing this morning?
Go Pelosi in “Free Our Oil”. She says, if the big oil companies want to drill, let them drill on the land that they have already leased. Leave the rest alone. Tapping new fields would only add 2 cents of relief in ten years.
You don’t hear that all this dust up was all the big oil companies coming to the Hill.
I don’t wonder that McCain has been approached by them too.
Sorry all that I did not get a chance to stop in yesterday. Have family in town and about five places to go today, but wanted to check in to see what was happening.
Kinda funny but I wrote that piece about the economy earlier last week sometime after seeing that stupid interview with McCain. Just threw it together and told Brian he did not need to post it, because frankly the conversations had been going in other directions. Then, this morning on Meet the Press I heard whiny ass Liberman talking about national security. Mike Murphy, who led McCain’s campaign in 2000, has actually come out against the latest McCain attack ads against Obama. He doesn’t think they will work. But, either he or one of the other commentators mentioned that with the price of oil/gas coming down somewhat that the national security would probably re-enter the mainstream media again. It may have been Chuck Todd, who I really like. It’s bound to happen with a McCain running.
Also, McCain is really in the tank for big oil promoting their tax breaks and off shore drilling when they have all of those millions of acres already leased and ready to drill. Why not more conversation about that? I think the big oil want to ensure that either Bush or a possible McCain presidency gets them ALL of what they want. They know that if a D gets in the presidency with a D congress that it will be difficult pushing for big oil then.
When I hear McCain talk I think how can I we listen to him drone on for four years after having Bush for the last eight years not able to complete one intelligent sentence.
this morning at the diner I was settling in at the counter with my Sunday paper when the old fart next to me said, “Any good news, like Obama taking checks from the mullahs?” I said no. I said I didn’t really want to have a president that called his wife a cu*t in public and I would hope the next president was smarter than graduating about 4th or 5th from the bottom of the Navel Academy. To which he said I hope I never hear Obama say the US sucks again. I then asked where he said that as I had never heard that at all. I said I had heard him ask for the US to be BETTER and that I agreed with that sentiment. I asked if he agreed that the last 7and one half years could have been better? He did not answer. I then told him that arguing politics with me would not be a winning agenda. I told him I was a “yellow dog Democrat” and he said , “Oh, what’s that?” I told him. He left shortly after.
¡yo soy Horsedooty!
Thanks Sheila, glad to hear about the new man. Are you two “cookin’ up a mess a luv” or what? Lol
Yeah, old boil face McCain droning on and on and snickering for 4 long years- ugh!
Good for you Horsedooty.
Ever notice how crotchety old fools in Diners like to spout off opinions as if every one held them? We have a senile old bus driver at work who goes around spouting off misinformed opinions all the time.
He used to do that with me until I started directly getting in his face and making his life a living hell.
It’s the only thing I know that works.
I’m a bit of a hothead though.
LOL Hip.
Yes, I’d say at this juncture that I am looking forwards to some laughs for an extended period of time. I feel like I’ve met a twin. not exactly alike, but so near its great.
You are right dnd, Sunday Morning Round Table is great and Gergin Nails it
Doots,
That was great. Your like a voice in the wilderness down there. Even if that guy votes McInsane, he will remember your conversation for a long time.
Doots and all
Another thing about putting these assholes in their place is the next time they will think before spreading their manure around so freely in the company of strangers…..
Doots,
LOL! Wish I had been there. Nothing like busting the bullshit.
Shelia,
Great to hear about your new friend. Now take care of that arm!
dnd, my arm is killing me but is better than last week. A good sign.
Side note * This twin has a gimpy right arm… lol
Oh sorry, I never said this. Its my left arm that is giving me so much grief.
Gimp Twins a Mirror image in bad limbs.
Karoleena,
the photo that was used in your article is a very famous photo that came out of the Farm Security Administration. I is commonly known as “Migrant Mother”. You can order this photo from the Library of Congress for a small fee.
Destitute pea pickers in California… (Often referred to as “Migrant Mother”). 1936.
Photographer: Dorothea Lange
Reproduction Number: USZ62-95653
Dorothea Lange was an incredible photographer of her time.
¡yo soy Horsedooty!
thanks all I really need to work on my court ordered anger management. I did say all that without getting red in the face or waving my arms or shouting. I can see improvement. 🙂
¡yo soy Horsedooty!
Karolenna I am sorry for continuing to mis spell your name.
I will work on it I promise.
¡yo soy Horsedooty!
For all you guys that don’t want Clinton on the ticket. My gut is still rumbling that ole Clinton song…
Its going to be close. The Rove Junior Varisty (love that label) has done a sharp number that none of us were expecting. If Axelrod can’t come up with something to knock is off its new found balance,,,,,this Britney Paris thing has legs. It could energise the Republican base and start a movement on its own.
Clinton may become a necesray player. Like Gergin said, She says things that Obama isn’t capable of saying.
We shall see; This is gearing up as a real fight. My dukes are up and I’m ready!
Ok, I am out of here agngy. Gotta get my dog out and walk here.
Late
Holebrook on Zakeria this morning.
Graham: It’s A “lie” To Say Obama Not Injecting Race Into Campaign
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/03/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4317550.shtml
(The Politico) Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Barack Obama is “absolutely” injecting the issue of race into the presidential campaign on Sunday morning, and twice calling it “a lie” for the Democratic presidential nominee to claim otherwise.
“To say that Barack Obama did not intentionally inject the idea of his name and his race is a lie,” Graham said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that Sen. Obama is trying to suggest that he is the victim of something,”
Shelia,
I think Gergin is a genius, and I agree with him that Hillary would be a ruthless bad-cop, the kind Obama needs. But she’s got high negatives, which might hinder the ticket. I think if she’s to elevate herself on the political stage, she can be the bad-cop without being on the ticket.
I think Lindsey Graham is a tool. And not a very good one at that.
Here’s MoDo on the Hilraisers:
While I agree with you, I can’t ignore the 18 million to add to the tally.
My new found Twin is a 58 year old 35 year strong contract and human relations with the teamsters. A real hero in my books.
he’s on the fence. today on his day off, he is meeting with some men who are being laid off of Pepsi. Everyone is in cut back. He is as stressed as anyone and says that a lot of his people are so terrified of what is coming, they want a known to feel safe.
I guess put that way, I understand. We junkies fail to remember that sometimes. Especially now in a crisis era, there are those that can’t afford to sit and debate the fine points.
I think Mr teamster struck a cord in me. I understand now why the hold outs are doing so.
We may know what we are talking about, but we still have to convincingly convince the the ones that are being effect more achingly at risk. To us, the oil prices are uncomfortable. To THEM its reached crisis mode now.
NY Times on becoming “virtually” 85, in order to better understand the elderly and their experience with day to day living.
I like open thread Sunday. Great idea.
PS: wordpress just ate my post on NYTimes story on simulating life at 85.
Bad post to eat…… lol
*stretches and yawns*
BTW peeps, have you noticed Jack Reed’s name keep coming up, there is still hope for him the VP slot.
Shelia,
Chuck Todd said this morning on MTP that only 10% of Hillary supporters aren’t on board with Obama. And that about 10% of the dems are crossover voters.
And please tell Mr. Teamster about McCain’s thoughts on unions are.
BTW, only about 8% of the workforce is unionized. And a significant number of them are public sector jobs.
Well, I’ll do my best dnd, but my “Bleeding Heart Liberal” has a bleeding heart right now. ;0)
He’s told me he isn’t a Junkie and so will be willing to listen to me. Maybe he can explain it to his people in the Food and Beverage industry in Oregon and Washington.
Politico: Beware the Ides of August. Prime time for character assassination.
Author info: John P. Avlon is the author of “Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics.” He served as chief speechwriter and deputy policy director for Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign.
http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=834C2801-3048-5C12-0017F4CF99A2E6F3
Well,
Heading out. Have a great day!
Don’t watch Sunday political shows much.
Adds years to your life, I think.
Another NY Times link; hope it posts to BC.
High oil means it can be too expensive to ship more cheaply manufactured goods to US — might bring back local manufacturing and sourcing. (Caveat at end of article that we’ve already lost our manufacturing base, but that may not be totally so.)
Shipping Costs Start to Crimp Globalization, by Larry Rohter
In between gorging on cheap food and products, we Americans are becoming obese and renting up storage space right and left and buying up all manner of self-help books on dealing with clutter and materialism.
Perhaps buying more locally/regionally/nationally produced products — even at a slight premium — could be a help.
Brian put this NY Times story on hospitals flying uninsured illegally present patients to their home countries.
Having read it, I do not have a problem with the hospitals doing this, and do not see why US taxpayers should pay and pay and pay for those not legally in this country. None of us would expect to receive first class care from Guatemala or France or Britain in perpetuity were we injured while visiting.
Personal tragedy for this gentleman and his family, yes, but bad public policy to make the American public liable for the medical care on an unending basis.
Heartless of me? Yes. A country that can barely fund a future for its wounded Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans need not take on ceaseless care for traumatic brain injury of a citizen of another country.
Perhaps the NY Times and its more humanitarian readers can sign up personally to fund the cost of these cases, in perpetuity.
In case you missed it, Gergen (This Week) on “uppity” and Mike Murphy (MTP) on McCain’s ad.
IMHO, these guys tell it like it is. I don’t always like what they say, but I always listen.
Oops, forgot the link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/03/gergen-mccain-is-using-co_n_116605.html
107F in Dallas today. More of the same for the rest of the week maybe the month. Just heard slightly cooler tomorrow. 105F.
¡yo soy Horsedooty!
3 cheers to Sra Dooty, who is being honored on this very hot Texas night for her outstanding work skills and character.
thanks Mz Dog,
see y’all tomorrow if we don’t melt. My mother (82) tried to invite herself to go with us. I can’t imagine her walking in this heat as far as we have to walk
¡yo soy Horsedooty!
“3 cheers to Sra Dooty, who is being honored on this very hot Texas night for her outstanding work skills and character.”
Plus she puts up with Sr Doots!
And Doots, I won’t bitch about the temp here. We’re still on the breaking the 90’s streak, but at least we didn’t hit 100 today. Yet.
Did I mention it’s copacetic here at Beagle central? Balmy evening; temp just right. Sipping wine and waiting for dinner to finish; eating on the deck tonight.
Acorns are falling right and left. Seems early for that to be happening. No hyperactive squirrels sighted.
I’m following the anthrax suicide. I see a lot of similarities to Watergate, although this one involves seven deaths and one suicide thus far. Watergate started out as a non-story, a break-in at DNC headquarters, great investigative reporting, and the resignation of a president. The details, of course, are different but the hundreds of unanswered questions and now Tom Daschle’s concerns about lousy FBI investigations and am $5 million pay-off to a wrongfully accused scientist. Then, throw in John McCain (and you thought I couldn’t rag on him, eh?) who told David Letterman one month after 9/11 that the anthrax attacks came from Iraq and they were on the administration’s hit list, and you have not only the making of a conspiracy but a hot lead to the lack of accountability by BushCo. Maybe the Congress will get a backbone and investigate this one.
Personal note: Way to go Sheila.
Good morning kids! I am going to watch some of “Morning Load” to see what the McCain Negative Me me is for the day. I’m sure a-hole Joe will be loaded with his talking points.
I will join the other 10,000 people watching.
OK, 9 Minutes in, they played McCain’s little Moses Ad. Scarborough is blabbing on about it., So thats what the GOP is going to be talking about all day.
What will the Ovama people do about it?
Morning Hip~
I can’t sleep…. So I will watch that Morning Joe and raise you what nasty racist crap Buchanon is going to spew!
One hour in now the ad is run a 2nd time by Scarborough. It must be nice for McCain to be able to get his spot run nationally for free.
So they are all fawning over him.
McCain gets a free ride…..
Obama has to fight back. Period.
“The We Are The One We’ve Been Waiting For” add is trying to difuse the excitment around the campaign.
Gergin’s analysis as the One is Code is for Uppity,,,,,I think he’s got it. Thanks dnd for bringing that to our attention
And for the second time he spins it right into race. Tell me this isnt intentional….
These guys are very good at smearing people. But what in the world is the GOP ever for??? War? Big Corporate Govt????
You have to fight back against this stuff.
Just an absolute load of bullshit
McCain IS GETTING a free ride. I am totally amazed.
Obama should have had a huge bump that lasted longer than one day.
Come on Axelrod.
Happy Birthday, Barack!!!!
Why isn’t there an Obama surrogate on Joe this morning?
Colleen! I miss you!
Why no Obama surrogate? It’s a freaking stacked deck. Its just totally appalling. What have we got? Olbermann?
Hi, Sheila!!!
I was away for a week, but I’m baaaack! Read about the new BF, Teamsters, huh? Impressive. How’s your arm? My back and leg are still hurting like mad, so I’m going to get more medically aggressive this week.
Hi, Steve…we’ve got Olbermann and probably some Dan Abrams sometimes, oh, and now Paris Hilton’s mother. I think that’s it!
My arm is a slow heal. One step forward and two steps back. But its good today…..where’s the wood!
I like being with this guy. He’s a real bleeding heart. I think there is more need of people like him.
Good egg. Articulate, sensitive, compassionate, manly man…..great combination. ;0)
Richard Gibbs in on after the commercial. At least that. He’s a good Press Secretary and from the South. Joe likes him.
Romney is on after the commercial too…..He’s great at attack dog. I am not looking forward to his blather.
Well I agreed with what Bob Herbert said for sure, but this is all maneuvering to talk about race, which is what they have been doing for nearly 2 hours. It’s a hatchet job.
Gotta run for now
Hip did you see the phalic symbol in the Britney Paris add? Brilliant…..
Too bad the Press Has been DUMBED down.
Yeah, my wife and I both saw it and Scarborough is just right in McCain’s pocket. You can watch these shows all day and they are going to maneuver everything around race. I bet the McCain boys spent all weekend studying poll numbers and found out this is going to work for them. Now the little heel clicking storm troopers have their orders for the day.
So glad not to be watching Morning Joe.
Muffy and Biff feel the pain too. The rich are starting to economize.
I had wondered about this; saw an awful lot of third tier mansions on the market in Newport, RI. More than would usually be for sale, I guessed. (First tier being the Breakers and other Gilded Age mansions that could house part of the Library of Congress. But the probably 7-bedroom homes with ocean or bay view and 4-car garage were on the market right and left this summer.)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Wealthy-Spending.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
I am going to be checking out some more coverage today. I am working inside all day.
Well,
Olympics start at the end of the week. A little vacation from this stuff.
My bottom line is this will be slander from now on. The Obama campaign will have to roll up their sleeves now and womp some republican boote’ and would love to see it.
I know they are taking the push back with dignity. But I think a little fat lip would cause the media to stop the McCain love fest.
Might be posting this in duplicate. Salon article on anthrax and its role in heightening post 9/11 fear. (Haven’t read it yet; Andrew Sullivan had this up on his site.)
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/01/anthrax/index.html
My question: yes, researcher Ivins committed suicide, but is there any chance that he was driven to it by the FBI investigation and the destruction of his career and not by his own complicity?
Have not followed the story closely yet, but we have the court filing by the therapist — and her conclusions on Ivins’ danger to society sound very over the top. One wonders how and why Fort Detrick would have kept such a loose cannon around, working with deadly substances, for years.
Remember the Hatfill and Richard Jewel full-bore investigations.
We have not heard much further on the gentleman who took anthrax to a Las Vegas hotel a few months back; resulted in his hospitalization and the death of his pet dog (from neglect in the hotel room).
This does not seem right to me, in full.
Chef,
My post today is on this topic.
The suicide anthrax thing has smelled to high heaven with me from day one. Its too easy.
It makes me ill that this campaign might come down to race — when there are so many other differences between the candidates, and that the race card might work.
Walk your neighborhoods. Make phone calls. Write letters to the Editor — as Sheila suggested — and we can even work on drafts together by email.
Cannot take anything for granted this year.
Agreed, Steve. There’s a real chance the researcher got railroaded and driven to suicide. Maybe he was guilty. But this one bears watching.
Yes,
EPROF brought up a very interesting about the anthrax researcher. I would like to read more. I wonder if EPROF would write something and present it here for conversation?
If you lurk today Eprof, I for one, would love to read your theory.
hmmmm…….Look what I just found…
Rerouting McCain’s Bus
Frustrations Lead Campaign To Limit Reporters’ Access
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/03/AR2008080301851.html
morning peeps.
Morning Brian,
Time for me to go for a walk. later people. ;0)
Dogs eye I am with you on working. What can I do locally here? I feel very isolated in this rural county.
Brian,
Did you get my post and pic?
just emailed you steve
Ok, coming back at you e-mail wise
Emailed this response to Steve, and see now that you live in a rural county.
Dang, you’re right Steve — no Neighbor to Neighbor tool on Georgia website, which is great for getting a list of really local doors to knock.
How close is your nearest Obama HQ office? Find out if you’re in a targeted precinct or near a walkable precinct and see if they’ll hook you up with a list of voters to contact. Door to door canvassing, ID voters and make sure they’re registered to vote at their current address — top priority.
You write so well — maybe essays for as many blogs and sites as you have time.
Just plain call your local HQ — they will find something for you to do!
Even if it’s calling other prospective volunteers and getting them slated for phonebanks or events or registration tables at local shopping centers.
=========
Good luck, Steve. Voters are paying attention and now is the time to get out there. Can not take anything for granted this election, because McCain could absolutely win this thing.
Hi Gang,
Doots, you sound like a really fun person. I like your attitude. The Yellow Dog Democrat sounds like something I would say to someone, even though I couldn’t say exactly that being from the Midwest. My sister and I can really be pesky bitches if we hear something from someone out in public. We don’t usually confront anyone directly, but we get our point across especially is somone is lying.
Sheila, Your comments about your friend dealing with the Pepsi people brings back many memories. What most going through something like a downsizing usually get to know is that there is nothing they can do about it so just relax and take what they give you and move on. Going through my first two downsizings, I knew they were coming for months because I’ve worked for presidents and CEOs for many years. The second one was difficult because I loved the company (Levi Strauss) and especially the people. The third one was a major surprise, even though I also worked for the President and CEO. Everyone was called into a different room at the same time and told it would be their last day and you would be escorted to the door and that was it. IMO, that’s an archaic way for any HR person to tell someone they are losing their job, but it still happens. Life goes on and “this too shall pass”.
Happy Birthday Barack!
Boy Bob Herbert sure ripped Scarborough a new one on MoJo. Ol’ Joe is pretty smart, but sometimes he can be sooooo transparent.
Back from my walk. Chock one for Sheila! Now if I can just go down another dress size…..or maybe pant size is more my style.
Hi karolenna, Downsizing right now is like a great dirty secret. Its happening and no one is talking publically. most of the country is being told the economy is just fine and yet all the lay offs and coporation restructuring to save it….
We are living such a lie right now. Obama has to get in just to rip the bandaid of the wound.
Hip,
What I did for Kerry and about to do for Obama is righting an intelligent letter a week. Then send it to every major paper in the country. There are email addresses for Opinion Pages.
I also wrote opeds. I wrote to Countdown and Hardball, Lou Dobbs…..you get the drift.
If I noticed that something wasn’t being discussed, I wrote about it, short and sweet to the producers of each program. The producers are the ones who need ideas to pose to the “Face” on the screen.
Each week are wrote and then did mass emailings..
Oh! and I took senators and congressmen to task if the surrogates weren’t getting out there and making good argument.
I also wrote the young reporters on the trail and congratulated or thanked them for great reporting on something they did or caught.
I took the OPEDS and the Letters and forwarded them to friends who forwarded to friends and so on and on.
Thats what I’ll be doing this year.
In the Hills of Nebraska, Change Is on the Horizon
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