Expressio Unius

A Conservative's Lament: The Specter of Public Health

2010-10-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

With the midterm elections drawing near, conservatives should pause and reflect on missed opportunities. Despite Obama’s unprecedented unpopularity and strong opposition to his signature policy achievements: Obamacare and the Stimulus, it is almost a perfect certainty that the Democrats will hold onto the US Senate. The expert prognosticator Nate Silver, of FiveThirtyEight, has determined the Democrats will control the Senate barring a last-minute game-changer. At this point, all the game changers have cut against conservatives – as the liberal base rallies and Tea Party candidates flail. Democratic momentum is real, conservatives must assess the road not taken.

In my mind, one of the larger issues ignored by both parties is that of public health. "Obamacare" has been dragged through the mud by conservatives and their anti-government counterparts in the Tea Party and rightly so; it expands the government's presence into the realm of public health beyond any historical precedent (a central point of contention for conservatives). This message has been effectively used in garnering support amongst the Republican base; Thune, O'Donnell, Angle, Paul and others have made clear their intentions to repeal the bill should Republicans control either the Senate or House. Of course, without complete control in the Senate their efforts will be limited to defunding the bill and incentivizing the creation of a smaller incarnation but as far as conservatives are concerned, it's a start. Interestingly enough, the issue of public health has become a lightning rod for the Republican base; it is clear that the mere mention of the subject is sufficient to draw the ire of those most depended on by the Republican party to vote. The most pressing example currently available would be California's current battle to legalize and tax marijuana. It is important to note that while Republican/Tea Party voters seem to hold little animosity for the issue (it being a concession to the all-important issue of "state's rights") the nature of the debate changes when one suggests that drug offenders, for which the bar is set very high, are now to be wards of the state's various public health agencies and rehabilitation programs. At the mere mention of expanding government involvement in the state's administration of its programs the game changes; where conservative support for the bill once was high, explication of the program's intentions (true or not as is often the case in these elections) to rehabilitate offenders via federal programs has sent Republican voters away from the ballot box with Proposition 19's status now in question. So when conservatives ask themselves, "what could we have done to change the outcome of this midterm election" the answer, invariably, is finding ways to effectively tie the expansion of federal government's purview over the private lives of citizens into new policy frameworks. The public health issue is but one of many I intend to explore both before and after the results of the election are finalized and the dust has settled. On a side note, it is interesting that before Congress took their recess to fight the good fight nationwide in a series of contentious elections President Obama held off on delivering to the public a new series of government programs intended to better the lives, ironically, of the very people who would vote against them if he did.

My Beautiful Father's Obituary

2009-12-03T08:09:00.001-08:00

Rest in peace, my beloved father.

Let's Get Along

2009-09-20T22:01:00.001-07:00

Traficant Released

2009-09-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hard to keep a good man down.

So You Had a Bad 6 Hour Period of Time

2009-09-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

People generally measure the quality of their experiences in days, rather than a more precise unit of time.

That is, they refer to having a good day, a bad day, the best day of their life, etc.

But almost no one says "Boy, that was a terrible span of 3 hours" or "Those were the best 75 minutes of my life." This is true even though the experiences they're referring to almost certainly didn't last a full 24 hours.

There are exceptions, of course. But I think the general tendency is interesting. Also it resulted in this great song.

Is this a Government Takeover?

2009-09-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

The existing draft of HR 3200 would add 53 agencies [SEE UPDATE BELOW] in one form or another:

1. Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 123, p. 30)
2. Health Choices Administration (Section 141, p. 41)
3. Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 144, p. 47)
4. Program of administrative simplification (Section 163, p. 57)
5. Retiree Reserve Trust Fund (Section 164(d), p. 70)
6. Health Insurance Exchange (Section 201, p. 72)
7. Mechanism for insurance risk pooling to be established by Health Choices Administration Commissioner (Section 206(b), p. 106)
8. Special Inspector General for the Health Insurance Exchange (Section 206(c), p. 107)
9. Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund (Section 207, p. 109)
10. State-based Health Insurance Exchanges (Section 208, p. 111)
11. "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 221, p. 116)
12. Ombudsman for "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 221(d), p. 117)
13. Account for receipts and disbursements for "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 222(b), p. 119)
14. Telehealth Advisory Committee (Section 1191, p. 380)
15. Demonstration program providing reimbursement for "culturally and linguistically appropriate services" (Section 1222, p. 405)
16. Demonstration program for shared decision making using patient decision aids (Section 1236, p. 438)
17. Accountable Care Organization pilot program (Section 1301, p. 443)
18. Independent patient-centered medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302, p. 462)
19. Community-based medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302(d), p. 468)
20. Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (Section 1401(a), p. 502)
21. Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (Section 1401(a), p. 505)
22. Patient ombudsman for comparative effectiveness research (Section 1401(a), p. 519)
23. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1412(b)(1), p. 546)
24. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for nursing facilities (Section 1412 (b)(2), p. 548)
25. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1413(a)(3), p. 559)
26. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 1413(b)(3), p. 565)
27. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 1422, p. 607)
28. Demonstration program for approved teaching health centers with respect to Medicare GME (Section 1502(d), p. 674)
29. Pilot program to develop anti-fraud compliance systems for Medicare providers (Section 1635, p. 716)
30. Medical home pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1722, p. 780)
31. Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund (Section 1802, p. 824)
32. "Identifiable office or program" within CMS to "provide for improved coordination between Medicare and Medicaid in the case of dual eligibles" (Section 1905, p. 852)
33. Public Health Investment Fund (Section 2002, p. 859)
34. Scholarships for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 870)
35. Loan repayment program for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 873)
36. Program for training medical residents in community-based settings (Section 2214, p. 882)
37. Grant program for training in dentistry programs (Section 2215, p. 887)
38. Public Health Workforce Corps (Section 2231, p. 898)
39. Public health workforce scholarship program (Section 2231, p. 900)
40. Public health workforce loan forgiveness program (Section 2231, p. 904)
41. Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p. 917)
42. Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 920)
43. Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 932)
44. Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 941)
45. Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 947)
46. Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 950)
47. Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 951)
48. Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 955)
49. Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 965)
50. Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 972)
51. Grant program to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 993)
52. National Medical Device Registry (Section 2521, p. 1001)
53. Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2531, p. 1008)

Is this a government-run healthcare system? I guess it depends on what you mean by government-run. But it sure seems like an incredble addition to the existing bureaucracy, and it merely begs the question to ask whether it's "government-run" or not. Whatever it is, does it lead to better services and lower costs?

UPDATE: JS rightly points out that this list isn't "agencies," but rather a mix of individuals, funds, and various programs. For more on our discussion, see the comments.

You're Not Going to Tell Me How to Run My Congressional Office

2009-09-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

WT and Julia

2009-09-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

Who here thinks I should cook my way through the Julia Child book the Art of French Cooking and write a blog about it?

Me either.

In the year 2000

2009-09-03T23:09:00.001-07:00

In the future, constitutional amendments will take place either by a 3/4ths vote of the state legislatures, a constitutional convention, or by a facebook group reaching 150 million members.

Welcome to Crazytown

2009-08-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

You know that Iran is in dire straits when Ayatollah Khamanei represents the voice of moderation in the nation's leadership.

CNN's Most Hilarious Headlines

2009-07-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

The side panel link from CNN's July 15, 2009 article covering the third day of the Sotomayor hearings:

Most Viewed Most Emailed Top Searches

1 Exchange students live nightmare
2 168 killed as jet crashes in Iran
3 Africans face U.S. misconceptions
4 Day 3 of Sotomayor hearing
5 Jacksons a unique parental team
6 Mystery killing of 3-year-old
7 5,000-pound shark washes ashore
8 Sotomayor found Princeton alien
9 911 call launched Caylee drama
10 'Absolutely' overused? Absolutely

Whoa! An alien? At Princeton!? And Sotomayor blew the lid off of it!? Nice work Sonia! I guess she's right, a wise latina is better suited to discovering alien species than a while male who "hasn't lived that life." (Carl Sagan, I'm looking at you)

Seriously folks, why waste her on the Supreme Court? Get her confirmed as the new head of NASA!

Don't Look Away

2009-06-21T23:46:00.001-07:00

This woman was murdered by illegitimate cowards who deserve nothing but suffering and derision.

Freedom is contagious

2009-06-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

China censors its own news outlets for fear of inspiring democratic movements within China.

You can't stop freedom folks. As time progresses, the tendency toward greater and greater freedom approaches 1.

This other guy is pretty cool too

2009-06-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

The focus is on Mir Hossein Mossavi, mostly because people expected him to win, and because he was the primary opposition candidate. But this other guy, Mehdi Karoubi, is looking pretty good too.

Defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karoubi called on Friday for Iran's election result to be cancelled, hours after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed the victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In an open letter which will be delivered to the country's highest legislative body, the Guardian Council, on Saturday, Karoubi said: "Accept the Iranian nation's will by cancelling the vote and guarantee the establishment's survival."

The letter was published on Karoubi's website.

Suck it Ayatollah Khamenei.

I may die tomorrow.

2009-06-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

And this is courage.

"I will participate in the demonstrations tomorrow. Maybe they will turn violent. Maybe I will be one of the people who is going to get killed. I'm listening to all my favorite music. I even want to dance to a few songs. I always wanted to have very narrow eyebrows. Yes, maybe I will go to the salon before I go tomorrow! There are a few great movie scenes that I also have to see. I should drop by the library, too. It's worth to read the poems of Forough and Shamloo again. All family pictures have to be reviewed, too. I have to call my friends as well to say goodbye. All I have are two bookshelves which I told my family who should receive them. I'm two units away from getting my bachelors degree but who cares about that. My mind is very chaotic. I wrote these random sentences for the next generation so they know we were not just emotional and under peer pressure. So they know that we did everything we could to create a better future for them. So they know that our ancestors surrendered to Arabs and Mongols but did not surrender to despotism. This note is dedicated to tomorrow's children..."

And the police shoot blindly into the crowd

2009-06-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

Canadian Journalist Beaten, Given Tea

2009-06-15T01:52:00.000-07:00

This is an incredible story of a Canadian journalist mistaken for an anti-coup protestor.

By being detained, he was able to see the brutal conditions of other detainees.

“There has been a terrible misunderstanding,” I was told. “There is a bad situation in Tehran, and sometimes the officers get confused,” he said with a smile, while a plainclothes officer offered me water and tea.

In an almost surreal gesture, they introduced me to the riot police officer standing nearby, who shook my hand and said, “You are my friend,” and, “Canada is good.”

The officer told me I was free to go, and I was allowed to walk out of the Interior Ministry building with nothing more than bleeding welts on my neck and a swollen arm.

My journalist credentials and Canadian passport got me out of the Interior Ministry building, but dozens of others remained in that basement.

Please God protect the people left behind in that room.

Where Can I get up to date Iran News?

2009-06-15T01:46:00.001-07:00

The undercoverage of the coup in Iran is pretty surprising, but here are the links I'm finding most helpful to understand what's going on, and what the likelihood of another revolution is:

NYT's The Lede

Huffington Post's Live Blog

TehranBureau is Twittering from the inside.

Daily Dish, by Andrew Sullivan

We Will All Go Down Together

2009-06-15T01:43:00.000-07:00

Embedding is disabled, but this is worth clickin the link for.

Great Song

2009-06-07T19:37:00.001-07:00

Awesome Name for a Political Party

2009-06-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the Swedish Pirate Party for picking up a seat in the EU Parliament.

Truly inspiring for all pirates. Wait, is that good or bad?

iTunes at $1.29 per Song Now

2009-05-28T00:39:00.001-07:00

Whoa. I just noticed this over the weekend. Which only makes me about 3 months behind the times.

Guess what? Major record labels are *losing* money on the new system.

Is Sotomayor a "Racist"?

2009-05-28T00:26:00.000-07:00

You be the judge:

Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, a possibility I abhor less or discount less than my colleague Judge Cedarbaum, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging. Justice O'Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases. I am not so sure Justice O'Connor is the author of that line since Professor Resnik attributes that line to Supreme Court Justice Coyle. I am also not so sure that I agree with the statement. First, as Professor Martha Minnow has noted, there can never be a universal definition of wise. Second, I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.

Michael Vick's Rehabilitation

2009-05-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Michael Vick is out of prison, and on house arrest for two more months, before he is done serving his time.

But how can Michael Vick make up for this?

I suggest that he do something can help him both rehabilitate his image and possibly get him back in the NFL -- offer to donate his next 5 years' salaray to the SPCA.

Sad Parrot

2009-05-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how they got the Pittsburgh Parrot to look so sad in his costume.

I remember the Bream slide that started the Pirates' 16 year losing streak. I was a Braves fan. I was 12.

Never Lose Faith In Your Team On The Air

2009-05-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

Especially not when there's still hope. This video is awesome.

Good Picture

2009-05-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

Obama hugs John ("Jack") McCain IV at the 2009 Naval Academy graduation.

Suck it Long Beach

2009-05-03T01:31:00.000-07:00

Fresno is now number 5 largest city in California

Next up, San Francisco. Only 350,000 more people left to go. Fres we can.

Souter Retiring

2009-05-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Republican appointee David Souter is retiring from the Supreme Court.

To focus more on dating and frat games.

McCain's First 100 Days

2009-04-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

It's easy to criticize Obama, but hard to imagine McCain doing much better:

John McCain, the oldest first-term president in history, is proving as rambunctious and pugnacious as the youngest one, Teddy Roosevelt. Of course, Teddy probably would have sent the Marines to Venezuela, while McCain had to make do with mugging for the cameras with an exaggerated grimace when he was forced by protocol to shake Hugo Chavez's hand at the recent hemispheric summit.

Regardless of their respective policies, I think the national mood would be a lot worse now had McCain won. I guess that's an obvious tautology, since a large majority of people voted for Obama (and would thus be understandably moody if McCain won).

But more broadly, I mean that Obama's message of hope, though often devoid of content, is actually doing a good job making people think that America's future remains bright, in a way that McCain probably couldn't have done.

So Mr. President, enjoy the compliment.

Rest in Peace, Frau Koopman

2009-04-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

My high school German teacher passed away last week.

Knowing this was coming, a group of us got together to make a photo album for her, which she got a week or so before she passed. The article, to my surprise, mentions it:

In the weeks following, students, parents, and the generations she taught at Bullard flooded Ms. Koopman's home with more than 500 letters, notes and e-mails. Hammaker said among her most treasured gifts was an 82-page photo album that current and former students put together and delivered about a week before Ms. Koopman's death.

Sweet. Not only was the exercise of putting the album together really valuable and memorable, but Koop loved it and got to cherish it before she passed. Somewhere, in heaven, she is putting on a German play right now.

One Bad Argument Against Waterboarding

2009-04-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

I remain undecided as to whether waterboarding is ever justified in any circumstance, including the "ticking time bomb" scenario where waterboarding may be the only means of obtaining critical information to potentially save lives.

What I know, however, is that there is one very terrible argument against waterboarding -- that we should not do it because it would justify other countries waterboarding our citizens or soldiers, and that we would lose credibility were we to complain about other countries waterboarding if our people were captured during war time.

The argument has a couple of obvious flaws. There are plenty of things we do -- and feel justified doing -- that we don't want other countries doing. Projecting power in the western hemisphere, influencing monetary and economic policies throughout the globe, exercising undue influence in organizations like the WTO, World Bank, IMF, etc. When critics say these are bad things, they generally don't say it's because they want us to be able to complain when other countries do it.

But for some reason this is an argument gaining traction with anti-waterboarders.

But even in the context of interrogation, we know instinctually that this argument is a bad one. There are lots of things we don't want other countries doing to our citizens that aren't as extreme as waterboarding.

We don't want other countries yelling at or verbally threatening our prisoners of war with prosecution, other countries imprisoning our soldiers in solitary confinement, or other countries, even temporarily, detaining our citizens without a fair hearing. And yet, obviously the U.S. isn't about to give up these abilities on the basis that it won't be able to credibly complain when other countries do it.

As another matter, it's far from clear that the opposite isn't true, at least in some cases. That is, we *might* be ok with other countries waterboarding our citizens in very specific situations. Say, a U.S. national like John Walker Lindh plants a ticking suitcase bomb in England, and has been captured by MI5. Is that an easy case? What about less than waterboarding, but still more than what we'd be comfortable subjecting our soldiers to? Is that ok? If so, are the critics then saying it's ok for the U.S. to waterboard in analagous instances? I doubt it.

Ultimately, then, if waterboarding is immoral or bad policy, it shouldn't be because we're worried about other people doing it to us. We're worried about other people doing lots of things to us, many of which we do in some form or another, and that we certainly aren't willing to give up.

This does little to resolve the overall debate as to whether waterboarding works, or whether it's just so immoral that no one should ever do it. But I think it at least removes one terrible argument from the debate.

Boalt Stays Strong at 6th

2009-04-22T22:59:00.001-07:00

The USNews rankings have been leaked a little early, and Boalt has stayed strong at sixth -- and the top public law school -- in the country.

Good work Dean Edley. When you took over we were 13th, and quickly rose from there back into the top 10, and now as high as we've ever been ranked two years running.

The only downside is that UChicago, which used to be 7th behind us, is now tied with us for sixth. Oh well.

Where in the World is Daniel San Diego?

2009-04-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

Kudos to ABC News for running with the joke in an otherwise serious story about a top ten most wanted eco-terrorist.

Passover Done, Another Year Through

2009-04-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

You know your bias is obvious when...

2009-04-15T16:23:00.001-07:00

...even the Onion is capping on you.

America's leading news/parody magazine has suggested that the media might be a little too forgiving of our Commander-In-Chief. Especially amusing is how the piece singles out Newsweek, CBS, The New York Times, and the Washington Post as being particularly indulgent, if not downright sycophantic, towards the president.

Sometimes life imitates art...and sometimes art imitates life.

Obama's Just a Little Taller Is All

2009-04-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

Here is the White House making an obviously false claim:

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs addressed the issue Thursday when he denied that the president bowed.

"I think he bent over with both hands to shake his hand," Gibbs said before asking why the incident was being raised a week after it happened.

Political Images

2009-04-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

Which one of these political images is most potent?

Obama's Bow

2009-04-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

Last week at the G-20 summit, Obama bowed to Saudi King Abdullah.

It's hard to know how big of a deal to make of something like this. On the one hand, it's an apolitical gesture, and unlikely to indicate future deference to Saudi Arabia, or even cause substantial discomfort next time our interests conflict.

Still, I see at least two problems. One, it'll never happen again, given the criticism now being leveled. Which makes me think that King Abdullah might actually be bothered by it the next time he meets Obama. What? Last time I got a bow, this time nothing? To the extent foreign leaders can be driven by emotional impulses, I think there's at least some potential for danger down the road.

And second, it just makes me *feel* like it's a display of weakness. Why should the U.S. President bow to anyone? The answer of course, is that he/she shouldn't. It's improper protocol.

"[T]he president of the United States does not bow to kings. He is not only the chief of government, he's our head of state -- the equal of any monarch."

Oh, and add this to the list of intentional deceptions put out by Obama or his White House:

The White House says Obama didn't bow, that he "grasped (Abdullah's) hand with two hands and he's taller than King Abdullah."

Sorry, but a videotape on YouTube doesn't quite back that up. Obama clearly bends his body toward the Arabian monarch, and Obama doesn't grasp both the king's hands until he's standing straight up.

Not good.

Who's Next? Neil Patrick Harris?

2009-04-07T17:39:00.000-07:00

First Obama hires Dean of Yale Law School Harold Koh to join the State Department.

Then he hires Kal Penn of Van Wilder fame.

Wait, I'm smelling a movie title here. Harold and Kumar go to White Housel?

Obama Makes Vague, Possibly Self-Contradictory, Statement on Gay Marriage

2009-04-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Regarding the Iowa Supreme Court ruling striking down a prohibition on gay marriage:

The President respects the decision of the Iowa Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage. Although President Obama supports civil unions rather than same-sex marriage, he believes that committed gay and lesbian couples should receive equal rights under the law.

So he supports the Iowa Supreme Court decision? Wait, no, he didn't like it? Wait, opposes it on policy grounds but thought the legal reasoning was correct? Wait, no, he thinks "equal protection under the law" is satisfied by civil unions, such that the court got it wrong?

When your statement has any one of four meanings, you're spinning too hard.

Begich Obstinate; First Steps on Road to New Election

2009-04-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

Alaskans are pretty upset, both at the Bush DOJ for prosecutorial misconduct, and at Mark Begich for not resigning in the face of what was obviously a misbegotten election:

Outrage in Alaska is building over the Justice Department’s apparent mishandling of its prosecution of Ted Stevens, the state’s former Senator, prompting calls for a new election to give Mr. Stevens, 85, a chance to get his old seat back without a legal cloud hanging over his head.

As I noted in this post and in the comments to that post, I think it's only reasonable and honorable that Begich resign to force a new election or Gubernatorial appointment. Begich, however, is refusing:

Mr. Begich responded, in so many words, that he had no intention of stepping aside and does not expect a new election to be held.

“I got into the senate race long before Senator Stevens’ legal troubles began because Alaskans were looking for a change and a senator as independent as Alaska,” he said in a statement.

But that's clearly misleading, and Begich is digging a deeper hole for himself. Alaskans were looking for a change? Even though they voted overwhelmingly for McCain and Palin? And Don Young? Doubtful.

No one disputes Begich was in the race before Stevens was indicted; the problem is that he wouldn't have been elected if Stevens were acquitted back in October, instead of being wrongly convicted of seven felony counts.

Fortunately, it looks like there may be a legal avenue to remedy the situation to give Stevens a chance to win the seat back:

“If he thinks it should be done, I think it can be done,” Mr. Shea said. “From the things that have come out, from Eric Holder and Judge Sullivan, there certainly were enough corrupt practices by the prosecutors and F.B.I. agents to influence the results of the election and that’s all you need to overturn an election in the state of Alaska.”

Good. Let's hope it comes to fruition.

I realize the temptation for Democrats is to avoid giving back a hard fought seat in the Senate. But I think we can at least agree that there are higher priorities. Alaska should have the right to pick a Senator on the basis of a fair electoral process.

And if Begich wins that race, more power to him. In fact, it would probably help his re-election chances in 2014 -- which will look pretty dismal if he remains obstinate when it comes to who should fairly represent Alaska.

Stevens Charges Dropped; What Should Begich Do?

2009-04-01T23:41:00.001-07:00

Mark Begich beat Ted Stevens in the 2008 Alaska Senate race after Stevens was convicted of several federal corruption offenses.

Those offenses, it turns out, were procured by intentionally withholding the lead witness's testimony and involved an affair with one of the FBI agents investigating the case. The charges against Stevens have been dropped.

It's time for Mark Begich to do the honorable thing and resign. He owes the seat to the prosecution and conviction, both of which we know today to be bogus.

Andy Warhol would be Proud

2009-04-01T23:38:00.000-07:00

How can we balance the budget? Nominate every American for a job in the Obama Administration.

In the future, everyone will be secretary of Health and Human Services for 15 minutes.

April Fools

2009-04-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

McCain bests Obama again

2009-03-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

McCain has a steady track record of beating Obama in nearly all pursuits: experience, judgment, ideas, policy proposals, celebrity endorsements, and sense of humor. (every area other than electoral votes and fundraising, really)

Now, he's besting Obama in NCAA bracket picks.

Critics 1, Obama 0

2009-03-20T08:47:00.001-07:00

In a strange "I told you so" moment, the critics Obama mentioned, but brushed off, earlier in the day, were apparently right.

"Now, there are those who say these plans are too ambitious,” Obama said, referring to his agenda during an town hall event. ‘In fact, somebody was saying the other – today, I think – that I shouldn't be on Leno. I can't handle that and the economy at the same time.

And ... cue irony.

Obama Goes After an Easier Target than the GOP

2009-03-20T08:42:00.001-07:00

Classy move Mr. President.

The president had been making an attempt at self-deprecating humor in his appearance on Jay Leno's show by saying that a recent 129 he scored in the White House bowling alley had been "like Special Olympics, or something.

Fortunately, one Special Olympics champion -- Kolan McConiughey, who bowls an average of 266 (significantly higher than Obama's 129) -- is willing to show the President what's what.

2 Problems with Obama's NCAA Brackets

2009-03-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Here's Obama's NCAA Bracket.

I see two major problems off the bat (besides the fact that he's lost 2 of his first three picks -- BYU and Butler).

First, the teams in his Final Four all have massive unpaid tax issues.

Second, look closely and you can see that he crossed out Louisville and wrote UNC instead. Apparently he was for Louisville before he was against them.

Hat tip: Tuco.

Duke Coach Burns Obama

2009-03-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

You tell him, Coach K.

Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said from the Blue Devils' first-round site in Greensboro, N.C.

Also, Obama's explanations for his picks were totally campy. At points he'd say he was picking a team because of his loyalty to someone he knows there, i.e. Reggie Love with Duke. But in the next round, he'd pick the same team to lose.

What? Loyalty only goes so far when you're talking March Madnes basketball? Why can't all of your picks be based on something like, I don't know, who you think will win?

The People's Highbrow

2009-03-09T23:08:00.000-07:00

This has repeating character written all over it.

Obama 2012 Prediction

2009-03-08T22:36:00.001-07:00

The NRO blog uses this to make fun of Obama, but it's actually an incredible obstacle to be faced in 2012:

A few hours after watching a faux McLaughlin Group in Watchmen, I caught the real one, in which Jonah's buddy, Peter Beinart, predicted that even if Obama's efforts to resuscitate the economy do not work, the American public will give him credit for trying.

I definitely agree. And this hasn't slipped the mind of the Obama people, to be sure. Indeed, the move will likely occur by blaming Bush in 2012 for the lack of progress made in Obama's first four years.

I don't think that move is per se illegitimate; what I do think is that the GOP needs to be prepared for the "I did everything I could but couldn't overcome Bush's legacy" argument.

Pink Albino Dolphin

2009-03-03T08:27:00.001-08:00

Whoa.

"It is a truly beautiful dolphin but people should be careful, as with any dolphins, to respect it - observe from a distance, limit their time watching, don't chase or harass it.

Good luck.

Democrats love it when you pay your taxes

2009-03-02T18:08:00.000-08:00

But don't always pay theirs.

Number 4.

GOP comedy writers, here's your line. "Obama has proposed new bailouts more often than his cabinet members have paid their taxes. Hioh!"

Well, you see where I'm going.

Vindication is Sweet

2009-03-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

FEC rules in favor of McCain, against DNC.

Once that time machine gets built, McCain can go back to the campaign and shove it the DNC's face.

Hard Times

2009-02-24T21:27:00.001-08:00

Man living in cave hit by recession.

Discord

2009-02-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

The celebrity President, and the paparazzi Congress. Quote of the Day:

"House Republicans surround the President after the meeting. Many of them were seeking his autograph. Every House Republican eventually voted against the bill."

-- White House photo, caption under photo 4 of 23 in slide show.

Of course, look who is disseminating the message -- the White House itself. Pretty amazing.

The Engagement Appreciation Ring

2009-02-15T02:51:00.001-08:00

Important Things with Demetri MartinWed 10:30pm / 9:30c

Timing - De Veers Diamonds

Joke of the Day
Stand-Up Comedy

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Geithner Bombs

2009-02-12T01:37:00.000-08:00

In another setback for the nascent Obama administration, Treasury Secretary Geithner in his rollout plan to reform the banking industry.

Geithner harshly criticized the previous administration's approach to the crisis yesterday. But in outlining his proposal "Geithner seemed to be following the Hank Paulson playbook," says the WP in an analysis piece.

The few items in Geithner's plan that were new "came with so few details about how they would work that it contributed to the very public anxiety and investor uncertainty that Geithner criticized," notes the Post. The paper points out that the parts of the plan that had the most detail "are direct continuations of rescue efforts undertaken by Paulson."

It's therefore no surprise that Sen. Richard Shelby, the senior Republican on the Senate banking committee, said the proposal outlined by Geithner looked like "son of Paulson."

Watch for this to be a pretty constant theme over the next four years. Bush did something that people criticized, Obama takes over, continues Bush policies out of practicality or necessity. I expect it to be a regular occurrence.

Jihad Fail

2009-02-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

Giants Considering Manny

2009-02-05T01:29:00.001-08:00

The Giants are considering signing Manny Ramirez to a big time, 2 year deal. I guess it could be a good idea, but Manny is so toxic. I feel like his presence in Boston was nearly always a distraction, and that his defensive ethic was lacking.

Part of the problem with being a left fielder in San Francisco -- as opposed to, say, Boston -- is that you actually have to play pretty good defense in left field. Hence, Barry Bonds's problems there as he aged.

In any event, I won't be too sad if the Giants pass on Manny.

Supertramp is really good

2009-02-05T01:23:00.000-08:00

Totally ignorant of classic music, I had often heard this song, called "The Logical Song," as well as "Goodbye Stranger," without realizing it was the same, apparently glorious, band.

Enjoy.

Dude Who Writes "Story Highlights" Hates His Job

2009-02-04T18:12:00.000-08:00

This CNN article about not wanting to have kids isn't very humorous. But I liked how the "Story Highlights" at the top of the page cavalierly describe (and subtly mock) the author:

Story Highlights

* Woman says she's horrified by how her life would have to change with kids

* She writes, "The older I get, the more I'm grossed out by pregnancy"

* New parents want to recruit more new parents into club, columnist says

* Writer compares having kids to being chased by pack of zombies

I'm surprised one of the highlights isn't "shoot me in the head, please."

Raptors Ahead -- Caution

2009-02-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

This will continue to be a funny prank until there's a car accident.

Of course, you run from Zombies. But Raptors ahead? I think merely caution is sufficient. Don't anger them, but it's not like they're definitely going to get you.

Can Michael Phelps Get Twice As High?

2009-02-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

Slate's Explainer answers the pressing question of whether Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer, can take monster bong rips:

"[F]ans are wondering whether Phelps' abnormally large lung capacity means he can take monster bong rips. Can he?

He can. Total lung capacity refers to the volume of air contained in the lungs at the point of "maximal" inspiration — i.e., the biggest breath you can take. It's measured in liters. The greater a smoker's total lung capacity, the more he can inhale from a given joint, bowl, or bong.

According to some estimates, Phelps' lung capacity is twice that of the average human, or 12 liters rather than six. So if he puts his mind to it, he can take a hit that's twice as big as that of the next partygoer.

But the article goes on to say it doesn't mean Phelps can get twice as high, necessarily. Instead, a bunch of other factors are at play, including frequency of use.

But how long before your local group of neighborhood stoners takes up Olynpic swimming?

Hat Tip: JS

Nancy Kileffer Withdraws

2009-02-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

The third Obama nominee with tax problems withdrew from the OMB this morning, saying:

"[M]y personal tax issue of D.C. Unemployment tax could be used to create exactly the kind of distraction and delay those duties must avoid."

Yes, I suppose that's right. Just like Blagojevich's massive corruption was used to create a distraction that led to his impeachment and ban from elected office, and a murderer's crime is used to create the grounds to send him or her to prison.

Obama's Tax Cheats

2009-02-03T08:41:00.000-08:00

Number 3. What next? Wesley Snipes? Richard Hatch?

I guess one way to ensure your nominees won't be derailed is to nominate Republicans.

The Obama Administration has simply been a series of false starts worthy of parody. The Roland Burris flip-flop, a massive spending bill full of pork, disagreements with Congress, and aborted nominations.

The best we can say about Obama's nominees with tax issues is that one, Geitner, who was the worst of the lot for actually disabling a TurboTax reminder and pocketing the money from the IMF, wasn't caught until the IRS's statute of limitations ran. Yay?

If this is the first 100 days, what's the rest going to be like?

France Comes to Aid of Gilad Shalit

2009-01-28T08:44:00.001-08:00

The captured Israeli soldier is also a French national, apparently.

France has asked Syria to encourage Hamas to release an Israeli soldier held by the Palestinian group, a French lawmaker sent by President Nicolas Sarkozy on a Middle East fact finding mission said on Tuesday.

Good for Sarkozy. Hopefully Syria pressures Hamas on this issue, such that Shalit can be released.

The Heaviest Burglary

2009-01-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

Robbing quarters from a laundromat:

When officers spotted Clark three weeks ago, he was carrying eight bags of quarters and a hex wrench, authorities said.

Physical evidence discovered at the scene of the year-old burglary linked Clark to the scene, according to an Evanston Police Department statement released Jan. 9. A follow-up investigation verified Clark's involvement in the burglary, which involved a pry tool and $50 of missing quarters, said EPD Cmdr. Tom Guenther.

The charges were the same allegations that landed Clark in jail last year.

Uh oh. Repeat offender. 50 dollars in quarters is 200 quarters. It seems like it'd be pretty heavy to carry out substantial sums, or to steal enough money from laundry robberies to make this a permanent profession. We aren't talking Ocean's 11 here or anything.

Hack Sacked

2009-01-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

George Packer advocated the sacking of Bill Kristol from his New York Times columnist position thus:

The real grounds for firing Kristol are that he didn’t take his column seriously. In his year on the Op-Ed page, not one memorable sentence, not one provocative thought, not one valuable piece of information appeared under his name. The prose was so limp (“Who, inquiring minds want to know, is going to spare us a first Obama term?”) that you had the sense Kristol wrote his column during the commercial breaks of his gig on Fox News Sunday and gave it about the same amount of thought.

Bill Kristol's final Times column smugly unleashes the thundering insight that if Obama governs badly, liberalism will suffer. In other news, George W. Bush's parade of failure and scandal has done little good for conservatism. Anyway, I'm glad to see Kristol's weekly reheating of the right's conventional wisdom banished to pages lacking the Times' pretense of seriousness.

As for his replacement, I'm rooting for Peggy Noonan.

Bush could have been a different President

2009-01-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

I'm not the first person to notice this, but I think Bush could have been significantly more popular -- possibly even considered great -- if his oratory had been better. We'll never know, but here's a nugget in support of that theory.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Changefest '09 - Obama's Inaugural Speech

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Git Mo Bargains and Savings

2009-01-22T03:04:00.001-08:00

Sorry I'm behind on SNL clip posting. Here's the clip of the week from last Saturday, which was a fairly across-the-board humorous, but not crazy funny, episode.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Obama Art With Kids

2009-01-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Pro-Hamas Protestors Joined By Neo-Nazis

2009-01-13T17:24:00.000-08:00

This is a good match:

Critics of Israel are often quick to insist that they’re not anti-Semitic—just anti-Zionist, anti-“occupation,” or something along those lines. But not these guys: at a protest against Israel in downtown Calgary on the weekend, the Nazi group, the Aryan Guard, showed up to march alongside the Muslims.

No surprise, really. Everything old is new again.

Hitler and the Grand Mufti, discussing the Jewish Question.

And . . .

Prop 8 Maps

2009-01-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

Now you can more easily harass your neighbors who donated to Prop 8!

The maps show names, occupations, and general areas of residence (no exact addresses, thank God).

There are 4 other people who have the same address prefix as me. I'm pretty fortunate they didn't donate to Prop 8, or my house would be flagged (though, admittedly, someone else's name would show up).

Hat Tip: ES

It's OK to like John McCain Again

2009-01-12T20:14:00.000-08:00

From the beginning of the primary campaign until the election, it was cool and uncontroversial to say how much you loved the John McCain of 2000, but that you couldn't possibly vote for the 2008 John McCain in the election. When really, you never would have voted for McCain at all, at least not against Obama.

I bring you exhibit 638 of this phenomenon:

On the eve of Inauguration day, President-elect Obama will pay tribute in a special dinner to the bipartisan achievements of his former GOP rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, a man who just a few weeks ago headed up a campaign that accused the president-elect of "palling around with terrorists."

McCain was always bipartisan, even when he was running a tough campaign against Obama. And now it's safe to admit it again.

One Door Opens, Another Closes

2009-01-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

Though Jennifer Love Hewitt is single, Danica McKellar, of Wonder Years fame, is getting married. Sorry bros.

Lots of good stuff on their wedding registry, at Williams Sonoma.

Bigger than Hamas, Obama, or SNL Clips

2009-01-12T01:17:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Love Hewitt is single. Sorry Jennifer, I'm taken.

But the rest of you guys may have a shot.

Dare to Dream, Republicans

2009-01-12T01:11:00.001-08:00

Could it be a one-term Obama Presidency? I doubt it seriously:

If his stimulus plan "doesn’t work out, he may very well be a one-term president,” said Jeff Zeleny, who covered Obama’s campaign. “It’s hard to imagine that he could be reelected if the economy’s in the exact same position four years from now.”

In addition to being woefully premature, I think this is also wrong. If Obama manages to secure a stable pull out from Iraq, shore up the situation in Afghanistan, ensure domestic tranquility for 4 years, and appear to be making efforts on the economy, I don't think it's "hard to see" his path to re-election at all.

Also, why the focus on the stimulus package? If it doesn't work, is Obama going to give up? Is that your theory, Jeff Zeleny? The whole presidency is riding on this stimulus package? I think that's pretty weak analysis.

Training the Next Generation

2009-01-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

I think it's time to consider whether the United States or the global community may have to take the possibility of a two-state solution off the table for some time.

This is just too awful to be rewarded.

At the very least, it may be possible to entrench statehood in the West Bank, which these days is like a picnic compared to Gaza, while putting Gaza's status on hold indefinitely.

A Good Defense of the BCS System

2009-01-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

Really Ineffective Protests

2009-01-11T20:34:00.001-08:00

Anti-Prop 8 protesters spray-painted swastikas and anti-Prop 8 messages on the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, in the Castro last week.

I attended a baptism at the church last year. For the adopted child of a gay man. This is the *wrong* place to spray-paint swastikas, folks. Not only is it a terrible way of spreading your message, but the church is one of the most gay-friendly churches in San Francisco.

So congratulations, protester. Way to change peoples' minds.

Frost/Nixon's Deception

2009-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a really devastating review of the movie's historical accuracy, from HuffPo.

Second, Frost did not in fact "nail" Nixon. The climactic moment of the movie (as in the play) has Nixon confessing to having participated in the cover-up of the famous break-in of the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee, in June, 1972 by operatives hired by White House aides. But this "confession" is produced through a blatant distortion of what Nixon actually said in the interviews.

At that particular moment, Frost was pressing Nixon to admit that he had more than made "mistakes," that there had in fact been wrongdoing, that crime might have been involved (a rather mild way of putting it). Then, through a sleight of hand, the script simply changes what Nixon actually said: the script of the play has Nixon admitting that he "...was involved in a 'cover-up,' as you call it."

The ellipsis is of course unknown to the audience, and is crucial: What Nixon actually said was, "You're wanting to me to say that I participated in an illegal cover-up. No!"

Gut Punch.

Doogie Howser, M.D.

2009-01-11T20:16:00.001-08:00

Great Digital Short:

Anti-Semitism is Insensitive

2009-01-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

ANSWER ("Act Now to Stop War and End Racism") is doing a terrible job of supporting its organization name's goals lately. Not only is it sponsoring numerous pro-Hamas (pro-war) rallies around the U.S., it's also fomenting Anti-Semitism, instead of just opposition to Israel:

[A]s the protest continued and crowds grew, one woman in a hijab began to shout curses and slurs that shocked Jewish activists in the city, which has a sizable Jewish population.

"Go back to the oven," she shouted, calling for the counter-protesters to die in the manner that the Nazis used to exterminate Jews during the Holocaust.

"You need a big oven, that's what you need," she yelled.

The ANSWER protest organizers called the protestor's remarks "insensitive," but refused to condemn them on the record.

Well, at least they were willing to say her suggestion that Jews be systematically murdered was insensitive. Because what Hitler did was totally lame.

Biden Really Wants to See Benjamin Button

2009-01-07T00:20:00.000-08:00

This is funny:

Employees at the Regal Brandywine Cinemas say the vice president-elect and his wife, Jill, tried to attend the 7:45 showing of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" at the theater on Concord Pike but left after they were told the movie was sold out.

...

Inshirah Muhamut, an associate manager, said she closed her box-office line when she saw what appeared to be a Secret Service agent coming her way.

The man asked her about tickets for the movie, which stars Brad Pitt, then left.

A few minutes later, she said, the Bidens came into the lobby.

Jill Biden walked up to speak with Muhamut while Joe stood nearby.

"She was asking me about other shows, but they really wanted to see 'Benjamin Button,'" Muhamut said.

Poor Biden. He gets no respect. When he goes to see a Brad Pitt movie, it has to be Thelma and Louise.

HuffPo Article on Israeli-Hamas Conflict

2009-01-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

This is sad but true analysis:

Cameras, television and the internet: All of these have changed the way war is waged. These technologies are indirectly responsible for civilian loss of life in Gaza, as Hamas drags mothers with babies to rocket launching sites.

They know that photos of the inevitable carnage will appear on the international news; that people will see these actions of the IDF as deliberate and become enraged.

Civilian casualties rise because Hamas intends for them to rise. And while not all civilian casualties are caused by Hamas's machinations, these instances create skepticism for all other casualties.

Was that a casualty Hamas intended to have Israel cause, or was it from Israeli recklessness? How do we know?

Hamas has deligitmized its protest over legitimate casualties. So sad.

Pro-Hamas Protestors

2009-01-05T18:35:00.000-08:00

This is in San Francisco, not Gaza:

My favorite comment on this blog is:

"The tiny group of pro-Israeli demonstrators should have thrown stuff at the much stronger group of Palestinians, and when the latter retaliated, accused them of reacting disproportionately."

We're Sorry We Called You Fat

2009-01-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

This is a little old, but I just found it today. Nintendo has had to apologize to its customers for calling people overweight in its Wii Fit game:

In a statement the company said: "Nintendo would like to apologise to any customers offended by the in-game terminology used to classify a player's current BMI status.

The girl in the article was a healthy child, so I understand a warning that the BMI calculator in the software isn't accurate for kids. But Nintendo
s apology is broader, and seems to acknowedge that its ratings for Wii Fit users -- including overweight and obese -- might be a little jarring at first.

Obama the Fluke

2009-01-02T16:13:00.001-08:00

Republicans take note. This is a super long article but describes the unique circumstances it took for a Democrat to win in 2008.

Unlike Roosevelt, Obama will only get two terms. There will be no chance for him to become the father of an entire generation of voters. Obama's great strengths, immense youth and black support, are not the assured inheritance of his successor. But his weaknesses just may be.

In sum, Obama was the perfect candidate, and the financial crisis was the perfect shifting event to put a Democrat in the White House.

Netanyahu Hiring Obama Consultants

2009-01-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

I had no idea:

Before the Gaza strikes, which entered their fifth day Wednesday after Israel rejected a plan for a 48-hour ceasefire, Israeli observers had widely expected the hawkish Likud leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, to be chosen as the country’s next prime minister. Netanyahu has hired some of Obama’s consultants and imitated his campaign — but isn’t seen as an Obama favorite.

Now, Defense Minister Ehud Barak — President Bill Clinton’s negotiating partner in the late 1990s — is the grim face of an Israeli offensive that appears, for the moment, to be popular and his anemic Labor Party has seen a momentary bump in the polls.

Is Netanyahu also running on change? He hasn't been Prime Minister since 1999, when he was replaced by . . . you guessed it, Ehud Barak. Israeli politics runs in cycles, so interestingly, I suppose "change" is really the same thing as "more of the same."

Charles Barkley's Political Career Tragically Cut Short

2009-01-01T03:20:00.000-08:00

Charles Barkley, famed basketball star, has promised that he will be running for Governor of Alabama, as a Democrat, in 2014.

Those hopes may have been dashed by his recent arrest for driving under the influence.

Charles Barkley, the former Phoenix Suns player and NBA star, told police he was in a hurry to receive oral sex from a female passenger when he ran through a stop sign drunk early Wednesday, a police report states.

The report, released late Wednesday by Gilbert police, details how Barkley not only made candid references to his impending rendezvous with an unidentified woman for oral sex but how he at least half-seriously implored a civilian police employee to help him get out of the DUI bust.

I like that Barkley's excuse for running a stop sign was that he was drunk and hurrying to receive oral sex. Hey Bro, we've all been there. Well, not me. And probably not most gubernatorial candidates.

John Daly Suspended

2008-12-31T16:16:00.000-08:00

This is sad but kind of awesome.

Asked why he was suspended, Daly pointed to four incidents during the year.

. . .

While promoting a golf course in Missouri, Daly did a regional television interview wearing only blue jeans — no shirt, no shoes — while showing how to play one of the holes.

Nice! Here's the video.

I feel like this guy could still do a total makeover of his image. Celebrity Fit Club, Dancing with the Stars, etc. That agent better get on it.

Obama is Magic

2008-12-29T18:37:00.000-08:00

Here's the LA Times article that led to the parody song "Barack the Magic Negro," which led to a current controversy that will surely hurt the GOP in the long run.

Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him.

Ugh. What nonsense.

But what *idiocy* to make a parody song out of the article's title, easily taken out of context, add questionable race-baiting content, and then distribute it. Seriously?

Happy Birthday Everyone

2008-12-29T14:32:00.001-08:00

Watch more Yahoo! Video videos on AOL Video

Cao Applies to the Congressional Black Caucus

2008-12-19T18:44:00.000-08:00

This will be an interesting story over the next few weeks.

Michael Fauntroy, a political scientist at George Mason University whose uncle, Walter, formerly belonged to the Congressional Black Caucus as the longtime delegate to Congress from the District of Columbia, said he felt Cao's bid for caucus membership was "a very smart move on his part."

"It sends a message to black voters in his district that, even though he's a Republican, he is doing more than just paying lip service to the history of the district, " said Fauntroy. "I don't expect it to work out, but if it doesn't, to me the caucus will look bad on this."

No one expects it to happen. What does that say about the CBC?

Shrewd Obama, Part 1 Billion

2008-12-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

Per Ben Smith:

Gay leaders are outraged that Obama chose Rick Warren to deliver in the invocation, and now pro-lifers are mad at Warren for doing it.

The optics of which are probably more or less what Obama wants.

Obama v. People Who Hate Putting Their Differences Aside to Come Together.

Who are you rooting for?

Rachel Maddow Talks Like She's Always Suppressing Laughter

2008-12-17T23:26:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else totally annoyed by Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show already?

She speaks like she's always suppressing laughter at either her own jokes, or waiting until the end of her excessively sarcastic statements before she lets it out. Even when she makes a decent argument, it is SO. ANNOYING.

Here's a good example.

Ack. I can't watch her anymore.

Worthless SNL Bit

2008-12-17T22:54:00.000-08:00

There are lots of reasons not to like a comedy bit. But one of the easiest reasons is because it's not funny. But unfunny bits that have the added effect of also being offensive? Terrible combination.

What about an offensive, unfunny bit that also takes place during the farewell message of one of the most talented and clever members of the comedy group? Seems like a triple threat of badness.

But that's what happened with this sketch last weekend parodying Governor David Patterson's blindness by making har har jokes about how blind people can't see. Groups for the blind are understandbly upset.

Here's the online video. I recommend you not waste your time with it, and just lament that the time wasn't filled with an extra Noonies sketch or something.

It's OK, You Can Say It. They Know.

2008-12-17T07:49:00.000-08:00

Apparently Caroline Kennedy is on track to become the next Junior Senator of New York, replacing Hillary. That means she'll have a special election in 2010, and another election in 2012, in order to keep the seat. Two tough re-election battles.

I liked this reaction to the appointment at The New Republic.

[I]t's a little difficult to take someone seriously if they complained about Sarah Palin's qualifications but are now embracing Kennedy. Now, obviously, Palin was running for vice president (and was therefore a possible future president) while Kennedy is up for a Senate seat.

On the other hand -- and I'd never thought I'd write this sentence -- Palin is vastly more qualified than Kennedy. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Kennedy is less qualified for the Senate than Palin was for the presidency.

Burn.

PS: Where is the title of this post from?