Send A Condom For Christ

Der Spiegel via Pam's House Blend:

Pope Benedict XVI triggered yet another scandal when he criticized the use of condoms in the fight against AIDS in Africa. Now the protests are taking an unusual form: The pontiff is about to receive a deluge of condoms by post -- gifts from international members of a Facebook group.

When Benedict XVI travelled to Africa, the continent worst-hit by AIDS, he stumbled, once again, head first into an international controversy. His remarks that condoms were not the answer in the continent's battle against the killer virus sparked vociferous criticism from experts and politicans alike.

Now that anger is being expressed in an unusual way: An Italian group on the social networking Web site Facebook is urging people to post condoms to the pope in protest over his remarks. It expects 60,000 subscribers will send a condom to the Vatican on Friday.

I'm sure that the Smitten Kitten in Lyn-Lake would welcome the business, and you can order directly from their website, should anyone wish to participate. I'm just sayin'....

Hey Norm, The Fat Lady's Beginning To Sing

The Minnesota election court judging the near-endless Franken-Coleman trial delivered a ruling today, and it's a hard kick in the ass for Normie:

The court reviewed 980 copies of rejected absentee ballots that both campaigns had submitted to the court arguing they should be counted under the law. We don't know the exact proportions, and Coleman alone had submitted more than that. Of those, the court has individually selected 400 of those for final review of the originals. But even all 400 of these won't be counted: "To be clear, not every absentee ballot identified in this Order will ultimately be opened and counted."

So these 400 ballots, mostly from Hennepin, Ramsey, and St. Louis counties, areas that went heavily for Franken, will finally be counted; and miracle of miracles, Harry Reid said through a spokesman that "Senator Reid is looking forward to the final resolution of this case by the Minnesota courts so that Al Franken can finally be seated as the new senator from Minnesota." What, Harry finally found his balls, too? Amazin'!

Norm, being the weasel that he is, has promised to go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court with this latest attempt to delay his indictment for corruption legal quest to do what he couldn't do on November 4th (namely, win reelection), but with today's ruling, it doesn't look like he'll even succeed with an appeal, should he lose. The election court covered themselves pretty well; there isn't much room to appeal on, given this ruling. So Norm has to win 313 of those 400 votes, or he's finally out.

Make way for Senator Franken....and about damn time, too!

Enough With The Bitching About Obama's Teleprompter, Already!

Wingnut Central has decreed that its loonies should harp on President Obama's use of a teleprompter last night, during the intro to his press conference. I say, so what? What professional speaker doesn't use a teleprompter? The use of one has no bearing on the ability of the user to speak off the cuff, without a prepared text.

Are the wingnuts trying to claim that this man, who graduated at the top of his class from Harvard Law, who burned up every debate opponent during the campaign, who nails 'em in his press conferences, can't speak extemporaneously? Who do they think they're kidding?!

And BTW, have they forgotten about this guy?

The Bachmann Effect

Today's denial of the ludicrious call for armed rebellion by spokescritters for Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Wingnut) highlights what TPM's Eric Klefeld calls "The Bachmann Effect":

I've now discovered at least three examples of a curious phenomenon: The Bachmann Effect. When Bachmann is out there talking about the issues in an adversarial setting, her opponents find themselves on a very unsure footing -- mainly because they're shocked and befuddled to hear what she's saying.

In short, the usual reaction to a Bachmann statement is "What the hell is she talking about?" I confess to having fallen victim to this nefarious and insane force of....UN-nature?--myself, yesterday. Thankfully, Klefeld also compiled a short video of the Bachmann Effect on other victims, below:



I'm glad to see that this crazy woman confuses others, as well! Look at the people she's addressing in video--every one of them dazed and confused by the sheer ignorance coming out of Bachmann's mouth. Proof positive that you need not be intelligent or well-schooled, knowledgeable about U.S. history, civics or the law of the land--you need not even need to be sane or able to breathe with your mouth closed!--in order to be a member of Congress.

And they call Al Franken "a comedian."

Will somebody please relieve Bachmann of her confusion and get her a copy of the Constitution, then stuff it in her mouth so we don't have to listen to her for another two years....and will the DFL please put up the candidate, time, and money necessary to defeat her in 2010?!

Pres. Obama: 1, the MSM: 0

President Obama scored a direct hit on CNN's Ed Henry tonight, slapping him down in response to Henry's "gotcha" question about AIG, during his second televised press conference. Former gossip columnist Henry asked the President why he "waited days to come out and express (his) outrage" about the AIG bonuses. The President's reply? Just watch:



Zing! "It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak." Now that's how you deal with assholes and their questions!

I'm getting sick of CNN anyway; they seem to be making a hard right turn since the inauguration. Campbell Brown and her "Biased Bull", D.L. Hughley's show getting cancelled, John King performing fellatio on Dick Cheney last week, and now Ed Henry thinks he can show up the President? Negro, please! The only show worth watching on CNN these days is Fareed Zakaria GPS. I'm switching to MSNBC.

Michele Bachmann Is A Stupid Bitch (Part 1,975 of a continuing series)

This is getting to be almost too easy:

"I’m a foreign correspondent on enemy lines and I try to let everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington."

Congresswoman Bachmann did not unpack this analogy during the interview to spell out whether she considers herself a foreign correspondent simply because the Democratic Party is in charge of D.C., or whether she believes Democratic policies are changing America into a different country altogether from the one she would like to see.

[...]During a January 14, 2009 interview with conservative talk show host Glenn Beck, Representative Bachmann explained how she is one of only a handful of members of Congress who are "keepers of the flame" - fighting to prevent the federal government from taking freedom (and money) from the American people:

"I would say there are probably 30 keepers of the flame over here...The main thing we can do right now is be foreign correspondents reporting to you from enemy lines."

[...]"I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us ‘having a revolution every now and then is a good thing,’ and the people - we the people - are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States."

Honestly, you folks in her district, aren't you tired of this yet? When is a recall going to be started?

Does Anyone Really Believe...

...that George Bush will actually write his book?

The New Face Of Crime?

My favorite correspondent on The Daily Show, Larry Wilmore, explains how "white is the new face of crime":

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
The New White Face of Crime
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Important Things w/ Demetri Martin Political Humor

No, We Can't...

...put black people on tv:

On the eve of Barack Obama’s election last fall as the first African-American president, television seemed to be leaning toward a post-racial future. In October two prominent cable networks — CNN and Comedy Central — began new programs that featured black hosts, a development that was notable because so few current programs on cable or broadcast channels have minority leads.

Five months later both programs — “Chocolate News,” featuring David Alan Grier on Comedy Central, and “D. L. Hughley Breaks the News” on CNN — have been discontinued. In addition, CW, the broadcast network that regularly features comedies with largely African-American casts, announced in February that it was renewing six popular series, but its two with mostly black performers — “Everybody Hates Chris” and “The Game” — were not among them. (The network says it is still deciding their fates.)

I only saw Chocolate News once or twice, but outside of its opening monologue, I thought it was rather lame. D.L. Hughley's show, however, was getting better, after getting off to a rocky start. D.L.'s interviewing skills rapidly improved; for example, the Michael Steele interview.

I think this is one part institutional racism, and one part poor quality. Whyinhell are these shows always comedies? Can't the networks produce and support a dramatic series with a black cast? Then again, I think that Ernie Kovacs was right, when he said that television is "a medium, because it is neither rare nor well-done."

So Many Fools, So Little Time

There's been so much foolishness going on lately, that whenever I take a day off, I return to find myself inundated by a tsunami of foolishness, stupidity, greed, and insolence. So, here's the short, catch-up version:

Seppuku for AIG execs? Not a bad idea. Finally, a new idea from the Party of No!

Glen Beck is crazy as a rat in a tin shithouse. But maybe, if people keep watching his mad rantings, we'll be able to see televised proof of spontaneous human combustion.

Dick Cheney is the epitome of mendacious evil--but I hope he keeps talking. When does the war crimes trial start?

John King is no Wolf Blitzer.....which isn't saying a whole lot to begin with.

For the Nth time, Hawaii is American soil!

Michael Steele is a fool, and Wingnut Central will toss him out, soon. But what if he was right? It would be his ass in a sling--idiot!

Stephen Colbert may be on to something here. What I want to know is: can we use swords instead of pitchforks?

No matter how the trial ends, Norm Coleman, one way or the other, is finished in Minnesota politics.



P.S.: Thanks to Adria Richards for demonstrating that we do have some smart, photogenic, tech-savvy folk here in Minnesota--and some of us aren't Scandahoovian, either!

CNBC Angered By Cramer's Performance

Seems that the stock cheerleaders at CNBC are upset with Jim Cramer's performance on The Daily Show, and Cramer himself feels that he was "blindsided" by Jon Stewart:

Cramer has told colleagues he felt blindsided by Stewart's hostile approach. But many CNBC staffers were furious with Cramer yesterday for failing to defend the network's reporting or to criticize Stewart's video clips as selectively edited or out of context. CNBC declined all interview requests, saying in a statement: "CNBC produces more than 150 hours of live television a week that includes more than 850 interviews in the service of exposing all sides of every critical financial and economic issue. We are proud of our record."

Cramer was blindsided? Has he ever watched The Daily Show? What bullshit! Somebody finally noticed that CNBC missed the greatest debacle in the financial system since 1929, a disaster that was entirely predictable--and they're upset about being called to task for it? (In the interests of full disclosure, I often listen to Cramer myself, and followed his advice to get out of the market last October.) Please!

Meanwhile, producers at sister channel MSNBC have been asked to downplay the interview:

A TVNewser tipster tells us MSNBC producers were asked not to incorporate the Jim Cramer/Jon Stewart interview into their shows today. In fact, the only time it came up on MSNBC was during the White House briefing, when a member of the press corps asked Press Secretary Robert Gibbs if Pres. Obama watched. Gibbs wasn't sure if the president had, but Gibbs did. "I enjoyed it thoroughly," the Press Secretary said.

...and the CEO of theStreet.com, a financial website founded by Cramer, has abruptly resigned:

Friday brought more tumult for CNBC anchor Jim Cramer, when the chief executive of his online financial news site, The Street.com, resigned.

The company announced Friday that Thomas Clarke, TheStreet.com’s CEO for the past decade, would be leaving, effective immediately.

[...]Outsized TV personality and chairman of the board Jim Cramer issued a boilerplate statement on Mr. Clarke’s departure, saying only, “I want to thank Tom for his long-time service to the Company and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”

The abrupt nature of Mr. Clarke’s departure only adds to the company’s troubles in the current bear market. Its stock dropped below $2 per share this week, down from $9.50 per share a year ago.

Uh-huh...."thanks for your long-time service," here's a golden watch, don't let the doorknob hit you in the ass on your way out.

It all sounds to me that parent company GE wants to keep things as quiet as possible. Fortunately for the rest of the planet, the interwebs keep them from doing that; Rachel Maddow reported on her show reported that Comedy Central's servers saw a 400% increase in traffic since Thursday night's airing of the interview. Pretty slick way to mention the interview too, Rachel!

Jon Stewart, the People's Hero, Part 3

Part 3 of Jon Stewart's interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, the unedited version:

Jon Stewart, the People's Hero, Part 2

Part 2 of the unedited version Stewart's interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer:

Jon Stewart, the People's Hero, Part 1

OK, I'm sure you saw Jon Stuart eviscerate Jim Cramer last night on The Daily Show. What you may not have seen is the unedited interview, so I'm posting them here for your enjoyment:

Ari Fleischer: Still The Worst Person In The World

Ari's still trying to spread the lie that Saddam Hussein was connected to 9/11. From the conclusion of his interview with Chris Matthews on Hardball last night (emphasis mine):

Fleischer: "After September 11th having been hit once how could we take a chance that Saddam might strike again? And that's the threat that has been removed and I think we are all safer with that threat removed."


Matthews: "I'm proud that we no longer have an administration that uses that kind argument...and the American people are too."

Fleischer: "Well, Chris, we all know where you stand.

Matthews: "And you as well sir."

Fuck you, Ari. Still trying to save your master's asses like the loyal dog you are. Still spreading lies in a futile attempt to confuse and misinform people. You belong in jail at the Hague, along with your masters. Revisionist lying asshole--fuck you!


UPDATE:
Chris Matthews, in tonight's broadcast of Hardball, admitted that he missed that astounding comment from last night. To his credit, though, tonight he let the lying scumbag have it with both barrels:



Transcript (courtesy of Jed Lewison @ DailyKos):

Good evening, I’m Chris Matthews. Leading off, it never stops. Last night on “Hardball” I had a good tiff with Ari Fleischer. We both gave it a good effort and I hope he comes back. That said, I didn’t catch something he said at the end of the appearance just as I was thanking him for coming on. I didn’t hear it until I watched the 7:00 edition last night. But a lot of people caught it when it first aired and didn’t like it.

FLEISCHER (recorded): Chris, and I believe thisstill today, and of course you and disagree with it, but after September 11th, having been hit once, how could we take a chance Saddam might not strike again? And that’s the threat that has been removed, and I think we’re all safer with that threat removed.

MATTHEWS (recorded): And I’m glad we don’t have an administration that uses that kind of argument. Thank you very much, Ari Fleischer.

We could not take the chance that Saddam Hussein “might strike again.”

Well, the problem with that statement is that Saddam Hussein didn’t attack the United States on 9/11. A lot of people were led to believe he did by statements coming directly from President Bush and Vice President Cheney and that made the case for them. Got them to back the war, a kind of ‘Remember Pearl Harbor’ kind of thing.

In fact, in addition to the talk about nuclear threat of saddam, all that mushroom cloud talk, this was the gut deal maker, the big nasty powerful untruth that led so many middle of the road Americans to buy the Bush case for war — that Saddam Hussein had attacked us on 9/11 and we had to stop him from attacking us again.

Three-quarters of the American people bought that untruth.

Blind and arrogant to the end...all of 'em.

Dumbass!

Norm Coleman's people didn't know not to post credit card numbers openly on the net?!

Former Sen. Norm Coleman's campaign didn't do enough to protect donors' confidential information, and Wednesday that lapse came home to roost as more than 4,700 partial credit card numbers were posted on the Internet.

As data-privacy and security experts criticized the campaign's handling of a confidential donor database, the Republican and his aides suggested partisan motives — and told donors they should cancel their credit cards.

The U.S. Secret Service was investigating, and Coleman's attorney Fritz Knaak said the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was aware of the situation. He and Coleman described the situation as theft.

It was unclear whether the campaign violated a state law by not disclosing until Wednesday — after the data surfaced on a self-described whistleblower Web site, posted anonymously — that the information, including entire credit card numbers, was vulnerable. A spokesman for Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson declined to comment.

"Theft?" Of what, their common sense? There were no partisan culprits here, unless, as Stephen Colbert once said, you count reality's "well-known liberal bias." Because, the reality is, you don't retain credit cards records unencrypted, and you don't put them on a server that's exposed to the internet. You don't keep the three-digit security code, you don't lie and say that "hackers" hit your site, and most of all, you don't do nothing about it for months. No, Norm, you weren't hit by hackers, your own stupidity hit your site!

Coleman and his IT people have some 'splainin' to do. So this is, what.....two federal investigations against Normie, so far?

Michael Steele: He's No Spook Sitting By The Window...

...no, he's the GOP lawn jockey:

Republican insiders tell Political Wire that a no confidence vote on RNC Chairman Michael Steele is likely to be called after the NY-20 special election on March 31 -- regardless of whether Republicans win the seat or not.

And who's subtly campaigning for the post?

Katon Dawson, who came in second in the January RNC vote, is said to be quietly organizing a vote and is getting the support of several state party chairmen who want to dump Steele.

Steele has been a media lightning rod and a capering idiot since his election to the GOP chairmanship in February. He's been criticized by everyone from Rush Limbaugh to Joe the (not) Plumber, and has generally acted like an damn fool ever since taking the post. I mean, my gawd, this is the kind of guy that makes other black people cover their eyes and say "damn, why did it have to be one of us doing some stupid shit like that?" Stupid things like:

• Promising an "off the hook," hip-hop image makeover of the GOP.
• Criticizing, and then apologizing to Limbaugh.
• Ignorant, imbecilic comments like "government has never created a job in the history of mankind," offering "slum love" to Bobby Jindal (another idiot--do Indian-Americans cover their eyes when Jindal speaks, too?).
• Claiming to be pro-choice but against Roe v. Wade.
• Being the recipient of Michele Bachmann's infamous "you be da man!" shout-out...hell, having anything at all to do with Michele Bachmann!

So, the first African-American chairman of the GOP could be ousted by a man who says he first became involved in politics because of his opposition to desegregation?! I have to echo Kos: does God love me this much??

Stewart vs. Cramer, Round 2!

*LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL*

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

In Cramer We Trust

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Economic Crisis

"Is Obama Doing Too Much?" - Are You Kidding Me?

This morning the chattering class on the glass teat was asking, "is President Obama trying to do too much?" Holy shit, that woke me up faster than the espresso I was gulping down! "Too much?" Are you fucking kidding me? Let's look at the facts:

1. The country is facing two wars, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the end of an eight-year-long attempt to subvert the Constitution;
2. The last guy in the Oval Office set the all time record for most vacations taken by a president;
3. Obama is light-years ahead of Bush in the smarts department;
4. We can't afford to do things one at at time, everything has gone to hell all at once.

So what's this crap about "doing too much?" They ought to thank their gods that Obama has the brains, vision, and ability to tackle all these crises all at once!

Chuck Norris Has Lost His Fucking Mind

Chuck wants Texas to secede from the Union. (You're getting angry now, Chuck? The last eight years didn't piss you off?) Chuckie is organizing a meeting of splinter cells across the country for a live telecast, "We Surround Them," on March 13th. I personally hope to see the whole treasonous bunch surrounded by Secret Service, FBI, and ATF, and thrown singly into small, dark holes in Leavenworth.

Understand This: There Ain't Gonna Be No Revote!

Norm Coleman's recent noises about declaring the Senate vote in November void, and having another election, is just so much bullshit. It's just not going to happen. A new election would require a change in Minnesota law. So what's all this noise about Norm having a chance? Simple: it's more Republican lies and deceit, intended to keep Minnesota from having its second senator, unless the Senate Repugs get their boy in. Which isn't going to happen.

Al Franken won the election. He won the recount. And so far, the judges hearing this ridiculous case seem to be siding with Al. Harry Reid wants to seat Al, but the Repugs are using this mishegosh to power their fundraising drives around the country, and John Cormyn has vowed to filibuster any attempt to seat Al before the trial ends. The Repugs are desperately afraid of the Democrats getting any closer to sixty votes in the Senate. So we wait, and wait, and wait; while Norm's legal and public excuses get thinner and thinner, and Minnesota is denied its rightful representation in the Senate at this critical time.

I say again: Minnesota law does not allow for a new election. This is all a transparent attempt to keep the Senate Democrats from having fifty-nine votes, one short of a filibuster-proof majority. Norm needs to quit it. He needs to give up his suit, and withdraw, taking what little shreds of his honor he has left. Norm Coleman needs to realize that he's no longer a U.S. Senator, and Al Franken is the junior senator from Minnesota.

Of course, I might as well wish for it to rain gold and diamonds from the sky, for peace in the Middle East, and for Rush Limbaugh to be caught with either a dead girl or a live boy. Fat chance of that! The bottom line is, the Republicans of today have no honor, no dignity, and no shame. But for now, I'll place my confidence in the system to make an end of this, soon.

Deep Thoughts (Borrowed)

John Cole:

"Republicans are fond of saying Americans can do anything and everything and build anything and everything. Except, according to Republicans dogma, govern themselves. Only individuals can do that."

Michael Steele Revealed!

Via Coates:

The Daily Show Whacks CNBC

Jon Stewart and The Daily Show are making my job easier. Here he rips CNBC's Rick Santelli a new one, and gives a pretty good explanation of the financial mess we're in:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

Fox "News" In A Nutshell

Hilarious!

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Beer Pong Herpes Outbreak

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Rap Battle
Joke of the Day

Norm: GO AWAY

Norm Coleman's legal efforts have now come to this: he's calling for a new election, saying that the November contest was so flawed that the winner cannot be determined.

StarTribune:

Monday, Coleman lawyer Jim Langdon wrote the three-judge panel to suggest the problems are so serious they may not be able to declare a winner.

"Some courts have held that when the number of illegal votes exceeds the margin between the candidates -- and it cannot be determined for which candidate those illegal votes were cast -- the most appropriate remedy is to set aside the election," Langdon wrote in a letter to the court.

Faced with this blatant effort to overthrow the election process, state and national Democrats have risen to the challenge.

State DFL chairman Brian Menendez:

"...Norm Coleman's camp has reached a new low. After five weeks in court, they are now asking for the results of the election to be thrown out. That's not how we do elections in this country."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in an e-mail to Talking Points Memo:

"Just because Mr. Coleman is not happy with the results of the election/recount doesn't mean he gets to schedule another one."

And, DNC chairman Tim Kaine:

"The people of Minnesota have spoken. It's time for Norm Coleman to accept the voters' decision, do what is best for his state and country and stop standing in the way of a Senator being seated."

Norm has from the start tried to undermine the election recount process, calling in November for Franken to concede, although Minnesota state law mandated an automatic recount. Now, after suggesting the need for a new election, Coleman's true objective is finally exposed: Normie wants a do-over! Unable to win the election legitimately (or illegitimately), Norm is hoping that the deep pockets of his Repug friends will keep this contest in the courts until 2014, meanwhile promoting a fictional charge by the RNC that Al Franken is "stealing" the election to keep the money rolling in for his expensive legal challenge. Franken would be the 59th Democratic vote in the Senate, a total that the Repugs are desperate to avoid. And, one might also surmise that as long as the court case continues, the FBI investigation of Coleman stays on the back burner, too. Or so Norm hopes.

The national media, despite some local and national notice, have largely been asleep at the switch over the Coleman investigation, preferring instead the antics of Rod Blagojevich. The New Republic's Jonathan Chait has been one of the few national reporters to cover this disparity and the ongoing FBI investigation:

The soon-to-be-former senator's scandal is pretty simple. Nasser Kazeminy, a wealthy businessman and close Coleman friend, allegedly paid him $75,000 under the table.

[...]

Now consider how the two stories have fared in the national press. Blagojevich has turned into the biggest crime story since O.J. Simpson. Can you guess how many articles about the Coleman scandal have appeared in the national media? One short wire story. When I bring up Coleman's scandals with my colleagues, many of whom follow politics for a living, invariably they have little or no idea what I'm talking about.

Norm's legal shenanigans have made a laughingstock of Minnesota's legal system, turned the state into fodder for late-night comics, and denied Minnesotans of their right to representation at this critical time for our nation. U.S. News & World Report's John Mashek says "Get over it, Norm":

After four months of nonstop wrangling, it is about time for Republican Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota to throw in the towel. He is depriving his home state of a second vote in the U.S. Senate, threatening to stretch the appeal process of his losing Senate race into April.

[...]

With Coleman trailing Franken by 225 votes in the final recount, he is determined with the help of party figures to continue this process.

Get over it, Norm.

The facts are these: On November 4, Coleman appeared to have a tiny lead over Franken. Recounts reversed the decision, and Franken was certified the winner by those 225 votes out of 2.9 million cast. A three-judge panel is considering the case now, but Coleman's advisers are talking about a further appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court if necessary.

Meanwhile, Coleman keeps in close contact with GOP leaders and is working as a consultant in Washington to the Republican Jewish Coalition.

[...]

Close elections occur in every state, but this latest contest in Minnesota is turning into a real fiasco. Minnesota even gets a going-over by the late-night comics.

Coleman has a legal right to continue his case in the courts, but Franken's certification works against him. There is a time to fold your hand, Senator.

Norm, it's time to let it go. I know you want to keep the job and stay out of jail, but you shouldn't punish the citizens of Minnesota because of your desire to be free, solvent, and a U.S. Senator. You lost. Yes, get over it. Concede now, for the good of the state, the nation, and maybe your forthcoming criminal trial.

Don't go away mad, just go away.

"Forgive Me, Rush, For I Have Sinned...."

Talking Points Memo:

The DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) has put together an automated Rush Apology Widget.

I betcha Michael Steele wishes they'd done this yesterday!

Have You Heard the One About The Fat Demon And The Republican?

Michael Steele proved himself to be not the Man of Steel, but in reality the Punk-Ass Chump of Kleenex, today apologizing to Rush Limbaugh after less than 36 hours for comments he made about the corpulent narcissist during Steele's appearance last weekend on CNN's D.L. Hughley Breaks The News:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an “entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.”

“My intent was not to go after Rush – I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh,” Steele said in a telephone interview. “I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. … There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership.”

Once again, another Republican has grabbed his ankles and offered up himself to the real leader of the Republican party. And if this fat sexist asshole is the leader of their party, then what does it say about them, and their goals?

John Cole:

In just a few days, Rush has threatened anyone who thought Jindal’s speech was bad, publicly castrated the RNC chairman, repeatedly associated the Republican party with desires for President Obama to fail, stated that ideas don’t matter and then proved it by misquoting the Constitution, and wrestled control of the GOP from any and all of their elected leaders at the annual conservative conference.

The spectacle of leading Republicans loudly proclaiming that they stand for "freedom," then abandoning their principles to cower at Limbaugh's feet (which he himself haven't seen for decades) like frightened children before an abusive parent, is amusing, but it also says something about the state of the Republican party and its members. Rahm Emanuel was absolutely correct when he said on Face the Nation Sunday that Limbaugh is “the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party.” Limbaugh has dominated the far right for years; now, in this period of Republican decline, he has emerged as the absolute master of the wingnut fringe.

Of course, the Repugs have nothing left but wingnuts; all of the rest have retired, been defeated, or incarcerated. The remaining Republicans come from deep-red states and districts, and won't lose anything by pledging allegiance to this fat bastard. However, given Limbaugh's 65% disapproval rating and his documented racist, sexist, homophobic, and xenophobic views, the laughable vision of so-called "freedom-loving, patriotic" Republicans aligning themselves with a man who said of President Obama, "I hope he fails!", gives the other two-thirds of the country pause.

The Rude Pundit:

If the face the Republicans want for its future is this, this sweaty self-aggrandizer, this fat fuck, this demonstrable embodiment of the seven deadly sins, he who is everything that we should hate about capitalism and, indeed, the indulgences of this nation, Diamond Jim Brady without the class, this proud rube who spouts lies and hatred, then bring it, bitches. Like so many on the right, Limbaugh is using the same goddamn lines he's been using for years. He has no idea what he's up against this time. The vast majority of the nation has moved on from the sad plump man in his tiny room.

Limbaugh's emergence as the leader of the party shows the Republicans for what they really are: a small and dwindling group of rich, old, white men, frightened by the changes they have seen and foresee in America, afraid of the future, and delusional about the past. Limbaugh's ascension proves that the Repugs have no new ideas, as they fall back on the tried & true positions, methods, and tactics of fifteen years ago, proof positive that the Republican party as presently constituted offers nothing to America.

Rush owes his power and influence in the party as much to ignorance as to fear: he arouses one, and foments the other. Limbaugh speaks to the uneducated, the easily-led, and the stupid in the classic tones of aggrievement and blame. "It's not your fault, it's the (insert the minority of your choice here) fault!", a sound tactic for megalomaniacs and rabblerousers for centuries. He stokes all the old racisms and fears, but takes no responsibility and feels no remorse for the results of his words. He just profits from the havoc he causes, to the detriment of all his fellow citizens.

When I started this piece, I thought that I would end with a call for the removal, by any means necessary, of this fat racist fool. But now, after thinking about it, I believe that leaving Limbaugh in place might be the very best thing for progressives. For as long as Rush is the face of the Republican party, their venality, their cynicism, and their hatred will remain fully exposed for all to see.

Harry Potter: Zionist Tool

Sometimes I really despair of intelligence, sanity, and rationality ever increasing in our world. From the Times of London's TimesOnline website:

This is a clip from a December 15th documentary screened by IRINN, the Iranian News Channel. Its theme is how the Jews, battling for world supremacy, are using Harry Potter as a tool.

Sample quote:

"The Harry Potter film series reached the cinema following the success of the Zionist propaganda machine which made this little known author and her book famous......It can be viewed as a compilation of secrets and of theories used by the Zionist media....."

And then there is this observation:

"The Zionists support Harry Potter because he is the promised Messiah."

OMG, what the fuck is wrong with these people?! Then again, are they any worse than Pat Robertson?

Women We Like: Katrina vanden Heuvel

After two posts about nasty, evil, stupid women, I needed to clear the air around here. Fortunately for me, Katrina vanden Heuvel today supplied me with exactly what I needed. Watch the video below, in which she kicks Karl Rove's lying ass around the table: