Our National Embarrassment gets booed

This one made my whole week. Okay, maybe just my whole day, but it's about time Our National Embarrassment feels just a tiny bit of our discontent. I'm all for keeping the president and our leaders safe and that no harm comes to them, even this president, but in the 21st century, an American president really does lead a sanitized life - rarely hearing true opinions of Americans, unless he wants to. It never ceases to anger me when I read about how the Secret Service arrests protesters at a presidential appearance, or when "protest sites" are set up. How nice and convenient!

As I watched this footage, I couldn't help but fantasize for a moment about being the owner of the Washington Nationals while having Bush visit. Maybe the best thing for this night would have been giving out free foam "Ws" which would have made for some great throwing (love the double entendre), or maybe free W-shaped ice cream snacks with raspberry sauce - great symbolism for all of the death, destruction and disillusionment our wonderful president has brought to the Middle East, and plenty of the last two here at home, too. But, I digress.

h/t Crooks & Liars for the video footage

Lou Dobbs gets cotton mouth

Here at CMB, I try to not focus so much on the trivial, nonsensical stuff, but every once in a while, something funny comes along in our political world that's simply too good to not at least comment on.

Take a look at this footage as Lou Dobbs banters with Wolf Blitzer about race in this country when Sigmund Freud pays his mouth a visit. Too funny ~ "Cotton Piiiiii... Arrrgggh!" What was that, Lou?

Something else I've noticed about CNN lately (when I rarely watch it these days) - the American flag is seemingly everywhere. In this clip, it's all over the background, with of course the requisite lapel pins, etc. CNN tries to become more and more like Fox News every day, no doubt so it can recapture the lost glory it held long ago of being the number one cable news network.

My wish list for my next state senator

I've mentioned before how my wife and I support Anne Dicker (left) for the Pennsylvania State Senate. We live in the First District, which encompasses parts of south and west Philadelphia.

Dicker's opponents in the April 22 Democratic Primary are Johnny Dougherty and Larry Farnese. I won't even consider voting for either one, however. Dougherty is disqualified because he represents the thuggish ways of Philadelphia's labor politics, a time period I can only hope is fading into history (but not nearly quickly enough). Farnese gets my immediate disqualification because, by all appearances, he is the departing Vince Fumo's choice, and I despise Fumo, so Farnese loses by association. I've been receiving a lot of junk mail campaign literature from both Dougherty and Farnese, and I barely give it a look. I have to mention that I think it's funny that Farnese's flier that arrived yesterday didn't mention anywhere that he's running for State Senate. How funny is that? Talk about amateur hour.

Anyway, here is my wish list for the candidates in the First District (and I will e-mail this to all of the candidates).

Mass Transit, Traffic & Infrastructure
It's amazing to me how this is not much of an issue at the state and national levels. With rumors of gas prices rising to $4 per gallon, federal and state governments have basically yawned their collective mouths toward mass transit. Put simply, mass transit must be a much larger part of our multi-plan goal of energy independence.

For instance, here in Pennsylvania, the oft-discussed and nearly abandoned Schuylkill Valley Metro would make a world of sense. Of course, the federal government has denied funding, and Governor Rendell has been less than helpful. A few years ago, he announced the funding would not be forthcoming and that the project should be considered dead. Lots of anger ensued, so Rendell backpedaled somewhat, blaming the federal government for lack of funding. I'd take that at face value, except that in light of the federal government's tax deferment rebate checks economic stimulus plan, it was reported that the powers that be in Harrisburg are considering a similar plan. Of course I'd like another rebate - who wouldn't? But, as I sit in a traffic jam on I-76 tomorrow morning, thoughts of being able to take the train to work will be dancing in my head. Instead of the politically beneficial yet fiscally stupid decision of giving a few hundred dollars four tanks of gas back to taxpayers, how about addressing congestion and traffic issues? Better yet, how about elected officials in Harrisburg do what they are really elected to do - look out for out best interests? Since Pennsylvania has so many infrastructure issues, it sure would be refreshing to hear all legislators make a promise not to vote themselves a pay raise for five years. Better yet, maybe a pay cut to finance some of our needed infrastructure improvements? Yea, I know, fat chance.

There have been numerous proposals to expand routes 422 and I-76, and each and every time, the word "funding" gets in the way. There have been numerous proposals to add an upper deck to I-76, with light rail on top (part of the Schuylkill Valley Metro) in the middle and four new lanes on I-76. Route 422 should also be expanded. And if anyone reading this thinks I'm off my rocker, try getting from Pottstown to Philadelphia at around 7:30 in the morning. Then do it again. And again. And again. Do it for a week, and you'd be as frustrated as I am. My point is that expanding either I-76 or 422 won't get it done, because both of these highways are extremely congested. I'd really like to see the SVM get built AND see expanded highway capacity. The Philadelphia area needs both to serve current needs, much less to allow for growth in the area. The city is always saying how it wants to attract businesses, and I wonder how many have looked at the traffic situation and said, "No thanks"?

This decade, I've written dozens and dozens of letters to my federal, state and local representatives, begging for some solutions, and I mostly get nothing in return. Andrew Warren, when he was the Philadelphia region's PENNDOT director, finally called me on the telephone one day while I was working for Lucent, explaining that PENNDOT is pushing mass transit as a solution to Philly's traffic problems. Fine, but it sounded to me like he was passing the buck a little bit, too. I basically got the impression that he was irritated with all of my letter writing, which made me even more irritated than he was. I was crestfallen that Warren ended up running for public office after I moved from Bensalem, because I was looking forward to voting against him. He lost anyway.

I also heard from Senator Roger A. Madigan, the chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, who wrote me a letter saying that I was basically proposing a bridge from King of Prussia to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia that would cost several billion dollars. As I read the letter, I smiled, and said out loud, "Yep, that's exactly what I'm proposing."

Anyway, mass transit must be at the forefront of the energy independence and climate crisis debates.

Closely related to that is the need to upgrade our infrastructure. It angers me that so many of our bridges and highways have been neglected for so long. I just heard on the radio the other day that over 20 percent of Philadelphia area bridges are "structurally deficient," but PENNDOT states they are "still safe." I guess I need to go back to grade school, because I learned that "deficient" means lacking in some way. Quickly now, are any of you comfortable knowing that one quarter of our area bridges need attention? I'm no engineer, but there certainly is an unpredictability factor to these issues as well, as evidenced by the sudden I-95 closure last week because large cracks began appearing in a critical support column. I suppose we should all be thankful that it was caught in time to avoid catastrophe, but that's another thing that won't be too comforting as I travel over and under dozens of bridges on my commute tomorrow.

Speaking of I-95, that needs major upgrades as well. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. Here's a very real hypothetical, however - imagine two critical closures happening at once in Philadelphia? For instance, I-95 has another structure issue, and there's a bad traffic accident on the collision-prone Schuylkill Expressway (or worse, a simultaneous structure issue) - can you imagine what it would be like in the Philadelphia area? Forget about work, errands or entertainment - staying home would be the only sane option for anyone who commutes. But, if we had more mass transit options...

Gay Marriage
Dicker has solid credentials on this issue, since she is openly bisexual. I'm not interesting in exploring her sex life, unlike many on the radical religious right who go on a self-righteous crusade against people who have choices that differ from theirs. Sadly, it takes courage to be open about such things in our society, and definitely in our state. We may have a Democratic governor, but it wasn't all that long ago when we had a Republican governor and two Republican U.S. Senators. My point here is that Pennsylvania is a moderate state on many issues, but conservative on many social issues.

I'm really hoping that Pennsylvania gets on board the tolerance train and passes a civil union law. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm not giving up, either. Dicker has plenty of leverage on this issue. Any people in the GLBT community who are voting for anyone other than Dicker in the primary really ought to rethink their choice.

Casinos
Dicker has been in the anti-casino fight for some time now, and I've got absolutely no problem with that. I see very little benefit to having casinos in Philadelphia - history has shown that there are as many disadvantages as advantages to having them in a city. Yes, we would receive more tax revenue, but also increased traffic, crime and all of the other unattractive things that come with casinos. What's more, Farnese is openly pro-casino, and for the life of me I can't find anything on Dougherty's Website about casinos as of this writing, so it's another reason to cast your ballot for Anne Dicker.

Healthcare
Anne Dicker has talked openly about getting universal healthcare for all Pennsylvanians, and there's nothing wrong with that at all. What's more, she isn't hiding behind the pipe dream of the federal government enacting uni healthcare, which may never happen.

Transparency
I'm skeptical whenever I hear politicians talk about openness and transparency in government. Usually, it's a nice campaign meme, but I believe Dicker more than the others; Dougherty is old school Philly, and as I've written on numerous occasions, we need to do away with that; and Farnese is Fumo's hand-picked successor, and I've never confused Fumo with someone who uses his best judgment.

~~
More about this Pa. State Senate race in the coming days.

Must-see movie: Stop Loss

Stop Loss, a movie about the U.S. military's involuntary retention of soldiers for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been getting lots of play in the media, and it's at the top of my list of movies to see.

The policy of Stop Loss is the War in Iraq's worst-kept, dirty little secret. And it basically gives the military to power to keep soldiers on active duty as long as it likes, even after their commitments are up. There has been no radical middle- or upper-class revolt regarding the war, because by and large, America's sons and daughters who are fighting this ear do not come from those socio-economic classes.

The Bush administration has been able to keep a lid on discontent about the Iraq War by acquiring and maintaining the manpower it needs through stop loss, and also by having a massive private army at its disposal, which, by the way, is larger than the troops we have deployed in the field. And this large private army, led by a private corporation named Blackwater, does not answer to the military. Every single American should find this deeply troubling.

The next time McSame is in Philadelphia for a campaign appearance, I'd like to go to it and ask this question: "Senator, you've publicly stated that we could have to remain in Iraq for years, if not decades. Exactly where do you plan on getting the manpower to maintain this presence? A larger private army, or do you plan to stop loss the army for the next 10 years?" I'd love to see him hem and haw with that answer for what would undoubtedly be the some of the most uncomfortable 30 seconds of his campaign. (My follow-up question would be this: "Since you want to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, just how do you plan on paying for our long-term occupation of Iraq?")

The bottom line is that our military isn't going to be able to sustain the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan much longer without much needed changes, including the possibility of a draft.

One thing's for sure - as the song in the movie says, something really does have to give.

Stop Loss is in theaters now.

Passing it on: how to put out a grease fire

I'm not ashamed to admit that I did not know how to put out a kitchen grease/oil fire before watching this, so I thought I'd pass it along. I knew not to throw water on one, but I had the wrong idea about just what to do to put extinguish one. Now I know, and you do, too. I always find these types of PSAs to be sad and tragic, but they do send a powerful message.

Some March gladness w/your madness

My friend Susan sent me this the other day, and it brought a big smile to my face. I suppose it's even just a bit more apropos now, in the midst of March Madness. As I watched it again tonight with my wife Vandra and our parents, I commented that I should post this on CMB. Sometimes I'm too quick to criticize or be negative, but then I see a story like this, and it brings me back down to Earth and makes me realize how lucky I really am.

Anyway, enjoy, and pass it on.

Petitioners to NBC: stop parroting Fox News

This is the kind of stuff I love to see - it certainly doesn't happen enough these days. The organizers of this petition drive have more than a beef; they have a legitimate point. The path from Republican talking point to the mainstream media is becoming more apparent and transparent over time.

It's pretty well known that Matt Drudge, the right-wing hack behind The Drudge Report, is in regular contact with the powers that be on the Republican National Committee. Hence, a talking point becomes a story on Fox. Since Fox is the number one rated cable news network, and every other network wants to catch them, they often parrot what Fox is reporting.

I've got a $20 that says those 200,000 signatures ended up in the trash, but I don't mean to sound cynical. I admire the effort, and I wish I would have known about it ahead of time, because I certainly would have signed it. It's only movements like these that will bring about much needed changes in the mainstream media, because it won't happen without making our voices heard.

Maher's New Rules, the coarse edition

Warning: This clip is for mature audiences and it not safe to play at work!

Bill Maher's New Rules last night were some of his funniest yet. He certainly took plenty of swipes at Hillary last night, from his humor piece on her Bosnia gaffe lie (see below) to his making fun of her not becoming president (with a beard), he made good sport of roughing her up last night. I'm sure it was mostly in good fun, and if, by some slim chance, she becomes the nominee, Maher will support her. As irritated as I am with the Clintons and their borderline despicable behavior (more on that in a bit in a separate post), I too will support her if she gets the nod to go up against McCain.

Anyway, enjoy, but again, be careful at work and who you play this one around - it's probably one of his rawest version yet. The upside: this version of New Rules would not have been nearly as funny on regular, network TV.

Bill Maher on Hillary's Village

Last night, Bill Maher took aim at Hillary Clinton's "mis-speaking" on her Bosnia trip, and it's pretty funny. Take a look...

I'm glad the writers are back. Maher is a major talent with lots of wit, but we didn't see anything this good when the writers were out.

This Wiener has no taste

This is the first and probably the only time I will ever post something from Dr. Michael Wiener (née Savage), but this one was too good to pass up. I dare you to get through the entire length of this audio clip without clicking off of it.

Notice about halfway through this audio, Wiener's brain simply morphs Rev. Wright's comments into those that have been said by Obama himself. That's a deliberate, intentional lie.

What's with the Third Reich fetish by those on the far right? Can this guy go longer than five minutes without saying the word Nazi? He even goes so far as to mention "Japanese Nazis" from World War II. The Japanese were Nazis? That's certainly news to me. I know that Japan and Germany had a loose alliance during the war, but that's about as far as it went. The Japanese certainly didn't describe themselves as Nazis.

I guess "Nazi" is the new "Communist," the name that right wingers would always call Democrats and opponents in political debates during the Cold War. The word Nazi is becoming as trite as Wiener's stereotypes about liberals.

And for those of you who think that Wiener is totally fringe, think again. From his Wikipedia entry:

As Michael Savage, he has written four New York Times best sellers. His nationally syndicated radio show, The Savage Nation, reaches more than 10 million listeners on 410 stations throughout the United States, ranking third in number of stations syndicated nationwide and third in nationwide audience behind Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Ten million listeners? That's not exactly fringe. Quite frankly, it frightens me that this many people listen to him.

Lots of other things to comment on, but why bother?

A quick footnote, though...

I went to Wiener's Website, fully prepared to share with you which companies you should avoid giving your business to, but there was just one problem. I couldn't find any advertisers. About all I did find was endless advertisements for his bullshit books, as well as multiple links per page asking for advertisers and even several spots where you could donate "to protect free speech." This guy pimps his doorstops books, mugs, hats and t-shirts more than Limbaugh or O'Lielly. And that's saying something.

However, I can guarantee you that I will never, ever buy a Rockstar, an energy drink founded by the company where his son Russell Wiener serves as CEO. I've tried Rockstar and it sucks anyway, but I just thought I'd share the news with you. By drinking it, you really are supporting boobs like Wiener and his son, who both founded The Paul Revere Society in 1996, an organization whose mission, according to Wiener, is to "bring together Americans who actively seek to take back our borders, our language, and our traditional culture from the liberal left corroding our great nation."

To be clear, I'm NOT supporting his being thrown off the air for what he says. This is America, and free speech should always be protected. But, hate speech must be appropriately scorned, and that's exactly what Wiener's sewer is - hate speech that fouls America's airwaves.

Elizabeth puts the ass in Hasselbeck

It looks like Elizabeth Hasselbeck knows as much about politics as her husband does about being a starting NFL quarterback.

Far be it from me to ever promote or have much of anything nice to say about The View, one of the most annoying shows ever created. But, I couldn't let the comments by Elizabeth Hasselbeck in the above footage go. She sure does know her stuff, doesn't she? Hasselbeck sure does blow the lid off the Dumb Blonde stereotype, as she simply devastates Whoppi Goldberg with her Jeffrey Dahmer analogy about Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I had to watch this footage twice just so I could make sure I absorbed all of the sage morsels coming out of her mouth.

I'm not much of a fan of Whoppi Goldberg (anyone who dreams up the nickname "Whoppi" for herself has got to have a screw loose, but I'll cut her some slack since the etymology of her moniker comes from a whoopee cushion), but she makes as much sense as anyone I've heard regarding Wright's comments. Kudos to Joy Behar for bringing up the Bush family's association with the the House of Saud, the Saudi Royal Family, which effectively ends the discussion, since Hasselbeck has no comeback. (At left is a snap of Our National Embarrassment kissing some Saudi ass at his Crawford "Ranch" a few years ago.)

Anyway, as much as I dislike The View, I have to give credit where it's due - to both Behar and Goldberg for standing up to Hasselbeck's myopic, ill-informed views. Hasselbeck has a long way to go if she wants to join the screeching, women lunatics on the right (Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Debbie Schlussel, etc.). Almost seven minutes and no Bill Clinton reference? You've got a long way to go, Lizzie, but keep plugging away at it - someday you might reach the depths the far right goes to smear a Democrat.

Weekend Cartoons

I found dozens of great cartoons this week - here's a sample. In my 2+ years of blogging and my many years of reading about politics, I've found one universal maxim to be true - the more upheaval, the more scandals, the crazier our political discourse, the better the cartoons. Say hello to the best batch I've found in quite sometime. I'll offer comments below a few selected cartoons. Enjoy...

The Clintons' attacking New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for endorsing Barack Obama is nothing short of disgraceful. It seems to me that the Clintons have an entitlement attitude of sorts when it comes to the Democratic Party, along the line of, "Hillary is running, so you must back her. Anyone who doesn't is a traitor." Yea, right.

This country needs to return to the days of reasonable governmental regulation on most of the industries that have been deregulated over the past 25-30 years. Of course, we have the Reagan Revolution to thank for that - his systematic attempt to dismantle as much of the federal government as he possibly could, effectively turning over the fates of millions to corporate America. The debacle in the mortgage industry is simply the latest example. The best part? Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

You, the American taxpayer, gets to pay to clean up this mess. Funny how the taxpayer doesn't ever revel in the profits, though. Actually, in many ways and in many industries, it's a fool-proof plan for corporations and their stockholders - we profit, we keep it, and if we get in big trouble, we simply suckle at the teats of Uncle Sam's government. What a concept!

I have absolutely nothing to add to this one, other than that our leaders have failed us, as well as the troops in the field. I lay most of the blame at the feet of the incompetent, hopeless rubes in the Bush administration, but Democrats deserve some blame, too. After all, the Congress has Democratic majority in both houses. But, to be fair, Dems have not always had the majorities it needs to institute reforms. I'm hoping that the '08 election changes that. I'm also hoping that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid both get bounced from their leadership positions.

This is the best political cartoon I've ever seen or read in my life, ever. Any cartoon that can lay waste to Bush's $500 billion experiment on democracy in the Middle East in one fell swoop is an instant classic. If there were a political cartoon Hall of Fame, this would be its inaugural inductee.

Tragically hilarious.

This one says hits McCain right where it hurts. I'm already sick to death of hearing McCain talk about how "we'll never surrender" in Iraq. Who does this guy think he is, Lyndon Johnson? I'd think that someone who spent five years in a North Vietnamese POW camp would know that we did effectively surrender in Vietnam, despite Richard Nixon's laughable assertion that we achieved "peace with honor." Sure, Senator, let's just stay in Iraq until we reach $5 trillion? How about $8 trillion? It's almost as if McCain is saying to Dubya, "I'll see your stupidity, and raise you one war." (Iran)

I'm writing more about Obama and Wright in a little bit today. I've had it up to here with the media's mischaracterizations of Obama, Wright and their relationship. I love it that every pundit thinks that the disclaimer "I don't have any proof of this, but I think Obama's relationship xxxxxx (fill in breathless, empty-headed analysis here)."

Isn't this the truth? Howard Dean is really taking some risks, and they may not pay off. If I had my way, he would not be the DNC Chairman. Only a party this backward and idiotic would even be remotely in danger of losing the presidential election in 2008 after eight years of the worst president in U.S. history.

Dick Cheney's response to a question about American attitudes about the Iraq War: "So," is one of the most disgraceful ever uttered by an American politician. I'll have more on this one later.



Isn't this the sad truth? I'll also be writing more about this in the coming days, but in my view (and many experts, and I'm not one of those), there is not one magical solution to our dependency on foreign oil. It's going to take many, many solutions - including some that haven't even been invented yet. But, there are many things that are available - wind power, solar power, electric cars, etc. Sadly, our government gives most of the existing technologies lip service, and little more.


"Stop, terrorist! Take those nipple rings off!" The TSA is a disgraceful joke, and I won't even get started on the FBI's terrorist watch list that gets so much play in the media.
I routinely decry intolerance and hateful sermons in the name of religion all the time, including idiots like Louis Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson on the left. (Oh, and how could I have forgotten the biggest stooge of all, Al Sharpton?) But, what the media has done not only to Jeremiah Wright, but to also to Obama for his association with him, is preposterous. More on this in a bit as well.

A great round-up of... sphincters

Warning: The following video is for immature mature audiences only.

Sphincter is a great word - I've always liked it, although it doesn't have much use. The creator of this short little ditty has come up with a pretty thorough (but by no means exclusive) collection of conservative sphincters.

Childish? Yep. Immature? Most definitely. But, you know what? Considering what the likes of Bill O'Lielly and Elizabeth Hasselbeck have been calling Democrats lately, this is child's play. (More on Hasselbeck in a bit.)

Anyway, take a listen, and admit it - you laughed.

Laugh break: Jimmy Dean commercial

The Jimmy Dean commercials are some of the best on TV this year. They are original, witty and memorable - three things I'm sure the ad's creators would be overjoyed to read. (I'm here all week.)

The ad above is my favorite one - enjoy!

TSA declares war on pierced nipples

Let the outrage begin on this one. A woman was prevented from getting on a flight because of nipple rings. Hey - don't blame me - I don't fabricate the news, I just comment on it, but this one really is stranger than fiction.

The woman's nipple ring and nipple stud kept setting of medal detectors, and when agents ran a portable metal detector over her chest, her mammary metal again set off the detectors. She then volunteered to show them to a female TSA agent in private, and was told that they would have to be removed or she would not be permitted on the flight. Unable to remove one of them, she had to use a pair of pliers.

Are you F*&%ing kidding me?

It's important to note that I am not without sympathy for TSA Agents; they have a very tough and important job, and it cannot be easy. They are under great pressure every day to be perfect, every time, all the time. Recent tests and drills reveal that in a number of airports, they are far from that. And dealing with surly passengers who have been waiting in long lines can't be a picnic, either.

I also don't fault the agents for the regulations; after all, they aren't making policy, they are merely doing what they are told. But, I DO fault TSA Agents for being, at times, obnoxious, unfriendly, and at times openly hostile to passengers. (I say this from personal experience, by the way - on multiple occasions, I've had to resist the overwhelming temptation to tell various agents to go f--- themselves. There's a way to be courteous, yet firm, but many churlish, rube TSA agents could use a refresher course in charm school.

For instance, I'm assuming that somewhere, there's a regulation(s) banning nipple metal on planes. As stupid as that is, fine (but more on that in a minute). But, for this woman to have agents laughing at her, as she's crying and upset? Talk about losing your dignity. Ever since September 11, fliers in this country have no rights, period. The prevailing attitude is "do what we say, shut up, and if you don't like it, you're not flying." And that's totally unacceptable, especially considering how much taxpayer money went toward bailing out these same airlines following 9-11 (but corporate welfare is a topic for another post).

What galls me most is the regulation(s) banning jewelry. The TSA, which is a part of the Department of Homeland Security, is doing a piss poor job of keeping us safe. Time and time again since 9-11, journalists routinely have been able to sneak contraband aboard planes. Call me crazy, but maybe if agents weren't busy enforcing stupid regulations like the one above and also taking my saline solution before I get on a plane. It's time for people to start calling TSA what it is - another department run amok by this administration. Of course, many talking heads in this administration (and their neocon supporters in the mass media) are always quick to puff out their chests and say, "But there hasn't been attack since 9-11."

Fair enough, but that doesn't mean we are safer. Again, statistics, studies and tests have demonstrated that critical items are getting through, time and time again. Invariably, whenever news of this is made public, people like Sean Hannity get on TV, crying and whining that these reports are "giving terrorists ideas on how to get items on planes."

It never ceases to amaze me that morons like Hannity who make their living in the media totally misunderstand the role of the free press in our society.

We're been waiting for... this?!?

This one gave me a laugh in the middle of a very hectic day - a just-released ad from the McCain campaign, telling us that McCain is "the president we've been waiting for." I find it interesting and just a bit sleazy that McCain uses footage from his time as a POW in Vietnam. He's a hero, and I'm not questioning whether he is or not, but I AM pointing out the hypocrisy in the Republican ranks; after all, John Kerry was vilified for bringing up his Vietnam service during the '04 race.

But hey, we all know from experience that Republican opinions don't transfer from one election to another. After all, Bill Clinton's draft dodging was fodder for the GOP cannon in 1992, but in 2000 then-candidate George Bush "served his country" by dodging the draft and "serving" in the Texas Air National Guard, leapfrogging over hundreds of men on the waiting list.

We're already seeing it this year, too; now, McCain's experience counts for everything in the world, but Bush's inexperience was "no big deal" in 2000. I will always feel for and admire McCain for surviving in the hellhole called the Hanoi Hilton, but I fail to see how being a POW for five years makes you an expert on foreign affairs. And based on his comments last week, the proof is in the pudding. This is a guy that's gotten everything wrong about Iraq, but now we're to believe everything he says?

Preposterous.

Latest This Modern World

[Click the image for the full comic]

I can't think of any words to add to this one - Tom Tomorrow makes great points about the Iraq War and a possible war with Iran all by himself.

Hillary's parallel universe Bosnia trip

I'm certainly not out to destroy Hillary or to make her look like some horrific candidate; after all, if by some small chance she becomes the Democratic Party's nominee for president, she has my vote, although in many aspects I may hold my nose as I cast my ballot. Hillary and President Clinton and their surrogates have done themselves a good deal of damage by their campaign tactics this year that I'm very unhappy about. However, if it ended up Hillary vs. McCain, the choice would be so obvious to me as to be absurd - McCain is little more than a caricatural candidate who would make the Ronald Reagan presidency look youthful, vibrant and intelligent. That's saying something.

Having said all that, Hillary's recent account of her trip to Bosnia is pretty telling. Is it a mortal mistake? No. I heard someone on TV the other day characterize it as a "my fish was 'THIS big'" story, and that's about right. But, it is an embarrassment, as it should be. She should know better, and her explanation that she "mis-spoke" doesn't explain it away, either. There's a not-so-fine line between misspeaking and grossly exaggerating. It really is too bad, because Hillary, underneath all of the very hostile press coverage, is a remarkably smart woman who I have little doubt would make an excellent leader for our country, but she continues to be remarkably adept at wounding herself. And the likes of President Clinton and the asinine James Carville aren't helping matters, either.

I really don't see how she becomes the nominee, unless there is a great deal of arm-twisting behind the scenes, and that could spell doom for the party. The will of the people must not be thwarted, regardless of how badly she wants to be president. If she becomes the nominee despite being behind in the popular vote, as well as in delegates, that will probably mean one thing - say hello to President McCain. And then, we're all doomed. We can ill afford another four years of Bush's disastrous foreign and domestic policies.

New Wal-Mart "ad" parodies 3 a.m. ads

This is a pretty good parody on Wal-Mart, and all of the 3 a.m. ads that were run a few weeks ago by both the Clinton and Obama campaigns. Like all good parodies, this one does a lot in about a minute (complex humor!) - taking a swipe at the world's largest retailer, while simultaneously poking fun at the absurd 3 a.m. advertisements that were a staple of debate on any political talk show a few weeks back. Well done.

Full disclosure - at the end of the ad, you'll notice that it's made by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which I was a member of for over 10 years. The UFCW has been at war with Wal-Mart for years in an unsuccessful attempt to unionize the world's largest retailer. While I'm not blindly and completely pro-union, I do agree that unionizing Wal-Mart workers would go a long way toward giving them the benefits they've been deprived of for so long.

Obama Girl is back to beg Hill to get out

This one is pretty good - it's Obama Girl, and she's back, imploring Hillary to step aside for her beloved Obama. This one isn't quite as good as the first one that came out last year, but it's still a funny vid brought to you by the folks at BarelyPolitical.com.

Loove the footage of then-candidate Bill Clinton blowing his sax on Arsenio Hall. Great stuff, great memories.

About that liberal media...

[Click for larger image]

I wonder how Republicans will spin this one? Every Republican, and I do mean every one, was anti-CBS back in 2004 when Dan Rather, ahem, rather foolishly went public with a story impugning Bush's National Guard "service."

Anyway, The Drudge Report has been pimping the Hillary story all day; it's nearly 3 p.m., and it's been up since 8 this morning. (Don't click unless you want to give him the hits.) Funny how I didn't notice McCain's numerous gaffes last week featured nearly as prominently, but that figures. If you click on the image above for a larger view, you'll notice that the insipid Drudge boasts one of the most visited sites on the Web. I hate to acknowledge it, but facts are facts - it's tough to overstate his influence on the mass media, going all the way back to the Monica Lewinsky scandal. And the mainstream media simply laps it up; multiple times I've heard talking heads on cable news networks, including CNN, say "The Drudge Report is reporting..." as if that alone constitutes news. Never mind the fact that his track record is no better than The New York Times or any of the so-called media outlets. It's also a very poorly kept secret that the Republican National Committee talks with Drudge on a regular basis and gives him talking points.

Republican reaction to Hillary's latest puffery about a trip to Bosnia is pretty predictable, actually. It's the tried-and-true GOP play book - when the media reports something unfriendly regarding a Democrat, the media's simply doing it's job, but when the media pops a blister of Republican malfeasance, Repubes whine about "the liberal media." It's another reason we have to be so thankful for Richard Nixon's legacy. Thanks, Dick.

I tire of hearing tales about "the liberal media," but I won't stop writing about it, because it can and must be debunked.

A great blog on McCain's "Straight Talk"

Keeping track of all the "Straight Talk" coming out of John McCain's pie hole is a full-time job these days. In fact, it's such a full-time job that it calls for a blog all its own, and I've found a great one - Straight Talk McCain.

I already love this blog - it seems to be doing a nice job of debunking the myth that McCain is some sort of expert on... well, just about anything. In addition to The Real McCain, this is a site that I will be visiting multiple times a week up until election day to get the real straight talk on McCain's "Straight Talk."

Below is a pretty good round-up on McCain's so-called "foreign policy expertise." Enjoy, and do drop by Straight Talk McCain - it will be well worth your time.

Oilers knocking on the door

I have to get in a quick word about my Edmonton Oilers - this bunch of guys are truly the cardiac kids of the NHL. It really is great fun to watch such a young team come to life and mature before my eyes.

Last night's second goal by Andrew Cogliano was a nice one, and it was set up from a nifty pass by Sam Gagner. Get used to hearing the name Gagner, who right now if the youngest player in the NHL at a spry 18 years old. For those of you who don't follow the NHL, calling Gagner the Kobe Bryant or the LeBron James of the NHL is really not a stretch; he doesn't even turn 19 until after the season in August.

With the likes of Cogliano, Gagner, the über-talented Aleš Hemský and lots of great talent on defense, this team is loaded for bear. What I'm really happy about is that the Oilers are finally owned by someone with deep pockets, so the team will be able to keep a player of Gagner's talent without losing him to spend-happy teams like the Rangers and Flyers.

Right now, the Oilers are three points out of a playoff spot, so I'm not holding my breath, but they do have a real shot to make the postseason with games coming up against Minnesota tomorrow, Calgary and Colorado. By this time next week, their fate should be determined. I'll never forget seeing them in the Cup Finals in '06 - what a wild ride it was - I can't wait for it to happen again. With all of the young stars wearing Oiler silks, it's gonna happen sooner rather than later.

Go Oilers!

CMB turns two; thanks for your support!

Yesterday marked the second anniversary of Count Me Blue, and even President Bush acknowledged it. Gee, thanks, Mr. President, but don't you have better things to do than read my blog? I am flattered, though.

As the saying goes, And things were never the same again. I still can't believe it's been two years since I first read my friend Jen's blog, and I thought to myself, "I've got lots of political opinions - why not share them?" Two years of criticizing President Bush and his disastrous policies, reveling in the 2006 election, getting married, my two trips to the '06 Stanley Cup Finals, etc. It's been a long and fun ride, and I appreciate all of your thoughts and feedback, whether they agree with me or not. I really believe that we need more meaningful political discourse in this country, instead of obsessing on the mundane and superficial topics and events that so dominate our politics today. Okay, I'll cop to taking part in a little bit of that myself on the pages of CMB, but I really try to keep that to a minimum. I've tried to tone down the sports references, too; I want to stress that this is a political blog, not a sports one, but when I'm excited or enraged about something that happens on the rink, field or gridiron, I'll share it. (Speaking out of both sides of my mouth - I'm getting pretty excited about my Oilers possibly making the postseason, so that will warrant a separate post in a minute.)

I'm not going to do a recap of year two like last year - time is too precious these days, and I don't have nearly as much time to blog as I would like. I guess teaching five classes in higher education will do that to you.

However, I do want to note that the site logged 8,032 visits last year, which makes me happy and humbled. That number fell short of my stated goal of 10,000, but that's okay - we're movin' in the right direction, since CMB doubled visits from the first year. That said, my goal this year is 15,000 visitors. It's worth noting that whenever I visit the site at home or at work to make sure everything is functioning and loading properly, those visits do not count - I have my counter set up to ignore them.

Anyway, please stay tuned this spring, summer and fall for LOTS of discussion on the issues. This is obviously a pretty big year in our politics, and I plan on being very active in my deeds and words, and I plan on sharing them all with you. In many ways, my involvement in the '04 Kerry campaign led me to blogging as well; I campaigned very, very hard that summer and fall, and obviously the results were a tremendous disappointment. However, that has simply served to motivate me more to try and make a difference.

As the saying goes (I think this is Air America's slogan, actually) - Despair is not an option, so I will keep fighting the good fight and writing the good write.

Thanks again for your opinions, time and visits. Here's to year three being the best year on CMB yet.

Cheers,
PECAD

One more Bush? Let's hope not...

I saw this today on Crooks & Liars (via Needlenose) and I got a kick out of it - I've been saying it to friends for weeks now as well as writing it - a vote for John McSame is a vote for effectively a third Bush term. (It's actually a GIF, but I had trouble making it work on the CMB home page, but you can get the original by visiting Needlenose.)

Anyway, a third Bush term would unquestionably spell disaster for this country environmentally, economically, culturally, socially and politically, to say nothing about what it will do to our foreign policy, Supreme Court, civil "liberties" (the ones we have left) and our already gutted and overtaxed military.

As citizens, we really have to guard against the dog's breakfast and slop the mainstream media will undoubtedly feed us this summer and fall. I don't care about what supporters of the various nominees said - I want to know what these candidates will offer us once they get into office, Period. What's sad is that many voters will get distracted, or will vote on one issue; the moderates who fall into that category are the ones who need to be persuaded about what an unmitigated disaster.

Anne Dicker's TV ad

Earlier today, I received an e-mail from Anne Dicker's campaign about her first television commercial. Check out the YouTube version of it above to take a look.

Anne is running for Pennsylvania State Senate in Philadelphia's First District, and as I've mentioned before, my wife and I are giving our unqualified support and votes to her. She's running against the smarmy John Dougherty, who represents the "Philly way" in politics of 25 or 30 years ago. Recently, the incumbent, disgraced Sen. Vince Fumo announced that he is retiring, and that's the first step to cleaning up politics in Philadelphia. The next step is electing a smart, motivated, dedicated Progressive like Anne Dicker. Philly can ill-afford another state senator like Fumo, and that's precisely what Dougherty is; electing him will do nothing to cover up the stench of the Fumo era.

I'll be writing more about Anne in the coming days and weeks, but in the meantime, click on Anne's Website to learn more about her, and to donate money. Anne has a serious fight on her hands; big labor in Philly is tough to beat, but if anyone can do it, Anne can.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, she supports Barack Obama - another reason to give her your vote.

Please support her campaign in time and money - there's less than a month to go until the Democratic State Senate primary.

4,000 & counting...

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This is a mosaic of 4,000 dead Americans representing the wars two biggest cheerleaders.

I can't put it any better than Nico Pitney over at HuffPo, so I won't even try:

In remembrance of the 4,000 brave men and women who sacrificed everything for us -- and the two men who would continue this great tragedy, despite the cost to our soldiers, our military, and our nation.

That's about as poignant as anything you'll read about this bloody, tragic number. What's even more tragic is that in a week or so, it will fade from the front pages once again. It's been written hundreds of thousands of times since this war began, but that doesn't make it any less succinct - this war (and the anti-war movement) isn't getting anywhere near the opposition it should by the American public because most of the public isn't fighting this war, since there's no draft.

Speaking of draft, Bush (and McSame, if he gets elected) is getting away with fighting this war without a draft by having a massive private army in Iraq by companies that are getting rich off of such a policy. (Blackwater, anyone?) More on that in the coming days and weeks. ...

(Note: Since some photos of fallen U.S. soldiers are unavailable, there are duplicates.)

Picture by Nico Pitney/Huffington Post

Happy Easter, everyone!

I hope you all have a very Happy Easter, and that you're spending it with family and friends. On days like today, I always take a little time to reflect on how lucky I am to live in the country I do and for all that I have, and I also think about our troops overseas who are away from loved ones - they are our heroes.

Have a great day, everyone, and make sure to eat too much chocolate! Hey, that's what holidays are for, right?

Hannity's unbiased take on passports

Take a listen to Sean Hannity's take on the passport breach of Sen. Barack Obama's file - it's pretty entertaining.

This is pretty predictable stuff, but I thought I'd share it with you for a few reasons.

First, of course Hannity will cite a report from the Washington Times, one of the most notoriously slanted and biased newspapers in the nation. If you've never done any reading about that paper, click this link - it's pretty fascinating stuff. To call the times a "daily newspaper" is being extremely generous. It's more like a daily National Enquirer for the Republican Party. You want controversial religious leaders? Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Washington Times, certainly qualifies, so I find it pretty ironic that Hannity would even go near that paper, but Hannity's probably too stupid to realize the irony anyway. (Or at the very least, he probably thinks his viewers are too stupid to care, and he'd be right. But, getting into a guessing game of what goes on in Sean Hannity's head is a game I don't really have the stomach for, so I'll stop.)

I also found this footage pretty entertaining because Hannity tries to bait and lead Newt Gingrich into trashing Obama for having his passport file breached, which is beyond absurd. I have to give credit to Gingrich for his answer though; he brushed off Hannity's partisan remarks, and he's also spot on when saying the government has the responsibility to keep our files private. It's pretty entertaining watching Hannity backtrack when Gingrich doesn't sop up his slop with a biscuit.

I've got plenty more on the Jeremiah Wright story in a bit, too, including some pretty damning revelations that are getting NO play in the mainstream media.

Weekend Comics

Another busy week has passed, and it certainly was an eventful one in the political world. We're traveling today for the holiday, and I have a great deal to get to when we get home, so no comments with the comics this week, but of course I'll be writing about many of these topics in the coming days. Enjoy, and if you observe, Happy Easter.

~PECAD

Burnin' time: Discovery's Cannon Challenge

[Click on the image to go to the game]

I dare you to not waste lots and lots of time on this one - it's the Discovery Channel's Cannon Challenge. It's remarkably fun, and I have to warn you - you'll burn plenty of time once you start playing this one. I got to Round 5 the first time I played, and missed Round 6 by one shot - honest! It is a great deal of fun, though, so give it a, um, shot. You'll love me for it, and your boss will hate me. Yes, you're welcome.

Enjoy!

Great Hillary bumper sticker

I got a good laugh out of this one, anyway. More to come in a bit.

Richardson's views on Obama endorsement

Yesterday, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson endorsed Barack Obama for president, citing Obama's speech earlier this week during which he went over and above explaining his relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Well I waited because I was just legitimately very torn. You mentioned my ties to the Clintons, my loyalties to President Clinton, my support and respect for Senator Clinton.

But, I just realized that if I was going to make a difference, at a time we need party unity, at a time when the campaign was really getting nasty and personal, at a time when Senator Obama responded, I believe, in such a courageous way to a problem in his campaign — those remarks by his own pastor — I felt that I needed to step in and say that I am backing Senator Obama because I think this man has got something very good about him, something very special.

If I had to pick a favorite running mate for either Obama or Clinton, right now, Richardson. He has an impeccable résumé and he brings a great deal to the ticket. However, I won't be a bit surprised if Richardson takes a senior cabinet position in an Obama or Clinton administration, and perhaps that is why he would refuse the VP slot if it's offered.

New Rules: McSame scares Maher (Me too)

Last night, Bill Maher's New Rules on his show, Real Time With Bill Maher, ended with some pretty poignant points about John McCain. Maher contends that McCain's supposed strength, foreign policy, is his weakness. Considering McCain's multiple gaffes this week in Iraq and Israel, I don't know how anyone could argue otherwise. Some in the media really have dismissed it as a "senior moment." Well, considering the firepower he would have at his disposal were he to become president, that sure is comforting.

This really was an edition of New Rules for the ages. Just in case the video gets taken down for some reason or is no longer available in the future, here's what Maher had to say about McSame:

New Rule: Old soldiers never die, they get young soldiers killed. This week John McCain said for the third time in two days, that Iran, a Shi’ite stronghold was training Al-Qaeda, a militant Sunni organization. That the Hatfields of the Muslim world would be working with the McCoys is so not true even Dick Cheney hasn't said it. Now the press, which loves McCain because he feeds them BBQ, dismissed this as just one of those senior moments. Not to worry, he's only going to have his finger on the nuclear trigger. But it's not just a 'gaffe,' it's what McCain really thinks. And therein lies the paradox of this campaign: McCain's strength is really his weakness. He's a warrior who's dumb about war. Whoever read The Art of War, chapter three of The Art of War says, "Know thy enemy." And John McCain plainly doesn't. He thinks the solution is our presence in the Middle East. No, the problem is our presence in the Middle East. [Emphasis Mine.]

That's why I don't care if John McCain is better than Bush on global warming or torture or campaign finance, because he's exactly the same as Bush on the war. They both don't get the same thing. As long as we're setting up shop in the heart of the Arab world, we're not keeping America safer. Bin Laden goes ballistic over cartoons in Danish newspapers, and Goober and Grandpa want to put up a Hooters in Fallujah. They don't "hate us for our freedom," they hate us for our fiefdom. [Emphasis Mine] Winning the War on Terror comes down to this: what will make us safer from pissed off Arab teenagers who are willing to die? There are a number of good answers to that question, but occupying their land for the next 100 years is not one of them.

Some people look at McCain and see a tough guy who is going to protect us from the "Islamofascists." I look at him and see a walking Tom Clancy action figure who is going to get us all killed. [Emphasis Mine] And yet a new poll shows that a majority of Americans believe John McCain is the candidate best qualified to answer when that red phone rings at 3 a.m., because he'd be up anyway, trying to pee. Yes, 55 percent of Americans think it's McCain who should answer that phone, because they know John McCain is a warrior. He will not waver or hesitate. He will answer that phone and give the order that sends men to die and it will turn out to be a recording asking him if he's happy with his mortgage.

I hear Maher loud and clear, but I'm not at all confident that the rest of America does. But, Obama & Hillary need to continue to hammer away at McCain's views on the war, including his getting wrong so many facts and assumptions about Iraq and the War on Terrorism. Soundbites as usual aren't going to get it done in '08.

By the way, Maher is right about Diet Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. As much as I love the Diet Dr. Pepper flavors, this one doesn't cut it. As I've written before, it tastes like the world's first dessert soda. It's something I want to drink about once a month or so. Just my 2¢.

Fox protests: a dog-and-pony show?

This past week, there were some high-profile mini-protests, and dare I say it on-air backlash against Fox's incessant Barack barrage. The first one was Chris Wallace, who took issue with how the network was "covering" the Obama-Jeremiah Wright connection.

However, maybe I'm just too far gone and cynical when it comes to the mainstream media, but there's a part of me who wonders if these Fox on-air protests are indeed faux-Fox protests. It's pretty hard to not be cynical about the network (and really, any sort of TV news, but Fox is the biggest offender). Is really isn't hard to imagine Roger Ailes hatching a plan to increase Fox's credibility, since it has so little these days, save the far right sheeple who will agree with anything they see on Fox anyway.

I'm really trying to give Wallace the benefit of the doubt, I guess because I like his father, Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes so much. But, Fox is just so transparent in its network coverage, and so partisan, I have a very hard time believing that we will ever hear a genuine argument about the network's portrayal of Obama on the air.

Above is another sort of on-air protest, this time anchor Brian Kilmeade walks off the set after he tries to explain how the network was mischaracterizing Obama's quotations, only to be repeatedly talked over.

Again I wonder, is this genuine? I just have a hard time believing it. Network execs were probably in the back high fiving, and shouting, "We just bought ourselves credibility that advertising could never buy!"

Back to the top video - I got a kick out of one of the anchors telling Chris Matthews that he applauds him for bringing "the disagreement on air instead of sending an e-mail" because "viewers deserve to hear the disagreement." Ummm Hmmm.

Who does State TV Fox think it's kidding?

Fun with idiots: mess up MTV's plans for another Paris Hilton show

As much as I hate reality TV, I have to pimp this one, only to throw off the premise. Paris Hilton, truly a vapid nothing who contributes nothing to society if there ever was one, has a new reality show coming out on MTV, and people can vote on who her new best friend will be on the show on the Official Website.

In short, I implore you to vote for Benjy Bronk, the head writer for The Howard Stern Show on Sirius Satellite Radio. Nothing would thrill me more (okay, that's not true, but it would be pretty damn cool) than to see Bronk win, completely screwing up MTV's plans. Yes, it doesn't take much to entertain me, I know. But, if you're a regular CMB reader, you probably already knew that.

I know it's just an issue of language, but really, MTV ought to change the name of the network - how about STV? I'm sure you can come up with some appropriate nicknames based on those letters.

Anyway, bookmark the Website, I Wanna Be Paris Hilton's New Best Friend, and vote for Bronk; you can vote once every 24 hours. With a little luck, MTV will have to come up with an explanation as to why the first place winner won't be on the show.

Keep up the voting! Bronk is currently in first place by about 700 votes, so every vote counts. Psst! Tell your friends.