Sunday Funny

Funny, but serious as well. This is a real prank by some radio guys who managed to get through to Sarah Palin. A McCain heartbeat away.

My Big Fat Pre-Election Blog

I have been thinking so much about the lead up to the election, the election itself and what is going to happen after, that it's been impossible to put all these thoughts into the written word. One huge advantage radio has over blogging is that on radio, I would have hours to say everything that is on my mind. Over the course of hours and days, I could completely flesh out my ideas, thoughts and opinions. If all I did was blog it would be the same. However, to do that I would have to write constantly and edit endlessly. I certainly don't have the time for that, so here is some stuff thrown out there for what it's worth.

THE RACE IS TIGHTENING The McCain / Palin ticket is making up ground in this election and I am very worried. Believe it or not, the negative campaigning, name calling and "Joe the Plumber" nonsense is pushing the button of the very people who are hurt most by Republican policies. There is also real hate being generated out there by the GOP and that's also working. It is beyond sad to see millions still buying into a philosophy that could not have failed more clearly. I have to give it to the Republicans, one thing (perhaps the only thing) they do well is frighten and fool people. If McCain and Palin win - they certainly won't have much of a nation to govern. One half, their half, are intellectually useless ditto heads and the other half will just walk away from the process after seeing hard work, pragmatism and honesty rejected again by the voters.

RESULTS ON WEDNESDAY? Voting day and night will probably be chaotic. Look at the lines now an imagine what it will be like Tuesday. In Red states there will be efforts to prevent people from voting and that will cause problems and delays as well. I doubt we will have a result until Wednesday because I think people will be waiting in lines until after midnight all across the nation and it will take a long time to count the record number of votes. If the race is close, it will take even longer for a winner to be projected. I would not be surprised if a winner was not declared until Wednesday afternoon or evening.

WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF SARAH PALIN? There has been much discussion as to the future of Sarah Palin. Many feel she will be rejected by the GOP and thrown under the bus or will float away due to her lack of gravitas. I strongly disagree. I believe that Sarah Palin will be the symbolic leader of the GOP (if they lose next week) and she will take the party in an even uglier direction. I know it's hard to believe in this day and age, but she has no problem with blatant race bating and fear mongering. She IS another George Wallace and she is not going anywhere. I also suspect that many hard right wingers will move to Alaska, in the event of an Obama victory, and that state will become a hotbed (pun intended) of White Supremacy and other far right activities and strategies. She will begin running for President on her own almost immediately, and will have something close to torch bearing followers standing behind her the whole way.

GET OUT THE KLEENEX. I think this Tuesday and Wednesday will see more Americans crying than any day in history, maybe even including 9-11. Why? Think about it. No matter what, I think most Obama supporters will be crying. If he wins, it will be such a relief, such a change, a real end to our long, long nightmare, it will be impossible not to get emotional about it. If he loses, well there will certainly be a lot of tears too. I don't know about how McCain voters will react. Some might cry if he loses or win, but I expect either anger or obnoxious boasting. Tears not so much.

MQAblog 2009? I have also been thinking about the future of my blog. I have worked hard for more that 15 years on radio and on line to alert people to the dangers of the right wing. I have seen from the start that this is not simply a difference of political philosophy, but a real difference of intent. I believe that the movers and shakers in the Conservative movement don't care about America. They are simply using our democratic freedoms to paralyze people into fear and hatred so they can make billions of dollars and run international policy to their liking. They just say what they have to, to assure loyalty from their misinformed followers. I have long believed that most of their followers are naive to what going on. I have no doubt that I have been proven correct. So if Obama wins, much of my work will be done. That's not to say that the Right Wing will disappear. On the contrary. They will be smaller but much more nasty, hateful and even violent. It will be very, very ugly and will need constant monitoring. But now, with the Internet and blogs, there are many who now see this and can fight this fight. I'm not sure I have the energy to do it any more. If Obama looses then I will really give it up. It will be clear that the American people are not interested in logic and reason and my efforts to enlighten and educate are pointless. Democracy will have failed this country and I, for one, will no longer see discussion and debate as a productive use of my time.

PREDICTIONS I don't have any new predictions for Tuesday. I did predict way back when that Obama would win the Presidency so I stand by that. However, I have seen victory snatched away too many times and with the tightening polls I just fear the worst. I just plead with everybody to go out and vote - no matter how long the lines. While you are standing there, think about what 4 years of McCain and Palin would mean. Think about how Republicans would never fear being held responsible for anything if they are elected to the White House again despite the complete mess they have made. Think about situation we are on and ask yourself if rewarding hatred and lies is the best way to start the nation's healing and recovery.

LAST DAYS OF OLD AMERICA Next week this country and the world will change. One week from now, things will be completely different. Have no doubt about that. We could finally break away from this dark cloud and begin to move in the right direction, or we as a nation, could just fall off the cliff into hopelessness, fear and despair. If the hatred of the McCain/Palin campaign is rewarded, it will increase exponentially throughout the bloodstream of America. Hope would have been defeated and therefore extinguished for a generation. Democracy will have lost it's luster and faith in the American dream will disappear - likely forever. The world will never look at us with respect again and for good reason. However, if Obama wins then it will allow Americans to believe again. Believe that competence is preferred over rhetoric, facts over fear, hope over hatred and unity over divisiveness. Next week things will be completely different. Old America will either start it's resurgence or complete it's decline. Whichever, it will be different, sudden and noticeable. It will be change.

V O T E !

Happy Friday

The Vet who did not Vet: A Cautionary Tale

"Amy The Stylist"

Was paid more than $22 thousand by the McCain Palin ticket in just the past two weeks!. Her job? Sarah Palin's stylist. If the working class buys into the GOP's fraudulent sympathy again this year, it will just be plain embarrassing.

An acclaimed celebrity makeup artist for Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin collected more money from John McCain's campaign than his foreign policy adviser. Amy Strozzi, who works on the reality show "So You Think You Can Dance" and has been Palin's traveling stylist, was paid $22,800, according to campaign finance reports for the first two weeks in October. In contrast, McCain's foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was paid $12,500, the report showed.

McCain Campaign in Disarray?

Chuck Todd is in the top tier of my TV political analysts so what he has to say here is attention grabbing. Of course, I noticed very early the awkwardness between McCain and Palin. I sensed that he didn't think she was grateful enough and she immediately began acting as an independent candidate out mostly for herself. Plus, she misled him and everyone else about her real record. Two "mavericks" - not a good team. Who woudda thunk it?

Final Debate Tonight: 9 PM

This is the final showdown. I expect John McCain to trot out the Right wing smears tonight. I also expect Obama to brush them off like the misinformation that they are. Here are a few topics to look for.

William Ayres: Obama has worked with him a few times but so have Republicans! Look for Obama to bring up the fact that Ayres' educational programs have been funded by conservatives for years. In fact, they have had a much closer working relationship Ayres over the years than Obama does.

ACORN: This is the most recent smear being put out by the Hannity's, Limbaugh's and Palin's of the world. It is nonsense. They pay people to get people to register to vote. Some of them put in fake names. But they are quickly sorted out and of course, Mickey Mouse cannot vote. I am sure I will write about this ACORN smear more, but for now I will say that it symbolizes the re-booting of the Conservative movement. They are going back to the 1970's where conservatives started by "Blaming the Victim". Expect, for the remainder of this campaign and for years to come, to hear that all our problems are because of ... wait for it ... poor people. Yep, the economy would be fine now if it wasn't for them. This is what Reagan hitched his horse to to jump start this era of conservatism. Reagan expertly morphed blaming the poor into the fictionalized "Cadillac Queen"(read: poor black people) and began the tidal wave of vile political discourse we have seen for the past generation. ACORN is also a buzz word for "poor, black inner city people". By using this group, conservatives can hate blacks and be PC about it! Finally, a big reason the hate mongers are building up ACORN is because they want to de-legitimized a potential Obama victory. Barack could win by 500,000 votes and some on the right (Talk radio, FOX) will say the election was stolen by ACORN. Count on it! That's what they are setting up right now. Remember that the conservative movement is built on hatred and the denial of reality. It can only survive if they have someone or something to despise and if they repudiate facts as a liberal conspiracy against them. First, they targeted their hatred on the poor, then the communists, then the Clintons, then terrorists. It's come back full circle to the poor now. Because the number of people buying into the conservative doctrine is shrinking, they need to be even more hateful than ever. In order to do this they will have to deny that they lost the election and portray themselves as victims. ACORN seems to be the straw man of this era. (As a bonus, there is a video of John McCain praising ACORN at a rally a few years ago.)

John Lewis: This black congressman was part of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's. He remembers how inflammatory words back then lead directly to violence. He recognized, like many of us have, the same type of language coming from Palin and her followers. He pointed it out. The right wing doesn't like that. Lewis compared the LANGUAGE of Palin and her mobs to that of George Wallace. It was an apt comparison. John McCain is trying to claim that he (McCain) was being directly compared to Wallace. He was not. But look for him to bring this up and complain that Obama has not repudiated the comments. The fact is, Obama did disagree with the comments almost as soon as they came out.

A Kinder, Gentler McCain?

Some are theorizing that John McCain is going to throw another "Hail Mary" today or tomorrow. Whats the plan? To repudiate the hate and lies that he has used thus far, maybe firing the Karl Rove lieutenants that he has running his campaign and (at this late hour) swearing off negative campaigning. I think this will be seen as the act of desperation that it is, but it's better than getting even MORE negative. Now lets see if McCain can control his running mate and the nut cases who cling to the illusion that she should (or even could) be leader of the free world.

Abuse Of Power

No wonder Sarah Palin is beloved by the Right.

"violated state ethics laws and abused her power "

Incitement!

Long time listeners and readers know that I believe that there is is a significant portion of the "conservative movement" prone to violence and domestic terror. The record makes this clear. Through the years we've seen assassination attempts, coordinated clinic bombings, creation of armed militias designed to overthrow the government, the Oklahoma City Bombing, lone wolf church shootings and an endless stream of hate and threats coming from the right wing. When frustrated, they don't just try harder to persuade us in the marketplace of ideas, they become angry and resort to violence.

This always becomes more prevalent when these type of "conservatives" have their back to the wall. They feel completely justified in ignoring the law to further their goals or prevent policies they disagree with from advancing. We all remember the dark and dangerous people of violence who reared their heads during the Clinton Administration. Well, their backs are against the wall now and they are really ramping up the hatred!

Talk radio, Fox News and now Sarah Palin and John McCain, are inciting real hatred and anger among their followers that run directly counter to what this country is all about. Make no mistake about it, the very people who ignored our laws over the past eight years and those who continue to support those politicians, will instinctively resort to intimidation, hatred, and even violence. These "movement conservatives" don't negotiate because they believe they have the absolute truth. Even more frightening, many honestly believe that God backs them up on this. That is why violence is an acceptable choice for them. They are told that they are doing God's work and the laws of man - especially if they feel they are "unGodly" laws - are absolutely irrelevant.

So while the majority of Americans recoil at the current behavior of Republicans and the language used by Palin/McCain and their surrogates in inciting this hatred and violence during the last stages of the Presidential campaign, have no illusions that they are creating a dangerous place of us to live - now and in the years to come. All we can do is point it out, condemn it and be very careful.

UPDATE 8PM: John McCain has finally spoken out against the hatred. He was boo'd heartily by his supporters but I do give him credit for trying.

Commentary of the Day

Here is an excerpt from Tom Friedman's column today about the Vice Presidential Debate that I thought was very good:

... One thing [Sarah Palin] said in the debate with Joe Biden that really sticks in my craw. It was when she turned to Biden and declared: "You said recently that higher taxes or asking for higher taxes or paying higher taxes is patriotic. In the middle class of America, which is where Todd and I have been all of our lives, that’s not patriotic."

What an awful statement. Palin defended the government’s $700 billion rescue plan. She defended the surge in Iraq, where her own son is now serving. She defended sending more troops to Afghanistan. And yet, at the same time, she declared that Americans who pay their fair share of taxes to support all those government-led endeavors should not be considered patriotic.

I only wish she had been asked: "Governor Palin, if paying taxes is not considered patriotic in your neighborhood, who is going to pay for the body armor that will protect your son in Iraq? Who is going to pay for the bailout you endorsed? If it isn’t from tax revenues, there are only two ways to pay for those big projects — printing more money or borrowing more money. Do you think borrowing money from China is more patriotic than raising it in taxes from Americans?" That is not putting America first. That is selling America first.

In Defense of Rich Lowry

The other day I mentioned the post by influential Conservative writer Rich Lowry about how watching Sarah Palin the other night gave him great ... um ..... self satisfaction. Well Boonman has been a lone voice in defending him. You have to read it!

The VP Debate

You betcha, I watched and I'm am sure glad I did dont'cha know.

I thought Sarah Palin met the very low expectations she had coming into the contest. She was very able in repeating her lines and coming across as an attractive small town beauty queen turned GOP saviour. Those who like her undoubtedly loved the debate last night.

However, those of us who were looking for substance continue to be frightened of the prospect of Sarah Palin in the White House. She answered questions she wasn't even asked, ignored the topic of discussion and regurgitated the same old Republican talking points I have been hearing my whole life. If anyone watching the debate still buys into Republican ideology , they certainly heard it repeated dutifully by the woman from Alaska. But those who see the need for real change in this country probably did not fall for the "cutsie" factor and certainly did not want to consider the prospect of living through more of the same old Bushonomics and foreign policy ideas. Also, how she could gush about Ronald Reagan over and over while trying to ridicule Biden for criticizing our current President was beyond ridiculous.

So. I agree with the polls that Biden won the debate. Some may once again be fooled by Palin's attractiveness and sunny demeanor, but I think most people are ready to move beyond the superficiality that has defined the modern Republican movement. No more old movies stars or fake cowboys and certainly no "hockey moms". What we need is serious thoughtful people bringing about true reform to this country. Sarah Palin came no where near crossing that critical threshold.

UPDATE 10:00PM

I just wanted to pat myself on the back once again (twice really)for being proved correct - well ahead of the curve.

First, remember here and here where I expressed the concern that Palin was a megalomaniac who wanted to use the office of the Vice Presidency to further her extreme agenda? Well, here is some proof of my correctness. Remember, it is now vogue among Conservatives to say the elections serve as their ONLY check on their power. They believe, once elected, they can do whatever they please. Palin, from her comments last night, does plan on using the position of VP in very powerful and frightening ways.

Second, I have received some grief today about calling Conservatives out for their superficiality. I argued that Palin's good looks and charm have blinded some on the right into not seeing her incompetence and (see above) megalomaniac tendencies. Well, here's a little gift from one of the most influential Conservative writers in America. Rich Lowry wrote this today ... read it and go ewwwwww.

October 2

Today is my Mom's Birthday. I will be flying down to Miami today to wish her a Happy Birthday in person.

Today is the 30th anniversary of the Bucky Dent Home Run in Boston. Things sure have changed in the baseball world.

With the Yankees out of the playoffs this year my sentimental favorites for this post season are 1. Chicago Cubs, 2. Tampa Bay Rays and 3. Chicago White Sox. Hope that doesn't jinx them.

The big VP debate tonight. I expect Sarah Palin to do better than expected. I just hope people don't mistake someone having 90 good minutes for someone being qualified for the office of Vice President. If the American people were charmed into loving her once, they might be fooled again. (It's not just Americans who fall into the trap either) If she doesn't win the debate tonight, the GOP's ticket chances are over. It's a crucial night tonight and I hope that the truth shines through and superficiality takes a back seat.

Michael Bloomberg is set to announce that he will seek a third term. As I have already mentioned, I support this and still believe that term limits are a bad idea. We'll see what the voters of NYC have to say.

Well I'm off to the airport. Time to take off my shoes for no good reason and now the newest ritual - sitting on the tarmac prior to take off for an hour or more. Still, it is more relaxing than most of my days at work and I get to read and listen to my iPod all day. Yayy! Best of all, I get to go home for a couple days. I'm off.....

Paper Work

Here's a tough question for you.... Do you read any newspapers?  Yes.  OK, now here's a real difficult one for you, name one.  Could you do it?  Could you name a newspaper?  Yes?... YOU ELITIST!!!

There's Nothing About Sarah

Former Sarah Palin supporter Glenn Greenwald has changed his mind.

But Sarah Palin's performance in the tiny vignettes of unscripted dialogue in which we've been allowed to see her has been nothing short of frightening -- really, as I said, pity-inducing. And I say that as someone who has thought from the start that the criticisms of her abilities -- as opposed to her ideology -- were much too extreme. One of two things is absolutely clear at this point: she is either (a) completely ignorant about the most basic political issues -- a vacant, ill-informed, incurious know-nothing, or (b) aggressively concealing her actual beliefs about these matters because she's petrified of deviating from the simple-minded campaign talking points she's been fed and/or because her actual beliefs are so politically unpalatable, even when taking into account the right-wing extremism that is permitted, even rewarded, in our mainstream. I'm not really sure which is worse, but it doesn't really matter, because with 40 days left before the election, both options are heinous.

Watch Your Back, Mac

As you all know, I have long believed that Sarah Palin is a conniving megalomaniac. I also suspect that John McCain has come to realize that. (Their body language is so illustrative) Well, here is an article that seem to give more credence to my theory.

See what happens when you sell out John? Much as Dick Cheney manhandled George W. Bush (especially at first) Palin will bully McCain viciously (she already is). This lady is dangerous in more ways than I care to outline. (Although a good summary is here).

John McCain has become a tragic figure. Once an independent maverick, he sold out to Bush and then the radical right of his party. Now he stands to either lose this election or destroy the nation if he should win. No wonder he looks so lost and lonely on the campaign trail. He can't trust his running mate and the American people can't trust him.

Meet The Expert!

Sad thing is, many Americans would rather see this idiot in office than any black person.

Lipstick on a Dick (Cheney that is)

Wow! All my worst fears are correct. Take 15 minutes to read it all.

The [New York] Times interviewed more than 60 Alaskans who've encountered the so-called Barracuda, the tales were not pretty.Throughout her political career, she has pursued vendettas, fired officials who crossed her and sometimes blurred the line between government and personal grievance, according to a review of public records and interviews with 60 Republican and Democratic legislators and local officials.

Interviews show that Ms. Palin runs an administration that puts a premium on loyalty and secrecy. The governor and her top officials sometimes use personal e-mail accounts for state business; dozens of e-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that her staff members studied whether that could allow them to circumvent subpoenas seeking public records.

There is so much more

Clueless in Alaska

Well, well, well Sarah Palin finally gave an interview and as I feared, she is a simple minded ideologue. She only regurgitated right wing talking points during the interview or ignored the question all together. We can see that she is getting the classic tutoring from Republican operatives, but it can not hide the fact that she has no depth to her thought process, little knowledge of even contemporary history and totally in over her head. If Republicans like Presidents who are “just like us”, they will love this dim bulb from Alaska. Those of us who want someone BETTER than we are, have a clear choice in Obama/Biden. Let’s hope, after 8 years of a cocky ideological “everyman” in the White House we have learned our lesson about electing a puppet for a political movement over that of someone who’s primary interest is the good of the country.

UPDATE: Here's a fact check of the Palin interview.

UPDATE II: Today I have been adding links to this story. I haven't changed what I have written, but since I am often (yawn) ahead of the curve, when I come across news stories that come out during the day which support the arguments I made earlier, I link them up. So, what I am saying is that you should re-read any posts here which interest you, because they may be updated with fresh citations over the hours and days after the original blog is posted.