Give Detroit this, people: It has manly testicles, oozing spleen and can’t get out of the bathroom before it needs another shave. Only here can a mayor, indicted on no fewer than 10 felonies, lurching through a nearly year-long scandal, seemingly needing a pry bar to remove himself from office — only this man, on the day he strikes a deal that calls for resignation and a seven-figure restitution and surrender of his law license and jail time and a five-year probation/moratorium on running for public office, can say, upon his exit:
“Detroit, you done set me up for a comeback.”
I mean, it’s hilarious. Isn’t it? How can it not be? It’s true. If this were a slasher movie, this would only be the first time the killer is thought to be dead. He’s got six or seven reanimations left in him, and when he comes out of jail, with his redemption narrative, he’ll start rebuilding his base. By the time the clock runs out on the five years, well, “tanned, rested and ready” doesn’t really describe it.
I love this town. It’s never boring. You know what else? People don’t posture (so much). You get the boilerplate shout-outs to God’s will and all, but for the most part people don’t pretend to be Moses here. Politics is bare-knuckled, the race card is played so often its corners are cracked and curled, but I like to think at the end of the day everyone can sit down and have a drink. Maybe that’s naive, or just wrong — there was a shoving match in a Detroit breakfast place during the primary season, between members of opposing candidates’ camps — and maybe it’s projection. Detroit politics, with its pander bears and open-handed thievery, seems positively angelic in comparison to recent days. Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing “Milk” this fall, the other political movie featuring Josh Brolin.
Folks, I be exhausted. I’m steeling myself for a bike ride and the wind is blowing about 25 knots — my least-favorite fair-weather conditions, but it must be done. So let’s skip to the bloggage and start the weekend early, eh?
Why do people even attempt fiction, when real life is so much more interesting? The fascinating tale of the Aquatots.
Be still, my heart: I love the way my new boyfriend Javier says “John Travolta.” (Video link.)
The tourism-ization of the shoulder season: Halloween becomes a reason to vacation.
I can never write a zombie movie like this one, in which the z-virus is spread through…conversation. Now that’s imaginative.
Off to reignite my own.
* That’s elitist for, “How uppity.”
Connie said on September 5, 2008 at 9:47 am
Never been a zombie fan, but I loved the book “World War Z, an Oral History of the Zombie Wars” by Max Brooks, son of Mel. Highly recommended.
Gustav’s remains blew through here yesterday and gave us lots of badly needed rain. My husband stood on the deck last night and swore he could see the grass growing.
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Dorothy said on September 5, 2008 at 9:50 am
Connie I love that visual image of your hubby seeing the grass growing! I think a little of Gustav is headed our way today. We sure need it. We have crunchy grass around these parts.
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Julie Robinson said on September 5, 2008 at 9:54 am
Even Christmas has become Halloweenized. At last year’s Festival of Gingerbread there were three or four Halloween entries. Retailers just figured out it was another way to separate us from our money. And because the average American consumer is a sheep, Halloween has become huge. What holiday will they push next? Why this month alone we’ve got Grandparents’ Day, Patriot Day, and Citizenship Day coming up. The lawn decoration possibilities are endless…
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Laura said on September 5, 2008 at 9:56 am
Quel fromage. Lol. Yes, and welcome to my humble chapeau.
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moe99 said on September 5, 2008 at 10:26 am
Apparently the tech person in charge of the backdrop for McCain’s speech goofed:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/213806.php
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LAMary said on September 5, 2008 at 10:53 am
Wow, that school is right up the street. I bet a lot of Walter Reed grads were wondering what it had to do with John McCain. It’s a great magnet school, by the way.
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John said on September 5, 2008 at 11:13 am
I’m calling shenanigans on Rep. Lynn Westmoreland. I’m 5 years younger than him and grew up in the South too. The word “uppity” was a commonly used epithet most frequently in conjunction with the N-word. This wasn’t a phrase I heard once a year by semi-literate redneck, but one I heard on weekly basis in schools, shops, and at church. For the distinguished congressman to claim that he never heard “uppity” in a racial context is utter balderdash!
By the way, check out Hedo-ween if you want an adult Halloween vacation.
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brian stouder said on September 5, 2008 at 11:56 am
By the way, I agreed with Keith Olbermann’s withering criticism of the inappropriate (literally disgraceful), protracted use of images of the terror attacks of 7 years ago, for advancement of McCravin’s campaign.
Leaving that entirely aside, THIS (EDIT: NSFW!!! thanks, Connie; your Librarian instincts exceed my hound dog ones!)
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article50770.ece
made me laugh, because of the use of one of Nance’s oft-repeated terms of art, after this leading sentence:
“LADY Heather McCartney posed in depraved pornographic clinches which are bound to sicken her estranged husband Sir Paul and his army of fans”
The term of art followed:
“Many of the images are too explicit to print in a family newspaper.”
(the ones the Sun DOES print would never make it into the good ol’ N-S!)
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Connie said on September 5, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Oh Brian, that one needs to be tagged NSFW.
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Jim said on September 5, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Are you forgetting former Fort Wayne Mayor Win Moses? He was forced to resign for a campaign finance scandal, then ran in the caucus and was re-elected! Granted, Win Moses was no Kwame Kilpatrick … but only in Detroit?? Don’t think so!
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caliban said on September 5, 2008 at 1:29 pm
In real life, the z-virus is spread through political reporting. From Jim Vandehei:
“Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader, told us this week that his wife, who is even more conservative than he is, doesn’t think much of McCain. But she loves Palin, perhaps enough to get her to now back the GOP ticket. He said he was astonished how Palin has woken “the sleeping giant: Republican women.”
I’ve never had a nightmare. Bevo-hived hordes may do it.
Detroit has had statesmen for mayors. John C. Lodge, back when Republicans had souls, noblesse oblige, and the white man’s burden, the sort of good Republican that seems to be extinct. And Coleman Young, who was canned from a job with Ford for fomenting labor activity and having the unmitigated gall (a phrase that will never go out of style when used sarcastically) to think black people are citizens.
McCain still thinks Saddam teamed up with the Ayatollahs to destroy the WTC. But if he really wanted to pound this into the heads of the moron portion of America, why didn’t he choose Rudi. Now there’s a philandering mayor. It could have been 9/11 and “I was tortured” alternating 24/7.
McCain claims he could have gotten medical help if he gave up information. What exactly did he think the Viet Cong could do with any information he could fess up? I wasn’t there, but how does this make him a hero, except in some Hollywood Dream? When the political game got rough, he japped (yeah, yeah, I know) on his buddy John Kerry. Sort of, let’s him and you fight. And now he’s built a political campaign around getting shot down and having the courage of his maverick convictions until things got hairy. Grimacing poseur and a great candidate for Batman villain.
Me and my ‘gal’ (and that’s the politically correct term now, right, and she’d kick Sarah’s ass in a heartbeat, and she’d try to kick mine for calling her a gal, thank God) always take a vacation for Halloween. We watch Under the Volcano, take a slurp every time Albert Finney does, and pretend it’s the Day of the Dead.
Anyway, in Detroit, Halloween’s for suckers. It’s Devil’s Night when things get serious and the ammo hits the fan.
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moe99 said on September 5, 2008 at 1:29 pm
DC Mayor, Marion Berry, the cocaine addled jerk, also comes to mind.
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caliban said on September 5, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Best line on the internets today is from Joel Achenbach’s blog on the WaPo site:
My favorite Tweeter: Thomas Pynchon writing “Isn’t that Salinger?”.
Being read by Michael Moorcock, I hope.
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caliban said on September 5, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Colossal Heads: Chris Matthews is on Jay Leno tonight. Gargantuan battle of fatuous assness. Who gets a thrill going up his leg first. Both will trash Hillary, because no two guys ever making obsc3ene amounts of moneyy for no apparent reason ever feared emasculation more. Well, there’s Rush, but he’s been singing in the Vienna Boy’s Choir for a while. Sometimes a cigar is not a cigar, but wouldn’t he have made a triumverate of blather?
Jay Leno used to be, long ago and far away, a decent standup comic. Warmed up for Steven Wright and Denis Leary and Paula Poundstone.
Who actually watches these shows anymore. None of these guys conjure up a Dan’l Boone axe to the crotch or a “pet my pussy” moment. There was one foot in the grave Warren on Letterman. And Craig Ferguson’s monologues are insane and sometimes they’re really funny. Steve Earle is on Letterman tonight, and he ought to do Snake Oil, for the GOP, or A bible and a Gun, or America V. 6.0, or Ellis Unit One for the pro-life hypocrites that believe in ultimate vengeance.
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Milena Thomas said on September 5, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Well said. My friend just pointed me to your site. I’m a fan already.
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garmoore said on September 5, 2008 at 4:08 pm
As for politicians who used their convictions as a comeback, how about Edwin Edwards? Remember “Vote for the Crook. It’s Important,” from when he ran against David Duke?
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 5, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Craig Ferguson is not only incredibly funny, but aside from the amazing monologues Stewart and Letterman and Leno did when they returned after 9/11, look up on YouTube Ferguson’s riff not on, but for Britney Spears. The hush that grows over the audience as they realize he’s not kidding, and the relaxed laughter of support as they warm to where he’s going (and the honesty he shows about himself and his addiction history), is really something to watch and listen to.
But he’s just on so dang late . . .
It all feels like the second half is starting after a long, hard-fought first two quarters. The score is 21-21, and there’s two quarters left, but we’re all even and both teams have shown their formations and tactics (lose the Hail Mary analogy).
Buckle chin straps and get your game on, and keep it clean. 1-2-3-GO-TEAM!!!!!! (I’m anticipating Bears-Colts on Sunday, can you tell?)
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mark said on September 5, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I think I found what I came for. Thanks to all. It’s been interesting, but not particularly earth-shattering.
This site isn’t a “political blog” but it is visited by a large number of people who seem to be well-read, well educated and politically aware. So why then do so many, when discussing political issues and personalities, opt for vulgarity, exaggeration and threats of cyber violence in place of argument and discussion?
I’ll divide you into Conservatives and Liberals, although a few probably are nowhere near either pole. The loudest voices probably know which label would be applied to them by an interested observer of the last two or three days, regardless of the label they might claim as their own. Cs and Ls for ease of reference.
My conclusion is that the Ls, much more so than the Cs, apparently believe and frequently assert that the majority of people are stupid. Even this topic brought out “the moron portion of America” comment. Perhaps this is why I am a C and seldom see eye-to-eye with Ls on political matters. While the majority position is sometimes wrong and never correct simply by virtue of majority status, I can’t accept an argument that takes as a premise the established stupidity of a majority of the people, or even a substantial minority of the people. I think the vast majority of the people have the intellectual stuff they need to make reasoned decisions on the things that matter in their lives.
If there was a group of similarly well-informed classical music enthusiasts discussing their preferences for Mozart or Bach, I think they would present argument for their preferences rather than resorting to “Bach was a sub-human, pandering bitch who ought to get his ass kicked” or “the knuckle-dragging violin fuckers that can’t see past Mozart’s crap…”
This seems to happen with political issues, though, when someone (on either side) decides that the only explanation for disagreement with his/her opinion is the intellectual or moral inferiority of the persons who disagree. We are all guilty of this at times. I’ll use “knuckledraggers” for the Holocaust denyers and the David Duke followers, if I respond at all. But I refuse to accept that people of good faith and reasonable intelligence must all be of one mind on issues of tax policy, the Iraq war, global warming and how best to improve public education, or a simple preference for Obama over McCain.
For me, what is truly noteworthy about this election is the truly extraordinary accomplishments and travails of the four top candidates. These are remarkable, amazing people with whom I am truly fascinated. Not one in ten at this blog the last few days seems capable of expressing agreement with this suggestion, as they have already declared their chosen “opponents” intellectually unworthy or morally inferior.
I don’t recall a presidential election line-up of this caliber ever. From the “old guard”, the last of those shaped by the New Deal, World War II, the Cold War and the agony of Vietnam, we have McCain and Biden. I’d kill to have a steak and a beer with either one of them. Unlike Kerry, either Bush, Gore and (God forbid) Edwards, I think they would make great neighbors and fast friends.
McCain is a true American hero and when I think of his captivity, I can’t help but question whether I would have the intellect, character and courage to endure and survive his ordeal. (A guy thing, perhaps.) Yet I am sure that Biden would happily spend those years at the Hanoi Hilton if he could thus avoid the pain of the tragic loss of his wife and child and restore an intact family to his then young sons. I’m equally sure that McCain would think that Biden carried the heavier load.
They are plainly flawed men but they rarely pretend otherwise. Mccain is a hothead who values his patriotism a bit too highly; Biden is sometimes a blowhard who values his intelligence a bit too highly. Both have had indiscretions and poor judgments that played out publicly and without benefit of high privilege to seal records or quash inquiry. (Think Bush 2 and Ted Kennedy). But both are true post-war American success stories, products of hard work, higher education and strong families. By today’s admittedly low standards, they are more than trustworthy public servants.
The “new guard” candidates, the children of the sixties, are perhaps even more remarkable. At the time of their respective births, it would have been completely implausible to suggest they might be where they are today. They are “modern” American success stories in every respect and neither one could have achieved such success, so quickly and despite so many obstacles without great abilities, empathy and charisma. To attribute their success to the support of “stupid people” is absurd.
I give the edge to Obama (from what i have seen) for intellect and I will freely admit Palin has no “foreign policy experience”. But neither one fell into this much success. Palin is undoubtedly more of a pragmatist than a reformer when it comes to earmarks, and Obama’s choice of associates is curious but not a disqualifier or defining of who he is. They each have remarkable families and I think most Americans can appreciate a blue-collar guy who supports a powerful woman and Michelle Obama’s grace and intellect. The south side of Chicago and the tundra of Alaska are both challenging American frontiers.
I’ll be voting for McCain/Palin because of policy disagreements with Obama. I don’t think he’s stupid or immoral. I could get into details on the disagreements, but not with people who assume my stupidity or immorality because I disagree with them.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 5, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Mark, ya gotta rave a bit more to keep us reading something that long. Stream o’ conch-shell rattlin’ ripple kind of chatter-ear-boxing. Too much “subject-verb-predicate” stuff going on there in yours!
There’s really only about three “liberals” who get pungently profanely peevish on a regular basis, or even muchly, and even they have their good days and friendly asides. Hang around, throw some bromides, and we’ll even read the essays occasionally. Not that i’m always as brief as i intend when i start typing.
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jcburns said on September 5, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I don’t know any liberals who think the majority of Americans are stupid, Mark. That’s one of those word-jujitsu divisive games some people play. Let’s not do that here. I don’t see people doing that here to anything like the extent you seem to indicate.
And I certainly don’t see anyone here making assumptions about your stupidity. Maybe making assumptions about the rest of us isn’t cool either…?
You’ll shed light if you do what you just refused to do: discuss your policy disagreements with Obama.
Really. It’s OK. We won’t call you names. Take a deep breath.
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Danny said on September 5, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Mark, very thoughtful post. Please stop doing that. We don’t like thinking on Fridays.
Joking.
Whew. Looks like this flu is subsiding. May even try a bike ride to sweat out the remaining dregs.
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ellen said on September 5, 2008 at 5:43 pm
That’s relatively middle-aged, educated working America for you, Mark. Interesting, but not earth-shattering. We are mostly sneaking in comments while trying to work. Hard to achieve earth-shattering between meetings or before your boss arrives with yet another project he is championing but you are actually doing.
Could we have a pool on if/when Sarah Palin is photographed in a pantsuit? Think she will have to go until November in pantyhose and pumps? That would make me reject the nom right there.
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Dorothy said on September 5, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Ach me too, Ellen. Wonder who keeps track of the bottle of clear nail polish for her in case she gets a run in those hose?
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alex said on September 5, 2008 at 6:39 pm
So why then do so many, when discussing political issues and personalities, opt for vulgarity, exaggeration and threats of cyber violence in place of argument and discussion?
Mark, as a moderate L living and working among conservative Rs, I see the other side of the coin. Politicians are masters of exploiting the fears and hatreds of the electorate and there’s no denying the GOP is far and away better at it. After years of silently suffering the slings and arrows of people who every day resort to exactly the same tactics you describe above, people who think Obama’s a Muslim and that Iraq perpetrated the 9/11 attacks, people who absorb like a sponge everything Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity says, people who’ve been given license to question my patriotism and religiosity by their own president, it’s impossible to regard them as benign. True enough, calling them stupid won’t make them listen to reason, but neither will reasoning with them.
Indeed, I detest getting pulled into the mud and being ugly for the sake of winning an argument. But I feel comfortable venting here among others who for years have been sharing the same kinds of experiences. It’s cathartic. That’s what you’ve been witnessing here.
EDIT: And you should see the statuary my next-door neighbor recently placed in her yard, the kind of thing I didn’t think anybody made anymore. It’s not just Ls who feel emboldened by the Obama candidacy, I’m afraid. Mark, you think you could find it in your heart to allow me to call my neighbor stupid?
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coozledad said on September 5, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Jeff. Danny. Mark.
Don’t talk to me about vulgarity, or civility, or congeniality. It’s past time for that. Don’t talk to me about babykilling, or being pro life. You voted this in, and you’re not only comfortable with it, you’re ready to continue this state of affairs. I’m calling you on this one.
The English language has words for this you don’t like me to use. Perhaps you’d rather me speak a more comfortable language: A harping Sud Deutsch or purring Calvinist Gaelic. Whatever.
You brought this to the world despite our kicking and screaming.
You don’t have a shred of conscience about it now, nor will you ever. But you attempt to sideline people with the incivility charge. I can’t put into words what I think of you people, and it becomes clearer to me every day, it wouldn’t matter if I could.
Feast on it. This is what you do. This is you.
http://www.progressiveaustin.org/iraqivic.htm
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Judith said on September 5, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Mark,
Certainly you find many differing views on this site. Some are difficult to read because of the language. But for you to dismiss the beliefs of all as to the future direction of our nation because of the words of some writers is shallow. You say you are a C, does that mean you think Rush Limbaugh is wonderful? Do you agree with everything he says? I hope not! There are many who take time to post here who have thoughts for us to ponder, and sometimes new thoughts result. One example has been the reputiation of torture in any situation because it devalues America.
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Jolene said on September 5, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Can any of you writer/teacher/librarian/parent types suggest books, games, or software designed to help late elementary/early middle-school kids learn to spell correctly? Even more complex, it’d need to be something that could be used long-distance, although pretty much unlimited communication by email or phone would be possible.
I’m trying to help my niece, who, unfortunately, inherited her spelling genes from her father rather than the “perfect speller” genes that her mother carries.
Am not sure how this will work out, but I thought it might be fun for both of us (she agrees), as well as a way to help her somewhat overwhelmed mother.
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Danny said on September 5, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Jolene, I’ll ask around tonight. Two of my best friends who are coming over are teachers who also evaluate kids. Also, something else occurs. Check for a mild case of dyslexia. Or eye problems.
One of my nephews was having trouble until we figured out he needed glasses. Duh!
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Danny said on September 5, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Jeff. Danny. Mark.
Don’t talk to me…
Done.
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Dorothy said on September 5, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Cooz… can’t we all be adult about this and agree to disagree and move on??
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coozledad said on September 5, 2008 at 9:07 pm
You know something, Nancy comes from that sweet black- soiled Midwest that contributed so many dead boys to the ranks of tombstones that led to the fall of my beloved south, and if you’ve never walked a grave path that shrieked of wrongful death, you’ve never walked down here.
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brian stouder said on September 5, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Mark said
This site isn’t a “political blog” but it is visited by a large number of people who seem to be well-read, well educated and politically aware.
and I think he’s exactly right about this blog and the general profile of the folks who visit it.
I think I’d be in 100% agreement with Danny and Jeff, if this was 8 years ago; and I’d be in substantial agreement with them if this was 4 years ago. As it is, I think my political experience is a sort of inverse Reagan Democrat (call me an Obama Republican)
I really do think Obama will win the presidency, and that the election will be a transformational political event, just as 1980 was (wherein people re-label themselves and begin regularly voting for the other party)…..
but on the other hand, when my 10 year old daughter asked me ‘what if Obama loses and McCain wins’, I told her we’ll have an able statesman in the White House, and I’ll be hoping for his success (this question was before Palin, about whom I’m much less sanguine!)
By way of saying, I think the posters hereabouts, and not just the national candidates, would all be fun to have a beer (or a Diet Coke!) with;
and more importantly, I think the political argument goes beyond “L”s and “C”s, if only because I cannot SEE anything that I would recognize as a “C” on the national stage at the moment
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 5, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Ach, Alex, if you’re talking my Hoosier homeland, i fear you’re talking about a lawn jockey? The quiet legend in northern Indiana over my side of the state was that if you put one up, you might just have no taste, but if it had a black face and white rings around the eyes, you were explicitly telling those in the know that you were Klan.
Never saw more of that paint pattern (not sure if the red vest was part of the signal, but it seemed so) than when i drove thru Elwood, IN, where a regional pastor friend, female and African American, was told by a trying-to-be-friendly lady in the women’s fellowship she came to do a day long retreat for, “Honey, just make sure you’re out of town my sunset, i’d hate for anyone to misunderstand.” This was in 1985. She told me that story when i was considering a seminary placement there, and i decided to head for the inner city of of Indy instead.
Lawn jockeys still give me the willies.
[Brian — you’re an Obamacan!]
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coozledad said on September 5, 2008 at 9:58 pm
This is a loser.Get that grip. I was raised in the petulant, racist Fuck You south that is currently the heart of the Republican party. You are better than this. Cut these fuckers out of your life.
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alex said on September 5, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Jeff, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Here in a middle- to upper-middle-class neighborhood. I haven’t checked for rings around the eyes. I do know that the lady of the house is from Virginia and makes a point of telling me she’s a Republican. And regularly attempts to extract info from my husband, who tells her nothing except that our living arrangement is a financial one.
The scariest thing about it is that she doesn’t have the moxy to put in on display for everybody. It’s ensconced in a place where only I can see it. So if I kidnap it and throw it in the lake, I fully expect there will be retaliation and escalation, which is the last thing I want.
Otherwise, in the past this lady has given me her cast-offs—boats, arbors, garden plantings—lots of high-dollar stuff she can’t stand to have around once it starts showing the slightest bit of wear and tear. She drives a newish Cadillac crowned with a fake landau top like it wasn’t intended to have (which mitigates in favor of bad taste, not Klansmanship). She chopped down all of her trees a la Mr. T, and has urged me to do the same despite the fact that I’ve told her repeatedly that I moved here for the trees and there’s no way I’d ever remove a single one.
She also Chem-Lawns her yard to death and then bitches about all the algae in the lake and how the association does such a shitty job of maintaining it.
I once had a blog and my tagline was “Notes from the bright side of the cultural divide.” That was when I lived in a diverse urban neighborhood. Right now I’m living in the thick of the cultural wars. Coozledad is living in an even thicker part of it, so I’m perfectly willing to forgive him his excesses, even revel in them, because I empathize.
I have friends coming from Chicago this weekend. I’ve already braced them for the lawn jockey. One of my friends from Chicago is a nurse. The last time she was here she actually helped the lady next door when she crashed her riding lawn mower, cocktail in hand, and broke her ankle. (She actually did the same thing again recently and her arm’s in a sling.)
And so ends this dispatch from the epicenter of the culture wars.
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Suzi said on September 5, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Anyone following the Amy Goodman (Democracy Now) arrest in St. Paul? She was arrested after two of her producers were arrested videotaping protesters and cops tussling.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/amy-goodman-arr.html
There was also a piece on it on David Brancaccio’s Now on PBS tonight — sounded pretty brutal.
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brian stouder said on September 5, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Alex – yes.
This year I have learned how it is, to agree with the dreaded Democrats ‘back home in Indiana’
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 5, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I have to restrain myself when people in central Ohio find a lawn jockey at a yard sale, buy it, paint it scarlet and grey, and put a Buckeye’s football helmet on the head. It feels wrong on many levels, but that’s true for me about Ohio State football anyhow.
Kinda like basketball in Indiana. Y’all know the joke — what’s a Hoosier pervert?
(will wait to see if anyone knows the punchline)
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coozledad said on September 5, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Enough.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 5, 2008 at 11:06 pm
A Hoosier pervert likes sex better than basketball.
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brian stouder said on September 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm
hahahahaha!!
The NCAA tournament is just super cool; especially the opening two rounds
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Gasman said on September 5, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Mark,
You make my posts look brief by comparison. I am a no holds barred, bloody knuckle liberal and I am damned proud of it. I will stake the record of liberalism against that of conservatism anytime, anywhere. What are the great conservative accomplishments? Would it be Reagan’s balanced budget? Or Bush I’s, or Bush II’s? Oh, that’s right, they ran up 70% of this nation’s national debt! So much for the fiscal responsibility argument.
Let’s talk national security. President Bush has done more for Al Queda recruitment than Osama Bin Laden. We were falsely led into a recreational war by Viet Nam era chickenhawks. How are we now safer? How can you claim that your side supports the troops? Three to five tours of duty for national guard troops? Why? This is not a national emergency. It can’t be. There has been no declaration of war. Your vaunted “Authorization of Combat” isn’t contained in the constitution. Look it up.
How about mendacity? President Bush hasn’t been truthful on a single subject since he has been in office. Do you dispute that? If so, provide the subject, and I’m confident that I’ll find the lie.
Is there any point at which you will display outrage for someone in the Republican Party? If the last eight years haven’t done it, what will? I’m trying to imagine how great the transgression must be before you will acknowledge the shortcomings of your party. At what point does national honor trump reflexive unthinking party loyalty?
You’ve given essentially the same “LIBERALS SUCK” argument. You resort to a truly shabby intellectual ploy by ignoring the elephant in the room that is the failed Republican policy of at least the last eight years. The state that the country is in is because of your party, not mine.
I’m lookin’ forward to the election.
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Gasman said on September 6, 2008 at 12:33 am
Mark,
P.S. – Please note, I didn’t call you stupid or use any vulgarity. I believe that my previous post, as my others, is specific as to my criticisms of the right. I object to specific conduct and policies, not just party. If anyone in my party behaves likewise, I guarantee that I will be as vociferous toward them. But until Republicans clean up their act, I will call them on their record.
BTW, as a professional classical musician, I laughed hard at the “Bach was a sub-human, pandering bitch” line. Those are words that have probably never before existed in the same sentence.
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ROgirl said on September 6, 2008 at 7:19 am
Re: the “uppity” quote
For certain people it just pops up in normal conversation, and oops, they said it in front of a reporter, and now they’re backpedaling, they didn’t really mean it the way it came out. But nobody is fooled for a second.
Re: Kwame
Is it a coincidence that this has been happening when the auto industry is in the worst tailspin we’ve seen in recent memory? I suppose it’s on a small scale compared with the president’s assortment of big fat lies and outrageous spending to cover his ass. It just seems more personal (and sad too) for those of us who live here. Detroit has a chip on its shoulder for a reason, but this just makes it a lot higher.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 6, 2008 at 8:29 am
Since i know there are other green bean fans here’bouts, and since this week’s column thought started here (yes, even in the middle of the political tensions), please forgive a momentary self-indulgent link:
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080906/LIFESTYLE/809060333/1024
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alex said on September 6, 2008 at 9:14 am
Green beans in a pressure cooker? With a coupla strips of bacon thrown in? Yes, I know that smell.
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basset said on September 6, 2008 at 9:35 am
Green beans canned in a Ball jar with new potatoes and a coupla strips of bacon… big steaming bowl of ’em on the table, cornbread on the side and the first snow of winter just starting to fall.
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Danny said on September 6, 2008 at 10:07 am
basset, I just woke up and read that and my mouth is watering. I don’t think I’ll get the snow here though. May have to turn up the air conditioner during the next wildfire and pretend the white ash falling is snow.
Gasman, what instrument(s) do you play?
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crinoidgirl said on September 6, 2008 at 10:54 am
Jeff –
What is a “supply preacher”?
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moe99 said on September 6, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Joe Biden delinieates the divide between R and D as well as anyone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=955Y3NJTRIE
Damn straight, Joe!!!
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Danny said on September 6, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Actually, not so straight, Moe.
Biden, about 1:20 in, said that they did not mention the “middleclass” or “jobs” or “healthcare” at the Republican Convention and that is flatly false (though, for the record, I thought it was pretty stupid what McCain had to say about jobs, but they did talk about it at the convention).
Also, Biden criticizes Palin for sarcastic quips. That’s rich. Biden wallows in sarcasm usually. It’s his main rhetorical device. Same with the commentators on MSNBC and also many here at NN.C. But when Palin uses it, oh no, suddenly everyone developes an allergy to sarcasm. Get real.
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moe99 said on September 6, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Troopergate Investigation sought to be shut down by republicans:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_09/014590.php
Danny–you got anything better than that? I think Joe perfectly encapsulated the differences in the R and D conventions. The Rs now have a cult of personality going to rival what they said was Obama’s. Now why do you think that they went for the People magazine version of campaigning rather than highlighting the issues and their proposed policies? Could it be that they are bankrupt on that score?
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Danny said on September 6, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Moe, you posted a 3 minute video and said it was “damn straight.” I demonstrated that it was not by listing three false statements about 1 minute in and then a questionable quip about “quips.” What more do you want?
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 6, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Crinoidgirl (awesome screen name, btw) — i stepped out of “pulpit ministry” at the end of 2004, which is one way of saying “settled pastor” or the guy who’s hired to be the parson. Now i’m a church member like anyone else, but ordained and maintaining ministerial standing so i can “fill in” for pastors on vacation or on leave or tomorrow, for a pastor who had a sudden health problem come up.
Which is different from an “interim minister” who takes a church pulpit for months, up to two years, while they look for a new pastor. I don’t leave the area (except as part of doing workshops/trainings/consulting-coachin events), and just do a week or two at a time where needed.
And since i’m ecumaniacal, i get to do Disciples of Christ one week, high church Lutheran the next, rural UCC German heritage parish a bit after that, and on a middle school stage for a Methodist new church start further on. Mainly, i help pastors feel OK about going on vacation without worrying about what’s going on or who’s burying the dead while they get some down time.
Love the screen name . . .
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alex said on September 6, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Were we watching the same convention, Danny?
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LA Mary said on September 6, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Jeff, on Thursday my employers encouraged all employees who could reasonable leave their posts (I work in a hospital) to go outside and see Arnold the Gov make a speech. It was hot and Arnold was late, and everyone in scrubs or a lab jacket was moved to a spot that would be in the newscamera shot of the Arnold speaking. I was hanging out with my Spiritual Care department friends discussing what we could do to get into the shot. One of the priests said he could go get some of his fancy priest hats, including Byzantine rite hats, and maybe that would get the camera’s attention. We nearly talked him into it, which I think would have made for a great photo, but he chose to not get into trouble with the spiritual powers that be. We did have our Rabbi, Devorah McDonald, wearing a yarmulke, though.
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LA Mary said on September 6, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Green beans…
They have some stuff at Trader Joes, Thai green curry sauce. It’s allowed me to get through the summer. The current fave dinner here is chicken thighs, cut up red potatoes and either green beans, spinach, or summer squash. Cook the chicken and potatoes in a deep skillet with a lid, throw in the vegetable of choice with a little water or broth, then dump in tow or three jars of the curry sauce and finish cooking the whole mess. Serve with melon or mangoes or peaches or all three. Whole thing takes about 20 minutes and tastes very exotic.
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Julie Robinson said on September 6, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Ecumaniacal? Was that a typo or deliberate?
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 6, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Ecumaniacal was intentional, lame attempt at humor (my wife, when in earshot of that one, rolls eyes fetchingly — she’s heard it a few dozen times).
LAMary, someone once did a good piece on why The Episcopal Church gets so much more coverage than their size and relative social clout nowadays would warrant, and the consensus was “costuming.” Priests of the Anglican Communion have great vestments and know how to use them. Shirtsleeve guys in churches that “look like a warehouse” (honestly, can we ban that phrase?) just don’t photograph as well unless they wear Hawaiian shirts and sell 35 million copies of a book.
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basset said on September 6, 2008 at 2:55 pm
will have to look for some of that sauce as soon as our first Trader Joe’s opens here in Nashville… they have a building with a big “Coming Soon” banner on the front and currently are wrangling with the planning commission over what kind of signs they can put up.
no Two Buck Chuck though, can’t sell wine in grocery stores in Tennessee.
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moe99 said on September 6, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Speaking of ecumaniacal, the Catholic Church is now calling Nancy Pelosi in to the archibishop’s office for her stand on abortion.
At least it’s not an auto da fe:
http://tinyurl.com/5c9hxj
Oh and Danny, I stand by my statements. You have given nothing of quotes made by either McCain or Palin (who by the way are trying to now kill the troopergate investigation–predictable in my book, after all IOKIYAR) concerning concrete proposals made on those issues mentioned by Biden. Here’s what Obama had to say in his nomination speech:
I will stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America….
I’ll eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow….
I will — listen now — I will cut taxes — cut taxes — for 95 percent of all working families, because, in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle class….
And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East….
As president, as president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America….
I’ll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy — wind power, and solar power, and the next generation of biofuels — an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced….
I’ll invest in early childhood education. I’ll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries, and give them more support. And in exchange, I’ll ask for higher standards and more accountability.
And we will keep our promise to every young American: If you commit to serving your community or our country, we will make sure you can afford a college education….
If you have health care — if you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves.
And — and as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their job and caring for a sick child or an ailing parent.
Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses, and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.
And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day’s work, because I want my daughters to have the exact same opportunities as your sons.
Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I’ve laid out how I’ll pay for every dime: by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don’t help America grow.
But I will also go through the federal budget line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less, because we cannot meet 21st-century challenges with a 20th-century bureaucracy….”
I didn’t hear anything quite that concrete w/ McCain’s speech or Palin’s.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on September 6, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Idiot alert — if you make pizza dough, roll it out, throw chicken and pepperoni on it (the boy must have pepperoni) over the sauce, and then handfuls of grated mozz, DON’T put lots of fresh basil leaves on top when you first insert into oven.
As any forethought might tell you, unless they go under the cheese or in later, close to the end of the cooking, they crisp and curl and brown. D’oh . . .
I’m not Catholic in doctrine or in practice, but Speaker Pelosi kinda forced the issue (that most bishops prefer to quietly avoid) when she tried to point out to Tom Brokaw on Meet The Press that Catholic teaching was variable and open on abortion. Pushed a button she did, so they have to call her on it. I’m surprised she went there, unless she wanted a note from her bishop in the mail. If so, she’s got her hall pass to the principal’s office now.
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LA Mary said on September 6, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Our Episcopal chaplain is a woman, and probably my best friend at work. She handles the palliative care program as well. The Roman Rite/Byzantine Rite priest has the same last name as Madonna. I asked him once if they were related, and he said probably way back in the old country, but he didn’t know her. He did invite her to his ordination and was very disappointed she didn’t show up.
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moe99 said on September 6, 2008 at 3:13 pm
And now McCain’s folks are LYING about the gaffe involving the the picture of Walter Reed Middle School which was featured behind him during his speech. Is there nothing to small that these folks don’t lie about?
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/walter-reede/
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beb said on September 6, 2008 at 4:03 pm
ROgirl asks:
“Re: Kwame
Is it a coincidence…”
I think it’s because Detroit is a one party town. There’s no competition, not even competing factions to keep the ruling party from doing what it damn well pleases. That’s why Kwane thought he could ride this out – who was going to pin him down?
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LA Mary said on September 6, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I’m not buying the McCain campaign story. If they wanted a standard public school photo, there’s John Marshall High, which has been used in commercials and movies for years.
http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/b/buffy.html
It’s about six miles from Walter Reed.
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brian stouder said on September 6, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Despite that The Proprietress disagrees, I still suspect that there’s something more to the story of the suddenly long-winded and ad-libbing Rudy, and the resultant short-shrift given to Governor Palin’s introductory video, on the big-big night that she was unveiled to the nation. My guess is that some egregious thing was in there that they needed to excise….and the foul-up with the school picture (and the resultant green-green backdrop for the pallid head of Palin’s ticket) only reinforces that suspicion.
For another example of the wobbly nature of the GOP’s convention, which has a local (to Fort Wayne) hook, see Mitch Harper’s blog at
http://indiana.typepad.com/fwob/
It seems that one of the Code Pink party crashers who interrupted Governor Palin’s address gained access to the floor using the credentials of one of our local alternate delegates!
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Danny said on September 6, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Oh and Danny, I stand by my statements. You have given nothing of quotes made by either McCain or Palin
Moe, you can stand by your statements all you want, but I have shown you to be wrong. It doesn’t matter. You’re safe here. No one (else) will call you on it.
And regarding quotes from McCain and Palin, I was never asked to give any, so why would I have? We were talking about Biden not being so “damn straight.” Remember?
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brian stouder said on September 6, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Moe, you can stand by your statements all you want…
agreed
but I have shown you to be wrong.
no.
This is why we hold elections, yes? Right or Wrong get decided by what majorities of people in states with the correct total of electoral votes think.
In this particular discussion, I agree with moe, but there are any number of folks who will agree with your assessment, Danny. In 8 weeks, we’ll see who was right
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Danny said on September 6, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Brian, I’m not sure you were following the discussion closely enough. Moe stated that Biden was being straight in that video. about 1:20 into it he said that at the Republican Convention they never talked about the middleclass, jobs or healthcare. But all one has to do is go to the transcripts to see that was not so. McCain definitely talked about all three.
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brian stouder said on September 6, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Danny, I will grant the point that those terms were mentioned by various speakers at the GOP convention. If that is strictly what this discussion is about, then you are indeed and unassailably correct.
What I recall about that convention was that we were being assured that the economy was fine, and that the Democrats would surely foul up the good thing we have going…which struck me as willfully disingenuous and “not straight”, whereas Biden’s comments struck me as very straight. (and indeed, the out-of-power folks will always attack the status quo, while the incumbents will always defend it. It WAS interesting to watch the supporters of the exciting Palin and her pallid “straight talking” presidential nominee try to both claim that all is well, while vigorously disowning the extant Republican party!!)
IMO, Biden was the straight-talking one, but we shall see.
Here’s an aside for Jeff –
http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/09/palin-owes-some-good-people-an.html
Here’s a couple interesting excerpts:
Wednesday morning I got an e-mail from a former member of our Sojourners community. Perry Perkins is now a community organizer in Louisiana with affiliates of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF). “Perk,” as we used to call him, reported on the enormous consequences of 2 million people being evacuated because of Hurricane Gustav, much of the state now being without power, how hard cities like Baton Rouge were hit, the tens of thousands of people in shelters and churches, and the continuing problems caused by heavy rains and flooding. Then he talked about how their community organizers were responding to all of this — responding to hundreds of service calls, assisting local officials in evacuation plans, aiding evacuees without transportation, coordinating shelters and opening new ones, providing food, essential services, and financial aid to those in most need. Since Katrina, Perry’s Louisiana interfaith organizations have played a lead role in securing millions of dollars to help thousands of families return to New Orleans and rebuild their homes and their lives.
and the money quote –
Palin’s effort to attack the experience of Barack Obama, a former community organizer in Chicago, turned into a bad joke and an insult. Palin owes a lot of good people an apology.
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brian stouder said on September 6, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Say, speaking of owed-apologies and so on, here’s a tried and true cheap shot, thanks to the same folks who denigrated John Kerry’s service to his country, before insisting (this year) that ONLY John McCain has ever really and truly “fought” for us!
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_10398830?source=rss
an excerpt:
This morning, Republicans tell me that a worker at Invesco Field in Denver saved thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention that were headed for the garbage. Guerrilla campaigning. They will use these flags at their own event today in Colorado Springs with John McCain and Sarah Palin.
Before McCain speaks today, veterans will haul these garbage bags filled with flags out onto the stage — with dramatic effect, no doubt — and tell the story. “What you see in the picture I sent you is less than half of total flags,” a Republican official emailed. “We estimate the total number to be around 12,000 small flags and one full size 3×5 flag.”
Because, of course, it gives Democrats orgasmic pleasure to physically mistreat the American flag, doncha’ know? “They” all hate America and are flatly unpatriotic, as “we” all know, right? And, John McCain wasn’t gonna impugn the patriotism of his opponent….at least until he did! (sorta like Gov Palin’s opposition to earmarks, except when the earmarked pork is headed her way!)
Well, we’ll see if this sort of stuff works again, soon enough.
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moe99 said on September 7, 2008 at 2:09 am
Brian,
At least Talkingpointsmemo.com is on to this:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/214283.php
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Gasman said on September 7, 2008 at 5:46 am
For all of you McCain supporters, please visit my post on the next thread. (#comment-208167) “Straight Talk” express my ass.
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brian stouder said on September 7, 2008 at 10:15 am
Moe – yesterday the young folks and I stopped at a McDonalds that has a foozball game (amongst other things aimed at kids that are a little older) and TVs set to Fox news, and your excellent link to TPM reminded me that THAT’S where I first saw this story. When we got back home, I googled flags and DNC, and found the article which I linked above.
Senator Obama should hit this specific issue HARD. McCain personally got involved in this smear, and he should be made to pay for it.
(and speaking of making people pay, as one reads the follow-up news, it appears that these flags were STOLEN by the GOP operatives!! even if they were only 25 cents each, that’s a $3,000 theft….and if you swipe $3,000 worth of stuff from Best Buy, you’re going to prison!)
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