Pinellas County Commission Debate

The NAACP is hosting a dedate between Pinellas County comission candidates Renee Flowers and Darden Rice.

Date: Monday, August 4, 2008
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: NAACP - St. Pete office
Street: 1501 16th Street S
City/Town: Saint Petersburg, FL

Barack Obama Coming to St. Pete

Barack Obama is coming to St. Petersburg. The Democratic nominee will be addressing voters on the economy. The event will be held at Gibbs High School.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Friday for the event at Gibbs High School, 850 34th St. S. Admission is free and open to the public, but tickets are required.

Tickets will be available first-come, first-served from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the St. Petersburg campaign office, 2321 Central Ave. Adults will be allotted a maximum of two tickets each and children younger than 16 will be allotted one.

Update: St. Petersburg officials want to give Obama a key to the city.

Obama Sums Up the McCain Campaign

Barack Obama tells an audience that John McCain has only run attack ads because the Maverick has no vision for how to run America. Obama sums up the Republican message as 'We suck, but Obama is too risky.' A truly inspiring message.

Obama: So nobody really thinks that Bush or McCain have a real answer for the challenges we face, so what they're going to try to do is make you scared of me. You know, he's not patriotic enough. He's got a funny name. You know, he doesn't look like all those other Presidents on those dollar bills, you know. He's risky. That's essentially the argument they're making."

The McCain campaign hysterical responded by claiming Obama is playing the race card.

Things have been ratcheted up to a whole new level today. McCain campaign manager Rick Davis just released a statement saying, "Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck. It's divisive, negative, shameful and wrong."

Obama is absolutely correct. "They're going to try to do is make you scared." Republicans are running a campaign of fear and racial hatred. Let's replay Fox News's greatest hits.

The Fist Bump





Obama Muslim Smear





Joking About Killing Obama



Baby Mama

The Question That Should Be Asked

WMNF has a story and audio post of the Hillsborough County Circuit Court forum. I had one problem with the story.

After the moderated session, the audience asked questions. Dr. Bruce Miles, president of the Hillsborough County Black Democratic Caucus, questioned the candidates on the inordinately high rate of incarceration of African Americans.

There is no question that poor and uneducated people get a bad rap in the legal system. These people are less likely to properly defend their legal rights. Many people in the black community have been shafted by the legal system. America has a shameful history, in how she treated the African American community. I'm all for correcting that wrong. However, when I hear black leaders talk about the incarceration rate;

I wonder where are the African American civic leaders when black teens are selling drugs at 2:00 AM. What black community leaders fail to do is go into their communities and clean up the crack cocaine problem. Young black males will continue to get incarcerated as long as they sell and distribute crack. 15th Street in Suitcase City used to look like an episode of The Wire. Drug dealing went on constantly. Police have cracked down on in the area. But the problem will never be solved until African Americans stop the sale of crack in their neighborhoods.

The police and judical system will never be able to stop crack cocaine distribution. The government can't make parents keep their children from selling drugs. This was the point Barack Obama made in Beaumont, Texas.

"It's not good enough for you to say to your child, 'Do good in school.' And then your child comes home, you've got the TV set on, you've got the radio on, you don't check their homework, there's not a book in the house, you've got the video game playing."

The crowd cheered. Women started dancing at their seats, fists waving.

"So, turn off the TV set, put the video game away, buy a little desk," Obama continued. "Watch them do their homework. If they don't know how to do it, give them help. If you don't know how to do it, call the teacher. Make them go to bed at a reasonable time. Give them some breakfast."

I have seen bad parenting from people of all nationalities. That does not explain why so many young black people turn to selling crack. (I doubt anyone knows why.) The drug is the unspeakable truth about the black community. Black leaders will speak of worthy civil right causes, such as Jena, Louisiana. Obama discussed easing sentences on posession of crack cocaine. I can't find a quote from Obama about how crack cocaine is destroying African American communities. The subject is taboo amongst black leaders.

Dr. Bruce Miles question on sentencing is fair and important. I hope he knocking on doors and asking parents why their children are out in the streets at night.

Here are the judical candidates running in Hillsborough county.

Caroline Tesche - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 1
Jason D. Montes - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 1
Samantha Ward - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 2
Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 2 Miriam Velez
Kevin Carey - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 7
Catherine M. Catlin - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 7
Lisa Campbell - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 21
Linda Courtney Clark - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 21
Martha Cook - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 30
Constance Daniels - Circuit Court Judge, Grp. 30

Bob Hackworth on Bill Young's Housing Relief Nay Vote

District 10 congressional candidate Bob Hackworth voices his disapproval of Rep Bill C. W. Young's vote againt the housing relief bill.

(Dunedin, FL)—After threats of a veto to the nation’s most substantial housing bill in decades, President Bush signed the Foreclosure Prevention Act today. This bill provides relief to more than 400,000 homeowners in danger of foreclosure and helps reassure financial markets of the health of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae who control 42% of the nations mortgages. One provision of this Act calls for $300 billion in mortgage relief for troubled homeowners, this will allow these homeowners to transform their high-interest mortgages into government-backed, thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages. The Act also sets a cap of $625,000 on loans made by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which the FHA can insure and allow both institutions to buy back mortgages up to 15% above the median home price. Another provision of the bill gives $3.9 billon to help communities fix-up foreclosed properties.

“With 1.4 million foreclosures, and rising, nationally, and with one home out of 200 in Florida in foreclosure, it is outrageous that Rep Bill C. W. Young, would not support this bill. I find it deplorable that Rep. Young voted against this bill, especially with Florida having such a high mortgage default rate. As our Congressman, he should be trying to help, not hurt during this crisis,” said Mayor Hackworth.

WMNF interviews Hackworth about how he can beat Young. Hackworth tells Arielle Stevenson the election is about change. Hackworth cites his record as Mayor of Dunedin is an asset with voters.

Hackworth is against offshore drilling. He tells WMNF that there will be a negative impact on Florida's beaches. The candidate says he will support a Democratic administration's efforts to end the war in Iraq.

Stocks of Golf Cart Company Soar after Reports of Pentagon's Plan to Use Carts in Counterinsurgency

"They handle really well in the sandtraps, so they should be ideal for The Surge. They've also got a little compartment in the back where you can stow a small cooler full of cool, refreshing Anheuser Bush Beer."

Another Surge Sighting. They're spacing them a couple of hours apart.You just can't keep a good Surge down! Even in Texas...In other news, one of John McCain's New Trollops, Paris Hilton, eyes an Electric Car sharing plan.


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Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing

V.S.O.P, Bob Cesca


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The Surge Really Gets Around, Continues Spreading The Love

From Yahoo at 9:50 am....



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What's Happening!

Rove's Racial Strategy will now head into second gear.



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If Loving John McCain is Wrong, the Media Doesn't Want to Right

Media Matters is running a web ad on the media's love of John McCain. Chris Matthews must be torn on how to equally love McCain and Barack Obama.

Ask Jim Greer This Question

"Republicans get up and go to work," RPoF Chairman Jim Greer said. "Democrats get up and go down to the mailbox to get their checks." Perhaps he can explain all the days off Charlie Crist has taken.

Counting a personal day he took Friday in Miami, Crist's schedules show he's taken off 41 weekdays in 19 months.

That's nearly twice the 22 workdays that Bush took off during his first 19 months.

Crist spent those off days traveling with John McCain, fundraising and pushing the property tax amendment. It is silly to expect a Governor to be in the capital every minute. I would love for Greer to justify his statement about Democrats against Crist's attendance record. Is there a journalist out there that's game?

Bad Marketing Idea: Mrs. Dirt Bag T-Shirts

I'm happy that the Tampa Bay Rays are winning. The fan site Rays Index unleashed a horrible marketing scheme. Asking women to buy Mrs. DirtBag T-Shirts is a PR disaster waiting to happen.



I know that some will think shirts are fun. If anyone wants to buy one then by all means. I'm not urging a boycott or have any grievance with anyone involved with Rays Index.

A note all marketing people: I don't know a woman that would be caught wearing this shirt. It is demeaning to women. Dirt Bag sounds like Cunt Rag. Seriously. "Mrs. Dirt Bag" gives connotation that the woman is the property of a man. The shirt strikes me as creepy. Making matters worse is the bizarre marketing pitch.

No poem to mark the occasion today...but just know that if we had a daughter, we would buy this shirt for her and make it happen. Is there a bigger compliment that one man could ever give to another?

It isn't about men giving compliments to each other. These T-shirts are to be marketed to women. Not guys that watch Ray games together. No thought was put into the female demographic.

The whole "if we had a daughter" we would make her wear the shirt creeps the shit out of me. My advise to the people at Rays Index: you make a daughter wear this and she will put you in the world's worst nursing home. Guaranteed.

The Conservative Filter

Conservatives enjoy calling the media the filter. Meaning that the media is somehow blocking access to the truth. If it wasn't for the brave keyboard warriors, we wouldn't know that there were WMDs in Iraq.

CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN IRAQ: Austin Bay has a roundup on this story.

Glenn Reynolds, the gift that keeps on giving.

Conservatives really don't want unbiased journalism. They want the media to tell them what they want to hear. Rush Limbaugh could never make it (and I'm laughing as I write this) as a football analyst because he enjoys making racist comments. Conservatives don't mind. In their minds poor Mexican laborers are taking all the high tech jobs in Seattle.

Today's Gallup poll shows Barack Obama leading John McCain 47 percent to 41 percent. A USA Today article on the poll shows Obama leading McCain 47 percent to 44 percent. All this makes the unfiltered truth of the conservative blogs hysterical.

Say Anything blogger Ken McCracken writes the poll "shows McCain now ahead 49%-45% among voters that Gallup believes are most likely to go to the polls in November." Which in true. This is a demographic that isn't even registered to vote. The poll has a margin of error of 4 percent. McCracken uses this one demographic as prove that Obama's trip failed. I fail to see what McCain gained by constant media attention on Obama.

Wizbang runs the headline "His Own Worst Enemy."

Look at Obama's just-ended world tour. The media sure loved him, but Obama actually dropped in the polls, McCain gaining on Obama by not doing or saying much at all. It's as if America wants both of these guys to sit down and shut up, and they are willing to reward the one who actually does it.

Obama didn't drop in the polls. Obama is beating McCain in the major polls. The likely voters is a soft poll. Who knows how many of the people polled will actually vote? I'm fascinated by how conservatives can use the smallest poll fragment and say McCain now leads Obama in the Gallup poll.

Another point, I'm sure Jim Johnson will agree with. the Zogby poll predicted John Kerry would win. The problem with that is Republicans had a good turnout. What hurts McCain is he can't get supporters to fill small venues. Democrats have been registering voters in record numbers and Obama will accept the Democratic nomination at INVESCO Field. Turnout will be the key come election day.

Another point: McCain gambled by daring Obama into going to Iraq. Obama got Prime Minister al-Maliki to support his timetable. Obama isn't even President and he has achieved more diplomatically than Bush. McCain can't decide whether he likes or hates Obama's timetable.

Tastes great:

“I think it’s a pretty good timetable, as we should — or horizons for withdrawal,” he added, echoing a phrase President Bush used in recent days. “But they have to be based on conditions on the ground.”

Less filling:

"The difference between the two candidates going into November is that Barack Obama wants a rigid timeline for withdrawal," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said on CNN's "American Morning."

"John McCain wants to start reducing our troops, keeping the gains in security that we've earned in Iraq, but by doing so, avoiding a third war.

Obama scored a foreign policy coup and received photo-ops with eager European leaders. How Wizbang figures that Obama is his worst enemy and not the guy that flip flops on a timetable is beyond me. I'm just the filter. Wizbang and Say Anything are the truth.

Music Goodies - Why Hating Jon Spencer is Bad For Your Mental Health

Hipsters accuse Jon Spencer of being a trust fund pretty boy that attempts to sing like a black man. Guys just hate Spencer because he is married to Christina Martinez and they're not. I'm jealous, but I don't hate the guy.

Spencer was in Pussy Galore. That gives him a lifetime of indie street cred. He has no lyrical ambitions to be the next Dylan. And Christina Martinez isn't going to marry you. So stop hating the guy.

	Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Do You Wanna Get Heavy?
	Found at skreemr.com

	The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Wail
	Found at skreemr.com

Check out Have Gun, Will Travel. They are one of the hottest indie rock bands in Florida. The band was recently profiled on NPR.

Phyllis Busansky Fundraising Numbers

The St. Petersburg Times reports that Democratic Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections candidate Phyllis Busansky has fundraising advantage over incumbant Buddy Johnson.

Phyllis Busansky, who's running for supervisor of elections, raised $48,000 in the past three months, according to a report filed with the county.

Buddy Johnson, the current supervisor, raised only $11,300.

Busansky has raised a total of $82,196. Johnson is lagging behind at $42,460 Johnson downplayed his fundraising woes:

"I'm focused on this job. Not on fundraising," Johnson said, noting that it has been a particularly busy year, with the switch to a new voting system.

That is hysterical. Subpoena server Dan Neatherly could not find Johnson at either of his offices for 18 days. Johnson wasn't even accused of criminal wrongdoing. He was a witness called by the NAACP. Johnson's attorney Kathy Harris advised Johnson not to say if he was avoiding the subpoena.

Another fun piece of trivia: Johnson and Harris were both involved in Steve Holub being paid $24,142 of taypayers money. The deal was Holub would resign and not speak about his time in the Supervisor of Elections office.

The Jim Greer Bashing Continues

I urged fellow progressive bloggers to voice their displeasure at RPoF Chairman Jim Greer's comments that all Democrats are welfare queens.

"Republicans get up and go to work," Greer said he told the boy. "Democrats get up and go down to the mailbox to get their checks."

The welfare queen meme was a race-baiting tactic used by Ronald Reagan during the 1976 presidential campaign. Reagan championed Barry Goldwater and supported apartheid in South Africa. The black community is well aware of the meaning of Greer's polarizing words.

Creative Loafing's Wayne Garcia entitled a post entitled "Blow me, Greer and Kottkamp."

I know lots of Democrats who are out busting their ass in this economy, and plenty of Republicans, too. Last I saw, the national unemployment stats weren’t cross-tabbed by party registration, but maybe that is good idea, right Jim? The reality is that after 10 years of Republican governors and leadership in the House and Senate, Florida consistently is at or near the top of Bad-News Economic Statistics lists these days.

It the economy, Greer. Not race that is hurting Floridians. Of course, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida doesn't want to point out that the GOP controlled Florida legislature has not provided economic relief and Gov. Charlie Crist's overseas trip provided no jobs.

Garcia takes exception with Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp attacking the media. When do Republicans not blame the media for the woes?

"Print media is really archaic," Kottkamp told the board of the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade's nonprofit business recruitment agency. "They're laying off people. Their view of the world is pretty skewed."

What is really shameful is that Kottkamp lacks the heart to stand behind his comment.

Kottkamp quickly backtracked, saying he was just advising the print media to look to the future online.

“My message is not that I don’t like you,” he said. “I love you.”

Ahh. Kottkamp was actually giving the media a big kiss. A former legislator, that that attempted to make it illegal to remove a Confederate flag from public land, should not be the view of others "pretty skewed." What's even more hysterical: Kottkamp had selective memory loss about his Confederate flag bill.

What Kottkamp said when reporters asked him last week about the bill -- a bill that he co-sponsored, mind you -- was: "I don't even remember the flag being mentioned."

Pretty skewed, indeed.

Jim Greer's Hate Rhetoric

Progressives should get together and hammer Republican Party of Florida Jim Greer for making this hateful statement.

"Republicans get up and go to work," Greer said he told the boy. "Democrats get up and go down to the mailbox to get their checks."

Can Greer name what Democrats are waiting for their checks? I'm sure Greer isn't talking about trustfund checks. He is using the old racist welfare queen line that plays well to GOP crowds.

Greer has been busy using Amendment 2 as a wedge issue to draw social conservatives to the polls. Nevermind, that there is already a law banning gay marriage in Florida. Nevermind, that the amendment is bigoted against a minority. Nevermind, that it is a cynical attempt to use a wedge issue to make voters ignore the lack of Republican accomplishments.

Greer should talk about waiting for checks. He got his current job by being a fundraiser for Charlie Crist. How much work is it to beg people for money? Mr. Greer, most people call that panhandling.

Progressive bloggers: hold Greer's feet to the fire on his asinine statement. Don't let him get away with this.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Against Amendment 2

In a surprising piece of news: Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen told Miami Log Republicans she is against Amendment 2.

“In Florida, the term marriage is already defined as a relationship between a man and a woman. Amendment 2 will involve the government in our personal lives by dissolving locally recognized domestic partnerships, endangering the legal rights of unmarried couples, and weakening business responsibilities such as healthcare and retirement benefits,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a press release.

Amendment 2 would place a law in the Florida constitution that would bar gay and lesbian couples from marrying.

John McCain Photo Op Gone Bad

My God, John McCain can't even do a supermarket photo-op right.

Shameless

I have mentioned before that John McCain's recent about face on offshore drilling is because he needs the oil industry, in order to keep up with Barack Obama's funraising. the oil and gas industry contributed $1,039,768 to the McCain campaign. McCain's proposed holiday gas tax relief is another give away to the industry. The Maverick's explanation of how he would keep the gas and oil industry from pocketing the break is hysterical.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Not a single economist in the country said it’d work.

MCCAIN: Yes. And there’s no economist in the country that knows very well the low-income American who drives the furthest, in the oldest automobile, that sometimes can’t even afford to go to work.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But they all say that . . . the oil companies, the gas companies are going to absorb … any reduction.

MCCAIN: … they say that. But one, it didn’t happen before, and two, we wouldn’t let it happen. We wouldn’t let it — Americans wouldn’t let them absorb that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: How would you prevent that?

MCCAIN: We would make them shamed into it. We, of course, know how to — American public opinion. And we would penalize them, if necessary. But they wouldn’t. They would pass it on.

McCain isn't going to change the tax code. Although, you really couldn't stop oil companies from profiting from a tax break. Paying less taxes is the point of a tax break. McCain invented a new form of trickle down economics. We now have shame economics. Does McCain view the American people has a homeless person bumming for change? The Less Than Straight Talker comes off as seriously elitist.

McCain's shameless pandering to the oil industry knows no bounds.

Support Darcy Burner

Washington state congressional candidate Darcy Burner has become the darling of progressives. Her fundraising has been impressing. In part because of her support from the netroots. Burner has raised more than Republican incumbant Dave Reichert. The DCCC announced they will spend $1 million for television ads.

Burner is one of the architects of "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq." Burner and Donna Edwards drafted the plan. The plan calls for withdawing troops and dealing with the refugee crisis spawned from the insurgency. Domestically, the plan would end signing statements and warrantless wiretapping.

"We've been waiting for five years for a top-down solution," Burner told the Seatttle Times "No top-down solution is coming."

On women's issues: Burner has been endorsed by Emily's List. She has made a transparency pledge for her earmarks. Burner spoke out against the FISA bill.

In 2006, Barack Obama campaigned for Burner. Her opponent, Reichert is running on his law and order reputation. That may not be enough in a district that voted for Kerry and Gore.

"If he can't represent himself as a moderate Republican, he's dead in the water," said John Gastil, a professor of political communication at the University of Washington.

Political shifts both locally and nationally pose a challenge for the former sheriff.

The 8th District, which covers eastern King and Pierce counties, was once solidly Republican territory but now is considered a classic swing district. In 2004, voters favored Democrat John Kerry for president but supported Republican Dino Rossi for governor.

Support Darcy Burner.

Update: Darcy Burner at Netroots Nation.



Burner talks about "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq."



"The people inside the Beltway aren't going to solve this problem."

Quote of the Day

"My real message? Keep a good head and always carry a lightbulb."

Bob Dylan

Shit and Run

In today's Post 9-11 Patriot Act World, with surveillence security cameras on many street corners in many cities, I'm going to assume that the streets of Washington D.C are constantly being digitally videotaped, ya know, for security and stuff. That being the case, somebody somewhere has tape of a pedestrian splayed across the windshield of a black Corvette.

I'm no expert on economic matters, but that's gonna hurt the bottom line. I wonder how much that is worth?

Don't worry your Reaganesque addled brain, my friend. Scooter Libby has alot of left over cash in his defense fund.

And if that doesn't work... well, there's always the Presidential Pardon.

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Write A Caption: President McCain Edition

Hat tip to Digby. I have been hearing talk about the McCain campaign working from the Hillary Clinton playbook. This must be the page declaring yourself the winner before you won. The McCain people should keep in mind how well that worked for Hillary. The funniest thing is the image comes from a year old ad. Apparently, he knew then that he would become president.

Bad Experience

John McCain brags that he know how to lead. His exchange with June 11, 2003 interview with Neil Cavuto questions the Maverick's claims.

NEIL CAVUTO (host): Senator -- after a conflict means after the conflict, and many argue the conflict isn't over.

McCAIN: Well, then why was there a banner that said mission accomplished on the aircraft carrier?

Look, the -- I have said a long time that reconstruction of Iraq would be a long, long, difficult process, but the conflict -- the major conflict is over, the regime change has been accomplished, and it's very appropriate. In two weeks, General Franks is going to come before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and we're going to have his overall assessment of the conflict. I think that's entirely appropriate because we'll be -- we'll be taking up the needs of the Defense Department and the men and women in the military on the Armed Services Committee.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel has not endorsed a presidential candidate. That and Hagel's accompanying Obama on an international trip says much about what Hagel thinks about McCain's foreign policy skills. Hagel told CNN that experience is not the deciding factor.

“Each candidate has strengths and weaknesses, and experience does matter,” Hagel said. “But what matters more in my opinion is character and judgment. And judgment meaning who is it that you bring around, who is it that you listen to? Can you make the right decisions for the right reasons on behalf of your country and the world?”

Hagel went on to say, "I think John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic.'"

McCain recently denounced Obama's 16 month timetable and endorsed Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki's 16 month timetable. This is the same timetable that Nouri al-Maliki and Obama agreed upon. McCain then denied he endorsed al-Maliki's timetable. In the same interview, McCain told Wolf Blitzer that al-Maliki doesn't want a timetable. I'm not making this up.

BLITZER: Why do you think (al-Makiki) said 16 months is basically a pretty good timetable?

MCCAIN: He said it's a pretty good timetable based on conditions on-the-ground. I think it's a pretty good timetable.

Blitzer asked what if al-Maliki asked President McCain to withdraw troops.

MCCAIN: He won't.

BLITZER: How do you know?

MCCAIN: He won't.

McCain was positive about "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED." Now he knows what goes on in the mind of the Iraqi Prime Minister.



Update: Hagel has another comment pointed at McCain.

"Quit talking about, 'Did the surge work or not work,' or, 'Did you vote for this or support this,'" Hagel said Thursday on a conference call with reporters.

"Get out of that. We're done with that. How are we going to project forward?" the Nebraska senator said. "What are we going to do for the next four years to protect the interest of America and our allies and restructure a new order in the world. ... That's what America needs to hear from these two candidates. And that's where I am."

Mary Mu

Hillsborough County comission candidate Kevin Beckner has been endorsed by Mary Mulhern.

Quote of the Day

"I hope Bill understands the difference between a porn star and a hooker. I assume he has done some research on the subject because he requested some of my videos after we finished taping my appearance. I imagine he wanted them for professional reasons."

Jenna Jameson on Bill O'Reilly. In 2003, O'Reilly attacked Pony International for signing Jameson and otther porn stars for a promotional campaign. O'Reilly described the women as "quasi-prostitutes" and lamented "I am sick and tired of seeing companies pushing bad behavior and justifying it as some kind of cultural freedom."

I am sick of Fox News pushing O'Reilly's bad behavior. The Fox News star has been sued for sexually harassing his producer and sending employees to ambush interview Bill Moyers. This is the same O'Reilly that had a public temper tantrum on Fresh Air because he felt Terry Gross was an "attack mode" interviewer. Check out his infamous interview with Jenna Jameson and you will see that O'Reilly shouldn't be questioning anyone's interview skills. The Jameson interview raises more questions about O'Reilly's view of women than it answers about what role porn stars should play in the mainstream.



The basic Bill O'Reilly talking point his be portrays himself as a tough guy. He even told Michael Moore that he would send himself to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan. The moment O'Reilly is given the same harsh treatment he reserves for his guests, he cries like a little bitch. Warriors don't spill tears over negative Media Matters or St. Petersburg Times articles.

Power Play

Power Play discusses CFO Alex Sink demanding Financial Regulation Commissioner Don Saxon dismissal. Saxon's office poor background checks allowed 10,000 criminals to be licenced as mortage brokers.

The panels discusses Charlie Crist controversal trip to Europe. The trip cost taxpayers $250,000.00.

Crist also took a hit in the venerable St. Petersburg Times, where he was criticized in a political column for staying in $1,800-a-night suites while his constituents could, "barely afford gasoline at $4 a gallon to reach the Red Roof Inn."

Crist be styling.

McCain's Iraq Political Judgement

Former White House communications director Dan Bartlett tells Politico that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's wish for a timetable for removing American troops hurts John McCain.

“Time will tell, but the al-Maliki comments about a timetable is very close to a game-changing event," Bartlett told my colleague Daniel Libit in an interview. "That was incredibly damaging [to McCain],because it neutralized one of [Obama’s] biggest liabilities."

McCain took the Bush position. Partly for political purposes; which is a bad way to decide military matters. McCain painted himself firmly into the position that troops will never leave Iraq. He never factored getting past the Republican nomination or that the Iraqis strongly oppose a long term U.S. presence. McCain made a bad call and it may cost him the election.

Great Moments in Conservative Punditry

I know Glenn Reynolds is desperate when he is dissing Barack Obama for making a three point shot on-camera. The kicker is Obama made the shot to an audience of U.S. troops in Kuwait.

UPDATE: Anyway, that's not so cool as Kass makes it sound. My high-school friend Steve Proffitt once made a more than full-court shot -- from the opposite end of the Maryville College gym, as he walked out the door -- over his shoulder, all the way to the far goal, nothing but net. He was so cool, he didn't even see it as he continued out the door without looking back. Now that's cool. And if he were running for President, I'd vote for him, though not because of his basketball skills. Instead he's a software baron, sadly enough for the Republic. But then, that field attracts more talent than politics, these days . . . .

Reynolds is not one to talk about game. The professor lost his mantle of most popular political blog to Daily Kos. Reynolds isn't even the most popular conservative blogger. Michelle Malkin has claimed the throne. Which proves the more fact-challenged, the more likely a conservative blogger will be read.

The Reynolds post reminds me of the idiot guy, in a bar, that always tries to one up everyone with his stories. If someone swam with manatees, idiot guy will say he swam with sharks. If you bungee-jumped, idiot guy jumped from a plane. I guarantee we will not see Reynolds and his superstar hoops friend Steve Proffitt make a video. I really want to see Steve make a shot, out the door, over the shoulder to the far goal." That hoops story has as much credibilty as Reynolds' gavel to gavel blogging about hidden WMDs in Iraq.

Here is the Obama video.

The No Impeachment Show

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on abuses on. House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Chairman John Conyers have stated that impeachment will not happen. Pelosi and Conyers are right. There is not enough votes in the Senate to remove the President or Dick Cheney. I certainly believe Bush is worthy of impeachment. That doesn't mean it is possible.

The hearing is for frustrated Democrats such as Robert Wexler.

"The Bush White House has distorted the concept of executive privilege beyond recognition in order to hide White House wrongdoings," Wexler said. "Faced with this litany of wrongful actions, I am convinced that the most appropriate response to this unprecedented behavior is to hold hearings for impeachment."

The best statement is made by former Reagan administration Deputy Attorney General Bruce Fein.

“He decided he would flout the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which placed limits, very modest ones, on the ability to collect foreign intelligence because after 40 years of disclosed abuses by the Church Committee and other committees of this Congress. He also claimed not only could he violate the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but any limitation in his view, any limitation on his ability to gather foreign intelligence was unconstitutional. Thus, he could kidnap, detain in secret prisons, in violation of limitations saying ‘I’m gathering foreign intelligence,’ he could open mail, he could burgalarize homes. All in the name of gathering foreign intelligence, a frightening power. And he has not renounced that to this day. He has also asserted the right to shield what he has done from review and oversight by this body.”

Bush tells America that he can keep us safe. Who keeps America safe from Bush?

Friday Cat Blogging

A man made a music video with his bobcat. This kitty is freaking huge. I have heard a bobcat roar up close. It's not a friendly sound. Bobcats are beautiful cats. Just don't try feeding a wild one. It's really not a good idea.

The Surge Tore Down The Berlin Wall

Johnnie's in Reno with the Vitamin D


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The Surge Inserted aTiny Paragraph Into The Patriot Act at 2:00 a.m.

Willendorf Venus took the baton in the photoshop relay and ran with it. Nice work!

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Barack Obama In Berlin

In Europe, the view that America is part of what has gone wrong in our world, rather than a force to help make it right, has become all too common. In America, there are voices that deride and deny the importance of Europe’s role in our security and our future. Both views miss the truth – that Europeans today are bearing new burdens and taking more responsibility in critical parts of the world; and that just as American bases built in the last century still help to defend the security of this continent, so does our country still sacrifice greatly for freedom around the globe.

Yes, there have been differences between America and Europe. No doubt, there will be differences in the future. But the burdens of global citizenship continue to bind us together. A change of leadership in Washington will not lift this burden. In this new century, Americans and Europeans alike will be required to do more – not less. Partnership and cooperation among nations is not a choice; it is the one way, the only way, to protect our common security and advance our common humanity.

The full text is here.

The biggest applause came from this remark.

The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand. The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down.

Obama's message of tolerance is shared by many across the Atlantic. The Republican establishment's message of freedom fries and verbal attacks on Europeans has left America more isolated. Germans chanted Obama's name. Can we think of a single Republican that could get that kind of response. An Obama presidency changing how the world sees the United States. After two Bush terms, an image makover is long due.

McCain Neverland Continues

Barack Obama continues to do well in the polls.

FLORIDA (Rasmussen): Obama - 46%, McCain - 45%.
MINNESOTA (Rasmussen): Obama - 49%, McCain - 37%.
NEW HAMPSHIRE (ARG): Obama - 47%, McCain - 45%.
NEW JERSEY (Monmouth Univ.): Obama - 42%, McCain - 28%.
VIRGINIA (PPP-D): Obama - 46%, McCain - 44%.
Pennsylvania (Rasmussen) Obama 47%, McCain - 42%.

Presidential races are about momentum. Obama has it and John McCain can't get his mojo on. The Maverick bullies Obama into going into Iraq. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki backs Obama's timetable plan of withdrawing U.S. troops. The Iraq visit becomes a major success for Obama. McCain responded by saying Obama wants to see America lose a war.

This is a clear choice that the American people have. I had the courage and the judgment to say I would rather lose a political campaign than lose a war. It seems to me that Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign.

The Iraqis want to run their own country. That was the point of the surge. There are a few possibilities for the Straight Talker's statement.

McCain wants to control Iraq, in the same manner, as Napoleon ruled the Kingdom of Italy. If that is true, then McCain cares nothing about the value of democracy.

McCain is desperate and flinging poo Obama's way.

McCain actually believes that Obama wants America to suffers a military defeat to further his political ambitions. McCain's mental judgement needs to be questioned if he truly believes this.

None of these possibilities speak well of John McCain's fitness to hold the Oval Office. McCain has pushed himself much of his life to become President. The Maverick is choking at the plate. Realisticly, McCain's presidential ambitions ended in 2007. when The Senator told Wolf Blitzer the streets of Baghdad safe.

BLITZER: "The U.S. is beginning to succeed in Iraq."

You know, everything we hear, that if you leave the so-called green zone, the international zone, and you go outside of that secure area, relatively speaking, you're in trouble if you're an American.

MCCAIN: You know, that's why you ought to catch up on things, Wolf.

General Petraeus goes out there almost every day in an unarmed Humvee. You want to -- I think you ought to catch up. You see, you are giving the old line of three months ago. I understand it. We certainly don't get it through the filter of some of the media.

Quote of the Day

"For 51 years, (Charlie) Crist has served as a model for traditional values by living the life of a celibate bachelor. It wasn't easy for him. Many wondered if his series of young, handsome male best friends might signal a fondness for show tunes."

Patriot Boy

Local Races

State Rep. Michael Scionti has endorsed Hillsborough County Commision candidate Kevin Beckner.

“The residents of Hillsborough County have a real opportunity for change and true leadership with Kevin Beckner. I am proud to support his candidacy and look forward to seeing him take a leadership role on the county commission,” stated Representative Scionti in his endorsement of candidate Kevin Beckner.

Beckner also received the endorsement of the Hillsborough County Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender and Allies Democratic Caucus.

In other news: Darden Rice now has her campaign yard signs. If you live in Pinellas County, put one in your yard.

The Special Interests of Gary Siplin

Gary Siplin is Florida's most embarrassing Democrat. Siplin was filmed jumping a fence, after he was charged for crimes of misusing his political office. He was convicted of third-degree felony grand theft. The conviction was overturned in the Fifth District Court of Appeals.

As a legislator, Siplin is best known for repeatedly trying to make wearing sagging pants illegal. Siplin was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans on a controversial ultrasound bill. The bill would force women having an abortion to view an ultrasound. The Senator also voted for an abortion waiting period.

Now Siplin is being attacked by the Florida Consumer Alliance with a mailer.

The mailer that started appearing this week blasts Siplin, a Democrat and fellow lawyer, over votes he’s cast that “jack up our phone bills,” or “increase car insurance,” and a bill he’s sponsored to cut off alimony payments to mothers who get in a new relationship.

“What’s wrong with GARY SIPLIN?” it reads, with an ominous looking black-and-white picture of Siplin imposed over a red background. Siplin's tie has been air-brushed red above accusations that he "betrayed our trust, sold us out to Republican special interests."

Siplin would not comment to The Orlando Sentinel about the allegations. His office release the statement: "There is no doubt the Tallahassee special interests are going after me. It's the price you pay when you stand up for the people you represent." Any group or person that gets politically involved is an special interests group. I really wish pols stop using "special interests" as if the fire pits of hell are going to open up. Really, the special interests line is getting old.

Guilty Pleasures

Jill tagged me to list my guilty pleasures. This is what happens when you make fun of a feminist's undying love of Michael Jackson and Pussycat Dolls. The game is bloggers tag each other and name their five guiltiest musical pleasures on their iPod. I named six songs. I'll added some film and television choices for all the internet to see.

Music

Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around

I absolutely love the song and the live versions are even better. Timberlake has won this 'N Sync hater over

Miranda Lambert - Bring Me Down

The song is over-the-top syrupy. Lambert's conviction sells the song. In the video, why is that guy hiding in the barn?

AC/DC - Shoot to Thrill

One of the lyrically most stupid and sexist bands in rock history. Angus Young's has a way with power chords like no other guitarist. This song rocks on a car stereo. That is a must for any guilty pleasure song.

Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone

Why does every music artist spell the word you like Prince?

This song is a guilty plasure for just about everyone.

Freda Payne - Band of Gold

The Afghan Whigs cover is superior. The Whigs dark version gave me a greater appreciation for this song.

Bodeans - Pick Up the Pieces

This no hit wonder wrote silly lyrics. They are great singers.

Television

Dark Justice

The show was so bad that it was good. Nicholas Marshall was a mild-mannered judge by day. At night, he was a motorcycle-riding vigilante with Michael Bolton hair. Check out the open credits video.



You can watch Dark Justice episodes for free on AOL. Erik Estrada guest-stars as a villian. Need I say more?

Lost

I'm firmly convinced the producers don't know how the story will end and the actors stopped caring a long time ago. There is still something addictive about this frustrating show. Lost is entertaining at it's worse. How many trained mercenaries does it take to shoot Sawyer?



Movies

Slap Shot

One of the most politically incorrect movies of all-time. No progressive blogger should admit to loving this.

I tag Litbrit, Zencomix, and Creative Loafing music critic Wade Tatangelo. Name your five guilty pleasure songs on your iPod.

Update: Wade Tatangelo names his guilty pleasures.

Attention Photoshoppers

The Surge was responsible for drawing Sad Sack and Sarge comic books.

Purls Before Swine

When George Carlin died, after remembering some of his classic bits, my thoughts drifted to Lenny Bruce.

"Lenny Bruce opened the doors for all the folks like me; he prefigured the
free-speech movement and helped push the culture forward into the light of open
and honest expression. I like to find out where the line is drawn and then drag
the audience across the line with me and make them happier for the experince.
Lenny opened all the doors, or kicked them down." George Carlin

While browsing throught the library yesterday I came across a 6 CD set and book on the top shelf, "Lenny Bruce:Let The Buyer Beware". I wasn't looking for it, but there it was just waiting for me, so I checked it out.

Meanwhile, at the recent Netroots Nation, attention was paid to certain bloggers pulling back on "obscenities". BlueGal cuts through the bullshit...

... pulling back on the obscenities? Because as The
New York Fucking Times quotes one (emphasis mine):

Digby Parton, who writes on Hullabaloo.com, said
she initially thought of her blog as an ephemeral form of conversation among
friends and used vulgarities freely. But now she is read by a substantially
wider circle and has cleaned up her language.“I don’t use the same amount of
profanity,” she said. “We’re taken much more seriously as a political force,”
and she has a stronger sense that her words are “out there for
posterity.”

Now I bow to the great writing of Digby as much as any of us do, she's a
godmother to so many and far be it from a nobody like myself to...Posterity?
Fuck that, Digby.What is posterity? The dry spot you wiggle toward after
sleeping with the enemy?

Sheeit.I don't care if you blog the word "fuck" or not. Those kind of
choices are made by writers all the time, and the right choice is what works for
what you're writing.But I do care, very much, where the blogs go and what they
represent. There are two political parties in this country, folks: "inside the
Beltway" and "outside the Beltway." I am a proud outside the beltway
rabblerouser.Chris Mathews? Wolf Blitzer? Markos? To which party do they belong
these days?

I couldn't agree more . Bluegal sent me to this link by DriftGlass, on shouting "Fuck" in a crowded porno theater. Number 6 on the list of Seven Things So Monstrous and Obscene That You Can Never, Ever Say Them On TV... "Genuine Christianity's worst enemies are Conservative Evangelical Fundamentalist Christians"



The motivations for arresting Lenny Bruce and threatening club owners with arrest or loss of licenses had as much to do with his satire of organized religions as it did with using the word cocksucker. George Carlin liked to find out where the line was and drag the audience across. He talked about "The Game".

Lenny found out where the line was and didn't just talk about it, but took it to the streets. In 1951, after moving to Miami and working the clubs with his wife Honey, he organized a charter from New York State legalizing The Brother Mathias Foundation, getting licensed to solicit and disperse funds for a leper colony in British Guiana. He'd put on a priest costume with the collar and go door to door asking for donations for the leper colony. He was arrested in Palm Beach on suspicion of gaining money by deception - "soliciting funds for some NONSECTARIAN organization that had sponsored a leper colony." (my emphasis). He was eventually charged with vagrancy and panhandling. He had raised $8000, of which $2500 reached the leper colony. He had the unmitigated audacity to play the Religion, Inc game , and they took great offense! I'm not sure what church dominated Palm Beach, but Lenny was encroaching on their turf, and he paid the price.

Paul Krassner wrote about a gig in Milwaukee in 1960.

That evening, three plainclothes police walked into his dressing room at
the club where he was working. They told him not to discuss politics or religion
or sex, or they'd yank him right off the stage. The previous night a
group of Catholics had signed a complaint about his act.

My first encounter with Lenny Bruce was from a piece in Arcade: The Comics Revue No.2, 1975, written by Paul Krassner and illustrated by Robert Crumb.



Krassner writes

Once in Chicago, a few of us were driving around and stopped the car in front of a Religious Novelties store. Lenny got out and purchased a framed portrait of John XXIII, the first Pope in history to smoke cigarettes.
"I just Know I could make him laugh," Lenny said.

We drove past a Catholic school and stopped again. Lenny beckoned toward a couple of little girls standing around in their parochial uniforms. "Hey c'mere a minute - I got the real thing in here." They approached the car, he opened the door, whipped out the painting of the Pope and flashed it like some kind of religious exhibitionist. Lenny was right; Pope John would've laughed at that, one of those hoarse laughs that people develop from smoking too many cigarettes.

I'll leave off here with a 6 Cozmik Debris of Zappadan Separation, the gig poster for his last shows

NY Times Rejects McCain Op-Ed

We know that John McCain had an Op-ED rejected by the New York Times. What is not more commonly known is that John McCain also had several political cartoons rejected by the OP-ED editorial board at the New York Times. Zencomix was able to obtain copies of the cartoons in question. Here's McCain's first submission.



New York Times op-ed editor David Shipley wrote in an email to McCain's staff, "It would be terrific to have a cartoon from Senator McCain that mirrors Senator Obama's piece." But, he continued, "I'm not going to be able to accept this cartoon as currently drawn."



Apparently, he didn't like the fact that the cartoon was drawn on the back of a cardboard box for a can of sardines.He possibly was doing McCain a huge favor by not letting McCain's connection to a Moroccan Sardine Cartel be a part of the public discourse on the Presidential election. McCain went "back to the drawing board" and submitted this cartoon.



This cartoon was also rejected. McCain remained steadfast in his use of sardine boxes, although he did change brands for the new cartoon.



I caught up with John McCain on the campaign trail in the parking lot of a Mister Donut in Braintree, Massachusetts. I asked for his reaction to the NY Times rejecting his OP-ED cartoons.


"Damn caviar eating Liberal Elitist Media, doesn't like a good, honest can of sardines!"




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Bonus Quote of the Day

"I may never publish another op-ed in The New York Times after this."

John Bolton, on The New York Times not publishing the John McCain op-ed. How will The New York Times continue without Bolton's hysterical guest punditry? I still haven't recovered from The Times losing John Tierney twice-weekly comedy gems.

Joe Garcia on Florida Progressive Radio

Alison Morano of Florida Progressive Radio interviews Florida congressional candidate Joe Garcia.

Husker Du Reheasing Warehouse Song

Captain's Dead has posted Husker Du tracks of the band rehearsing Warehouse: Songs and Stories. The band is amazingly tight. Husker Du was the world's greatest punk rock band in 1987. No band since then merged pop, punk and metal better than the Twin Cities boys.

Reality Check at Netroots Nation

RH Reality Check: Netroots Nation 2008 on Reproductive Health from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.

Amanda Marcotte of Reality Check interviews people at Netroots Nation about reproductive rights. My view is Democrats need to get off their collective asses and pass legislation that clearly makes abortion legal. We can not expect the Supreme Court to keep abortion legal.

Update: Because of spelling errors, I am now believed to be an anti-choicer. I am not. Just to clear things up.

Brooke Hogan: Modern Day Elizabeth Stanton

We can count Brooke Hogan out of doing a Rock the Vote ad campaign. The Hulkster's daughter explained to her roommate, on her latest reality tv disaster, why one should not rock the vote.

You know what? I am actually not that much into voting. I think it's kinda crazy that a woman is running, because I think that women deal with a lot of emotions and menopause and PMS and stuff. Like, I'm so moody all the time, I know I couldn't be able to run a country, 'cause I'd be crying one day and yelling at people the next day, ya know?

I'm not into living in the same area as the Hogan family and having to deal with endless Hogan media frenzy.

Feministing had a link to Brooke Hogan's music website. I could not listen to a song for more than ten seconds.