The results aren't in yet

Not that I'm watching. I sat out a presidential election for the first time since I came of age to vote. Couldn't vote for Obama and couldn't make up my mind to pull the lever for McCain.

Election Day is creeping up

I still don't know if I will actually go to the polls or not. I feel no enthusiasm for either candidate.

Wow

I still don't see myself voting for the McCain /Palin ticket, but I was riveted by Sarah Palin's convention speech last night. She was awesome.

Why am I a democrat?

Somewhere along the line in life I became convinced that democrats care about people, republicans don't, that democrats are kind and republicans are cruel. Basically I acquired the belief that democrats are everything good and republicans are evil incarnate.

For a time in my late twenties and early thirties I was a small town reporter. Getting involved with local politicians and issues I developed sympathies though I attempted to stay objective in my reporting. There was no mention of national parties in the doings of the town. I was pretty surprised to discover than many of the people I most admired in their approach to town politics were, in fact, republicans, and most of the people I considered total assholes were, in fact, democrats. I chalked it up at the time to the relative meaninglessness of national party at the local level and it didn't impact my overall view.

Through this election season I've had an unfortunate re-introduction to total asshole democrats and no longer take for granted my basic assumptions about the "goodness" of my party.

It's looking more and more like a no vote, or protest vote election for me.

Media continues to show its bias

I haven't decided to vote for John McCain but I can't stand the MSM response to his announcement of Sarah Palin as his running mate. If even a fraction of the concern over credentials to be commander in chief had been posed about the nomination of Barack Obama for president that are being thrown at Sarah Palin for Vice President he would never had gotten the nomination which he so richly does not deserve. Clearly, their VP choice has as much experience as our presidential choice. Being a mayor and governor certainly matches state senate and senate. What's more, she actually has positions she's taken and stuck to without wafting this way and that according to the latest political wind.

I don't agree with Palin's socially conservative positions but I also don't see the need to trash her as Didi Meyers apparently does in Vanity Fair, labeling her a female Dan Quayle. Quayle was a not-too-bright guy whose verbal skills stood unequaled until George W. Bush opened his mouth. Having seen Palin speak this afternoon at the Dayton rally, I would say she's smart and articulate with a very natural speaking style.

Sarah Palin!

Very interesting choice for John McCain. He has re-established his maverick reputation.

Sad times

Most democrats seem happy right about now, but I'm not among them. I've neglected this blog because there hasn't been anything new I've had to say. I still don't know what I'll do come November. This is the first time since I came of age to vote that I skipped watching the convention. I tuned in briefly a couple of times and had to turn it off immediately. My visceral dislike of Obama and the hangover of the anger from the primaries made it too painful to see his placards waving in the air. I enjoyed reading the positive commentary on the speeches by Bill and Hillary but it was bittersweet.

movies

I should probably start a new blog now that my interest in the upcoming election is waning. I'm more caught up in the excitement of movies and television (as long as I can watch it on dvd) than anything else. If only I had anything smart to say about the stuff I love, something besides, "I really loved this!"

sigh

Obama's progressive positions are wholly subordinate to his political ambition. Is anyone surprised? Not Hillary supporters who had to listen to boatloads of crap about his "new politics." Is there anyone left who still believes that Obama would have voted "no" on the authorization for military force if he'd actually been in the senate in 2002? What he's demonstrated is that there is no position so deeply held that it can't be compromised for the sake of winning the presidency. I'm not outraged by his move to the center, I'm enraged by his hypocrisy.

quiet time

It's hard to pay attention without Hillary in the mix. My attitude now is largely indifference, with mild pleasure when I see Obama hit bumps in the road. I feel little urge to join with democrats who disdained me and vilified my candidate.

quiz

which is which? hint -- I voted for the guy on the left. Also note that if the campaign slogan were CHAN instead of CHANGE, I'd jump on the wagon.

taking a catnap from politics

My efforts to wean from politics are paying off. My consumption of television and internet news has declined dramatically in the past two weeks! I haven't turned on a TV news network since the weekend of Hillary's concession speech and don't feel any need to tune back in. I scan through realclearpolitics.com and take a peek at the NY times and Salon. That takes little time since I find few articles I'm interested in reading.

I do find myself wondering from time to time how I came to view myself as a liberal, how my politics were formed. Watching movies does provide a few clues. Odd to think about the films and books I've read through the years and how they shaped my notion of what it means to be a "good" person. I wonder, at times, if the basis of my politics is any more solid than the pop songs and stories that shaped the framework of my beliefs about what love is, or how relationships are supposed to work. It's all suspect to me now.

Withdrawal

I've been watching a lot of movies lately to wean myself from campaign news. I still dabble in the election stories online. It's hard to say what I'll do come November. One friend has told me it doesn't matter how I vote since Massachusetts will go democratic. I suppose then it would be "safe" to cast a protest vote or write Hillary in when the time rolls around. Nothing I read about Obama makes me want to vote for him and a lot of the commentary by his supporters, who still can't stop bashing Hillary, does nothing to draw me any closer to voting for him.

Hillary's Speech

It was an awesome speech. She did what she had to do. We'll see what happens.

Unity?

Has hell frozen over yet?

Unity schmunity

I am so weary. I am so out of love with my party. Call it whining, call it sour grapes, call it whatever you want to call it. I'll write Hillary in if she isn't on the ticket.

green eggs and ham meet barack obama

I do not want him in a box.

I do not want him with a fox.

I do not want him in a house.





I do not want him with a mouse.


I do not want him here or there.
I do not want him anywhere.
I do not want barack obama.
I do not want him, Sam-I-ama.

count the votes!

politics overload

approaching doneness

Obama the misunderstood

He speaks, then his supporters swarm to explain. Whether it's the question of attending Reverend Wright's church for 20 years, the bitterness of small town voters, who typical white people are, or the meaning of unconditional diplomacy. Apparently, for all his supposed eloquence, it takes a village to explain what Obama means when he speaks. This seems to apply to his wife too, whose patriotism or lack thereof must be repackaged and interpreted for us to understand them correctly.

His new campaign song.

One Day of Peace

There are less than two weeks left to the end of this primary season. I promise to vote for Obama in November if I can have one day of peace in which the drumbeats don't sound for her to quit. Four months ago in February Jonathan Alter said, in Newsweek, it would be nice, it would be gracious if Hillary dropped out. The drums haven't quit since. Hear me now. She didn't quit then, she's not quitting now, she's not quitting tomorrow.

Yesterday I was depressed

But today I'm thinking about the primary in Kentucky and it looks good for her. I've read some okay things about how women are determined to stand by her! Long shot for the top of the ticket. Maybe 50-50 for the VP.

The opportunity we are throwing away

Hillary Clinton is surely one of the greatest female political figures of our time, brought down, in my view, by her male colleagues who championed and rallied around Barack Obama, a first term senator whose celebrity was ascending on Capitol Hill. Urged by them to grab the spotlight of the moment they succeeded in derailing their own party's frontrunner and dividing the party in half. On the eve of what is most likely the end of her campaign for the presidency of the United States I think it is appropriate to honor her by quoting from a speech she gave in China in the 1990's on the theme of gender, a speech ranked by American Rhetoric at 35 of the top 100 speeches on their website.

Women's Rights are Human Rights

" ... I believe that now, on the eve of a new millennium, it is time to break the silence. It is time for us to say here in Beijing, and for the world to hear, that it is no longer acceptable to discuss women’s rights as separate from human rights.

These abuses have continued because, for too long, the history of women has been a history of silence. Even today, there are those who are trying to silence our words. But the voices of this conference and of the women at Huairou must be heard loudly and clearly:

It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their spines broken, simply because they are born girls.

It is a violation of human rights when women and girls are sold into the slavery of prostitution for human greed -- and the kinds of reasons that are used to justify this practice should no longer be tolerated.

It is a violation of human rights when women are doused with gasoline, set on fire, and burned to death because their marriage dowries are deemed too small.

It is a violation of human rights when individual women are raped in their own communities and when thousands of women are subjected to rape as a tactic or prize of war.

It is a violation of human rights when a leading cause of death worldwide among women ages 14 to 44 is the violence they are subjected to in their own homes by their own relatives.

It is a violation of human rights when young girls are brutalized by the painful and degrading practice of genital mutilation.

It is a violation of human rights when women are denied the right to plan their own families, and that includes being forced to have abortions or being sterilized against their will.

If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all. Let us not forget that among those rights are the right to speak freely -- and the right to be heard."

screw the pundits!

politics as usual

The boys sang her praises as they crushed news coverage of her West Virginian victory. They can mouth whatever niceties they like -- I am unmoved -- their actions speak louder than words. The Edwards endorsement spectacle was a transparent ploy to deny Hillary Clinton anything positive in the evening news cycle on her landslide victory. Obama seems unwilling (not to mention unable) to just beat her at the polls. He seems bent on her complete humiliation. Wow, the high road. So noble.

Obama democrats writing the bible

Like Eve in the Garden of Eden, Hillary Clinton is now considered the source of everything bad in the world, the spoiler of paradise. Well, I don't subscribe to that religion.

Hilly says Thanks -- I say You're Welcome!!!!

a cat can dream

I hope she hammers him in West Virginia

So what else is new? Will she? Who knows.

fluffy says Joe blows

His True Colors -- We knew it in our heart of hearts, but hate to admit it

Maybe he really does love Hill, but it's for sure he'd like to see mayhem at the Dem convention. Sigh.

she calls the shots

indiana and north carolina

how could he win? we all voted for her!

stop the insanity

dreaming of 2 wins

another kitten for Clinton!

keep your eyes on the prize!

Has he already won?

No. He hasn't. Being ahead is not the same as winning.

I wish I had a nickel for every time

an Obama surrogate says "What he meant was ..."

I am of the opinion that Barack Obama is a good speech maker but not a good communicator. That's why he sucks in debates, that's why he sucks in small gatherings of voters, that's why he sucks when responding off the cuff to reporters. He hems, he haws, and he looks like he's a hundred miles away as he ever so slowly gets one word out after another.

she did good on the factor

She was smart, charming, relaxed -- altogether, just the kind of president a cat wants!

tired of hillary haters

not good

Tom Hayden wrote a horrendous article describing how his wife screams when she sees Hillary on television. I have a similar problem when I see Obama. I can barely stand the sight of him or the sound of his nasal voice. When he launches into the self-congratulatory theme of his "new" politics I find myself shouting FUCK YOU and shooting the finger at my TV screen. His hypocrisy enrages me. Muting the volume calms me down considerably. I hate the fact that I will most likely have to vote for him in November. On the other hand, I've spent 8 years changing the channel whenever I see the face of George Bush, I guess I can do the same if by some miracle this extremely annoying person makes it into office.

spineless supers

If Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are so eager to see the super delegates declare themselves -- why don't they lead the way by making their own endorsements? If we are just deluding ourselves now by voting for Hillary when there isn't a chance the super delegates will support her no matter how many votes she gets why don't they come out and say so instead of whining at her to quit. If they are so afraid of the effects of a long primary why don't they end it? They want her to fall on the big dagger instead of putting their own political necks on the chopping block. They should put up or shut up. Either knock her out or stop crying about it. That's this cat's opinion.

two more primaries on the horizon

she wins PA!

In case you missed her on Morning Joe -- here is her victory appearance!

monday night RAW

Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain appear on World Wrestling Entertainment's live "Monday Night Raw" ...

"Tonight, in honor of the WWE, you can call me Hillrod," Clinton says in her message. "This election is starting to feel a lot like `King of the Ring.' The only difference? The last man standing may just be a woman."

campaign tactics

eve of the philadelphia primary

reason number one

an interesting snippet

I Loved Hillary on Colbert!

Of course there's someone who can fix the mess!

ducklings come home to roost

"Well, Obama finally got the Hillary treatment in a debate. I guess it's time for us to head over to his place."

obie gets boss plug -- big deal -- Hilly gets the Salsa!

Hillary got the salsa nod from Willie Colon! As an antidote to all the Springsteen music clips try listening to this instead.


Salsa Heavyweight Willie Colon Endorses Hillary

"Trombonist, bandleader, singer, arranger, composer, artist, actor, political activist, innovator, environmentalist and producer are a few of the words used to describe the many hats the dapper master salsa musician - Willie Colon -has worn and continues to wear.

Willie Colon believes Sen. Hillary Clinton is best qualified for the White House. The legendary Bronx-born Puerto Rican and American cultural icon stated, “Hillary has been on the side of our families for over 35 years - she has been with us from the very beginning. I want a President who I can count on, someone who in tough times will be there for me - that’s why I’m supporting Hillary Clinton.”

I couldn’t agree with you more, Mr. Colon."

from No Quarter

It's official!

Fluffy, the debate cat, declares big win for Hillary in Philadelphia.

nervous!

These debates make me crazy. I feel almost nauseous with anxiety because I want so badly for her to do well. I just want for people to see the woman I see who is so intelligent, so grounded in the issues, who would be such an awesome president.

the candidates as musical comedy stars

annie oakley

Didn't she sing? -- "anything you can do, I can do better!" And wasn't she right?

He said what he said

A caller to C SPAN connects the dots of Obama's comments in a way that the talking heads have not -- the part about "people who do not look like them..."

small town cats

He stepped in it big time by saying small town folks cling to guns and religion, that they don't like immigrants or people who don't look like them because they're bitter over losing jobs and have lost faith in Washington. His supporters think he spoke a difficult truth, and he did speak the truth as he sees it. But I disagree. If people are religious, if they embrace of guns, or have antipathy to outsiders -- even if true of all small town folks (which is doubtful) it is not a phenomenon of job loss in the past 25 years. As usual, he's lecturing and he's welcome to his point of view. It sounds grounded in the Marxist view of religion as the opiate of the masses. It's a philosophy that may be popular in universities but it does not belong in the White House.

Excellent Song For Hillary

Even if it isn't performed by Nora the amazing piano-playing cat, this song is worth a listen!

state of mind ... maine coon cats

food for thought on the candidates

I read a piece somewhere that compared Barack Obama to John McCain, calling the first an exotic Hawaiian pizza and the second an old reliable, somewhat stale pepperoni pizza. Obama, in the author's opinion, offers something new and exciting to people looking for a change from everyday fare while McCain offers an old standard, none-too-fresh but a reliable if chewy dish. There was no mention of Hillary but I would like to portray her in the mix as the choice of people who want the real deal -- a full course, homemade, Italian dinner.

Libertarian Guinea Pig

Chestnut, who admires strong women, might be leaning toward Hillary.

Puppies Hide During Keith Olber-bama show

Poll Cat

Tonight they are saying that Clinton's lead in PA is shrinking, but it all depends on which poll you look at. We like this one.

Mad As Hell

I guess someone else had a "Mad As Hell" moment and decided to make a video of it. Great! I, for one, consider Olbermann more stupid than sexist but, hey, that's just one cat's opinion.

florida kitten

my vote doesn't count?

How Cats Resist

Patches gives demo to show how cats are safe from Obama

Media Bias?

Fluffy says no bias in her debate coverage.

A moment of happiness

What an awesome surprise. I've just about sworn off morning news but around 6:30 I broke down and turned on Joe. Lo and behold they were saying that Hillary was on, coming up next! It was so good. She was relaxed and charming and she looked beautiful. And she was able to thank the Washington Post for affirming the truth of the "hospital story."

Just when I was starting to get depressed

handsome Joey, another outstanding cat from PA showed up to give me a lift! All the news has been crappy today. I must have plowed through a zillion google news items searching for positive mentions of Hillary. I know there are millions of Democrats out there who are pulling as hard for her as I am but you'd never know it. We seem to be invisible in the press except as targets in comment columns and possible spoilers of Barakian bliss. Hurray for the arrival of Joey who represents two big votes in the Pennsylvania primary.

The television experience -- cats "get it"

I've just muted Axlerod on the Morning Joe show as he spins anti-Hillary on NAFTA. What I remember is that after Hillary laid out her position in her debate with Obama, he said, "I agree with what Hillary just said."

They love to highlight any change in her positions as if a politician is obliged to choose one stance and never change it. (Who knows what record he'd have established -- he hasn't been around long enough for us to judge.) It's been hammered to death in the media and well-explained that she was privately not supportive of NAFTA during her husband's administration but supported it in public, with private reservations kept in house, for the sake of his agenda -- he was the president, she was not. That she wants to maintain NAFTA, with modifications, is her clear position now. So, la la la la, I CAN"T HEAR YOU and your spin, mr. axelwhatever -- author of the "just words" speech you supplied to both your candidates, Deval and Obama.

Kittens feel safe dreaming of Hillary

Maybe the exit of Mark Penn is good thing. Pundits have noted that opposing voices, differing opinions, have been a good thing for Hillary's campaign -- the notion being that one doesn't want to be surrounded by an echo chamber. But it's possible that having those closest to her at odds with one another was an exhausting and worrisome state of affairs for Hillary. Here's hoping some peace reigns in the valley and she sails into a big Pennsylvania win.

A Cat's Cry For Her Candidate

Lovely Linda, a gorgeous PA feline, does not want Hillary to quit -- not while there are still voices to be heard and votes to be counted! Plus, she loves to bowl and heard rumors that presidential wannabe Obama would tear up the lanes in the White House.

Drumbeats of Doom

The news, dominated by calls for Hillary to quit, is driving me to a "Network" moment. I'm just about ready to lean out the window and scream, "I"M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE! NO SHE SHOULD NOT QUIT!"

Okay, now I feel a little better.

There are some stories of hope that push their way like green shoots through a ton of manure -- mostly from smaller papers in Indiana, Oregon, North Dakota and those states who are eagerly awaiting their chance to vote in upcoming elections. Has anyone else noticed how happy and excited people are whose states will finally have a meaningful voice in a presidential primary?

Clinton's Bosnia Story -- Tempest in a Teapot

Sometimes people can't resist shaping a story for maximum impact -- even when it muddies the facts. I've known and lived with those who exaggerate all my life. Many years ago my mom told me she finally gave up on correcting the facts in my dad's narratives in the face of his complaint, "Why do you always have to ruin my stories!"

I've lived for years with someone who has a similar way with a story. I'd hear her account of something that involved us both and think -- where was I when THAT happened? But, like my mother, I learned to keep my mouth shut and allow my partner to do the tweaking and misstating necessary to tell her stories the way she wanted to.

Clinton did this with the Bosnia tale. Her travels there did involve all the accouterments of potential violence -- snipers for protection, flak jackets, etc. She took potential reality and made it be real for the sake of a good stump speech tale. See this Op-Ed in the New York Times:

Straight Shooting From Tuzla
By LISSA MUSCATINE and MELANNE VERVEER
Even without the snipers, Hillary Clinton’s trip to Bosnia was a dangerous one.
April 1, 2008


Barack Obama did a similar customizing of reality when he related the story of his father's journey from Africa to the United States, rearranging the facts to give his tale the luster of a Kennedy connection. So what?

Was Clinton's motivation nefarious? No. She wanted to tell a good story. The fact is that Clinton hasn't got the talent for smooth talking and storytelling that Obama has or that my own dad possessed. She doesn't dazzle enough to make her listeners forgive, to make them unlikely to examine her words closely and then not care if the truth falls short. And in this case, not only did some of her listeners not want to forgive exaggeration, they saw a great opportunity for ridicule.

Clinton cannot be described as a great speaker, even by her fans. Her anecdotal fabrications stand out like sore thumbs and her attempts at humor (when scripted) fall heavy. Where she does shine is in spontaneous discussion of issues and one on one light-hearted chat. Obama, by contrast, is at his worst when speaking off the cuff or actually detailing policy matters. His eloquence takes a hike and his conversation is dulled by long pauses and a flat tone.

So, what do these speaking strengths and weaknesses say about their qualifications for the job of president? My view, through admittedly Clinton-colored glasses, is that she really knows what she's talking about but will never be a good storyteller. Her presidency would be solid and at the same time a boon to comedians everywhere.

His, who knows? He is eloquent (very, very, very eloquent.) He seems to stand for most of the same things that she does, though on the topic of health care he's no more eloquent than she -- it's boring no matter who talks about it. So far, the most substantive thing his eloquence has accomplished is the shaming of his opposition.

To questions about his experience he offers soaring rhetoric about turning the page on the past (if he had experience, we'd have to turn the page on him.)

He's also used it as sleight of hand to wiggle out of the questions concerning his embrace of a church which features some mighty radical religious politics.

Personally, I'm not outraged by the leftist messages of Rev. Wright's sermons but I am by Obama's waffling on the subject: I never heard these things said, if I had I would have walked out, um, maybe I knew about some of it but not the really bad stuff, um, I would have left but I knew he was going to retire, um, I did know, but my understanding of racial issues in this country is so profound that it's an affront for anyone to question me about this.

He could have just said, I agree with some things and disagree with others and on balance decided to remain a member of the church -- and let people judge for themselves. It's not his grandmother he threw under the bus but his own liberal ideology which for many, including me, can embrace some paranoid ramblings about the government.

In conclusion, I'd like to say:

"I'll have one order of sniper-fire embellishment, a side of JFK story enhancement and pass on the ideological waffles."

How Can Obama Woo Hillary Voters?

Not with kisses or offering to go down on his knees. Unless he goes down on his knees bare-assed for a prime-time spanking during which he makes the following admissions:

"I don't really have enough experience to be an effective president."

"I set out on this campaign driven by personal ambition and a pack of sour-graped male colleagues who sought to capitalize on my popularity with the media to topple Hillary."

"I have allowed my supporters to baselessly brandish the race card against my opponents."

"My messages of change and new politics are empty slogans -- the real messages of my campaign are -- Hillary is a monster and the Clintons never really did anything for us anyway."

"I took advantage of money from Tony Rezko for personal gain and I'm lucky he didn't call in his marker before my presidential campaign."

"My political career has been marked by a restless eye always on the next prize."

"I knew Rev. Wright was a political asset to me as a state senator and a liability to me in national politics. I dodged legitimate questions about my judgement by giving a beautiful speech that answered nothing to the point of what I knew or when -- the purpose of which was to shift the conversation and save my ass."

"I'm still smoking."

I would feel much better about voting for him if this happened.

smartypants boy photoshops my cat a strange dream!

Equal Time

It's been brought to my attention that there are a lot of pro Hillary dogs out there too. They know she's tough as nails and ready to command on day one -- in addition to knowing where dog treats are kept in the White House.

the photoshop campaign for Hillary

Okay, so I'm living in a fantasy world.

Dogs do it, Cats do it -- Let's you and me do it

TV Politics and Strange Bedfellows

I know that Joe Scarborough is a Republican who made his career as a congressman by Clinton bashing. His "love affair" with Hillary on his MSNBC Morning Joe show may be a disingenuous Republican plot to further her campaign in some Rush Limbaugh-like notion that it subverts the process for Democrats. Well, guess what -- I still watch him to hear the words of praise for her among much of the show that makes me cringe.

Likewise Lou Dobbs on CNN. I will tune in from time to time just because he is the only TV journalist who expresses the outrage I feel over the Michigan and Florida votes -- even though I have to hit the mute button on his anti-illegal immigration rants.

I used to think the "liberal media" was a myth. Now I see it in action as it has embraced Barack Obama. Sad. Similar candidates if you look at their positions -- different packages, and his is the bigger, brighter sell in the media. In the party itself we're split, almost exactly in half. Has the primary season lasted this long because Hillary won't let go, or because he can't close the deal. He hasn't closed it in spite of how he's hyped and touted, in spite of how he's out spent her.

pussy politics