Oh the irony in the GOP

Considering the joke Meghan McCain's father made at Chelsea Clinton's behalf.

If you don't remember:

"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?
Because her father is Janet Reno."

It sure is amusing reading the younger McCain's critique of David Letterman's Bristol Palin joke.

The most frustrating part of McCain's complaint is she continues to peddle the nonsense that the joke is about 14-year-old Willow Palin. No where in the original joke did Letterman mention Willow by name and in his apology the following the day he specifically says he was referring to Bristol.

I'm not defending what he said. In my opinion, neither Letterman nor the older McCain's jokes are defensible. But I wish Meghan McCain would just shut up already.

Mo Dowd Just Isn't as Funny as She Thinks She Is

When NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd is on, she's hilarious and on fire. It's just that more often than not her columns scream laziness.

I'm far from a fan of the Edwards' family, but you got to love Elizabeth Edwards defending herself and taking a slap at MoDowd:

In response to a recent New York Times column by Maureen Dowd that called Edwards's new book, Resilience, "just a gratuitous peek into their lives, and one that exposes her kids, by peddling more dregs about their personal family life," Edwards says Dowd is way off base and adds that she'd have been "foolhardy" to think she'd be protecting her kids by not writing about her life.

"My children aren't protected from the death of their brother, my breast cancer, or any of the things that have happened in our family," says Edwards. "They're smart kids, they have Google alerts. They already know." Dowd, she adds, "has written an editorial where she clearly does not understand this."

Favorable Obama Coverage

It's impossible not to notice that NBC is the White House's favorite network. As a supporter of Obama, I can't say I'm terribly bothered. For all of the hate spewed on Fox it's nice to see the White House have a favorable balance. I'd prefer it was MSNBC, but when they have Liz Cheney on around the clock, NBC may end of being the liberal sister to MSNBC.

CNN's John King is not a fan of the Obama Conan O'Brien plug:

King: It's my school of journalism, it may not be everyone else's school of journalism, but it's my school of journalism is that I interview all these guys with respect. I respect the office, I respect the people, I respect anybody that puts themselves out there like that. But, I, you know, I need to protect myself and my integrity and my credibility, and the President of the United States, you know, God bless him, God bless the one before him, and God bless the next 200 to come. I'm not going to ask them for an endorsement or a product endorsement. I think that's way over the line.

I agree with King. It was tacky. Cute, but tacky. The Daily Show mocked NBC's "Real World" coverage of Obama:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
The Real World D.C.
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Economic Crisis

h/t Michael Calderone

Stay Classy National Review

"Unfortunately, there’s not a good shorthand term for the psychology behind this kind of behavior. “Racism” doesn’t, I think, capture it. But there’s this deranged fascination with walking up to the line and dancing around there in hopes of getting called on it. Then you get to become indignant. Because, again, the contemporary right’s main view on race is that actual racism against non-white people is only a tiny problem compared with the vast social crisis that allegedly exists around people being vigilant against racism." - Matt Yglesias

Salon has more on this classy cover.

Oh Snap, John Cole.

I was just telling Oliver the other day how much I love Balloon-Juice. John Cole is fast becoming one of my favorite bloggers on *the left,* though I'd hardly call him a lefty. He's representative of the Democratic Party I'd like to belong to.

This rant against another of my favorites, Andrew Sullivan, captures Cole's skill of cutting through the b.s perfectly. A must read.
----------------
Now playing: J Dilla - Blood Sport (feat. Lil' Fame Of M.O.P.)

Sullivan Explores a Fundamentalist Disconnect

Amy Sullivan does great work over at Time's "Swampland" blog presenting digestible religion journalism for non-believers. Also, everyone once in a while she'll show up on BHTV. She does great work tonight demonstrating the gap between the Vatican and Bill Donohue's version of American Catholic Fundamentalism. The whole piece is included below:

First L'Osservatore Romano, the official Vatican newspaper, ran an article giving Obama's first 100 days a tentative thumbs-up. Then, as conservative Catholics in the U.S. were wringing their hands about the horror of Barack Obama's scheduled appearance at Notre Dame, the newspaper--and the Vatican in general--was conspicuously silent. Then, when the paper did report on Obama's speech, its calm, fairly positive take was in stark contrast to the furious reaction of many conservative Catholics here.

But this takes the cake. In an interview with an Italian newspaper the day after Obama's speech, Giavonni Maria Vian, editor-in-chief of L'Osservatore Romano, seemed to forcefully push back against the view that Obama is a threat to Catholic values and religious freedom. “Obama has not upset the world,” said Vian. “His speech at Notre Dame has been respectful toward every position. He tried to engage the debate stepping out from every ideological position and outside every ‘confrontational mentality.' To this extent his speech is to be appreciated.”

After reaffirming that the Vatican newspaper shares the American bishops' staunch opposition to abortion, Vian went further. "What I want to stress is that yesterday, on this precise and very delicate issue, the President said that the approval of the new law on abortion is not a priority of his administration. The fact that he said that is very reassuring to me. It also underlines my own clear belief: Obama is not a pro-abortion president."

Uh, oh. It sounds like the Vatican newspaper "doesn't understand what it means to be Catholic."

You can follow her, as well as Joe Klein over at Swampland. Together Sullivan and Klein almost make Karen Tumulty tolerable. The feed is still worth following.

Quote of the Day - 05.19.09

"To call [Christopher Hitchens] statements racist, or homophobic, demeans racist and homophobes. Indeed Hitchens displays something more than that--weakness. Weakness is the root of these sorts of slurs--an unwillingness to do the hard work of taking your opponents at their merits. So you name call and strawman. You mock what you don't understand, what you fear." - Ta-Nehisi Coates, Atlantic Monthly

----------------
Now playing: Wilco - Wilco the Song

Hollywood Wants into Politics

The Terminator has hardly been a successful governor, so I'd appreciate it if the media didn't use him as a positive example of Hollywood gone politico.

Just say no to Ice Man Val Kilmer for New Mexico governor!

PA Senatorial Politics

A media question, so it's pretty funny watching the media ask questions about a Arlen Specter vs. Tom Ridge match up. But why would we think Ridge can get past Toomey? where are these Ridge vs. Toomey polls? Ridge is pro-choice. This just won't fly with what's left of the PA GOP. It's pretty clear the Specter vs. Ridge match up would be close, but they are basically the same candidate. Big name candidates are one thing, but this is beltway talk. Where are the reality based memes?

Shep Smith is Mad as Hell

I love it when Shep Smith goes rogue on Fox News.
h/t sgwhiteinfla video source
----------------
Now playing: Broken Social Scene - Da Da Da Da

Mark Halperin has a crush on Obama

A few months back Halperin was complaining that the media was too easy on Obama. He went in Charlie Rose and cried that the media slanted in Obama's direction. But it's as if Halperin has now bought into the "O-Train." He included the picture above over the headline "Why He is Dominating," following it up with the subhead "HALPERIN'S TAKE: Exactly 16 reasons why Barack Obama is exceptionally good at his job." The top two are:

1. On major decisions, almost without exception, he does what he thinks is right, rather then what might appear to be the politically expedient thing to do; in the end, doing what he thinks is right actually turns out to be better politics.

2. He-- and his vice president, chief of staff, deputy chiefs of staff, congressional relations office-- are experts on Congress and know how to approach, manage, manipulate, finesse, and meld with the institution in virtually every respect. (Up to and as far as the considerable limits of three-branch government and multiple egos).

The rest are worth reading, if you want inside the workings of D.C establishment media, but what's even funnier is how this new luuuurve for Obama skews the articles in a more positive light.

POTUS Stays Cool at Summit's Opening
Driving That Train: HALPERIN'S TAKE: 5 things Obama has done in last few days with minimal criticism (or none at all!!!) that would have gotten Bill Clinton hammered in his first 3 months.
And the headline he gives the RNC response to Obama:"Still Fighting the Stimulus"
And for Obama's weekly address "BUDGET SLASHER"

The most hilarious is the headline and image he gives a NY Times article critical of Obama that leads The Page: "Straw Man."

It's impossible to know how long this man crush lasts. I'm slightly worried. Halperin was so wrong throughout the primaries and general that I'm almost tempted to be concerned. I'm holding out for a David Broder man crush article in the Washington Post to ratchet up my concern. If establishmentarian Broder also falls for Obama we'll some trouble is brewing.

Somethings Should be Left to Others

Some journalists are just that journalists and have little business doing commentary. Others like Time Magazine's Joe Klein and TPM Matthew Cooper, Washington Times' Eli Lake can blend the two.

Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic just doesn't seem to be able and pull it off. Today's example:

Their origins -- organic, programmatic, accidental or otherwise -- don't matter much anymore. If -- and we'll have to see the numbers at the end of the day -- 100,000 Americans show up to protest their taxes, the onus to dismiss them as a nascent political force shifts to the Democrats...

There's plenty of evidence that a bunch of hanger-on Republican interest groups, always looking to prove their relevance and hip factor to donors and activists, decided to lend their names and resources to the parties, multiplying their "organic" effect. FreedomWorks is a classic astroturfing shop. But I also think that we're too obsessed with the distinction between the top and the bottom of a blade of grass. At some point, critical mass is reached and astroturf campaigns can work -- they can catalyze genuine anger and channel it into meaningful political participation. In the age of hyperconnectivity, just what would an organic grassroots movement look like, anyway? Are people who've organized on behalf of causes before forbidden from joining? Can the movement not accept help and money from outside players?

Let's take this apart point by point. Since when did the origins of a movement not matter? We're still talking about those snowy Iowa days where Obama built his campaign. Why wouldn't the root and financing behind the teabaggers matter? Oddly, Rachel Maddow put the most effort into the conflicting motivations amongst the teabggers.

As DougJ at Balloon Juice put it: "Finally, why do we have to pay attention to 100K tea-baggers when 10 million anti-Iraq war protesters were considered a focus group?"

But these questions aren't answered by Ambinder. He's too busy with his own unanswered asinine questions. Calling out teabaggers for what they were and what they've become is the job of a quality journalist. Mr. Ambinder should stick to that and leave the columnist/opinion work to professionals.
----------------
Now playing: Stevie Wonder - Superstition

Turkish anchor wears blackface to report on Obama’s visit.

h/t Think Progress

It's amazing just how different cultures view "blackface." I don't speak Turkish, so I'll leave it open to others for interpretation.
----------------
Now playing: Ray Charles - Over The Rainbow

Baracknophobia - Obey

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Baracknophobia - Obey
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Meghan McCain: No Longer Funny

I've humored Meghan McCain - mostly because she's cute. Yes, I know I should be judging her by her ideas and not her appearance. It was a mistake on my part. I can't humor her any longer.

Other than being the daughter of a former presidential candidate and attractive, I have no idea what she offers to the political discourse.

Not only that, but the more she talks, the more she contradicts herself.

She outdoes herself in her recent Daily Beast article:

But as harsh as I’ve been about some elements of the GOP, I find aspects of the Democratic Party infinitely worse. Just as I fear the far right would undermine a conservative resurgence, the far left of Obama’s party threatens to do the exact same thing to him and his administration.

Ah, I see. In case Ms. McCain hadn't realized this, Democrats are in power, with their majorities growing in 2008, because the party celebrates diversity. Even to the frustration of Liberal members. The Democratic Party has members from conservative, moderate, and liberal districts. Republicans simply put - do not. She's afraid of the fringes of both parties, but what she doesn't realize is that's all that is left in the House of Representatives and increasingly heading that direction in the Senate. Her own Dad is lucky Janet Napolitano chose to join the Obama administration. He was looking at a likely to defeat at her hands in 2010.

Ms. McCain celebrates the unity Republicans have shown:

It is no secret that the Republican Party, for all its faults, consistently displays party unity. For all the criticism that the Bush administration came in for, risks were taken (like supporting the Iraq troop surge) that wound up benefiting the GOP in the long run.

Just how much did supporting the surge help Republicans? Did they win the presidency in 2008 or pick up any seats in congress (other than the New Orleans House seat from corrupt Rep. William Jefferson)? His replace, Joesph Cao who has remained true to Eric Cantor and voted against the stimulus bill and the budget against the wishes of his constituents, has been threatened with recall. Just how successful have Republicans been?

One moment Ms. McCain says Republicans should be concerned about the far right and the next she congratulates their unity. She seems to recognize that the tactics of her far right has scared off our generation of voters, but she fails to recognize that the unity and lack of diverse voices in congress is just as distancing. If Republicans are all expected to vote in unison, why would I support a "moderate" Republican as Cao once claimed he was?

This party unity that so thrills her is what freezes even her out of having any real influence. She certainly has got that memo:

As a consequence, some have requested I leave the party altogether, and say that I am now an unwelcome member...

Any criticism I give of the Republican Party is out of love, and as someone who feels knowledgeable and experienced enough to give constructive criticism.

Ms. McCain goes on to cite two erroneous examples Democratic disunity:

Look at Obama’s stimulus bill—as soon as he handed it over to the House, Democrats loaded it with so many appropriations they made it impossible to pass.

But the bill did pass or is she not aware?

(He goes on to cite Sen. Kent Conrad’s endorsement of farm payments and Democrats' opposition to Obama’s plan to limit tax deductions for the rich.) Now, I may not agree with Obama either, but if such a left-leaning magazine so blatantly recognizes the writing on the wall when it comes to extreme members of the Democratic Party hijacking message and power, then it is obviously a major concern.

Conrad is far from a liberal Democrat, so how exactly is he an extreme (and by extreme, I assume she means liberal) hijacking Obama's message? It appears that if anything, the problem Obama is having is with Business-centric Democrats who would rather subsidize companies than save money, without working towards Obama's health care reforms, all in the name of claiming to be a deficit hawk.

These DINOs in the Senate, Conrad, Evan Bayh, Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor and the rest, would rather give tax breaks to the wealthiest than work with the rest of the Democratic majority to pass Obama's agenda.

The best question Ms. McCain asks is: "Can politics ever become truly centrist and bipartisan?"

The answer here is surprising. Because the Democratic Party has such diversity and 60 votes is needed to make for cloture, simply working within the Democratic caucus guarantees a truly centrist perspective. Democrats need every one of their 58 senators and two Republican moderates to push through a bill.

This of course doesn't make politics bipartisan. Politics won't be bipartisan until Republicans decide to break ranks and begin working with the president.

The people support Obama. The people want Republicans to participate in governance and until they do so, Republican unity is going to leave them a geographically isolated party and leave Ms. McCain voiceless in the Republican wilderness.
----------------
Now playing: Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek - Africa Dream

Web 2.0 Taking Over SXSW

My buddy Jay Smooth over at Hiphopmusic.com and IllDoctrine was interviewed by PBS at SXSW. It's nice to see hip-hop blogging and video blogging in general get some publicity, and of course, we want Jay to get as much attention as possible. We know being named one of the sexiest men alive on Salon.com didn't go to his head quite enough. The interview is a must watch for anyone interested in the interactive and expanding world of blogging and video blogging:


----------------
Now playing: Eric B. & Rakim - Eric B. Is President

David Brooks is a tool.

Want proof? He thinks far too much about Michelle Obama's attire.

Money quote from tomorrow's MoDowd article:

In the taxi, when I asked David Brooks about her amazing arms, he indicated it was time for her to cover up. “She’s made her point,” he said. “Now she should put away Thunder and Lightning...

David was not smitten by the V-neck, sleeveless eggplant dress Michelle wore at her husband’s address to Congress — the one that caused one Republican congressman to whisper to another, “Babe.”

He said the policy crowd here would consider the dress ostentatious. “Washington is sensually avoidant. The wonks here like brains. She should not be known for her physical presence, for one body part.” David brought up the Obamas’ obsession with their workouts. “Sometimes I think half the reason Obama ran for president is so Michelle would have a platform to show off her biceps.”

I mean, seriously, you have nothing better to think or talk about?
----------------
Now playing: Grizzly Bear - Cheerleader

Less 'Dog-Whistle' Journalism More Reporting

Coates caught something I missed in a Politico article I got a pretty good chuckle out of. Anyone that's followed this blog over the last couple months knows about my misgivings towards Politico.

TNC money quote from Politico:

On matters of racial identity, many observers in the African-American community say he benefits from what's known as "dog-whistle politics."His language, mannerisms and symbols resonate deeply with his black supporters, even as the references largely sail over the heads of white audiences.

See, this last line flew over my head. I just laughed at the premise of the article. The examples of "dog-whistle" politics they used never sailed over my head. If anything, Politico left out the best example of Obama's comfort with Millenial slang. This hip-hop vernacular was never more apparent during the primaries when Obama dusted the dirt off his shoulders. The larger question of joining the white audience as one isn't fair or accurate. Older white voters may miss much of this, but many of us Millenials know exactly what Obama means when he says, “Nah, we straight.”

The problem with Politico is they have two audiences. Inside the D.C political journalism sphere and Drudge. It's possible that neither audience may catch on to Obama's phrasing. The older, conservative audience on the Drudge already believe they are America and most importantly, they are white America. D.C journalists also believe their voice and worldview are the only ones that matter. I'm disappointed with the journalist who wrote the piece. Nia-Malika Henderson is one of the only African-American journalists at Politico. As such, I'd expect a less myopic article. She had the opportunity to explain Obama's vernacular was not obvious to an older white audience, but this only proves how language has changed this decade and Obama's connection to this evolution can help explain his appeal to Millenials and black supporters.
----------------
Now playing: Animal Collective - In The Flowers

Just a Thank You

I want to send my appreciation to Joe Klein for watching Meet the Press this week so I don't have to. David Gregory is boring and has very little personality, but I've been intrigued by Bobby Jindal, the so called GOP Obama. He seems like a reasonable man. That is until he announced he was rejected stimulus money.

Klein takes Jindal on and then some. The money quote:

In other words, Jindal--the alleged voice of the GOP future--had absolutely nothing new to say. And what he did say, about the stimulus, was purposefully misleading. I'm not sure how well the Obama stimulus, banking and budget plans will work. No one does. But I do know how the philosophy and the misleading politics that Jindal offered today has worked in the recent past.

Thanks, Joe, for saving me the time. You're a lifesaver. I have some anthropology homework to do.
----------------
Now playing: Joy Division - New dawn fades

Quote of the Day: 02.16.09

"A Republican governor, you might say, is sort of like a Republican congressman—except with actual responsibilities." - Hendrik Hertzberg, New Yorker, on the "bipartisan" stimulus debate. (Remember Sarah Palin's comments)

----------------
Now playing: Josh Wink - RA.142 Josh Wink - 2009.02.16