Scott's Soapbox

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Day 3

8:28 - Rev. Al Sharpton is screaming right now. I mean screaming! I hope no swing voter is watching, because he is scaring me. Where is his trademark humor? Where are the one-liners?

8:30 - Sharpton is talking about slavery reparations- oh no!

8:31 - Whew, he is just making an allegory. Thank God. What is he doing!? Someone on the John Kerry staff should give him the hook.

8:40 - O'Reilly has some boring newspaper guys on telling him how great his Michael Moore interview was last night.

8:41 - Chris Mattews just nailed Sharpton- "this does them no good at all." You said it, brother.

8:46 - Bob Graham from Florida is up now, but is not on TV anywhere. One of the VP finalists, senator, ran for president. Bumped on MSNBC for actor Steve Busemi (Resevoir Dogs, The Sopranos).

8:50 - Graham has good words but little passion for them. It is hard to give a serious defensive policy speech after Al Sharpton just gave such a barn-burner out there. No oxygen left for Graham, who is waiting for applause that does not materialize.

8:52 - Graham just referred to the Bush policy in fighting terrorism as not looking for "Osama Been Forgotten." LOL. I can't believe Al Sharpton never used that in his great "Missing Persons" riff in the primaries!

8:53 - Steve Busemi has more makeup on his cheeks than anyone I think I have ever dated.

9:01 - Zell Miller just mentioned how liberal Kerry and Edwards are and said twice "these two men have long voting records." But I thought Edwards did not even finish his first term as a senator, and thus was not experienced enough to be president? Someone clarify the Republican talking points.

9:24 - General Wesley Clark (who I supported) is now on CNN with panel- hooray!

9:28 - Clark has finally learned that great skill of answering the question you wish you had been asked. Larry King asked him if he wished he had been chosen for vice president. "I'm very glad John Kerry picked John Edwards. I think he is the right man for the ticket and the right man for the country." Uh-huh.

9:31 - Jennifer Granholm from Michigan does not say much in her speech, but I still like her a lot.

9:36 - They just showed George McGovern, Walter Mondale, and Mike Dukakis for something called "A Tribute to Losers." Boy, does the Duke look like Howard Dean! Unbelievable. I wonder if all New England governors look like that. Same button-down collar blue shirt and everything.

9:40 - Joe Biden on CNN. Boy, what a good, statesmanlike senator he is. Kind of a Democratic John McCain. What a ticket those two would be.

9:41 - Jack Kemp is on Fox wearing a sweater tied around his shoulders. Apparently, it is 1985. What up, yuppie!

9:45 - Biden just said Clinton wanted fellow panelist George Mitchell to be on the Supreme Court, but Mitchell turned it down. Did we know that? Biden is now apologized if he should not have said that.

9:52 - Nice black and white video of military leaders for Kerry- looks like would be a good ad.

10:10 - Bill Kristol is "shocked by the militarism of the Democratic party"- sorry, you guys do not have a monopoly on patriotism.

10:11 - Edwards older daughter Kate is on, she looks just like a typical Southern debutante. Out of 1960s. But in a good way, like someone you might try to "go steady with" and pick her up to go to the malt shop.

Day 2 of the Democrats

7:03 - Fox lingers on Kerry's "NASA" photo for over 10 seconds.  NASA says they did not release photo...hmmm.  Kerry does look stupid though- who lets him do that stuff?  Of course, maybe not as dump as Bush looks in "Mission Accomplished" photo. 

7:05 - Ben Affleck sounds better than most politicians.  Smarter, more knowledgeable, and uses big words.

7:13 - As fade out of Hardball, Chris Matthews says of Affleck "Jesus, he's smart!"

7:23 - The word "agitprop" just came out of Ben's mouth.  If he knows so many words, how come he can't read a movie script to decide which movie to be in.

7:30 - Tim Russert still needs a trim.

7:54 - The anthem is being sung via live camera by a group of Native Americans in their language.  It sounds terrible, you cannot sing along, the hall is dead, and what a picture.  Democrats' tent is too big for their own good sometimes.  Whoever's idea this was, you're fired.

8:01 - O'Reilly in his opening "Talking Points" memo responds to criticism about Fox's not covering the speeches.  He says Fox provides "perspective" on the news rather than "partisan blather."  He's right, but didn't he just make the critics' point?

8:02 - On CNN, Jeff Greenfield whether Ted Kennedy's speech will be "red meat or tofu."

8:07 - Ben Affleck is now on O'Reilly- he is everywhere.  Bill calls him "Aff-lick" it sounds like.

8:11 - O'Reilly says "We'll let you listen to Ted Kennedy for a whie- if he shows up."  Ted Kennedy has been speaking over Bill's shoulder for ten minutes now.  What the hell does is he talking about.

8:12 - Ted Kennedy is on to "excesses" of Enron and Halliburton.  Says Dems will retire Cheney to an "undisclosed location."  Red meat it is.

8:18 - TK says Bush "squandered" good will of the American people and the world after September 11th.  I only mentioned this as this is the exact word they are all using.  Guess he got the e-mail. 

8:24 - Jerry Brown- click!  Give it up.

8:28 - Kennedy made an anology between American Revolution against a King George who inherited the crown and our current president.  LOL.

8:39 - O'Reilly versus Michael Moore.  Wow, what a great interview!  I, of course rarely agree with Bill, but he did just a great job here.  Kept things on topic, asked good questions, had good arguments and it was really compelling television.

8:45 - Donna Brazile, you are still a loser.

9:06 - Dean! Dean! Dean! The crowd is going crazy for him.  Wonder what he's thinking...I hear that David Letterman "Dream Sequence" music as I fade into a Howard Dean convention.

9:08 - Crowd still going.

9:18 - Of all the words I expected to write about Howard Dean's speech, about the last one was "boring."  But it was...I remember I happened to be home the day he announced for the presidency and I saw his speech on C-Span 25 or something.  Boy, he was really inspiring.  Always interested me through the primaries.  Not tonight.

9:22 - Tom Daschle says he has never been to a convention this "unified."  I guess he got the e-mail too.

9:24 - On CNN, David Gergen says Ted Kennedy is the "Liberal Lion in Winter."  That is it right there.

9:31 - Mo Rocca reports to Larry King that Illinois is in the midst of an "Obama-rama!"

9:45 - WOW! Barak Obama was just amazing.  Like a younger Bill Clinton.  He moved me, stirred me, inspired me.  He is not a rising star, he has arrived.  He is a risen star.  I said "Wow! How do I vote for that guy?"  I thought, I just saw the first black president.  What a compelling story, great background, embodies American dream.  He is President of Harvard Law Review also- so I guess probably pretty smart.  Good reviews all around for him...

10:00 - Chris Matthews just used the word "amazing" three times about Obama. 

10:01 - Dick Gepheart- click!  Sad.

10:19 - Ron Reagan finishes up.  I thought he was good, non-political, and made the case.  I still don't think this issue reaches beyond those who may have loved ones afflicted by a disease this might aid, but maybe it will affect votes.

10:20 - Bill Kristol just caled Ron Reagan's speech "disgusting."  Michael Reagan (older brother and conservative talk show host) says trading on his father's name is "a disgrace" and said his brother should be by his mother's side.  I am going to guess no one knew Michael Reagan's name when he got his first talk-show.  What an a-hole.  He took the low road and I cannot believe someone would say that about their own brother on nation television.

11:02 - Okay, sorry, ladies.  Teresa Heinz Kerry failed.  Her main job was to humanize her husband and show us a different side of him.  Hard to do that when you don't even talk about him.  Chris Wallace just nailed bvy saying she was supposed to be a "window" into the character of John Kerry.  I learned nothing about him as a father, as a husband, or as a man.  The Hubble telescope?  I don't know, women's rights as an issue rings a little hollow from someone with at least 500 million dollars.  Is she really oppressed?  Does no one listen to her?  Come on...

11:05 - Everyone is burying the speech.  Fox hates it all around, except for- guess who- the woman on the panel!  MSNBC same deal.  Let me tell you- Joe Scarborough just said it, "this did not play in Peoria."  This does not help John Kerry one bit.  Women in the news business tend to be strong women, and they like other strong women.  But she came off kind of cold and distant, not First Lady-like.


Tuesday, July 27, 2004

In case you missed it...

Well, the Democrats opened their convention last night and it's time to go over some highlights of the event and of the coverage provided by the three cable networks:

8:04 - National Anthem as performed by Bebe Winans was amazing. Covered live by CNN and MSNBC but not by the most "patriotic" network- Fox.

8:20 - Al Gore comes out to speak- should be interesting to see how he handles everything. Al Gore now speaking live on CNN and MSNBC- meanwhile Fox's Bill O'Reilly is promoting an upcoming interview with Joan Jett (best known for early 80s hit "I Love Rock and Roll" as performed with backing band "the Blackhearts"). Gore uses humor to acknowledge what happened in 2000 "But you know the old saying -- you win some, you lose some. And then there's that little-known third category. I didn't come here tonight to talk about the past. After all, I don't want you to think I lie awake at night counting and recounting sheep. I prefer to focus on the future because I know from my own experience that America is a land of opportunity, where every little boy and girl has a chance to grow up and win the popular vote."

Laughter ensues- he is of course kidding, but kidding on the square. When he says, "take it from me, every vote counts" he really means it. Gore did himself some good tonight- he did not seem bitter and he gave a good performance- good for him, that is. He took on the Nader voters last night as well who really cost him. Chris Suellentrop wrote an interesting column on Slate discussing both Clintons and Gore and that they were all "beloved" by certain parts of the party. Does anyone outside of friends and family "love" Al Gore?

You have to wonder why his humor and brightness did not shine through more in the last campaign. The man we saw on Saturday Night Live and the man speaking last night ofwould have been elected last time. The guy screaming in the past few months would not be. After years in the senate, 8 years as VP, and a presidential campaign, I still don't know who Al Gore really is. Does he?

8:25 - On MSNBC - Why does Pat Buchanan make so much sense to listen to and have so much good insight and yet be such a nut?

8:26 - Donna Brazile - click! You lost last time, ran a bad campaign, and you're boring- go away.

8:27 - Nancy Pelosi - click! Stop whining...also you kind of always look like you're going to cry.

8:39 - Ralph Nader on Bill O'Reilly. Nader still cannot tie a tie. His eyes are still different sizes. He still looks like he gets his suits off a rack at a discount store. Also, he is responsible for Bush's victory. If you are going to vote for him, do us all a favor and go kill yourself before November.

8:40 - Jennifer Granholm on CNN. She is the new Democratic governor of Michigan. Boy she's good, smart, funny, and charming. They should use her more...kind of reminds one of Hillary but without the baggage and the rough edges Hillary has.

8:43 - O'Reilly is all over Nader for Nader assertation of needing only a police action in Afganistan to capture Taliban and bin Laden. Apperently Nader did not see newscasts on September 11th. His eyes are very distracting.

8:45 - CNN is covering blogs and bloggers.

8:46 - Nader should wear an eyepatch like a pirate- "Aargh! I'm almost on the ballots!" Go away.

8:50 - O'Reilly is now interviewing Joan Jett who is inexplicably at convention. Apperently Toni "Hey Mickey" Basil and Cyndi "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" Lauper were unavailable for comment.

8:52 - CNN runs Clinton retrospective- pretty fair, I think.

8:57 - I unloaded my dishwasher- story ignored by all three networks.

8:59 - I used the restroom - also unreported.

9:01 - Jimmy Carter is out speaking now, and he looks and sounds...old! Don't we all agree (Martin Sheen notwithstanding) about Jimmy Carter?  What a nice guy, what a great ex-president, what a failed presidency. He seems now like a kindly old major in Georgia. He was president- wow. Seems like too nice and genuine a guy.

9:02 - Telemarketing survey call.

9:07 - Wow, all of a sudden Carter is the velvet hammer! The way he is beating up on Bush in that kindly, genteel way. "But in just 34 months, we have watched with deep concern as all this goodwill has been squandered by a virtually unbroken series of mistakes and miscalculations. Unilateral acts and demands have isolated the United States from the very nations we need to join us in combating terrorism." I think, personally, this is by far the greatest failure of George W. Bush, and probably the biggest mistake we have made in global politics in my lifetime. If we are fighting, as the president often says, a "global war against terrorism" how does it help to piss off the other countries on the globe? The American people would have followed him almost anywhere and were so willing so sacrafice. I was asked by my president to do nothing more than travel and go shopping. The rich were asked only to cash their tax break checks. I don't get it.

9:13 - "We cannot lead, if our leaders mislead." Maybe he got part of Gore's speech by mistake or something. Or maybe Jimmy Carter is pretty fiesty for an 80-year-old. He has nothing on my grandma though...

9:18 - Kerry's daughters on CNN. Funny, they are kind of similar to the Bush daughters in that the blonde is not quite proportional, but the dark-haired one is really hot. The blonde one kind of looks like a female John Kerry, which is kind of unfortunate.

9:20 - Alexandra Kerry is still yummy. Maybe I am just biased towards dark-haired girls these days?

9:22 - Bob Graham - click! What a weirdo!

9:23 - On Fox, Sean Hannity is trying to interview Rahm Emmanuel but they are having technical problems and Rahm cannot hear him down on the floor. As an aside, why does Fox seem to have so many techical screwups- wrong graphics, picture problems, et cetera. It's weird, they have people live from Fallujah and it seems like they're in room next door, but Sean is lost just below. Whenever CNN has someone abroad it seems like they are hooked by via sattelite technology no more sofisticated than Al Franken with that dish on his head on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update." I wonder if Nic Robertson is really so blurry in person, because they have those wierd videophones.

9:26 - CNN still interviewing the Kerry daughters- okay, already. Fox now has Dean who said we "fought war for nothing." Dean is such an interesting character- always wonder what he is going to say. Willie Brown on MSNBC panel just said Jimmy Carter is like a Mother Teresa in Georgia. What is he talking about?

9:31 - I am riveted to Fox now by guest Jerry Springer. "I'm a liberal here I stand." He came just short of announcing his candicacy for Ohio governor in 2006. His comparison of this election to 1980 was the best analysis so far of the night. More on this in a seperate post (Chris Suellentrop made a similar point in Slate yesterday).

9:40 - George Mitchell - Click! He never ran for president, but it would have been interesting to see if someone can be elected president with the personality of my pen. I vote no.

9:58 - Sean Hannity just lied again about Howard Dean saying President Bush knew about 9/11. Alan corrected him for the umpteenth time. Sean has said this again and again, and he knows it is not true. I pounded my table and said out loud "There he goes again with that crap!" upsetting Mickey Mantle bobblehead doll, which began nodding frantically. Does Hannity lie? The Mick says "Yes."

10:00 - Tim Russert of NBC always looks like he needs a haircut. Of course he has nothing on Joe Trippi, whose swarthy looks make him look like a pornographer.

10:01 - 9/11 remembrance was good idea for opening- trying to prove Republicans do not have a monopoly on patriotism. Fox does not cover.

10:09 - Susan Estrich now on Fox. Click! If you can listen to that voice without looking for the remote control with a desperation worthy of a life and death struggle, I salute you.

10:10 - Juan Williams- No Click! I always feel bad for Juan becuase he is all alone up there a lot on Brit Hume. Interesting guy though, I miss him as part of the Washington Post.

10:15 - Douglas Brinkley - Click! He took a break from trying to invent fire to appear on Hardball. What a Neanderthal.

10:20 - Here comes Hillary. She has a very tough hill to climb here, make her own speech (Senator) versus just introduce her husband with adoring gaze (wife). Soft yellow suit says wife. She is speaking to the hall, not to TV, it seems. Her voice is very monotone sometimes, seems just short of too strident. She went went through the hell that was the 9/11 site the day after. She should have teared up and gone through the emotional journey up there that we all went through- horror, tears, resolve (Senator). She said "I know a thing or two about healthcare." You're right, and I do too. Here goes. The too-early focus on, and failure of, the Hillary designed health plan was the worst domestic policy failure in the Clinton administration. I would argue this was one of the main factors which cost the Democratic party control of the House for the first time in over 40 years, when the Republicans won huge victories in the 1994 mid-term elections. Hillary- you are smart and able, but health care was a huge screw up- don't remind us.
By most accounts, Hillary has been a good and serious Senator for the people of New York and I have been very impressed by her in interviews. However, she did not do herself any favors tonight. Also, never seemed to smile.

10:33 - Clinton is resplendant in a black suit and sky blue tie. I have Clinton nostalgia which I did not think was possible. Also, whatever weight Gore gained must have come from Clinton who looks great.

11:00 - MSNBC just interviewed someone in the Ohio delagtion who said "God, he's good." What is funny about that is I said that many times on my Ohio couch. Clinton was simply amazing. He is the best speaker of his generation byfar, swaying the crowd with an almost preacher-like flair. Letting the crowd join in with "Send me" and more perfect union. I thought he was alittle slow out of the gate, but eventually took the hall and anyone listening over. The Vietnam part about Bush, Cheney, and himself avoiding service was brilliant. Shouldn't it bother Republicans who run on "character" that one guy wentto Vietnam, served honorably and came back with 5 medals and one guy cannot account for his whereabouts? Bush's payroll records for the lastyear of Guard service have been blacked out, lost, said to be destroyed("clerical error"), found, released and buried as a Friday night story (how Clintonian) and show him not being paid for the time he was there. That really pisses me off. This is one example of where Bush does, in fact, lie. He says he was there- the payroll shows he was not paid, noone (literally not one person) saw him there, and the records get fudged. That, to me, is a Clintonesque draft-dodger problem.

Whether you agree with Clinton or not, his speech was incredible (although youwere probably not standing and applauding at home as I was). Also, if not prohibited, he would be running right now to make it 4 in '04 and winning handily. His job approval rating was always in the 60s when he left, and now his personal ratings have increased as well. Time heals all I guess, and he has been a good ex-president in the sense of working on issues that all can agree with (WWII memorial with Dole, AIDS in Africa, et cetera). Boy he's a good speaker.

11:12 - All around great reviews for Clinton- even Fox loved speech. Bill Kristol looks frankly scared by how well he made the case for Kerry and against Bush. Pat Buchanan says it was "amazing." Chris Wallace says "He sure is good."

Downstairs to laundry and then some sleep. Back up soon.

1:00 - Really enjoying MSNBC's "After Hours" show particularly cool lounge music. Howard Luntz looks like little 13-year old michevious elf. Like Harry Potter only with focus groups and poll results. Ron Reagan and Joe Scarborough are having fun and good contrast to each other.

1:05 - Carlos Watson- always is compelling and intersting. Plus, does anyone wear nicer suits than him? He looks awesome.

1:29 - Ron Reagan is interviewing Mick "Cactus Jack" Foley and Nina "Ivory" Moretti from the WWE's "Smackdown the Vote". I clearly have either been up too late or I actually am still asleep and dreaming about a paralell universe where this would go on.

Bedtime.




Thursday, July 22, 2004

Hockey Win

Now 9-0 thanks to 7-6 nailbiter against the second best team in the league. We went up 7-3 and though we had in won, but watched our lead drip away until they pulled within a goal late. We did hang on to win and clinch first place overall. One game left next week for a perfect regular season.

Copy of an e-mail

The Honorable Ed Gillespie
Chairman of the Republican Party-

"John Kerry is a far left duckling that hopes to emerge from his convention as a center swan." So says yourself on the new website- www.demsextrememakover.com to criticize Kerry and Edwards for this.

Ralph Zallow writes in the July 16th Washington Times "More than half the Republicans in the House have signed a formal complaint to President Bush about the failure to give prominent conservative, pro-life party members even one prime-time speaking role at the Republican National Convention."

Of course, now they have added more speakers who are pro-life such as my buddy Rick Santorum. I am hoping he will enumerate on accepted "traditional" sexual practices- set your TiVo if that happens! If he had charts and graphs (or, can I even hope, pictures!) this might boost ratings.

Please advise as to:

1) Is not the initial speakers list for your convention certainly more disengenuous in that none of them agree with President Bush on the fundamental issues of abortion rights and gay marriage?

2) As to changing the speakers in response to pressure- is this not a "flip-flop"? Is not this, ironically, what your website is accusing John Kerry of attempting to do himself?

I look forward to your response and I assure you I will post it verbatim on my blog. (shameless plug) scottlstuart.blogspot.com

Sincerely,

Scott L. Stuart
Columbus, OH 43235

[anyone who wishes to can send him their opinion at chairman@gop.com]


Wednesday, July 21, 2004

Sandy Berger

For now I am reserving judgement on the whole Sandy-Berger-took-documents-he-was-not-supposed-to-story until more facts come out. At the very best for Berger, this is a case of "What the hell were you thinking!" However, this one could go either way. If it is as serious as it seems, why has neither the FBI or National Archives even interviewed him. So who knows yet? Please, keep politics out of it (good luck) until we know what happened.

Offensive Or Not? In which Scott solves the questions of the day

1) Arnold Schwarzegger saying that some California Democrats "don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interets, the unions, the trial lawyers...if they don't have the guts, I call them 'girlie men'!"
Some Democrats have complained this is insensitive to women (they are not as strong as men), gays (stereotypically "girlie") , and themselves.

Scott Says: Suck it up! "Girlie Men" is of course from those 90s Saturday Night Live sketches with Phil Hartman and Kevin Nealon as "Hans and Franz" who were going to "pump you up." Arnold was even on the show once as a guest host and interacted with these guys- characters obviously at least influenced by Arnold. Gay people- last week Bush and some Republicans tried to pass an amendment that would not only prohibit you from marrying, but even to form a civil union or any similar contract- that is offensive, Arnold is not. Guys- if you are whining about this, your skirt is too tight. It's a joke, let it go. Seriously, wimpy folks like this are why people think Democrats are weak on defense.

2) Moveon.org (very liberal organization) has petitioned the FTC to make Fox News cease and desist from using the slogan "Fair and Balanced". Why? Because they say it constitutes deceptive advertising given FNC's clear bias. It alleges Fox News' reports are "deliberately and consistently distorted and twisted to promote the Republican Party of the U.S. and an extreme right-wing viewpoint."

Scott Says: So I am idly reading the paper and I come across this and think, you cannot be serious! This is a joke, right? Nope. There it was online right at www.moveon.org/front waiting for me. So I read some of the brief. Basically Fox News is biased. I get that. Everyone who watches gets that. On Brit Hume's show "Special Report" the cited that he has 15 times more conservative guests than progressive ones. Sean Hannity beats up on Alan Colmes like a pinata on their show. Fox News Sunday will often have a panel consisting of Juan Williams getting ganged up on by 4 conservatives with the dreadfully full Chris Wallace smirking on. But suing them for this is like suing a guy who advertises he has the "World's Best Hamburgers" or "The Best BBQ in town." It's just absurd.
This is like suing Al Franken for copyright infringement since he called his book Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right. Oh, wait a minute, Fox did sue Al? Well, then...screw 'em.

3) Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) compared gays to terrorists as follows (7/14/04): "Isn't that the ultimate homeland security, standing up and defending marriage?" He also said back on 4/7/2003 "I have no problem with homosexuality. I have a problem with homosexual acts." Our permission of this and other "acts outside of traditional heterosexual relationships" will "undermine the fabric of society."

Scott Says: No, homeland security is about protecting our homeland, our resources, our assets, and most of all our people from being attacked and killed. (See 9/11/01, re:planes flying into buildings) So, gays that want to get married = terrorists? Of course, just the other day, I heard a gay guy saying he was going to blow up a bunch of people because he could not get married.

I bet "Tricky Ricky" is just a tiger in the bedroom, don't you? I hope he puts out some sort of guide to "traditional sex acts" so I would never "undermine the fabric of society" by, oh, I don't know...being on the bottom? Having the lights on? Off? Music? Candles? I hope there's illustrations to help me out with this.

4) The bumper sticker being circulated in Kentucky by some Republicans (NOTE: this is not an official GOP or Bush-designed item, however it is available at Jefferson County GOP headquarters) that reads "Kerry is bin Laden's Man/Bush is Mine". Jack Richardson IV, Jefferson County GOP Chairman, defended the sticker saying if I was in bin Laden's shoes, I sure as heck would want Kerry." Also, it "highlights the fact that John Kerry did not support our troops in Iraq with his votes" (the $87 billion dollars).

Scott Says: Wow, is this over the line. This is done by someone who did not even know there was a line to cross. If I had walked past this office myself I would have gone in and ripped the sticker down. Furthermore, was bin Laden in Iraq? Did he escape because 12 U.S. senators voted against a supplemental appropriations bill as a protest against Bush's Iraq policy (or lack thereof)? I wonder if a "Jack Robinson IV is supported by child molesters" sticker would be okay?

Friday, July 16, 2004

Hockey team now 8-0

Our hockey team improved to 8-0 last night by edging the Stick Monkeys 12-1. They are the nicest team in the league, and the worst team in the league- it could have been in the 20-30 goal range. They would probably be better if their goalie was not a lefty using right-handed equipment and also if he was not...as Treegs put it, "a pylon in there." So, two games left until the playoffs for us.


Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Bush and the NAACP

President Bush is taking some heat this week for his statement that his relationship with the NAACP leadership is "basically non-existent" and for declining their invitation to speak to them. This does make Bush the first president to not speak at this convention while in office since the 1930s (he did speak there as a candidate in 2000). However, why should he?

Bush could show up to kiss the ring of an organization which has lost much of its relevant power and prestige in recent years. Many of its leaders are still trading on their accomplishments of the 1960s and have little progress to show recently. They spend too much time trying to stay in power, and not enough trying to share it with others. They are not going to support Bush anyway, so why go to get beat up? Julian Bond, the NAACP chairman said back on June 2nd, "Their idea of equal rights is the American flag and the Confederate swastika flying side by side. They've written a new constitution for Iraq and ignore the Constitution here at home. They draw their most rabid supporters from the Taliban wing of American politics. Now they want to write bigotry back into the Constitution [gay marriage amendment]."

Gee, guys, I appreciate the invitation, but...thanks but no thanks.

After Bush stated he would not be attending, Bond blasted the Republican Party as "playing the race card in election after election." The Republicans appeal "to the dark underside of American culture, to the minority of Americans who reject democracy and equality," Bond said. "They preach neutrality and practice racial division."

If you were compared to the Nazis, the Taliban, and accused of being racist, would you go? If I were the president, I would not dignify this by attending. Good for him. Let's give him a pass on this one.

Sunday, July 11, 2004

Letterman's Top Ten List

Top Ten George W. Bush Complaints About "Fahrenheit 9/11":

10. That actor who played the President was totally unconvincing

9. It oversimplified the way I stole the election

8. Too many of them fancy college-boy words

7. If Michael Moore had waited a few months, he could have included the part where I get him deported

6. Didn't have one of them hilarious monkeys who smoke cigarettes and gives people the finger

5. Of all Michael Moore's accusations, only 97% are true

4. Not sure - - I passed out after a piece of popcorn lodged in my windpipe

3. Where the hell was Spider-man?

2. Couldn't hear most of the movie over Cheney's foul mouth

1. I thought this was supposed to be about dodgeball

John Edwards

The selection of John Edwards selection has been widely praised in Democratic circles, I have not talked to anyone unhappy with it. He was the safe choice all along, and has more star-power than all the other likely candidates combined. The only really compelling argument for Gepheart was at least that would ensure Kerry was most invigorating guy on the ticket. Ouch. Kerry showed strength by picking someone younger, more charismatic (hear that word enough yet), and a better speaker than he. Of course, as we all have been reminded, people always vote for the top name on the ticket; but still Kerry basks in Edwards' glow and shines brighter. Edwards seems like Kerry's wife out there, defending him, praising him, humanizing him. Plus all the hugging. Score one for Kerry.

Lots of discussion concerns the VP debate. The first thing I see is the visual- the young, handsome, tan John Edwards, beaming his TV-friendly smile across at the balding, pasty, bespectacled Dick Cheney. This sends a powerful message that resonates today just like 1992 "Change versus more of the same." Cheney comes off to many as harsh, scolding, like a old curmudgeon. If so, the smooth trial lawyer will then run away with it, although if we could have that great Nixon-Kennedy TV versus radio poll again it would be a similar result.

Unsurprisingly, the response from the Republican side has been not as favorable- GOP.com calls him "A Disingenuous, Unaccomplished Liberal" right there on the top of the page. It then lists a laundry list of things wrong about Edwards.

To dissect it would take far too long, so let me hit some highlights real quick:

Edwards Voted To Put Onerous Restrictions On Missile Defense Program. Edwards voted for an amendment that would “require the Pentagon to test the national missile defense system against reasonable decoys and countermeasures that the system could encounter in a launch, and establish an independent panel to review the testing.” (S. 2549, CQ Vote #178: Motion Agreed To 52-48: R 52-3; D 0-45, 6/13/00, Edwards Voted Nay)

So let me get this straight- Edwards voted so that before we spend a bunch of money on this, we should test it to see if it works. Ironic that "reasonable" becomes "onerous".

Edwards Rural Populist Message … Just Another Gimmick?
Edwards Has “Never Done Any Serious Farming.”
Edwards Doesn’t Follow Weekly NASCAR Races, Adds He “Doesn’t Follow Anything Except Politicking.”
Edwards Hasn’t Hunted Or Fished “In Years.”
Edwards Has “In The Past Been A Country Music Fan.”


These are disqualifiers for being president? NASCAR? Edwards also may reveal during the campaign that he has never drank beer straight out of a can whilst wearing a wifebeater while listening to Jeff Foxworthy tell him whether or not he is a redneck. Stay tuned for that revelation if it sneaks out during the campaign.

*Personal Favorite*- Spending (let's keep in mind we now have the biggest federal deficit both in dollars and as percent GDP in the history of the United States thanks to the biggest percentage increase in federal spending under Bush and a Republican congress)

Edwards’ Liberal Record On Spending:Sen. John Edwards Proposed Approximately $972 Billion In New Spending Over The Next 10 Years.

Increase Pay For Teachers, $30 Billion. Improve Preschool Programs, $30 Billion. Afterschool Programs, $6 Billion. Increase Pell Grants, $11.405 Billion. Scholarships For Students Who Volunteer After College On Homeland Security Issues, $300 Million.

Okay, John Edwards likes education. I can dig it.

$2,500 Tax Credit For Families With Newborns, $40 Billion. Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs, $500 Million. Expand Family Leave, $800 Million.

He likes families also. Okay.

Federalize Nuclear Security, $126 Million. Enact Building Security Act, $41 Million. Enact Emergency Warning Act, $10 Million. Increase Funding For Homeland Security, $50 Billion. Strategy To Fight WMD, $20 Billion.


Now, we know what he does not like. Terrorists. Anybody got a problem with that?

Provide Money To Help Disabled Find Employment, $200 Million Job Training Program, $1 Billion. Invest In Training And Support Of Nurses, $3 Billion. Enact Employment Nondiscrimination Act Of 2001, $124.05 Million. Ensure Equal Pay For Women, $12 Million.

Apparently he likes people to have good jobs and to get paid fairly for what they do. I can live with that.

Election Reform, $6.24 Billion

Insert your own ironic Election 2000 joke here.

Edwards Denounced Negative Politics But Bashed Bush

GOP.com is immune to irony.

More to come...

So what can you expect to find here?

Daily musings on politics- who is saying what and why it matters. What they should be saying and why they should. Who will win and a why for that too.

Why I feel so strongly about the issues of the day.

Then, the personal side- how is life? How is my hockey team? Seen any good movies lately? Heard any good music?

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