STUPID ACT OF VIOLENCE

I got an email today from a long-time listener, first-time caller. She's heavily involved with the Obama for America campaign, working on his campaign for 2 years. Saturday morning she was greeted with red paint on her car. Nice. Some yahoo decided the best way to show his/her disagreement of who should be the next President was to paint over her Obama bumper stickers. Keeping it classy.

As she wrote to me:

"I have set-up tables and make-shift information sites on the corners of Bay Ridge and the 13th CD since March of 2007, registering thousands of voters, providing information, campaigning, petitioning non-stop to get candidates on the 13th Congressional District ballots, phone banking for hours and hours, and, after nearly 2 years of activism in the neighborhood and Staten Island, this is what I am greeted with Saturday morning.

My Bay Ridge neighbors have had every chance under the sun to confront me, disagree, discuss, argue, debate, et al. (we have also opened up our apartment for 8 separate meetings!) regarding these times and this election, yet this, THIS, is how they choose to communicate."

Understandably, she's furious. And who wouldn't be? Sure Bay Ridge is a predominantly Republican neighborhood and Obama may not be the candidate of choice, but that doesn't give anyone the right to vandalize property. It's alright to disagree. Hell, that's what makes it a ballgame. But when disagreement turns to violence, then we have a huge problem.

Ours should be a country united, not divided.

As the reader went on to say:

"I love this neighborhood, and I expect nothing in return with the exception of simple, legal decency."

Unfortunately, the national campaign has become increasingly nasty. But let's not forget we're all in this together. Nothing will be gained if we remain so viciously divided. Let's hope we're not greeted with stupid acts of violence like this over the next few days.

OY WITH THE SPREADING OF THE WEALTH

Here's an unfortunate story. This security guard, who is just getting by, is campaigning for McCain because she says she can't afford to "spread her wealth."

Will someone please tell her that her taxes will go down with Obama, not up!

McCain and Palin have seized upon the "spread the wealth" comment and are spreading lies about Obama's tax plan.

BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS HER

It looks like Little Miss I Can See Russia From Here has gotten a taste of the big time and is now biting the hand that feeds her. According to some McCain advisers, the self-proclaimed maverick has

begun to 'go rogue' in some of her public pronouncements and decisions.

You know, I think a few weeks on the campaign trail has changed someone.

"She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone," said this McCain adviser. "She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else."

Hmm. I think all the cramming on the issues has made someone a tad cocky.

"Also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: Divas trust only unto themselves, as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom."

Yipes. But I'm sure that Palin, who loves America sooooo much, will put her own ambitions aside and put America First.

A second McCain source says she appears to be looking out for herself more than the McCain campaign.

So Miss Congenial Maverick has out-Mavericked the elder Maverick. Maybe if McRage had actually vetted her before he put her on the ticket this wouldn't be happening.

But for those of you who still think McRage/Failin is the answer to 8 years of failed policies, maybe you should think again. If these two can't get along after 8 weeks, and if Failin' is out for herself, how do you think they'll run the country?

JOE THE WORLD

Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Georgia (the country, not the state). What do these four countries have in common? Their citizens would prefer to see McCain elected President of the United States.

Sixty-six other countries prefer to see Obama elected.

That's all according to a new Gallup poll.

Gallup Polls conducted in 70 countries representing more than 2 billion of the world's adult citizens reveal a nearly 4-to-1 preference for Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. John McCain among those who say they know enough to have an opinion.

No word on whether the world prefers Sarah Palin or Tina Fey.

6 DEGREES OF BILL AYERS

Why aren't we hearing any "could be a terrorist" news linking Bill Ayers with everyone else who has ever worked with him? Granted Obama is the only one who's running for President, but if McCain/Palin and the RNC are claiming Obama is consorting with a domestic terrorist, doesn't it follow that everyone else who has worked with him is also on the "palling around with a terrorist" list?

Maybe Michelle Bachmann could get on that asap.

ROBOCALL THIS, LIBERAL SCUM!

What negative campaigning?

Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country. This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee.

MAVERICK STYLE

I found this interesting:

John McCain has missed 420 votes (64.1%) during the current Congress.

John McCain has voted with a majority of his Republican colleagues 88.1% of the time during the current Congress.

John McCain. Not getting it done. Maverick style.

MCINSANE

I love this entry from the NY Times.

A Relentless McCain | 9:50 p.m. Mr. Obama seems kind of astounded at Mr. McCain’s repetitions of things that he thought he had put to rest — Mr. Ayers, tax increases. Mr. Obama keeps looking at Mr. Schieffer with eyes wide, as if to say, can you believe it?

Back to the losing Dodgers.

PANTS ON FIRE

So McCain must think that getting "tough" means "lie lie lie."

Negative campaigning has come up in the debate. McCain does not address how his campaign has been uber-negative, despite a cavalcade of articles saying his campaign has been uber-negative. Instead he talks about how his feelings were hurt by what Congressman Lewis said. And he's not letting up on the Ayers connection which has been proven false time and time again.

McCain is lying up a storm. Ugh. I'm going to watch the Dodgers lose.

WHO IS THE REAL JOHN MCCAIN

According to the Huffington Post, John McCain has named Washington lobbyist, William Timmons, to head his presidential transition team.

But here's the rub:

The two lobbyists who Timmons worked closely with over a five year period on the lobbying campaign later either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of federal criminal charges that they had acted as unregistered agents of Saddam Hussein's government.

So by the McCain and Pathetic logic, they're palling around with a pal of a terrorist.


Photo courtesy: Huffington Post

BASELESS!?

Baseless!?

John McCain called a statement by a Georgia congressman Saturday, which compared the feeling at recent Republican rallies to those of segregationist George Wallace, "a brazen and baseless attack."

Congressman John Lewis said:

"What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse."

George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights."

John McCain's response was:

"Congressman John Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Gov. Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale...I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character."

Perhaps John McCain's memory isn't firing on all cylinders. Or maybe he missed his running mate's rallies. Or maybe he's forgotten his own strategy of late.

CNN contributor David Gergen, who has advised Democratic and Republican presidential administrations, said Thursday that the negative tone of these rallies is "incendiary" and could lead to violence.

"There is this free floating sort of whipping around anger that could really lead to some violence. I think we're not far from that."

The attacks on Obama have been disgusting. The rallies, especially Palin's, have been appalling. And Palin hasn't done a thing to stop the calls for "kill him." But what do you expect from a woman who purportedly said -

“So Sambo beat the bitch!”

So no, John, the remarks today by Congressman Lewis were not baseless. Just look at the news.


Pic: Five months after vowing "segregation forever" at his 1963 inaugural, Gov. George C. Wallace tried to block the admission of two black students to the all-white University of Alabama.

NOT THE BEST WEEK FOR MCCAIN

Things aren't looking so good for Senator John McCain. A state investigation found his interview-challenged choice of a running mate, Sarah Palin, abused her power as Alaska's governor and violated state ethics law.

Oops.

As we all know, the McCain strategy as of late has been to attack attack attack Obama. McCain and Palin have tried to put extreme doubt into voter's minds by saying Obama and Ayers are BFFs and asking "Who is the real Barack Obama?" They've even called him "too risky for America."

And it has gotten ugly.

At recent Republican rallies, people have yelled "terrorist," "treason," and "kill him."

Some audience members are openly hostile to members of the traveling press covering Palin; one crowd member hurled a racial epithet at an African-American member of the press in Clearwater, Florida, on Monday.

And at a McCain rally in New Mexico on Monday, one supporter yelled out "terrorist" when McCain asked, "Who is the real Barack Obama?" McCain didn't respond.

So now, the Republican anger is boiling over onto McCain.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain was booed at his own rally on Friday as he tried to rein in increasingly raw anger among supporters stunned by Democrat Barack Obama's lead in the polls.

That's right. McCain was booed at his own rally when he said

"I admire Sen. Obama and his accomplishments."

The attacks haven't help McCain in the polls. In fact, they've hurt him so far. But he and Palin (who seems to revel in the attacks) now have to back-peddle because too many people, Democrats and Republicans, say it's getting out of hand.

Former Michigan Gov. William Milliken, a Republican, told the Grand Rapids Press he was "disappointed in the tenor and the personal attacks on the part of the McCain campaign."

"He is not the McCain I endorsed."

McCain's big ground-breaking bailout plan seems to be a bust.

Jared Bernstein, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute, said he finds the proposal "quite unsettling."
"Under this plan, there's no quid pro quo between lender and taxpayer," Bernstein said. "When I first heard it, I was underwhelmed. Now I'm actively nervous."

And there was a time when McCain refused to talk about his son.

“It goes to the character of McCain that he typically does not exploit his familial connections,” said Jim Pitts, co-founder of Navigators, a Washington lobby shop. Pitts is a McCain supporter and fundraiser.

McCain’s spokeswoman, Brooke Buchanan, said that his sons’ military experience will be off-limits.

But I guess when you're behind in the polls nothing is off-limits.


So let's recap:

• Choice of running mate? Bad choice.
• Choosing to go negative in the campaign? Bad choice.
• Bailout plan? Bad choice. Economists think it's scary.
• Talking about son of-limits? Strike that. Reverse it.
  

Not the best week for McCain.

DIRTIEST CAMPAIGN EVER

Cindy McCain today said

Sen. Barack Obama has "waged the dirtiest campaign in American history.”

But when shown this picture she said, "Yep. That's him! Dirty dirty dirty!"

WHICH TEAM ARE YOU GOING TO HIRE?

Here's another email I got from an imaginary friend.

You are The Boss... which team would you hire?

With America facing historic debt, multiple war fronts, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, skyrocketing Federal spending, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, etc. etc., this is an ***unusually critical*** election year.

Let's look at the educational background of your two options:

Obama:
Occidental College - Two years.
Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A . in political science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism
(verified through Anchorage Daily News adn.com 1981-1987. 5 schools in 6 years!


Now, which team are you going to 'hire'?

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME

Sarah Palin is an IDIOT! A moron! She's half of a wit short of being a halfwit! She makes Katie look like Stephen Freakin' Hawking.

Americans are waiting to hear what John "Deregulation" McCain has to say about the economic problem? Really!?

And the mocking of Obama is sooooooo Alaskan soccer mom.

I'm going to go bite my pillow.

MCWHAT?

Here's one of the many things that I don't get about the McCain/Palin ticket:

He also expresses pride in his choice of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his running mate, adding, “Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: change is coming."

Isn't "the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd" the same crowd who spent the last eight years getting us into this mess?

MCCAIN IN THE RIDGE

Senator McSame, aka the Short Fuse, was in Bay Ridge today. He gave a short speech at Windows We Are, a window store owned by Yoda. Party big wigs Marty Golden and Mayor Bloomberg came out to the Ridge to join McSame. After his speech, The Short Fuse had a slice of pepperoni pizza at Verrazano Pizza on 4th Avenue and 91st Street.

Unfortunately I was unable to see the festivities. I spent the afternoon at a wake for a good friend's father. Ironically, my friend's father showed more life than McSame.

IT'S RAINING JOHN MCCAIN

Joshing Politics is one of my favorite blogs. Josh Silverstein is a very funny and smart guy. He posted this hilarious video and it's definitely a contender for "15 Minutes of Internet Fame."

And I love that in Josh's labels, he categorizes it as WTF?

OH BAM!

Wow. Do you think Americans want to change the direction of this country? Barack Obama was expected to win the three primaries today but not by as much as he did. He trounced Hillary getting 68% in Washington, 68% in Nebraska, and (with 81% reporting) 55% in Louisiana.

And Short Fuse McCain suffered an embarrassing loss in Kansas as Huckelberry nabbed 60% of the votes. In fact, Huckelberry is leading in Louisiana and Washington. Could Republicans be sending a message to the Short Fuse?

If America wants a new direction (and all polls say we do) then it could be Oh-Mama and Huckelberry in the battle for the White House. Hillary may seem as too old Washington and the Short Fuse will just be too much of what we've had for 8 long years. And for the love of god, please don't give us 8 more years of the same thing.

MY MORNING CABOODLE

I turned on the TV this morning to see what was happening in the world. First stop:

CNN

They were doing a story about a shooting in Kirkwood, MO, where s Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton walked into a city council meeting and opened fire, killing 5 people and wounding 2 others. CNN was on the scene and a reporter was interviewing the gunman's brother. This was a big mistake. The reporter had to have known it was a big mistake. The brother was defending Cookie's actions. Um -- hello -- your brother just killed 5 people. Seems Cookie had been a problem for a while -

"He would make inappropriate noises, heehawing like a donkey. He would make derogatory comments towards the director of public works, the city attorney and the mayor. None of it seemed to make any sense as far as him trying to make a point, as far as why he was really there and what his major complaints were."

And to make matters worse, the brother was smirking!! The anchor, Tony Harris, (who looks a lot like Larry Wilmore from The Daily Show) put a halt to the interview.

I don't know much about law enforcement, but I think the police outta keep their eyes on the Thornton family.

So I click to:

MSNBC

They were doing a story about a shooting in Baton Rouge, LA, where a girl walked into a college classroom and killed 2 girls and then shot herself. And the NRA says we don't need gun laws.

Then I switched back to:

MSNBC

They were now doing a story about John McCain and they were interviewing George "Macaca" Allen!! You've got to be kidding me. Does this man have any credibility left?

So I turned off the TV and made my way to Starbucks.