Just For Laughs

Robin Williams on Obama and American politics, for an English audience:

We Love Lists

My #1 Video of the Campaign

Time: Top Ten Campaign Video Moments

A weird list. The Palin-Couric interviews get #1, that's justifiable, but "Joe Biden's One-Word Debate Answer" and Hillary Clinton's "Soprano's Video" beating will.i.am's "Yes We Can" video is ridiculous.

My top five:

1. John McCain "The Fundamentals of Our Economy Are Strong" (see above)
2. will.i.am "Yes We Can"
3. Tina Fey "I Can See Russia From My House"
4. Sarah Palin "In What Respect, Charlie?"
5. Sarah Palin "Putin Rears His Head"

Katie Couric Discusses Sarah Palin Interviews

On David Letterman Wednesday night:



"Clearly, she was struggling with some of those answers."

She's a Bloody Idiot

Sarah Palin gives a Thanksgiving pardon to a single turkey, then oblivious to the slaughter, stands in front of a turkey beheading operation while being interviewed for three long minutes.

The sanitized MSNBC version (with hilarious MSNBC captioning, like “Gov. Palin Not Realizing Incongruity Of Her Words Versus Her Backdrop.”):



The bloodier raw footage from YouTube:



I bet there are bloody flecks on her coffee cup. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Are You My Mother?

When I flew to Virginia to guard a polling place for Election Day, the woman in the seat next to me turned out to be flying to West Palm Beach to do the same thing. We chatted about our work and support for Obama, and then conversation turned to McCain and Palin. At one point she leaned in and said conspiratorially "I do not believe that is her baby." And I knew immediately what she was talking about, and I agreed with her. Once you've read the whole story, you may agree with us, too.

This post from the blog Palin's Deceptions lays out the case that Sarah Palin's child Trig is not hers. It lays out in detail the absurd story Palin told about having her water break in Texas, giving a speech, taking two four-hour flights with a two-hour layover, then driving by car to her hometown hospital. At the same time she supposedly had this baby, her 16-year-old daughter had moved in with Palin's sister and missed five months of school, supposedly because she had mono. I've had mono, and known kids who had mono. No one I've ever known with mono ever missed more than a week of school. I think that kid missed five months of school because she was pregnant and had a baby. And Palin thought she would get away with lying and saying it was her kid.

You can make up your own mind, but I'm convinced that the story is a lie.

7-Year-Old Blogger For Obama

The blog: Report from Planet Stas'

When Obama heard about 7-year-old blogger Stas' Gunkel, he sent him a letter.

Senator Obama’s advice to me:

“Dear Stas, Thank you for your kind words and for your support. I am impressed with your interest in politics, especially at your young age. I encourage you to visit my website kids.barackobama.com to learn more about everything we’re doing to make your family’s future even brighter.

I leave you with three bits of advice that will make your life more fulfilling: Look out for other people, even when it does not directly benefit you; strive to make a difference everywhere you go; and get back up every time you are knocked down.

Thanks again for writing to me. Seeing young people like you who care about making things better inspires me and gives me great hope about the future of our country and our world. Sincerely, Barack Obama”

Here's a report from a Chicago TV station:



Here's one of his posts, from September 27th:

Here is why I'm asking grown-ups to vote for Barack Obama. I am 7 years old so I can't vote......

My mom told me that I shouldn't base my election analysis on "feelings" (I like him/her) or "beliefs" (I share his/her beliefs) but on logical arguments. She asked me to create my own rational explanations for my support of Obama. Here is one of my arguments:

McCain and Palin are not be qualified to be President / Vice President of the U.S. The President's job is to do good for the country and the world. To do good for the country, the President must make smart decisions on important situations.

Governor Palin believes the world is 6000 years old. This is absurd. This is not a rational belief. This is a mistake. Scientists, experiments and evidence have shown this to be completely false. Therefore, she is not rational. If she is not rational, she should not be allowed to be President or Vice President.

Please vote for Barack Obama.

I'm with Stas' on Palin. He nailed it.

I saw this at Brilliant at Breakfast, who found it at Mudflats

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy: November 14, 2008

BBC: A visitor runs by a painting of US President-elect Barack Obama dressed as Uncle Sam by Russian artist Farid Bogdalov at a gallery in Moscow.

Much gnashing of teeth over the number of former Clinton staffers being hired by Obama. I am perplexed. Who else should he hire? Former Bush administration staffers? Or naifs to Washington who would have a huge learning curve? The best source of experienced Democratic operatives for the White House are obviously the vets of the Clinton Administration. It's not like there a lot of people around from the Jimmy Carter (1976-1980) Administration to tap.

To infinity, and beyond! Obama will YouTube his weekly radio address, starting this weekend. This makes total sense. Not a lot of people listen to the radio anymore, compared to the audience getting their news online. I only ever heard the weekly radio address if I happened to be driving somewhere on a Saturday. Now I'll post it on this blog weekly. I bet the audience multiplies by more than 100-fold.

George W. Bush is such an international joke that world leaders are using him as a punch line. Sarkozy capped an argument with Putin during the Georgia crisis in August: "But do you want to end up like Bush?" Putin's response "Ah - you have scored a point there."

Republican governors not to happy with the Palin press conference yesterday. Governors trashed her anonymously to CNN: "One called it awkward: 'I’m sure you could see it on some of our faces.' Another Republican governor eyeing a presidential run in 2012 told CNN the event was 'odd' and 'weird,' and said it 'unfortunately sent a message that she was the de facto leader of the party.'"

The Catholic Church continues to drift towards religious extremism. A Catholic priest in Columbia, South Carolina has advised his parishioners that no Catholic who voted for Obama should receive communion. If he wants to empty the pews, he should ban parishioners who practice birth control. That would get rid of 80% of the faithful.

Why Palin's Word Salad Matters

Our current President can't speak English, either, and look where that got us.

Palin Press Conference

Sarah Palin did her first press conference since being named McCain's running mate. You can see why the campaign didn't allow the press to have at her. She doesn't actually know anything if it's not on notes or the teleprompter. The best-candidate-handlers-can-script can only manage her sad word salad answers. Not a whit of substance. The press conference is cut off after four questions.

Pure Poetry

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Sarah Palin answers a question in her own inimitable language:

Gah!

Nothing specific right now.
Sitting here in these chairs
that I’m going to be proposing

but

in working with these governors who
again on the front lines
are forced to
and it’s our privileged obligation
to find solutions
to the challenges facing our own states
every day
being held accountable,
not being just one of many
just casting votes
or voting present every once
in a while, we don’t
get away with that.

We have to balance budgets
and we’re dealing with multibillion dollar budgets
and tens of thousands of employees
in our organizations.

Just one of her blithering answers in her national media death-by-a-thousand-interviews tour. Yes, these were her exact words.

Tossed word salad, with dressing ($150,000 worth!) on the side.

Rachel Maddow, Blogger

ThinkProgress: Maddow wears pajamas on air in solidarity with bloggers, says she sees herself as ‘a blogger on TV.’

Last night, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow showed a clip of Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) complaining about being criticized by “some blogger” sitting “in their parents’ basement.” Maddow — who later said she saw herself as “a blogger on TV” — did the show in her pajamas to show solidarity with bloggers.

In honor of Rachel Maddow, today I will blog wearing black jeans and black Chuck Taylor lowtops. Too bad I don't own any black-framed glasses.

Comment of the Day

From this New York Times article quoting Sarah Word Salad:

One reader's comment:

"But not me personally were those cheers for."

Who is this - Yoda in lipstick?

Unacceptable is she.

— Olivia, Rhinebeck, NY

McCain on Leno - Excerpts

McCain expects to turn his back on his deceitful campaign and be the nice guy everyone liked before. I will forgive -- but I won't forget.

She Can't Shut Up

Keith Olbermann reviews Sarah Palin's interviews since the campaign ended and her many, many stories. Word salad!

Shepard Fairey Spoofs

Guardian (uk): Spoofing Shepard Fairey's Obama poster (10 pictures)

The original:



MoveOn.org will send you a free "Yes We Did" sticker designed by Shepard Fairey, or more if you make a donation.

Devoured

The New Yorker: The Fall
John McCain’s choices.

John McCain sold his soul to the Republican devil. Funniest line is this, about Sarah Barracuda:

“She’s like the plant in ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ ” McCain’s friend Bob Kerrey said. “She’s devouring him.” (emphasis in original)

Reading List

Flickr: Election Night 11-04-08

From firedoglake, why Joe Lieberman really wants to keep his Homeland Security Committee gavel: So he can investigate Obama to death by a thousand "...gates".

Ta-Nehisi Coates, WaPo: The Man of Tomorrow
King trusted whites to stand up. Obama showed me he was right.

Frank Rich, NYTimes: It Still Felt Good the Morning After

The Newsweek series (embargoed news, stuff they've known for weeks but did not deign to tell us until after we voted) is a must read:

Hackers and Spending Sprees
Highlights from NEWSWEEK's special election project.

Chapter One: How He Did It
A team of NEWSWEEK reporters reveals the secret battles and private fears behind an epic election.

Chapter Two: Back From the Dead
By late spring of 2007, John McCain's campaign was adrift, if not sinking. Then the candidate found a new narrative: the comeback.

Chapter Three: The Long Siege
The fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama turned into a grinding stasis that played out until the very last primary day.

Chapter Four: Going Into Battle
McCain's inner circle altered the style, feel and direction of the campaign. The candidate's best hope was to bring down Obama.

Chapter Five: Center Stage
Obama's aides worried the Clintons might steal the show. McCain revved up his campaign with an impulsive choice—Sarah Palin.

Chapter Six: The Great Debates
McCain bridled at reducing his opinions to sound bites. Obama prepped as if he were taking the bar exam—nothing was left to chance.

Chapter Seven: The Final Days
Obama was leading in the polls, even in red states like Virginia. But McCain almost seemed to glory in being the underdog.

Highlight Reel

From The JedReport, "A Night to Remember"



Still doesn't seem real.

Prank Call of the Weekend

"Nicolas Sarkozy" calls Sarah Palin.

In What Respect, Charlie?

The Improper

NYTimes: Growing Doubts on Palin Take a Toll, Poll Finds

A growing number of voters have concluded that Senator John McCain’s running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, is not qualified to be vice president, weighing down the Republican ticket in the last days of the campaign, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

All told, 59 percent of voters surveyed said Ms. Palin was not prepared for the job, up nine percentage points since the beginning of the month. Nearly a third of voters polled said the vice-presidential selection would be a major factor influencing their vote for president, and those voters broadly favor Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

And in a possible indication that the choice of Ms. Palin has hurt Mr. McCain’s image, voters said they had much more confidence in Mr. Obama to pick qualified people for his administration than they did in Mr. McCain.

The more she speaks, the more we realize how little she knows.

I really liked her energy speech at a solar plant yesterday where she said "Drill, baby, drill." At a solar plant. Genius!