Saturday, June 07, 2008
Did You Know?
I did not know that Harold Ickes, Hillary's adviser, was beaten during Freedom Summer by a gang of racist whites, so badly that he lost a kidney.
Joe Conason, salon.com: Democrats, put down your swords
The Clintons, along with many of the activists closest to them, are veterans of the civil rights struggle, notably Harold Ickes, the hard-bitten lawyer and advisor who was nearly beaten to death by a racist gang in Mississippi more than 40 years ago while trying to register black voters. What Obama represents is a future for which they fought valiantly before he was born. It is ironic, of course, that the price of that triumph has turned out to be so high for them personally.
time.com: Clinton's Superdelegate Hunter
[T]he younger Ickes was raised in the Washington bubble of his time--but he migrated West, worked as a cowboy on a ranch in Northern California and harbored little interest in the kind of work done by his father, who died when the boy was 12. That changed in the summer of 1964, after graduating from college, when Ickes headed south to work for the civil rights movement. The next year, he was beaten so severely by a gang of whites in Louisiana that he lost a kidney. Ickes has been a practicing political operative ever since.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
High(Low)Lights of McCain Speech
Hilarious mashup of McCain's weird green screen speech yesterday.
hat tip to Americablog
Here's the actual speech from which the mashup above was taken. It's really terrible.
hat tip to Americablog
Here's the actual speech from which the mashup above was taken. It's really terrible.
Oh Happy Day
Oh Happy Day (from the movie "Sister Act"):
Another "Yes We Can" video, with music from the Pointer Sisters:
Read Liberally
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Democrats have a lot to be proud of today: Brilliant at Breakfast: I am so proud of my party and my country right now
Great photo essay by diarist Al Rodgers at dailykos, including many front page headlines about Obama's win. Kayakbiker has a photo diary of the Obama speech last night in Minnesota.
Atrios sez, quite rightly, it's all about the war. No Iraq, no war, no war vote, no candidate Obama, Clinton wins.
McCain has reversed his position of six months ago and is now fully in favor of illegal spying and untrammeled executive power. He can now be called Multiple Choice McCain, running to be Tyrant King.
Check out this photo. Celebrate!
Post Mortems
The short version of all these analyses: Clinton was outmaneuvered.
Boston Globe: Her first steps set stage for fall
Campaign wasted momentum, money, analysts say
The Fix Blog, WaPo: What Went Wrong for Clinton?
WSJ: Clinton's Road to Second Place
I May Live Forever!
NYTimes: New Hints Seen That Red Wine May Slow Aging
Red wine may be much more potent than was thought in extending human lifespan, researchers say in a new report that is likely to give impetus to the rapidly growing search for longevity drugs.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
McBush
The Carpetbagger Report (via Alternet): McCain Does Not Understand the Budget
A Little Celtics History
Suldog: Why "Beat LA!" Is Noble
Why? Because in 1982 Boston fans chanted it to Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers as a sign of respect. They chanted it to a rival that was beating us on our home floor in a game 7. Unfortunately, it was not to be; the Lakers beat the Sixers in 6 games.
Here's the video:
boston.com, Celtics Blog: The origins of 'Beat LA'
Why? Because in 1982 Boston fans chanted it to Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers as a sign of respect. They chanted it to a rival that was beating us on our home floor in a game 7. Unfortunately, it was not to be; the Lakers beat the Sixers in 6 games.
Here's the video:
boston.com, Celtics Blog: The origins of 'Beat LA'
Their Long National Nightmare Is Almost Over
Canada's women's national soccer team's dictatorial coach Even Pellerud to step down. Hurray. Two years ago he kicked three of the country's best players off the team and Canada hasn't been the same since. Now they are Christine Sinclair and hope the goalie gets hot. A new coach can only be for the good.
The Canadian Press: National women's soccer coach Pellerud confirms he'll be stepping down
Deval Patrick, Environmentalist
Two young bald eagles have a panoramic view of the Quabbin Reservoir from their nest, one of eight there. Photographer Mark Wilson handed a preset camera to state wildlife technician Dave Fuller, who carried it up a tree and clicked the shutter.
This is why I voted for Deval Patrick for governor. While the Boston Herald reports nothing but his spending to upgrade his offices (what did Mitt Romney care about his offices, he was NEVER IN THIS STATE. Grrrrr.) this is the kind of positive change we expect from Governor Patrick.
Boston Globe: Eagles getting assistance, but still endangered
Governor Deval Patrick banded two five-week-old bald eagles today, assisting in the effort to keep track of the endangered birds.
“I am so proud that our restoration program has helped keep these magnificent birds soaring over our Commonwealth,” Patrick said in a statement.
NYTimes: Massachusetts Law to Manage and Protect Ocean Waters
BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law Wednesday a measure that will establish the nation’s first management and protection plan for a state’s ocean waters.
The law sets ground rules for all offshore projects and businesses, including energy ventures and conservation areas that lie in state waters. The state controls all water within three miles of the coast, about 1.6 million acres of water.
Lawrence Eagle-Tribune: Creating 'green collar' jobs: Massachusetts groups striving for stronger position in environmental market
[I]n Massachusetts, Gov. Deval Patrick and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi have been promoting their own green initiatives, which would dedicate $100 million over the next five years to clean-energy research and business development.
[]
Quincy Vale, president and CEO of PowerHouse Enterprises, a Lawrence company that designs environmentally friendly modular homes, said in the past, former Gov. Mitt Romney "said the right things" but didn't back up his words with funding. Gov. Patrick's administration, however, "gets it. Patrick has shown a lot more action," Vale said.
McCain's Adviser Phil Gramm: Monster
McCain adviser Phil Gramm pushed an investment scheme where bonds would be sold and tied to a state teacher's retirement fund, betting, in essence, that retired teachers would die.
Message Discipline
Message discipline is one of the things I admire about the Obama campaign.
Every spokesperson who talks about John McCain talks about running against "John McCain and George W. Bush."
Today I had CNN droning on in the background. An Obama spokesperson says Obama is running against John McCain and George Bush's policies. Then a McCain spokesperson comes on. First he says "Obama is fond of saying McCain is running for Bush's third term." (Thank you for delivering Obama's message!) Then he says Obama's talking point that McCain is running for Bush's third term is not true. Again, Obama's message discipline has got McCain's spokesperson delivering our message.
A Democrat who is on offense, not defense! Refreshing.
Bad News
Boston Globe: David Ortiz goes on DL
BALTIMORE - The Red Sox will place designated hitter David Ortiz on the 15-day disabled list today with a partially torn sheath surrounding a tendon in his left wrist. Ortiz is expected to miss up to a month, according to a team source.
His wrist will be immobilized in a cast for two weeks, and if it is healed by then, it should take about two weeks for Ortiz to get back into playing shape.
Good News
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama smiled as he received Kennedy's endorsement in January. Kennedy, accompanied by members of his family, gave this [sic] support and has campaigned heavily for the Illinois senator.
(Globe Photo)
Boston Globe: Kennedy has 'successful' surgery
3-hour procedure at Duke Medical Center targets tumor; doctor says goals achieved
Monday, June 02, 2008
Win It For Red
Boston Herald: Celtics
As if they needed one, the Celtics have an extra reason to win the championship. If the Lakers win, Phil Jackson will surpass Red Auerbach as the NBA coach with the most titles.
If the Celtics had any class, they'd rename the new Boston Garden "Auerbach Arena".
Hey, John Kerry
If you had fought 1/10th as hard as Hillary Clinton has fought -- you'd be running for a second term.
Blogger is Bloggered Today
Most of the time I can't get on my own blog! Here are some good links/arguments/reads, hope they publish:
Bushco has been using ships to hide prisoners and break human rights laws. Maybe Bush can title his autobiography "Outsourcing Torture for Democracy". And he won't even get the contradiction in terms.
Who killed the salmon? Republicans killed the salmon.
John McCain's endorsed/renounced pastor from H E Double Hockey Sticks inspired this headline: Pastor Hagee: The Antichrist Is Gay, "Partially Jewish, As Was Adolph Hitler" (Paging Joe Lieberman!) There's a lot of hating rolled into that one headline.
Vanity Fair publishes a concern troll piece by Dee Dee Myers' husband Todd Purdum, questioning what Bill Clinton has been doing when out of office. (I'm not going to link it, it's on Vanity Fair's site.) If the corporate media EVER does a story about George H.W. Bush, The Carlyle Group and the dictators and thugs he has cozied up to, I'll eat my hat.
Coming Attractions: Booman Tribune tells us that one of the rabid-to-point-of-lunacy Clinton blogs is promoting a video that will bring down the Obama campaign; apparently it's all based on the difference between questions asking "Why'd he"" and claiming that those questions ask, "Whitey?" This will be on Fox/Faux News, Drudge, Politico and rest of the corporate media presently.
From the WaPo, President Head Cheerleader, according to General Ricardo Sanchez, gave this confused pep talk after the death of four contractors in Fallujah in 2004:
"Kick ass!" he quotes the president as saying. "If somebody tries to stop the march to democracy, we will seek them out and kill them! We must be tougher than hell! This Vietnam stuff, this is not even close. It is a mind-set. We can't send that message. It's an excuse to prepare us for withdrawal."He may as well have added, "I am stupid", but I'm sure the listeners got that point as well.
"There is a series of moments and this is one of them. Our will is being tested, but we are resolute. We have a better way. Stay strong! Stay the course! Kill them! Be confident! Prevail! We are going to wipe them out! We are not blinking!"
Steve Gilliard died a year ago today. Jill at Brilliant at Breakfast offers a tribute, and collects links from other bloggers remembering Steve. The News Blog was the first blog I read every day, and I miss Steve's powerful voice.
McCain Has No Idea
Alternet: McCain Exaggerates Troop Drawdown
In a townhall, McCain falsely claims troops are down to pre-surge levels.
We've had eight years of "Clueless". We don't need another four years of lies and half-truths.
Prayers For Ted
Kennedy at work in the Senate earlier this month.
NYTimes: Kennedy Having Surgery for Tumor
Mr. Kennedy said in the statement that he and his wife Vicki, “along with my outstanding team of doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital, have consulted with experts from around the country and have decided that the best course of action for my brain tumor is targeted surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation.”
He said that, “after completing treatment, I look forward to returning to the United States Senate and to doing everything I can to help elect Barack Obama as our next president.”
I am glad to hear that he is having surgery: operable is always better than inoperable.
Hang in there, Senator Kennedy.
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