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Well, he didn't exactly say that. It was more like when the Democrats use their political bigotry its a declaration of war on third parties and voters. He also pointed out the irony of how on one hand he is irrelevant but on the other hand he is single handedly responsible for Democratic defeat in the last two election cycles.

Poor Mal. It was not enough for him to comment on my site, but he had to write posts on 4 other blogs. Who does he think he is, the second coming of Barrack Obama. Mal went to Daily Kos to declare war against The Proletariat. The Kossacks turned on him when they found out out he voted for Nader in the last two election cycles.

As I mentioned last night NBC 15 had a little blurb about the Nader Rally. I did notice their cameras last night, so I hope more reporting will be coming down the pipes soon. Tonight WKOW had a nice video of Ralph and the rally.

[wpvideo sd7y25Iq]

This morning the Wisconsin State Journal beat the Cap Times to the punch with a piece on Nader slashing the major parties. I thought Nick Heynen gave a nice overview of the nights speeches. My favorite quotes was,

There's no such thing as taking votes away. It's up to the voters to decide who they're going to vote for. I think McCain is going to take votes away from Obama and Obama is going to take votes away from McCain.

People say, We don't want to throw away our vote. We want to vote for winners. OK, go ahead. You've been voting for winners, and you've been losing.

Later this morning, Robert Chappell of the Capital Times, wrote a piece about the relationship between the two "progressive" events. It was easy to tell from the piece which event Robert was at, and that he just pulled a few quotes from Nader folks to complete the story. I do give the Capital Times credit for stating Nader is the one who introduced Donahue to the vet who starred in the film. The Capital Times is dead to me. I took them off my Google page and filtered them out of my news sources.

Lesbians Ponder Sarah Palin

peak9 — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:33:15 +0000

The following perspectives are but a few from the lesbian community. They are honest and varied and in no way is it my intention to be derogatory toward lesbians in presenting them. I find the national discourse surrounding Sarah Palin very fascinating as many do. The following women are no less different.

From Susie Bright's Journal:

For all the squawking about Sarah Barracuda's lack of experience, I am certain Palin is smarter than George W. was at any age, and she can READ better than he ever will, on or off a teleprompter. She earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Idaho that she made the grades for, all by herself— without anyone pulling a string. She can shoot a grizzly between the eyes at 100 yards, and is a lot better "close in" that Dick Cheney will ever be. Let's face it, Palin's an L-Word fantasy writ large, and the perfect example of why butch straight women set hearts aflutter no matter where they appear.

From Lesbiatopia:

As a feminist and the inheritor of a long line of feminist tradition--men and women working together--I want to shake Sarah Palin vigorously, screaming, 'SNAP OUT OF IT. DON'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO US? WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE VOTE FOR 100 YEARS, AND YOU'RE TELLING WOMEN WHAT JESUS WANTS THEM TO DO WITH THEIR VAGINAS NOW. HOLY S**T STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT. HERE'S A BOOK ON THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS LEGAL PLEASE READ IT AND STOP GETTING IN THE WAY OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS.' F*** you, Sarah Palin.

From Suburban Lesbian Housewife (???):

Palin scares me. She's a woman, she's pro-life, she's a self described feminist, she's gone from Mayor of a tiny town to Governor of Alaska. She is a lifelong member of NRA and a avid hunter. She's taken on big oil...This is a very savvy pick. I don't see Dan Quayle. I see thousands of middle American women, who work outside the home, who have kids, who are going to feel pretty good now about choosing John McCain. I think we all need to be very very careful about how we evaluate this pick.

From Pam's House Blend:

...Palin's delivery of the well-massaged speech by Shrub's wordsmith was solid (the content had little substance, and was full of BS anti-Obama winger drivel). In particular, the OMG!!!11 TEH OBAMA WIL RAIZE YUR TAXES!!1! nonsense in the speech is so absurd (hey, it was your GOP crew in charge that ate Clinton's surplus and bankrupted the country with the endless war), I can't imagine anyone falling for it.

From Lindsay Lohan:

I've been watching the news all morning, like everyone else - and i keep hearing about the issues related to 'teen pregnancy'- It's all related to Sarah Palin and her 17 year old unmarried pregnant daughter. Well, I think the real problem comes from the fact that we are taking the focus off of getting to know Sarah Palin and her political views, and what she can do to make our country a less destructive place. Its distracting from the real issues, the real everyday problems that this country experiences.

I am concerned with the fact that Sarah Palin brought the attention to her daughter's pregnancy, rather than all world issues and what she believes she could possibly do to change them-if elected. I get Sarah Palin's views against abortion, but i would much prefer to hear more about what she can do for our country rather than how her daughter is going to have a child no matter what.

From Satsuma via Women's Space:

What does Sarah Palin mean? Well she is in her own small way a creative reformer, a maverick. She does stick by her convictions for pro-life, and it seems like she does love her children. I haven’t a clue what makes women like this rise in the world, and I know, like most straight women out there, she has no use for radical lesbians. I guess we lesbians can see the promised land, and maybe we can smile at the irony of it all. As a radical lesbian feminist, I’m just smiling at the irony of the whole damn thing...

All of this leftist hatred of Palin will shock most women in America. They are indeed out of touch with ordinary people, and that’s why I think for the first time in a long time, we are lucky to have a candidate like this. Wow, someone who hasn’t turn into an ossified and boring “career politician” someone who strikes me as bright and exceedingly ordinary. These types of people make very good leaders, and I think John McCain actually had inspiration in picking this woman.

From Women's Space:

Even as inured to this kind of thing as I am, the sexism of the attacks on Palin have got me thinking, 'Shoot, I’m going to vote for her just because.' Then it hits me: THAT WOULD BE A VOTE FOR JOHN McCAIN!

Which is, of course, the strategy.

It’s not Sarah Palin’s positions and politics that are most important right now, and it’s not most important that the real issues around her candidacy are being ignored in favor of attacking her on the basis of her looks, pregnancies, clothes, dress style and so on. The positions and politics that are most important are John McCain’s and Barack Obama’s. It’s amazing to me, again, as aware and conscious of all of this stuff as I am, how much I’ve unwittingly found my attitude towards John McCain softening, because of what is happening to Sarah Palin. If I’m going there, I am very sure millions of other women are as well.

From Chicago Dyke:

Mostly, I’m very proud that this website has not joined in the woman-bashing trend that is the so-called “progressive” blogosphere’s response to news of Palin’s various family issues. Like Sean-Paul, I agree that her family’s private issues are not worthy of my attention. Her Hypocrisy? Wingerism? Cronyism? Yes, let’s talk about that. But leave her kids out of it.

From neva, miss feva, blogging:

I hate to sound mean-spirited, but…I’m going to get snarky, anyway. HEY SARAH PALIN! Glad to see how well 'abstinence only' sex-ed worked with your kid! HA! HA! HA!

Atheists Ponder Sarah Palin

Tonight On The Mike Malloy Show

am1090 — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:34:08 +0000

It's Over (to quote Peggy Noonan)

TGIF Trutsheekers!

Hope you had as much fun this week as we have with Pickles, and Snake Eyes, and Chucklenuts via video, and Caribou Barbie, Rudy 9-11, and Insane McCain under the big top at the all-white GOP Circus this week. No headlines could mactch the side-show acts we witnessed on TV, but here are our favorites nonetheless:

New nominee McCain distances himself from GOP

Party in Power, Running as if It Weren’t

Sea of white faces at Republican convention

Can a 72-year-old rich white man be an agent of change?

McCain's Economic Plan: Where's the Rest of It?

GOP oops?: McCain's rematch with the green screen

McCain Upstaged By Green Screen, Pink Protestor
McCain Gives As Good As He Can

Republicans Take Heart; Heart Takes It Back

Gov. Palin pick is a big mistake

Poll: Only 4 in 10 say Palin has enough experience

Investigation into Palin Now on Fast Track

Palin asked Wasilla librarian about censoring books

Fired Alaskan Official Says Palin Hasn't Been Truthful

Palin Gutted Special Ed Funding In Alaska

Sarah Palin, the Wackjob from Wasilla and her crackpot beliefs

Palin said war in Iraq, gas pipeline are God’s will

Racism in Plain English

Palin's pork requests confound reformer image

Noonan, Murphy trash Palin pick over open mikes

Factchecking Palin

The Anti-Obama Hate-Fest

Limbaugh continues to repeat falsehood that Obama favors "infanticide"

Tonight On The Randi Rhodes Show

am1090 — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:32:53 +0000

It’s Friday ya Bastids. After 4 days of shrill shrieking FRAUD I need a nap OR a booby bounce.

CHANGE.

A man who voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time. A woman who , like George W. Bush, believes God is a card-carrying Republican who can't possibly dissapprove of war and neglecting the poor.

CHANGE.

A 'maverick' who has completely sold out his independence and flip flopped to appease the extreme right wing. A woman who, like George W. Bush, surrounds herself completely with 'yes men' types and fires anyone who dares to have a different perspective.

CHANGE.

A man who was born in Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term and barely comprehends technology like the Internet. A woman who, like George W. Bush, was a hard partying youngster who found religion, and uses that discovery to hypocritically judge the rest of us on morality.

CHANGE.

A man living the rarified, disconnected life of a multi-millionaire. A woman who spends as many tax dollars as she can get.

CHANGE.

A sad old man who surrendered his values just to be nominated, in a lifelong quest to live up to ghosts of overachieving elders. A naive woman eager to be led around by the uneducated nose, by faceless, shadowy operatives who rank America's best interest far behind their own.

CHANGE.

HIM: Four more years of Bush policy and shortsightedness. HER: Four more years of Bush scheming and arrogance.

All together now.....

THAT'S NOT CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN

THE LYING

TAX PLANS HERE
http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/09/04/obamas-tax-plan-better-for
-working-families-than-mccains

HERE’S A CALCULATOR. Put in your adjusted income and compare your tax savings under Obama and McCain
http://alchemytoday.com/obamataxcut/

FACT CHECK – MCCAIN ON TAX CUTS FOR THE RICHEST AMERICANS
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/603/

One More Tax Lie
New McCain ad keeps pounding the Lie Of The Year; Obama Will Raise Taxes On The Middle Class
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/a_new_stitch_in_a_bad
_pattern.html

HAVE WE MENTIONED IT'S THE ECONOMY?

Jobless Rate Hits 4 1/2 Year High
61,000 Americans 'Changed' From Employed to Out Of Work. Believe it.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0439189920080905

The Fed 'Beige Book': Prolonged Economic Downturn
Inflation, Unemployment, Despair. McCain talks about empty words about change....pocket-change.
http://www.economyincrisis.org/articles/show/1738

SARAH’S SORDID PAST
Palin attended 5 colleges over 6 years
http://www.mercurynews.com/hotjobs/ci_10382124

The National Enquirer Palin had an affair
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/03/mccain_aide
_rips_tabloid_repor.html

SARAH PALIN in CHURCH

“Pray for a gas line” and some rambling about some stuff and OH my “Nanny” and “The war is GOD’S PLAN” and “Track got another tattoo” and “You’re a bunch of cool lookin Christians” and “God is gonna tell you what’s going on” and like, “Alaska is the head not the tell” and some more stuff and stuff.

GOOD THING THEY GOT HER A SPEECH WRITER !!
WATCH http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/02/palins-church-may-have-sh_n_123205.html

She also supported a ROAD to NOWHERE
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/04/palin-also-supported-the_n_123991.html

PALIN COMPLETE DEBUNK
http://www.samefacts.com/archives/campaign_2008_/2008/09/palin_v_reality.php

OBAMA REACTS AND SO DO HIS SUPPORTERS
Obama raised 8M from 130,000 donors online after the Palin Speech
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/04/obama-raises-8-million-af_n_124023.html

McCain raised 1M
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/04/donations-pour-in-to-rnc-after-palin-speech/

Ignoring the rest of his life, Constitutional Law Professor, State Senator, US Senator, Leader of the most awesome Grassroots Presidential Campaign in the HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 19 months on the campaign trail meeting almost ALL of us, 25 debates, 18 MILLION VOTES and a LONG list of incredible
LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
http://underdog.typepad.com/progressreport/2008/09/palin-vs-realit.html

What exactly is wrong with PUBLIC SERVICE anyway?
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/04/barack_obama_the_community_org.html

GENDER CARD NO. RACE CARD…YES!

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland “Barack and Michelle are UPPITY”
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/03/mccain_aide_rips_tabloid_repor.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_09/014560.php

Oh I almost forgot – John McCain gave his POW speech to the Republican WAR Convention – NAP TIME!

The Speech: It Is What It's Not
At the Republican Convention , John McCain the Republican stood in front of Republicans to accept the Republican nomination and spoke of....how much he's stood up to and disagreed with Republicans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/us/politics/05assess.html?hp
Clean Out The Republicans...Change America With....Republicans!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/05/AR2008090500121.html?hpid=topnews

The Speech: Sucked
Bush's speechwriter hated it. David Gergen derided the 'Same Old Ideas' . And GOP delegates were actually falling asleep.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/04/john-mccain-speech-reacti_n_124115.html
CNN Analyst/New Yorker columnist Jeffery Tobin at :15 "I thought it was the worst speech..." to :41 "shockingly bad."
Homework for Friday, September 5, 2008

An Open Letter To Sarah ” Caribou Barbie” Palin

animar — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:02:08 +0000

Dear Sarah " Don't Yell At Me, I'm Holding My Infant In My Arms- Former Beauty Queen " Palin

I see that you went after Obama a few nights ago.

I found that amusing after watching him go up against real opponents like Hillary Clinton- however, I wasn't worried once your heavily made up face started to make noise ( I'd watch that if I were you, you should hear what McCain said to his own wife about wearing too much makeup- WOW! ) because after a few minutes it was obvious you were never intended to be more then a little distraction with a lot of lipstick ( hey now...she started the lipstick joke with that dog comparison ) at the RNC.

Do you know what made me mad?

You went after Community Activists ( code word for Uppity Minorities ).

Those are people who work to make their communities a better place- they do that work for free, they will probably never be recognized outside of their community for the work they do- and sometimes they don't even get recognized inside of it because Community Activists work in groups and rarely does one name bubble up unless they've been appointed a spokesperson-

I do work like that.

So does my husband.

And so do my friends ( thanks guys ).

You know, I'm the same age as you- which means that you HAVE benefited from the activist work that women did back in the 1960's and beyond that I have.

They were activists Caribou Barbie- and if it had not been for people like that you would be up there in Alaska, sitting in your kitchen wishing that you could have been more in life then a floor waxing- baby making machine.

I haven't forgotten that- but obviously YOU HAVE- which explains why you are willing to play " The Hostess With The Mostess " for McCain.

Way to set the Women's Movement back 100 years you 'Book Banning- Her hope is to be on ESPN one day' girl.

Oh and FYI

I was NEVER a Hockey Mom like YOU.

I Played Hockey.

Sincerely,

an activist from Washington State

Beware Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change'

theroadtoliberty — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:59:56 +0000

The last 10 seconds are pure gold.

- Julian

Armin van Buuren - A State of Trance Episode 368

astateoftranceepisodes — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:29:36 +0000

Source of this article is from rehash’s Blog

Tracklist:

01. Wippenberg - Chakalaka [High Contrast]
02. Armin van Buuren feat. Jaren - Unforgivable (First State Remix) [Armind]
03. Deadmau5 - Clockwork (Cosmic Gate Remix) [Songbird]

04. Mr. Sam feat. Claud9 - Cygnes [Black Hole]
05. Ronski Speed - Hemisphere [Euphonic] (taken from album “Pure Devotion”)
06. Stoneface & Terminal - Blueprint [Euphonic]
07. Sasha Virus - Galatika (Mike Koglin Remix) [Addictive Global]
08. 4 Strings & DJ Shaine – The Way It Should Be (Dub Mix) [Spinnin’]
09. Giuseppe Ottaviani feat. Stephen Pickup - No More Alone [Vandit] [Tune Of The Week]
10. Ferry Corsten - Radio Crash [Flashover] [Future Favorite]
11. Kai Jee ‘n Eidan - Unlocked (Sly One vs. Jurrane Remix) [Perceptive]
12. Nalin & Kane - Beachball (Myon & Shane 54 Dub Mix)
13. Rapha - Pandora (Daniel Kandi’s Emotional Mix) [Sensate Europe]
14. Airbase feat. Floria Ambra - Denial (Airbase Remix) [In Trance We Trust]
15. Barry Connell - Frizzbomb (John O’Callaghan Remix) [Goodgreef]
16. Denga vs. Manus – Lost Love (Vengeance Remix) [Tetsuo]
17. Avenger - Climax (Lightened Mix)
18. Tom Colontonio - Xtreme Tactics [Vandit Digital]
19. Viframa - Cristalle (Katana & DJ Precision Remix) [Jinx] [ASOT Radio Classic]

Take Action for Peace with CODE PINK & the Million Doors Campaign

NR Davis — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:16:48 +0000

I'll put this into the action alert center, but wanted to place it here as well. It comes from the mighty CODE PINK FOR PEACE: Do some good and stand against the Republican-sponsored violence against people performing their journalistic duties and exercising their First Amendment rights.

On Thursday night, as John McCain made his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, two CODEPINK women -- Liz Hourican and Nancy Mancias -- interrupted his speech by calling for an end to the occupation of Iraq. The previous evening, CODEPINK co-founders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans were dragged from the Republican National Convention after disrupting Sarah Palin's speech.

Both CODEPINK teams were shocked by the magnitude of sheer, raw, hatred channeled in their direction. Even before they stood up to say "Palin is Not a Woman's Choice", they felt great animosity emanating from the hall; they felt it in the delegates' chanting of "Drill, Baby Drill" from the floor, and in the vicious rhetoric of the speeches on stage. And of course all of us in St. Paul felt the threat of brutality on the streets as we faced row upon row of police in full riot gear and watched police raid non-violent peace gatherings. Four CODEPINKers were arrested at the RNC, as were hundreds of other protestors, many of whom are still in custody (or whose belongings have not been returned upon release.)

You can provide solidarity and support for those arrested by contacting the Mayor of Minneapolis, R.T. Rybak, by phone (612-673-2100) or email (c/o helen.simrill@ci.minneoplis.mnuf) and the Mayor of St. Paul, Chris Coleman (651-266-8510) to demand the release of detained protestors and their belongings, and the dismissal of all charges against peaceful protesters. Your calls and emails will help keep the voice of protest alive.

I'll also mention the Million Doors for Peace campaign. The goal of this multi-organizational event is to get canvassers to knock on lots of doors (or contact people by phone) to talk with neighbors face-to-face on September 20 to spread the message of peace and the need to end the Iraq occupation (we can assume most of these people will not be McCain/Palin supporters). Canvassers will ask folks to sign a petition that reads:

Members of the United States Congress:

The five and a half years of war in Iraq has been an exercise of misplaced priorities:

Draining U.S. taxpayers of at least three trillion dollars which could have gone towards investments that strengthen our economy, such as: health care for our families, ensuring the best education for our children and youth, and addressing the energy crisis.

Resulting in hundreds of thousands of American and Iraqi’s dead and wounded.

And undermining the United States’ standing as a worldwide symbol for democracy and justice.

Because of these reasons, the majority of American and Iraqi people want the United States to begin a withdrawal of American troops from Iraq as soon as possible, with a date certain for completing that process.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on [Rep. / Sen. NAME] to immediately support and pass legislation that will set a specific date to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq within a year.

Democracy for America is helping by offering its "Night School," an online course in canvassing and volunteer recruitment that will enable people to be as prepared for this challenging one-day community-service action as possible. I've signed up for it and hope you and your associates will too. Here is the info:

Event Date:	Sep 10, 2008
Event Time:	8:30 PM EDT
Venue Name:	888-346-3950
Passcode:	404034 #
Website:	blogtalkradio.com/DemocracyForAmerica/2008/09/11/DFA-Night-School-Volunteers

A Win for History

Progressive Conservative — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:52:30 +0000

I LOVE this cartoon by Scott Stantis. And after watching Sarah Palin's speech the other night I was struck by the need for both sides of the political spectrum to take a brief step back and realize that whichever way this election goes, we benefit as a country in at least one respect.

McCain's Speech

Progressive Conservative — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:37:51 +0000

I watched John McCain's speech last night hoping for a nice sequel to Palin's speech the night before. I looked for specific policy proposals and enough conciliatory rhetoric to bring some more independents on board. What I heard was a cautious speech that delivered some of what I wanted but left me feeling cheated in other areas.

I am no mind reader but I believe what McCain was trying to do last night was to not to sway undecided voters but to let the party faithful know what to expect in the coming 61 days. McCain's speech, while predictably mundane in its delivery, had mostly the right messages for conservatives. He touched on popular 'red meat' issues like low taxes and a solid national defense. He delivered a patriotic message that conservatives like to hear. He talked about the Supreme Court and activist judges. These were all important.

McCain also unveiled some new possible proposals including an end to some $700 billion per year in foreign aid to unfriendly countries. He discussed a jobs training program that sounded refreshingly progressive. He discussed the likelihood that he will have a very bi-partisan cabinet.

One point he made that I would point out to both Republicans and Democrats is when he touched on school choice and education reform. These comments brought some of the loudest cheers of the night. I firmly believe that the GOP and specifically John McCain are on the majority side of this issue. Obama's opposition to real reform and his partnership with teachers' unions puts the momentum on our side. I sincerely hope McCain will hammer this issue as often as possible in the next 2 months.

Where I think McCain achieved the most was in the way he distanced himself from the last 8 years. He was honest with his listners that the GOP has failed often under Bush. He spoke about corruption and a Washington culture that ruined the potential of the Republican majority. he also successfully reminded listeners that he was outside of that culture and will continue to be. I've said over and over that no one outside of the liberal mobs really believe McCain is a Bush clone, nor do they believe that his administration will be a sequel. So it's important for McCain to keep repeating the truth about the last 8 years and his role in it.

Where I think McCain stumbled is when he failed to 'turn the corner' by offering more specific contrast to Obama and giving independents more cause to do what their hearts are already telling them to do...vote against Obama. Why didn't he? Because I think he believes he can better make that case on a debate stage. It is no secret that McCain wanted lots of debates because he believes that is where he shines brightest. The one town-hall debate may be his best chance for glory, but I believe he can do well in all three.

A year ago McCain had been written off. Now he is on the verge of takling the lead in the polls and liberal Chris Matthews predicted as much after the speech. This may be the point where amateur pundits like myself need to stop second0guessing the McCain strategy and put our trust in him. At this point, it's all about stump speeches and four debates (yes, I said four because the VP debate actually matters this year).

Compared to Obama's speech this was obviously less than inspiring. But in the frame of what McCain probably thought he needed to do, i think he accomplished what he wanted. I look forward to seeing these candidates square off across a room sometime in the very near future.

No Country for Old Men

daschneider — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:11:16 +0000

I pity the old men of this nation, as I must, for I will likely be one some day. I pity them for they grow conservative, and conservatism for them has nothing to do with the environment. Conservatism insists that the world of the old man's youth was the best of all worlds, and that the world, like the old man, declines, grows corrupt, and feeble, that there is no advance, only decline, and while resistance is yet futile, still the old man shall rage, rage against the dying of the light, by wrapping us everlastingly in that flag and those mantras of youth: the former, soaking up the blood of his wounds; the latter, swaddling him in easy, simple ideas that soothe his bitterness.

When the world is tumultuous, when it swirls in a chaos beyond our understanding --
There, there.
There, there.
There, there.

America is the exceptional nation, the old men cry, it is that unique entity that has escaped the forces of history. It is the last best hope, it is the shining city on the hill, it is the idea of Rome that preserves -- that they conserve -- by its rings of steel while, without those rings of steel, the benighted unenlightened rise and fall, rise and fall further, and clamor at the gates of that city on the hill, rebuffed! and they skulk inside, and fester and corrode those brass gates, that marble city, to which they have been so attracted by its image of exceptionalism.

This is no country for old men, and for this May-December marriage of lipsticked bulldog and grizzled POWer, I ask of you: do you not see Y? Come with me. Here is Byzantium. There is a golden bird on a wall. Be the bird. Sing your vacant song.

Yes, there is Yeats for the Republicans: in future days, poets will dine upon the refuse of this campaign, for its incompetent polarities are yet poetic. The former prisoner of war, defeated in the air, declares his defeat a badge of honor, Christlike. The Republicans lead with an incoherent elder, promising the word "change" reverse-alchemied into lead, following with the new face of the movement's youth, who is Reaction in a beautyqueen mug. In the last decade, our ruling party has perverted postmodernism into the construction of a simulacrum reality; but, suddenly, this campaign is a perversion of Romanticism. (Remember, both Fitzgerald and Keats noted that "to suspend contrary ideas in the mind simultaneously is the mark of genius.") By the very words uttered by the Republican candidates for President and Vice-President, we perceive this party as a gas-guzzling SUV whose front axle is gingerly in Drive, and its back axle firmly in Reverse. And it shall waste our fuel going nowhere.

Skeptics ask: what is this "change" Obama shall bring us? Critics opine: what evidence of this "change" can he present? I submit the answer as Christopher Wren did upon his death: the architect's plaque in St. Paul's exhorts, "Reader, if you seek his Memorial, look around you." By acting with consistent honor, with intellectual honesty, and a wholehearted refusal to demean his campaign with cant and catchphrase, demagoguery and denial, he has already altered the political dialogue of this nation. The change that we hope for, that I hope for, IS PRECISELY THAT: that we as a nation can grow out of our superannuated political adolescence. That the grand old party strategy of schoolyard bullying, of catcalls, of vapid slogans, of cynical and hypocritical assertions, of populist lies, will cease to be mistaken for arguments, facts, evidence and the use of the Reasoning Faculty of humankind. "We are better than this" means: "We are SMARTER than this." We must be, if we are to be a nation in history (which means the future) and not out of history (which means Byzantium).

The dark decade past, and the leaders of it, have synthesized a Frankenstein's Monster whose heart is Medieval and its head is Postmodern. Today we must revive the spirit of the Enlightenment, and join it to the better ideals of Romanticism: honesty, truth, fact, argument plus organicism and infinite connection and individuality. It is time. We must have our Renaissance.

Today On The Thom Hartmann Show

am1090 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:05:04 +0000

Anything Goes! Friday

Hour One -"Brunch With Bernie" Senator Bernie Sanders www.sanders.senate.gov

Hour Two - Actor/Activist Mike Farrell www.joegcampaign.org Topic: Help Joe Giarratano...an innocent man in prison for a crime he didn't commit

Guest: "Caught You Doing Something Right" John Garcia Topic: Saving the Michael Vick Dogs"

The Big Stick Hunts is Live!

Progressive Conservative — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:21:21 +0000

The first post at our new companion site 'The Big Stick Hunts' is finally up. I hope all of my readers will take a look. A brief warning, if hunting pics offend you, please don't click.

I've chosen Blogger for the other site simply because Wordpress doesn't allow Adsense. i don't mind 'selling out' over there a bit down the road. I will say that Blogger has nothing on Wordpress. I LOVE Wordpress and The Big Stick will probably always remain a Wordpress blog.

Also, please forgive me if the writing over there isn't quite as polished and the look of the blog is a bit average as well. The Big Stick Hunts is primarily intended to just be a place to share hunting stories and pics without offending my readers here and to also give me a place to write about dog training during the off months.

The Big Stick will remain my primary focus and I hope to continue to build on my readership. I also think it's the best place for me to continue to think about this wonderful experiment we call the United States.

Anyway, for those of you who are interested, please visit me and Murphy over there.

Democracy NOW! Headlines

am1090 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:17:04 +0000

Today’s Headlines From www.democracynow.org

Listen To The Entire Show Here

McCain Accepts RNC Nomination

Senator John McCain closed out the Republican National Convention Thursday with a speech accepting his party’s nomination. McCain appealed to his image as an independent able to transcend party politics.

*Sen. John McCain: “I fought corruption, and it didn’t matter if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans. They violated their public trust and they had to be held accountable. (Applause.) I’ve fought big spenders—I’ve fought the big spenders in both parties who waste your money on things you neither need nor want.”

Peace Activists Interrupt McCain Address

McCain was twice interrupted by members of the peace group Code PINK. One protester was identified as Adam Kokesh, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He carried a sign reading “You can’t win an occupation” on one side, and “McCain votes against vets” on the other. In his speech McCain touted his support for President Bush’s so-called troop surge in Iraq.

*Sen. John McCain: "I fought for the right strategy and more troops in Iraq when it wasn’t the popular thing to do. And when the pundits said—and when the pundits said my campaign was finished, I said I’d rather lose an election than see my country lose a war.”

Up to 400 Arrested on RNC’s Last Day

Outside the convention, protests continued on the RNC’s final day. Hundreds of people turned out for a rally organized by Youth Against War and Racism.

*Protester: “The mission statement here today is, I guess, bring the troops home, end the unjust, illegal war for profit in Iraq. I guess, as an alternate also, do not elect John McCain this fall because that would be a continuation of the same awful battle plan we’ve experienced since 2003.”

Later in the day up to four hundred people were arrested in a protest near the State Capitol, about a mile from the convention site. Police used tear gas and flash grenades against the crowd. Overall more than eight hundred people have been arrested at anti-RNC protests in the Twin Cities this week. Nineteen media workers have also been jailed.

Obama Finds Common Ground With O’Reilly in Fox News Appearance

Shortly before Senator McCain gave his speech, Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama appeared on the Fox News program the O’Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly. It was Obama’s first apperance on Fox News since privately resolving a dispute with the channel that kept him away for several months. Obama and O’Reilly appeared to find common ground on several foreign policy issues including Iran, Pakistan, and the so-called U.S. troop surge in Iraq.

Sen. Barack Obama: “Bill, what I’ve said is—I’ve already said it succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.”

Bill O’Reilly: “Right! So why can’t you just say, I was right in the beginning, and I was wrong about the surge?

Sen. Obama: “Because there is an underlying problem with what we’ve done. We have reduced the violence…”

O’Reilly: “Yeah?”

Sen. Obama: “-–but the Iraqis still haven’t taken a responsibility. And we still don’t have the kind of political reconciliation. We are still spending, Bill, 10 (billion dollars) to $12 billion a month.”

O’Reilly: “And I hope if you’re president, you can get them to kick in and pay us back.”

Sen. Obama: “They’ve got $79 billion in New York !”

O’Reilly: “And I’ll go with you!”

Sen. Obama: “Let’s go!”

O’Reilly: “We’ll get some of that money back.”

Abramoff Sentenced to 4-Year Term

The jailed Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff has been sentenced to an additional four-year term on top of his ongoing bid for tax evasion, fraud, and bribing public officials. Abramoff will likely remain in prison until 2012. The sentence came despite a prosecution request for leniency because of Abramoff’s cooperation in helping to indict the lawmakers he bribed.

Book: Admin Conducting Extensive Spying on Iraqi Gov’t

The Bush administration’s spying targets now apparently include the Iraqi government. A new book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward says the White House has run an extensive spy program on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and several other Iraqi officials. Referring to Maliki, a White House source told Woodward: “We know everything he says.” Woodwards also reports an October 2006 Iraq policy review was held in secret and without military involvement to avoid public scrutiny before the mid-term elections. Administration officials were said to be concerned news coverage would damage Republican candidates. National Security advisor Stephen J. Hadley led the review. He reportedly told Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice: “We’ve got to do it under the radar screen because the electoral season is so hot.” Woodward also quotes from several interviews with President Bush. Bush told Woodward he let Stephen Hadley oversee the change in war strategy, at one point saying: “I’m not in these meetings, you’ll be happy to hear, because I got other things to do.” Woodward also says the former top U.S. general in Iraq, General George Casey, privately blamed Bush for U.S. troubles in Iraq. Casey reportedly told a colleague he believes Bush reflects “the ‘radical wing of the Republican Party that kept saying, “Kill the bastards! Kill the bastards! And you’ll succeed.”’” Woodward also reports of a consensus amongst some U.S. officials that the drop in violence in Iraq is not the result of the so-called troop “surge” that began last year. Instead, officials told Woodward the primary factor was covert techniques used to locate and kill insurgent leaders. Other Iraq specialists like the journalist Nir Rosen have attributed the drop in violence to extensive ethic cleansing that has left fewer people to kill.

Pentagon Urges Delay of Iraq Troop Reductions; Afghan Occupation to Increase

Woodwards’ disclosures come amidst news the Pentagon has advised President Bush against further troop withdrawals from Iraq this year. The latest military plan calls for delaying the planned withdrawal of up to seventy-five hundred troops until February 2009—after President Bush leaves office. The reduction would coincide with an almost equal increase of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

U.S. Arrests Iraqi Journalist, Family

Meanwhile in Iraq, U.S. forces have detained another Iraqi journalist. Baghdad TV camera operator Omar Hisham and three family members were seized when U.S. troops broke into their home. Hisham’s mother described the raid.

Umm Omar: “I was preparing a meal when I heard voices that told us to evict the house and go out of it. When we began to open the doors and put on scarves and gowns, they bombed the door of the house. You saw the broken lock. They took my son Omar, he is a cameraman who works for Baghdad channel, the father who suffers from stroke, the youngest brother who is sick and the eldest one. They did not leave anyone.”

The arrests come just two days after US troops detained a freelance Iraqi photographer at his home in the town of Mahmudiya. The photographer, Ibrahim Jassam Mohammed, also had his equipment seized.

Army Suicide Rate on Record-Setting Pace

In military news, the Pentagon has admitted the army suicide rate is on pace to break last year’s all-time record. Ninety-three active-duty soldiers had killed themselves by the end of last month. With nearly four months left this year, the number is well on pace to break last year’s record of one-hundred-fifteen soldier suicides. It’s also on pace to surpass the suicide rate for the general population for the first time since the Vietnam War.

Karzai Visits Site of Deadly U.S. Strike

In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai visited the site of last month’s U.S. bombing that killed some ninety Afghan civilians. An estimated sixty children were killed in the attack. The U.S. maintains the death toll is lower and that most of the dead were militants. Karzai was met with an angry crowd demanding justice for the killing. Karzai said he had tried to curb U.S. air-strikes.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai: “I have been working day and night over the past five years to prevent such incidents, but I haven’t been successful in my efforts. If I had succeeded, the people of Azizabad wouldn’t be bathed in blood.”

Anger Grows in Pakistan over U.S. Attack

Meanwhile the uproar over a deadly U.S. ground assault in neighboring Pakistan is growing. Pakistani officials say at least twenty civilians were killed after helicopters delivered a US-led unit into Pakistan. US forces are said to have fired inside three homes containing women and children. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi condemned the attack.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi: “Yesterday, a regrettable, shameful and startling incident occurred in which the coalition forces, the ISAF forces, entered Pakistani territory and carried out an action. The government of Pakistan strongly condemns this act.”

The attack marks the first time the US has used ground troops inside Pakistan.

Tropical Storm Hanna Kills 90 in Haiti

In Haiti, at least ninety people have been killed in Tropical Storm Hanna. Most of the dead came in Gonaives. The town lost around three thousand people when a storm caused massive flooding in September 2004.

Gonaives Resident: “The whole city is under the water. All the houses, even the people on top of the houses, on the top, the water is at knee level. There are more people dead than four years ago. Nothing was done to prevent the same problem from happening again.”

The death toll from three weeks of storms in Haiti is now close to two hundred. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. It’s especially vulnerable to flooding because most of its trees have been cut down to make charcoal that is in turn used for fuel.

Detroit Mayor Pleads Guilty, Resigns in Perjury Case

In Detroit, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has resigned after admitting he committed perjury to hide an affair with his chief of staff. Under a plea deal, Kilpatrick will spend four months in jail and pay a one million dollar fine. Despite a five-year ban from running for office, the thirty-eight-year old Kilpatrick vowed to stage a political comeback.

Citing Alleged U.S. Torture, Attorney Seeks Mental Evaluation for Pakistani Prisoner

Attorneys for an American-educated Pakistani woman accused of trying to kill U.S. personnel say years of imprisonment and torture may have left her mentally incompetent. Aafia Siddiqui is accused of trying to open fire on several FBI agents who had come to question her in Afghanistan. The FBI also says she had documents on making chemical bombs and a list of potential targets in the United States. But Afghan witnesses say US personnel shot Siddiqui following a misunderstanding that saw her initially asking them for help. On Thursday, defense attorney Elizabeth Fink asked a federal judge to order a full mental evaluation. Siddiqui disappeared in March 2003 just weeks after the FBI announced it sought her for questioning. There has been speculation she was captured by Pakistani troops and handed over to the U.S. and held at Baghram air base in Afghanistan. Fink says she believes Siddiqui may have been released in a deliberate effort to set up the confrontation that got her arrested.

Cheney Pushes Georgia Membership in NATO

Vice President Dick Cheney continues his Caspian tour with a visit to Georgia. On Thursday, Cheney condemned Russia’s response to Georgia’s attack on South Ossettia and pledged to win Georgian membership into NATO.

Vice President Dick Cheney: “America is fully committed to Georgia’s Membership Action Plan for NATO and to its eventual membership in the Alliance. The United States is very pleased with the recent establishment of a NATO-Georgia commission. As the current members of NATO declared at the summit in Bucharest, Georgia will be in our Alliance. NATO is a defensive alliance. It is a threat to no-one. Indeed, NATO is one of the great forces for freedom, security and peace that the modern world has known.”

Georgia’s proposed membership in NATO has raised tensions with Russia. The move would violate an initial U.S. promise to Russia not to expand NATO eastward.

UN: Aid to Poor Nations Lags

And the UN is warning aid to poor nations is falling dangerously short of pledged amounts. A new report shows the drop in foreign aid has nearly doubled to 8.4% after a 4.7% drop in 2006. Africa has been hardest hit, receiving just $4 billion of more than $25 billion in promised aid.

Weather Forecast For Hell...32F

texasyesfan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:13:53 +0000

An Open Letter to the Republican Party by AM1090 Listener Dr. Jennifer E. Warren

am1090listener — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:35:35 +0000

Like it or not, confession Is good for the soul.

Whether or not you made the personal choice to become a public figure, your gender is irrelevant. Your private life is over. Period. End of discussion. If you choose to go into politics, then this means you have CHOSEN to give up any hope of a private life ever again. Got it ? Good.

Not having a private life means that you CHOOSE to allow anybody and everybody to have the right to talk about you and say anything that pops into their head. Got a kid with down’s syndrome? Tough. Got a pregnant teen? Tough. Got a problem with Broccoli ? Tough. It’s all grist for the mill, kiddo. Deal with it or get out of politics. Don’t have a clue about the constitution or the ideals of the country you claim to want to serve? Learn it and love it or leave it.

Your career as a politician depends on your being prepared to die for it…so you should probably learn what it is you are promising to preserve, protect and defend. It is a sacred document that you cannot say has parts which are “useless” or “unimportant”. Don’t like it ? Change it. Otherwise, shut up and get out. Seriously.

For good or ill, it is unfair to CHOOSE to become a public figure AND expect that nobody should have the RIGHT to talk about something that YOU have CHOSEN to make public.

Public life is a bed that YOU CHOOSE to make so YOU will have to lie in it. Damning others for talking about news that YOU have CHOSEN to make public is damning them for being human. If you are running for PUBLIC office, its generally not a good idea to damn the entire species for anything … especially when there really aren’t a lot of other species that vote.

If you are a politician, don’t pull personal tragedy like a gun to excuse your inability to answer questions. Having a pregnant teen or an experience as a POW may not be a great experience, but using as a distraction for having no ideas, no facts and no clue should be off limits for the press to accept as a valid answer. To do otherwise damns journalistic integrity into the pits of propaganda. Anyone who has ever studied journalism should remember “objectivity” being part of their journalism 101 class. Practice it.

Having a set of family values that throws family out the window anytime it interferes with the money you make by sending children to die in a holy war for oil companies… is hardly something most of us condone. So if you have those values, stay out of politics. Truth will out, and it’s never pretty when it does.

The question of judgment may have started with asking about Sen. McCain's judgment, but as more details emerge about it and the Republican party continues to look the other way, the time has come to ask what the Palin choice says about the entire party's true value's ? You may not like that people are talking about the private lives of public figures, but granddaddy used to say that this is the dog YOU chose to go hunting with. Or, as Gov. Palin would say ... the dog with lipstick.

It’s a shame that the republican party has become so opposed to the teaching of real science that it has ignored the most important fact which both the Holy Bible AND Darwin’s theory of evolution teach : genes really do set limits on both physical characteristics and behavior.

Just because Evolution doesn't have any more place in a church than the bible has in a science classroom does NOT negate this lesson coming from either one. Why is it important to note this area where both Science and Religion agree? Because the ancient rule that Blood will tell affects politics regardless of party : If you want to know about the parents’ good judgment, look at the judgments’ made by the child and vice versa.

If you have decades of experience doing business as usual, don’t claim to offer change. It’s such an obvious lie that only a fool would believe you…because everybody knows you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. If you have surrounded yourself with lobbyists and are saying you hate them, my granddaddy would say that you’ve put the fox in charge of the henhouse and are expecting people to believe things will improve…Grandma would put it in a simpler way : You really need to stop sippin from that still.

Dr. Jennifer Warren

This Morning On The Stephanie Miller Show

am1090 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:02:21 +0000

John McCain vowed last night to “shake up washington” and said he’s prepared to reach across the aisle to get the country “back on the road to prosperity and peace.” “We need to change the way government does almost everything,” he told the Republican National Convention.

On at least three occasions during the early part of McCain’s speech, demonstrators and war protesters tried to interrupt the Republican nominee, but they were escorted out of the arena amid chants of “U.S.A., U.S.A, U.S.A.” from the crowd.

Police arrested an estimated 200 anti-war protesters last night after using tear gas and percussion grenades to disperse a crowd near the state capitol in St. Paul, about a mile from the Republican National Convention.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will spend a few hours in Libya today and shake hands with Moammar Gadhafi, closing a nearly three-decade era of bitter animosity between the U.S. and the North African nation that has sometimes gotten personal.

Some southeastern states have declared emergencies and officials urged residents to head inland yesterday as tropical storm Hanna headed toward the Atlantic coast, where it could bring high winds and rain from South Carolina to Maine. Meanwhile, disaster planners eyed ferocious-looking hurricane Ike which continues to strengthen in the Atlantic.