A Brief Traumatic Interruption
As I wrote below, I am trying to take a break until Monday. It's a very hectic time as classes resume on Monday, my wife is in Chile dealing with an ailing mom and My Brilliant Daughter is heading for Moscow via Berlin (No she has not been hired as a military advisor to Putin) and I needed a break from blogging.
But...Just as Hillary now and then needs a national convention for cathartic purposes, I sometimes use the blog to share my trauma with you.
And so it it that I write this short note -- maybe just to make myself feel better.
But it's hard to describe to you the shock I'm feeling at this moment.
Yesterday afternoon I asked my staff to double-check how many homes my wife and I owned because, frankly in the whirl and twirl of late August hubub, I had lost count.
Turns out I had one. And the damn thing is mortgaged!
I could have sworn I had seven, or eight or maybe nine. Maybe, it's a Senior Moment or something, but I just don't know why I was thinking that or --worse-- where I misplaced them.
While they were at it, I also asked staff to review my income as the last few years have been quite good for me. What a blow it was, then, to learn that I had fallen about $5 million short of what I had estimated to be about $5 million a year. Nor does my wife own that brewing empire that I swore was the source of the sixpack in the fridge.
The topper: I learned I don't even have a staff!
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Marc, you just have wealth envy. Typical deluded and whiny liberal.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Just like Obama…he spent his vacation on a beach in Hawaii, and your family is off to foreign countries, too. You’ve probably “forgotten” about your Russian dacha, right?
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
LOL!
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Some sad tale from a guy who owns a GTO and a Corvette.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Too bad Marc doesn’t have a staff to tell him how many cars he has. Maybe McCain’s could assist.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Some sad tale from a guy who owns a GTO and a Corvette.
My brother owns a 1958 Jaguar sedan with leather seats and wood paneling in the interior. He bought it in Germany for $1,500 in 1978. and spent about another 1K to fix it up.
The issue is not the possesion itself, but how much was spent to obtain it.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Marc needs to dump the American iron and have Natasha bring him back a nice Russian Zil.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Maybe Marc does have staph.
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Staph?
WTF?!
Some people like to get under one’s skin…
Dude, you’re being creepy now.
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
It’s a play on words, Rob. Staff…staph. Get it? Get a grip.
Now, from Drudge Report, I’m seeing that there is campaign material being printed right now saying Obama-Bayh, as in “Bye-Bayh” Obama. (Another play on words, Rob.)
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Reminds me of a song - Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey-ey, Bayh, Bayh.
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Damnit, Woody, I was all set to ask you not to sing.
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:39 pm
A play on words…
Ah staph, root of Staphylococcus…
Under one’s skin…
Euripides, you are not.
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh….
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:20 pm
http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/08/21/voting_machines.html?sid=101
They can’t fix it by Nov. 4??? Maybe they should hire some programmers.
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Concerning Obama’s VP, now, FOX is saying that there is Democratic activity around Sen. Biden. But I’d rather Obama pick John Lewis. We’ll know tomorrow.
Dan O., the voting machine malfunctions may be occuring in black precincts, so what’s the problem? At least, it gives the Democrats another excuse for blowing a presidential election.
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Hah!
Great stuff, Marc!
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
And this works even better when read aloud. (I just read it to a friend.)
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
What is this stuff with staff having staph?
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:27 pm
So I had a thought the other day (rare, so I followed it). I know for fact McCain will be the next President of the United States. Think about it, we know the world is going to end December 21, 2012, and we can only assume it will be because of something President McCain did. Maybe he elevated an international crisis. Maybe he created his own crisis. But probably he accidentally hit the button, thinking it’s the telegraph machine.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Wikipedia is now reporting that Obama has chosen Biden as his running mate, citing the Associated Press and their anonymous source in the DNC. I didn’t sign up for the text or email, but shouldn’t they wait for that to report anything?
August 23rd, 2008 at 2:25 am
I think this is as good a time and place as any to confess that I don’t know how many USB memory sticks I own. I’m also pretty hazy about the number of shoehorns and AA battery rechargers I’ve got.
Saddest of all: I’m absolutely sure that I won’t get my people to get back to your people any time soon with any precise numbers. One thing I know for sure: I don’t have any people. Zero. Unless my two cats count, but I don’t think they know how to count, so for statistical purposes I guess they don’t.
With all the media hoopla over Biden, and the fact that it’s Friday evening over in the U.S., with a little luck nobody will even notice I said this, though I fear it could come back to haunt me later in the campaign.
August 23rd, 2008 at 6:36 am
Michael Turner…your cats can’t count? One of my two cats tells time… every morning at 5 AM she is whining for breakfast. I’m not sure how she knows it’s 5 but she damn sure seems to. I will hold you to the number of shoe horns, please find out by election day.
P.S., I have two shoe horns and I didn’t need to check staph or staff about that stuff.
August 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 am
GM, just because a cat is extraordinarily skilful doesn’t make it “your people” or anybody’s people. My cats are fluently bilingual, by virtue of their ability to studiously ignore my commands to sit up, heel and roll over in both English and Japanese. But what good has it done me? None, none at all. It makes me want to smack them both with shoehorns, or stick their tails into my battery rechargers.
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:56 am
At least Michael Turner has an international office.
I see that the press is reporting from the Biden compound. My people said that I don’t have a compound. Doesn’t my tool shed count for something?
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:04 am
Doesn’t my tool shed count for something?
Are you mad?
Of course the shed from the tool doesn’t count!
You lay the shed out to dry.
Then you roll it up and smoke it.
For christssakes man, where are you going to gestate the accrued market appreciation? In an ashtray?
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Holy Cow! That was more confusing than anything that I write.
Well, Obama and Biden are having their first joint appearance. How can his audience cheer when his whole approach is telling them that they should be miserable.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Oh, puke. Guess what has gotten the biggest cheer so far in Biden’s talk in Springfield. Biden said that McCain can’t figure out which of the seven kitchen tables to sit at. It’s pretty sick when a campaign is based so heavily on stirring up wealth envy.
Obama blew the introduction by saying that he wanted to introduce “the next president….uh, vice president.” There aren”t do overs as President.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
We learned that under the idiot Bush.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
On Biden
And all that ink in cyberspace about Sen. Clinton: I think Sen. Obama handled the VP pick perfectly. Both Obama and Clinton count Biden as an ally. Is there possibly a better choice to referee the differences between the two camps? Good eye, Crosby & Jim R.
The let’s see if they can really pull that of question: Biden & Obama driving an economic theme counter to the GOP. Hmm. 2 Senators. Great start. Can they sustain it?
The deep subliminal: Picking a vice presidential candidate is so gay. The MSNBC chatters kept mixing their comments with marriage analogies. Rolling video footage kept showing Obama & Biden holding each other. What’s that about? Can’t wait to see Sen. McCain swoon with Mitt.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
that should read
…if they can really pull that off, question;…
August 23rd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Associated Press:
Heh! Thanks Obama… You couldn’t have done it better if Karl Rove had made your pick.
August 23rd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Ok, woody et al.. I’ll take the bait and actually give a semi serious response here:
I own not only a GTO (a 2004 worth about 10 K and also a C6 Corvette (worth about 4oK) but also a 6 year old Mustang that my wife drives (about &K) and recently sold my kid’s Honda 2006 for 11K. All totaled, and substracting outstanding payments on such vehicles, their net worth to me is about 20K, about the value of one two year old chevy.
More disclosure: I own one home currently worth, maybe, 600K that’s got a 250K mortgage on it. It’s slightly above the median value of a homei n Los Angeles County.. maybe 10-20% higher.
My actual earnings are not really anyone’s business.. but my wife and I together earn in general terms just about the amount where Obama says he wants to start raising taxes. So by his definition, we should be paying a little more. Im ok with that if we can get, say, national health care and some redirection of spending away from military hardware into schools.
I have also disclosed on this blog that I own a pair or two of Ferragamo shoes just like McCain but Ive got the $295 not $595 jobbies. (I buy them at Nordstrom rack in clearance.) They’re great shoes. Wish I had a LOT more of them!
More confessions: I run my pool heater most of the summer and it’s an extravagant luxury for sure. Wish I could run it even more, but can’t afford it. Poor me.
You can see on my Facebook profile that I also collect very expensive Montblanc pens — for no reason I can think of.My prize is a fountain pen limited edition of the Hemingway, worth about $2k. I could sell it and feed some ten hungry Africans probably for a year. I dont plan that however. I prefer the Four Seaons over The Hampton Inn and most of my suits are Zegna or Canali (with one or two Armanis)– tho I sure prefer to buy them at half off in the outlet, making them merely pricey instead of heart-stoppingly outrageous. I prefer loge seats over the bleachers, first class over coach, front row seating instead of th balcony, and frankly I like really good wines when I can afford them. I also love valet parking and use it whenever I can. I also prefer to pay a gardener and pool man rather than do the work myself, and given the choice between a pair of polarized $300 Maui Jim sunglasses over $50 Ray-Bans I’ll take 3 or 4 of the former, thank you very much. Breitlings are better watches than Timex and I just had my vintage Aerospace edition refurbished for $400.
Here’s the catch, dude. While all of that might put me among the top 10% of the economic ladder I dont fly around the country in my wife’s private corporate jets pretending to be a humble spokesman for common people. Nor do I chide black men growing up in single mother homes for being elitist because they are smart enough to preside over the Harvard Law Review and made their money by writing beautifully written best-sllers. I dont pander to gun owners by suggesting that commie lesbians are going to take away their colt .45s, and I dont pretend to be a devout, moralistic Christian when I have a record of being a partying playboy philanderer who dumped his ex wife while she was battling cancer. That’s one difference between JOhn McCain and moi.. Oh yeah, one other. My father died penniless and I have earned every cent I have through sheer work and, um, some talent. My pop wasnt an admiral, I led no pampered life, and my wife’s fmily not only doesnt own a brewery, they actually live in a shantytown on the outskirts of a smog-choked south american capital. (Nor have I ever been a member of the Keating 5 nor does a paid lobbyist head up my non existent staff).
I actually have more respect for my mother in law than I do for a phony like McCain She was orhpaned at age3, grew up on a farm in the remote chilean countryside and dropped out of school in the 7th grade. She raised a wonderful child, my wife, and worked her butt off as a housewife making a meager salary from her husband stretch into an existence. When she came to the US in1980 at age 53, with no education and no job experience and speaking not a word of english, she taught herself how to drive, she taught herself english, she got a job in a nursing home, she won state certification as a CNA, she saved money on her $8 an hour salary and she traveled the world in her 60’s on cheap package tours.. working until her deafness forced her to quit at age 70. Yesterday she was confined, sadly, to a nursing home –as a patient– thanks to Alzheimers. I dont expect her anytime soon to be out campaigning , making jokes about her captivity, nor inventing bs stories about her guards drawing crosses in the sand.
John McCain? Well, he can kiss off. He suffered greatly as a POW just as did thousands of others whose names we dont know in a useless and senseless and I might add barbaric war. In front of John McCain, I put 55,000 American soldiers and a couple of million Vietnamese who made a much greater sacrifice for absolutely no good reason. He’ll have to stand patiently in line behind them to get his recognition.
All that said and back to the point, my net wealth is much less than 1% of that Mr McCain’s. He lies like a rug and pretends to be a populist. I merely pretend to aspire to have even more economic security because even someone in my VERY priviliged condition has almost none. A school teacher might be two paychecks away from bankruptcy. I’m maybe about 10 or 12.
So Lump it. Im off to the spa for a hot stone massage.
August 23rd, 2008 at 3:33 pm
P.S. As to Russian cars. During some of my time spent in Nicaragua and Cuba, I had the oppty to drive several Russian-made LADAs.. These are Russian-made FIATs. All i wanted to know was how to say Fix It Again Tony in Russian.
If the Soviets had known had to build Corvettes, buddy, the East would still be glowing bright red. Or as GM calls it, Victory Red!
http://www.smokinvette.com/corvetteforum/showthread.php?t=7129
August 23rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
It’s always better when Marc stops by in the comments!
The faux hand wringing over wealth by GM and Woody is just so snooze-making. Here’s the double standard they try to shovel onto us: Republicans earned and deserve their wealth and are tribunes of the people. Democrats are elitists and are to be mocked for their money. Such crude categorizations, of course, are fucking dumb.
Kerry married his wealth, as did McCain. Herb Kohl appears to have earned it. Obama earned his as well. But to even say “wealth” is another crudity because the money difference between McCain and Obama is as vast as the difference between my school teacher father and Bill Clinton. As usual, you two are trading in gross generalities, and thus peddling nothing but distortion.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I have not commented in a while, but reading this comment thread inspired a response.
First of all, many of you need lives. Unless you are stuck in front of a computer 24 hours a day, you need a hobby other than having absurd debate after absurd debate. Go out and smell the flowers.
Secondly, Woody and his ilk really are pricks. Straight up. Lifeless, bitter, probably fat and bald white dudes sitting in front of computers probably alternating between annoying people on message boards and porn.
They love to point the finger and blame anyone left of the far right for all that is wrong with America cause they have miserably boring lives. Cause they have no lives, they devote way too much energy to spewing their useless bile and recruiting other authoritarian personalities to get out their thoughtless votes.
It is tiresome dealing with the Woodies of the world. I sometimes almost to resort to prayer, hopeful that they will all just disappear and let the rest of us live and possibly solve some of the problems the world currently faces.
But that is a dream cause the world is filled with miserable, hate filled, authoritarian minded sheep like Woody. They are a loud, anti-intellectual hoard that sadly loaths democracy and life for that matter. They also help keep the thugs like Bush in power and that is why we are fucked.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Dan O… I do believe Marc was referring to the other GM… General Motors. You don’t see me carping about wealth here or anywhere else unless I’m gigging someone over tax policy.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:34 pm
By which I’ll note that the left has a great big thumb up their asses when it comes to what the right thinks or what the right is all about.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:39 pm
“They also help keep the thugs like Bush in power and that is why we are fucked.”
Took you a long time and alot of bad mouthing to get to what’s really bugging you Josh.
So tell us how you’re comment is different than the ones your bitter about again?
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Before I get stupid, Marc, I want you, your wife, and your daughter to know how sincerely sorry I am about your mother-in-law beiing diagnosed with Alzheimers. It’s not easy on anyone and there’s little that one can say or do except to express sympathy and, perhaps, offer encouragement and prayer, which I do from my heart.
- - -
Okay, on to the stupid part.
So, it’s even worse than I thought, Marc. You own, not two cars, but three of them!! - a GTO, a Corvette, and a Mustang. Boy, I bet your carbon footprint is really high with those gas guzzlers. It sound like it’s time to start some carbon trading with Al Gore.
I don’t like valet parking. I hate explaining to them that they have to hold the key a certain way in the steering column to get it started and make excuses for that bad smell from the back seat.
I know that you wear Hugo Boss ties and are so extravagant that you purchased a tie from Brooks Brothers and wore it only once–a so-called throw-away. (From the same article, we learned that you pal, Alan Mittelstaedt, doesn’t wear pants.)
Referencing Obama’s tax increases to indicate your income level was no help. It might mean that you are making $12,000 a year, the beginning level which will really be affected–not counting the corporate tax increases passed along to you in higher prices and increased gas taxes. Taking away Bush’s tax cuts, raising capital gains rates, and going back to the old tables will hurt “working families” and our economy more than you will admit.
Nevertheless, what do you think about Obama’s attempt to buy votes by promising to give tax money to some by taking it away from others…even though he can’t afford to do it? It’s one thing to promise government giveaway programs, a tactic started by FDR–a rich man who couldn’t identify with the common man–and, to hand out booze and drugs in exchange for votes for Democrats (a common practice,) but Obama is taking it to a new level by promising $1,000 or so per vote from the U.S. Treasury–money that we need for national defense!
BTW, is your pay from the CIA taxable?
Now, from your joint familys’ history, it’s a tribute to them for what they accomplished. Really. I think a lot of families have similar stories, such as my grandfather working in the coal mines of Pennsylvania when he was just a boy, but progressing to a very high level with U.S.S. However, that is more than a tribute to the individuals; it’s a tribute to our nation and the opportunities that it offers to everyone willing to dream and work. Why would we want to change a nation of opportunity into a welfare state that panders to the lazy rather than the productive?
Regarding McCain’s wealth, etc., people just don’t get to the spot of running for President unless they have money. Some people work for it, some get it from their families, and some people take advantage of affirmative action and get promoted for their race; e.g., an articulate and clean black man.
The fact that McCain has wealth, as do his opponents, won’t detract from his ability to understand which way to take our nation. If anything, I want someone who makes thoughtful, logical, and fair policies rather than others based upon emotions from some bad personal experience.
Signing off.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
On second thought, I rather think it’s not the comments here that put you in such a bad mood. Is your Mom trying to kick you out of her cellar?
August 23rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
OK, GM. I sometimes conflate your remarks and Woody’s remarks, and if I did that in this case, I apologize!
August 23rd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Dan O, don’t apologize. G.M. might be flattered.
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:08 pm
P.S. As to Russian cars. During some of my time spent in Nicaragua and Cuba, I had the oppty to drive several Russian-made LADAs.. These are Russian-made FIATs. All i wanted to know was how to say Fix It Again Tony in Russian.
You haven’t lived till you’ve been in a Trabant from the former DDR. I was in one the last time I was in Germany (1991) and I actually thought it was going to literally fall to pieces. The heater had an open flame!
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:23 pm
GMR: “By which I’ll note that the left has a great big thumb up their asses when it comes to what the right thinks or what the right is all about.”
This is projection at its zenith coming from someone who rarely rises above a parody of wingnut “conservatism” in his own right.
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:52 pm
G.M. is right, reg. When you guys attempt to define conservatives, I have to sit back and laugh. It’s best to understand your opponent in a contest, but you guys are fighting your false images rather than the real thing. Of course, I understand that you are a follower of Marx.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Unfortunately Woody’s comment was longer than the word limit I’ve put on him (25) before I consider it a waste of time.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Marc,
By the way, if you happen to visit Brazil, I strongly recommend stocking up on shoes while you’re there.
Mr. Cat is a chain that has great shoes at pretty good prices and have stores from Porto Alegre to Manaus. You could probably get about four or five pairs for what you pay for the Ferragamos.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
“GM Says:
August 23rd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Associated Press:
DENVER – The candidate of change went with the status quo…”
GMR - So you think we’re as stupid as you are and don’t know that this piece of crap you posted was written by Ron Fourier who considered joining John McCain’s campaign and exchanged “Keep up the good work” emails with Karl Rove.
You couldn’t have made more of an ass of yourself if you were…working for Karl Rove.
Clueless shmuck !
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
GMR et. al. are peeing in their pants.
Meanwhile, Chuck Hagel (R, NE) had this to say about Obama’s VP pick and the Obama/Biden ticket:
“Joe Biden is the right partner for Barack Obama. His many years of distinguished service to America, his seasoned judgment and his vast experience in foreign policy and national security will match up well with the unique challenges of the 21st Century. An Obama-Biden ticket is a very impressive and strong team. Biden’s selection is good news for Obama and America.”
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I know a fair number of UAW pensioners who’d would like to pass on a “Dzi?kuj?” to you Marc.
—
So Sen. Biden is the Chair of US FRC. Does he have or can he get depositions on Orion Strategies employees and clients?
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:07 pm
suppose to be “Dziekuje”
August 24th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Hey Randy… Back in the mid- 80’s I spent a few days reporting in East Berlin and I was in some taxi or car that had some sort of open vented gas heater in it… wasnt that a Trabant?
What a place. I remember only bad things about East Berlin: The gray uniformed cops using mirrors to check the undercarriage of our train; the grim, grim streets; the Russian peasant-soliders guarding the old Mathausen concentration camp, and our sad sack Ministry of Information “gudie” suited up in polyester and brylcreem. Then again, vodka was a buck a bottle and we bought SEVERAL bottles before leaving. Took a train to Amsterdam and got really really drunk with some of travel companions, including a retired Colonel from The Citadel. As soon as we crossed back into West Germany and quite tanked up on Russian Vodka we broke into a spirited rendition of “New York, New York.” Got to Amsterdam that Friday night ready to party… went to the disco in our hotel and ran smack dab into a writhing, roaring delegation of visiting Young Communists from Moscow! They were drunker than we were — great party animals — so to speak.
I have no idea why I digressed into this meaningless story.. Must have caught the same disease as some of my comrade commenters.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:37 am
Woody:
You’re right about the Hugo Boss ties. Though, they’re usually my second choice as I prefer Zegna (the older styles more than the new ones). I forgot to mention that since I lost weight, Ive actually picked up a couple of Boss suits, but generally find them over-rated and inferior to Italian competitors.
‘Cuz I like you, Im not gonna argue the politics with you — other than to say that the current Bush tax scheme is highly redistributive. It just happens to tilt from bottom to top instead of the other way around. For the record, yes, I also favor redistribution of wealth (as long as I keep my ties) and as long as it is downward.
My carbon footprint is outrageous and I dont care much about it, cuz I figure it’s insignificant compared to industry. Indeed, my GTO is the ONLY passenger car in the US subject to an initial $1100 gas guzzler tax, which I happily paid (The corvette has 50 more hp but is built of fibreglass and gets nearly 20 mpg average). SUV’s get much worse mileage but are classified as trucks and dont have to pay. U can thank the auto lobby for that loophool. The GTO gets 17mpg and I had to pay the tax. A dufus with a Tahoe gets 12mpg and pays nothing AND gets a tax deduction for the car (until last year I believe).
As far as I know my income from the CIA is taxable. That’s what they tell me to tell you.
August 24th, 2008 at 6:24 am
reg: Unfortunately Woody’s comment was longer than the word limit I’ve put on him (25)….
Good! From now on, just so I don’t have to see your emotional, ranting responses, I’ll try to make my comments at least twenty-six words.
August 24th, 2008 at 6:46 am
“Unfortunately Woody’s comment was longer than the word limit I’ve put on him (25)….”
August 24th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Ah, my comment was twenty-five words exactly, and you’re supposed to read the first twenty-five.
August 24th, 2008 at 6:53 am
One - Twenty-five, Twenty-six, ….
This quote from George Orwell made me think of Obama: The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.
August 24th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Finally, something serious to consider….
Proof that McCain will beat Obama, but the Democrats, as usual, whine that it is fixed.
McCain roach wins in landslide
August 24th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Last one…. Looking forward to more activities from Denver - Recreate 68. Cynthia McKinney, Ward Churchill, and Cindy Sheehan will take part.
August 24th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Marc,
That was definitely a Trabant! Metal encased in Duroplast. There’s even a US Trabant Club!
August 24th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Woody quotes from an Orwell essay in which Orwell also writes:
“The real question is not whether the people who wipe their boots on us during the next fifty years are to be called managers, bureaucrats, or politicians: the question is whether capitalism, now obviously doomed, is to give way to oligarchy or to true democracy.”
The essay is longer than 250 words, however, so of course Woody would be way out of his depth trying to fathom it. But he’s free to cherry-pick from it anyway — indeed, how could he see the world the way he does, if he didn’t feel he was entitled to his own facts as well as his own opinions?
August 24th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Joe Biden was an excellent choice by Obama for a running mate. He is a likeable personality with years of valuable non-partisan experience in Washington of the international and national security kind that will help fill some of Obama’s gaps.
In addition, he knows how to fight in the trenches without coming across as too offensive, and this is because he is really an all around decent guy, as he has demonstrated over the years in his political and personal life.
I think McCain’s attack ads, one addressing Biden’s statements about Obama in the middle of a Primary debate, and another about a non-partisan positive comment about McCain, could very well backfire on McCain. First, it was bad timing, and taste, to get it out before Obama had even had a chance to introduce his VP choice. Secondly, I took Biden’s positive comment about McCain as a positive for Biden, not McCain, given the timing of the attack.
Negative ads work to a point. When they are poorly done or poorly timed and run to frequently, they turn off all but the voters you’re not going to get anyway. McCain is pushing the boundary.
This particular ad would have had much better effect near the end of the campaign. Done the way it was now, it was stupid timing and done following an already barrage of negative ads beginning to get a little annoying.
August 24th, 2008 at 9:58 am
That would be “…they turn off all but the voters you’re ‘going’ to get anyway.”
August 24th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Sorry Woody, but quotes count…
August 24th, 2008 at 10:46 am
“The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.”
Doesn’t explain why Iraq and Vietnam (and lraq is already a certain loss by any rational, non-metaphysical measure of American national security interests, given the inevitability of Iranian hegemony in the Gulf advanced by the consolidation of Shiite rule in Baghdad) both lasted longer than WWII.
The problem with “bad wars” like Iraq and Vietnam is that they’re inevitably sold to Americans dishonestly and end up dividing the country when it’s clear that the mission was not just ill-conceived but politically contrived. Presidents who get and keep us in shit like that probably deserve to be hung, but they usually just leave office disgraced and detested like LBJ, Nixon and GW Bush.
August 24th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I’m getting a laugh out of the blatant schizophrenia and scrambling for negative attacks - ANY negative attacks no matter how idiotic - coming from Mother Teresa’s - I mean John “I’m Just a Prisoner of My Campaign” McCain’s folks.
First they ran an ad with Joe Biden making one of the strongest criticisms of any of Dem running against Obama in the primary debates. Now they’ve got an ad up complaining - because fair treatment for this woman is a big concern of theirs (and apparently GM Roper’s who comes to his POVs with a clarity, depth and integrity that’s unmatched in these threads) - that Hillary was unfairly rejected as VP because she “told the truth” about Obama. These guys are oozing desperation in their response to VP Biden.
August 24th, 2008 at 11:36 am
“GMR et. al. are peeing in their pants.”
Did someone leave a window open? I hear a noisy wind in here!
August 24th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Orwell: Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.
Well, the Democrats appear to control Wikipedia. Look what was taken out of Biden’s page.
Oh, it may reappear, but don’t count on it staying. Then, the partisan Democrats will lie about changing it.
August 24th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
John McCain Multiple Choice Test:
Senator McCain is a Prisoner of __________ (Choose no more than 7 because more than 7 would be too many.)
(a) War
(b) His campaign handlers
(c) The Bush administration
(d) His wife’s fortune
(e) Ambition
(f) GOP special interests
(g) His maverickyness
(h) A bad temper and a mean spirit
(i) Stuff Mark Salter made up for the books McCain “wrote”
(j) Gooks
(k) Azkaban
August 24th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
“Can you imagine the reaction from Democrats if a Republicans had nominated a vice presidential candidate who called Barack Obama “the first mainstream African American [presidential candidate] who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”
Or said this: “I’ve had a great relationship [with Indian Americans]. In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian-Americans moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.”
Obama-Bidet… the gift that keeps on giving!
August 24th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
reg: “apparently GM Roper’s who comes to his POVs with a clarity, depth and integrity that’s unmatched in these threads…”
And we know that reg is NOT a prevaricator.
August 24th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
“Bidet”
Classy. Of course, when you’ve got nuthin…
August 24th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
In a blatant act of blogwhoring, I’ve got a better version of the McCain Prisoner Test up “elsewhere.” (click “reg”)
August 24th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
(s) None of the above.
August 24th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Remember when liberals mocked the “Focus on the Family” guy for joking about praying for rain when Obama gives his speech in the outdoor stadium? Well, the prayer committee is just getting warmed up.
Maybe the emergency center was opened because they knew how God would react to a candidate and thousands of other infanticide supporters who oppose a “Born Alive Infants Protection Act.”
August 24th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Good film! “We Will Not Be Silenced”
I give it a thumbs up.
August 24th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Woody’s serial comments and 26 word comment does prove at least one crazy conservative has a sense of humor.
August 24th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
“I give it a thumbs up.”
How about a thumbs in Woody.
August 24th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
What happened to that $600 check from the government?
August 25th, 2008 at 4:28 am
DENVER, Colorado (CNN) — It’s a dead heat in the race for the White House. The first national poll conducted entirely after Barack Obama publicly named Joe Biden as his running mate suggests that battle for the presidency between the Illinois senator and Republican rival John McCain is all tied up.
In a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out Sunday night, 47 percent of those questioned are backing Obama with an equal amount supporting the Arizona senator.
“This looks like a step backward for Obama, who had a 51 to 44 percent advantage last month,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
Nothin’ huh reg?
August 25th, 2008 at 5:10 am
Zilch. Your calling Joe Biden “Bidet” tells us everything about you and nuthin about Biden.
I’ve always thought you were a shallow prick and you keep proving it.
August 25th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Incidentally, most of you who have a modicum of sophistication already know this, but the only poll-watching that’s not a total waste of time is available at pollster.com and better yet FiveThirtyEight.com where they do the states (i.e. electoral) and aggregates and also break down bullshit methodology in many of these random polls
August 25th, 2008 at 6:25 am
It’s pretty bizarre seeing - by virtue of their inability to come up with much other than McCain campaign and/or wingnut talking points du jour (GMR:”Hillary would have been the better choice, blah blah…) flakes like Roper and Woody in flagrante delicto with the most rabid, unhinged Hillaryites. This is truly a marriage made in Hell and gives a bad name to Irony.
August 25th, 2008 at 6:31 am
The lead graphic in an pollster.com article linked off of FiveThirtyEight could be … is “woodify” a verb? … could be interpreted as saying the CNN polls are, if anything, very slightly biased in favor of Obama. So if they call it 47-47, maybe it’s worse than that for Obama? Keep reading, though: CNN pollsters seem to have formed one of those Gangs That Can’t Shoot Straight. Zogby’s pretty bad too.
As FiveThirtyEight analyzes this first post-Biden CNN poll, it leaves a lot to be desired. I’m surprised CNN didn’t call it “PUMAs Attack!”
August 25th, 2008 at 6:44 am
“This is truly a marriage made in Hell and gives a bad name to Irony.”
Hardly unprecedented, though. “Politics makes strange bedfellows” is hardly a saying of recent vintage, it could probably be traced back to the Phoenicians, if you really wanted to do a study in political plagiarism. If it hadn’t been for the protest vote, Hitler would never have had a chance. Nothing kills democracy faster than some sizeable chunk of the electorate asking more from it than it can deliver.
I wonder how big the PUMA chunk really is, though. A Pew poll I saw recently suggests that 10% of registered Dems are for McCain. Probably at least 7% would have been for him, anyway. Biden scores well among men, and among older voters, two segments where Obama’s been weak. That probably cancels out any PUMA faction.
August 25th, 2008 at 6:55 am
“Here’s the catch, dude. While all of that might put me among the top 10% of the economic ladder I dont fly around the country in my wife’s private corporate jets pretending to be a humble spokesman for common people.”
Marc - I think Cindy McCain has already explained quite clearly that Arizona is a very big state and jet travel is the only practical way to get from place to place there. So let’s give it a rest. OK. As they say in the Southwest — until you’ve flow a few thousand miles in the other fella’s Lear …
August 25th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Frankly Michael, I don’t pay much attention to polls other than state aggregates which indicate the direction of the electoral college. Those are looking consistently good.
Here are three trendlines that I’m liking very much:
http://www.pollster.com/polls/pa/08-pa-pres-ge-mvo.php
http://www.pollster.com/polls/va/08-va-pres-ge-mvo.php
http://www.pollster.com/polls/oh/08-oh-pres-ge-mvo.php
Other states that get talked about, like Michigan, are solid and, yes, Florida is moving in a positive direction. That said, the current polls are pretty meaningless and we’re in the middle of a fight. He might surprise me, but I don’t see a single vice-presidential choice for McCain that gives him any across-the-board advantage or as solid as Joe Biden. I’m hoping he picks Romney but Lieberman- as urged by William Kristol in his sincere concern for rebuffed Hillaryites, given his longstanding respect for the Democratic Senator from NY - would also be amusing, because it would reduce McCain to a one-issue candidate with his base and guarantee Lieberman’s role in history as an indispensable footnote. It would also be the greatest goldmine of quotes with the VP candidate advocating the opposite of the top of the ticket in campaign ad history. And it would be rich to have the GOP fielding a VP who has a higher ACLU rating than Hillary Clinton and the 100% NARAL stamp of approval. Talk about signalling your weaknesses with a VP pick !!!!
This would complete the circle of a campaign that uses the lines “You’re worse off than you were 4 years ago!” in tandem with “I supported President Bush 95% of the time.” (Presumably part of that 5% is when the Bush administration recently agreed to clear timelines for withdrawal from Iraq, a la Obama.) There’s nothing like abandoning a coherent message out of desperation.
August 25th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Regarding marriages made in hell, if the opponent is bad enough or the cause good enough, then such marriages of convenience are desirable. Take the U.S. and Russia against Hitler, not that this should be associated with Obama, though. As Obama spokesman Madonna said, McCain is the new Hitler.
- - -
Monday’s DNC Convention Speaker List:
ANGELA DAVISMICHELLE OBAMA - Proud of the United States for the first time in her life.HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI - Failed to achieve Democratic promise to bring the Iraqi troops home.
MASSACHUSETTS SEN. EDWARD M. KENNEDY - Blame slurring on booze, not the tumor.
FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER - McCain has said that if Democrats see a McCain presidency as a third term for Bush, then an Obama victory would be tantamount to a second term for Carter. At least we no longer have an embassy in Tehran to be overrun again and without resistence, thanks to Carter.
REP. JESSE JACKSON JR. - In anticipation, Secret Service developed knife-proof cup for Obama.
NANCY KEENAN - The president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Supports infanticide along with Obama.
TOM BALANOFF - President of the Illinois Service Employees International Union. Yes sir, let’s get rid of those secret ballots for union ratification and give it a phony, good name.
REG WEAVER - Leads the nation’s largest teachers’ union, the National Education Association, because he’s for “the children.”
RANDI WEINGARTEN - President of the American Federation of Teachers. Also, for the children.
- - -
Nice to see that the DNC restored full voting rights to Florida and Michigan. Great lesson for other states in 2012. So much for the threats and honor of the party.
- - -
Did you know this?
I bet he doesn’t use Hertz this time.
But, is this the guy who is going to lead us to prosperity? I hope he has raised some serious limits on his credit cards.
The article goes on to say:
Like I said before, there’s no teleprompter beside the red telephone to the Kremlin.
August 25th, 2008 at 8:13 am
I gotta get me some of these shoes, but I don’t think that they can give you a bounce.
August 25th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Because most polling is done to landlines telephones, this would leave out the majority of younger voters that don’t use them. This could mean a 5 point minimum advantage for Obama not reflected in current polling numbers.
If younger people vote at a much higher percentage than they have in past elections, it is probably more like a 10 point advantage for Obama. This assumes existing polling numbers do not already factor in the cellphone variable.
Due to Obama’s popularity with the younger crowd, it looks like they will vote in much larger numbers than past elections.
I don’t think it’s a good time for Republicans to be getting giddy over these ‘old folks’ polls. If this warning can prevent a few heart attacks from shock on Nov 12, then I have performed a public service as well. This blog just wouldn’t be the same without the Woody’s pot stirrer.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Woody: “He prepared meticulously”
When did preparing become a liability? You mystify me.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:25 am
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Monday no security agreement with the United States could be reached unless it included a “specific deadline” for the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq. (AP)
Apparently al-Maliki would rather lose a war than lose an election. Or something…
Isn’t it time for John McCain, who knows a thing or two about losing because he lost 5 planes in the course of his Navy career, to begin directing his fire at the Iraqi government for repudiating his plan to keep American troops in Iraq until John McCain (R.POW) has decided that the war has been “won” on his terms.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Dan O., preparation is good. However, Obama did it to the extent that it was an act–one to mislead about his abilities. The guy can’t think on his feet.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Don’t worry, reg. After Obama cuts the military budget, the Navy won’t even have five planes to lose.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:16 am
“wingnut talking points du jour (GMR:”Hillary would have been the better choice, blah blah…) flakes like Roper and Woody in flagrante delicto with the most rabid, unhinged Hillaryites”
Is that noisome wind still blowing in here?
August 25th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Blow on this:
Specific Deadline for Withdrawal !
August 25th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Democrats react to The “Focus on the Family” pray for rain committee and sabotage the FOX convention booth. Sean Hannity, go check your tires for cuts. Part of Pepsi Center flooded by sprinkler system
August 25th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Oh, my!
Obama’s “political godfather” calls black Hillary Clinton delegate an “Uncle Tom”
Don’t you like the way Obama’s team keeps bringing up race?
August 25th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Condaleeza Rice on Senator “Bidet”:
“Senator Biden is obviously a very fine statesman. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s been a really very supportive committee chair - and before that, ranking member - for the State Department and for our diplomatic efforts. And so he’s a true, true patriot.”
Was there a “noisome” shower of urine earlier in this thread ?
August 25th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
you know reg, if you are going to be sarcastic, at least you could have something solid to be sarcastic about . So Condi Rice likes Bidet… and?
August 25th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
“At Thurmond’s 90th birthday party, Biden found a patch of common ground. “When I came to the Senate in ‘72, you were 70,” he said. “And I want to tell you I resent any reference to your hair. You have been an inspiration to me in so many ways.”
Whoda thunk it. Joe Biden, Delaware Dem in bed with strom thurmond. Racist!!!!!
August 25th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
…and you’re a shallow, hypocritical fool with no ammo other than bathroom taunts.
August 25th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
And sounding more ridiculous with each comment.
August 25th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I don’t want to get involved in the Biden discussion, and you know that I don’t like stirring things up, but this post with a video of Biden in 1988 shows something about the man’s character. Joe Biden has the trick of sincerity.
August 25th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Reading limit exceeded. Biden Prepares 50,000-Word Acceptance Speech
August 25th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Ted Kennedy is now speaking at the Democratic Convention. He started by saying that he’ll be on the floor of the U.S. Senate in January. I can believe it. He often ends up on the floor.
August 25th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
A friend who just watched Michelle Obama’s speech called it a “home run, over the fence, out of the park and into the river” shot.
Of course, since the GOP is pitching her as an Angela Davis sans PhD who hates white people, America, apple pie and puppies, all she really had to do was step up the plate and bunt…
August 25th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
It hasn’t done a whole lot of good to try to ignore Woody, whose political humor is easily exceeded in its sophistication by any randomly selected re-run of Hee-Haw.
I suggest that that we simply stop contributing to this forum until Woody realizes he’s not going to get a rise out of anybody except Marc, at which point (creature of habit and compulsion that Woody so clearly is) he’ll start goading Marc to the point where even Marc can’t handle it anymore.
But what if you want to reply to something Marc wrote? Easy: send your thoughts to Marc by e-mail. If Marc wants to post it in the comment section, I suppose he can. If Woody the Peckerwood then wants to comment on your response, I suppose he can. Just don’t look at it — think of how your blood pressure readings will improve!
And if Marc wants to pat his pet peckerwood on the head for being such a cartoonish source of amusement, he can do that too. After a while, though, I think Marc will start to notice how monotonously moronic Woody’s comments really are, in a way you can’t really appreciate until you’re a direct and consistent target of them. Marc might also notice what an embarrassment it is that his comment section has turned into a dialogue between him and some Rush-Limbaugh-worshipping bean counter.
I’m all for dialogue across the political spectrum. But a constant drizzle of taunts is not dialogue.
August 26th, 2008 at 7:03 am
MT, you’re off topic and used too many words.