A Chicken Is Not Pillage

The President's Approval Rating Is Awful!

That would be President McCain, in point of fact.

Just 40% of Arizonans approve of the job McCain is doing for them in D.C., according to the poll. In January of 2006, that number was 60%. It's not clear how much of an impact the tanking numbers will have on McCain's primary battle with conservative J.D. Hayworth. McCain does better with Republicans than he does with the rest of the state. He's got a 52% approval rating among the GOP.

That's not Harry Reid low, but it's still pretty bad coming into an election.

Palin/Bachmann in '12!

Some folks will be dissecting the Rube Goldberg machine of the McCain campaign for many years to come; mostly because several of it's wingnuts and broken gears have been re-purposed for our amusement.  Though I applaud the diligence of the journalists who will continue to study the egos of those that derailed an otherwise poor Presidential run, there really isn't much that I wish to write about it.  My view of it all sums up very quickly, and is penned vastly better than ever I could, by TBogg.

I agree with Jason Zengerle that you have to feel kind of bad for  McCain strategist Steve Schmidt even if he did have a hand in picking the Nome Nitwit as McCain's running mate. As a candidate, McCain was shit-on-a-stick and rolling him in the nuts that is the Palin snowbilly circus sideshow didn't make him any more appealing. But, in the face of the Obama Megatron Steamroller,  the McCain campaign had little choice but to throw the Hail Mary pass that was Bible Spice and then pray that they could keep the media at bay by dazzling them with winks and Wasilla Valley cornpone.

UPDATE:  Just so's we're clear about where I'm coming from:

DRAFT BACHMANN!  But for the VP run, not a mere crazy-ass Governor.

No Honor Among Political Thieves Either

Partners in crime really ought to like each other, don'tcha think?  You betcha ...

A Salient Point

From Comrade John Cole, discussing why McCain has graciously offered to suspend his campaign while he gets his ass kicked offers to singlehandedly solve the great fiscal crisis:

McCain’s entire campaign is composed of lobbyists, and they need to be in Washington to get their cut of the $700 billion. They can’t miss this shot at the trough.

Straight talk, bitches!

I'm certain this will end well.

Out Of Touch

That phrase has been a common theme coming from the Obama campaign, that John McCain is out of touch.  It's a valid criticism, and that's why it is effective.  John McSame and the Lipstick Pitbull have no clue what the common American is dealing with at this point.   Obama has consistently pointed that out, and that message will resonate.

The wingnuts in this state have all jumped on the Johnie Mac bandwagon, (save Budge who I will grudgingly admit appears to have a modicum of integrity.  He will no doubts vote for Barr, or maybe Paul.  Regardless, he still believes that the elitists who've caused the current economic mess are the one's to get us out of it, so ... screw Budge.)  They, the wingnutters, are all hailing a McCain victory in Montana as if that will matter ... even if it actually happens.  I hope they enjoy their small fantasy victories.  As Obama has pointed out, they're still supporting someone is grossly out of touch.  The rest of the nation will know this come November.

So, Obama supporters who are feeling like you're fighting up hill, I offer you this graphic, courtesy of Oliver Willis:

The Palin Ripple

It can't be doubted that Gelding McCain made the desired splash with his Friday choice of VP, Sarah Palin.  I expressed amusement at the time, without fully understanding how quickly the comedy would gel.  I expected weeks, and it has taken mere days.  I knew full well that Republicants (and their faux independant/libertarian apologists) would waste no time dumbing down to defend the indefensible.  Thier pretense at thought follows the same pattern it has followed for going on three decades:  if you find yourself desiring something stupid, dumb things down until the stupid looks smart.  Henceforth, I will call this the Palin Ripple.  Just as any suitably heavy object makes a big splash when thrown into liquid, the displacement causes ripples which last for some time.  In this case, we see ripples of stupidity overtaking otherwise (presumably) intelligent human beings.

The evidence is all around for any who wish to look.

Teen pregnancies are to be reviled with the white hot rightious rage of any who love Amurka! ... unless not.

Palin has TOTAL capabilities as the Commander of Commanders In Cheifest Chief due to her mad skills at running the Alaska National Guard!  Except, she doesn't.

Sarah Palin is John McCain's "soulmate".  Except that McSenile only met her once before the pick, and just now has sent 8 lawyers to Alaska to vet the sad result of his impulse buy.

(My personal favorite)  Palin's International credentials cannot be challenged because her state is the closest to Russia.  I love this quote:

The highlights would be hilarious if they were not staggering. Cindy McCain told George Stephanopoulos that Gov. Sarah Palin is qualified for the vice-presidency because “Alaska is the closest part of our continent to Russia, so it's not as if she doesn't understand what's at stake here.” Presumably she has stood close enough to Vladimir Putin to have gazed into his eyes and seen through his transparent soul to his inner barbarian.

I suspect that what is truly at stake is the security of American borders from invading Siberian eskimos.  But the South Park boys have a better theory of who is the threat, and many of us Montana folk live closer to Canada than Wassila is.  Just sayin ...  (If you aren't laughing by now, then your sense of humor is irrevocably broken.) 

Where the Palin Ripple of stupid really has effect is on those who have but a fringe grasp on their smarts to begin with.  Wiley Cody started the 'the Dumbing' by stating boldly that those uncomfortable with putting a person who leaves a small town vastly in debt in charge of the country ... HATE SMALL TOWNS!  I really don't have to explain the stupid there, do I?

So it was with sadness that I find the Ripple has taken little Davey Budge under.  I console myself that having tossed his readership over-bored that he felt the need to get back to the stupid as an appeasment tactic, but that doesn't excuse the dumb.

I wrote this:

Which leads me to the third reason I’m happy that Gelding McCain chose Palin. She’s beautiful, and he just got the MILF-hunter vote. He just earned the vote of every randy buck crossing the field.

Davey responds:

I knew what a MILF is but I had to google “MILF hunter” to understand what Wulfgar does with his days. And this from a guy who was more than critical of me because I made some jokes about Clinton’s sexual relationship. Classy.

Now, ignore for a second Davey's gross hypocrisy in attacking what I "do with my days".  (I won't ignore it.  I think he's a wimp who only threw that out there so that he could find his junk with tweezers long enough to masturbate.)  Ignore also, if you can, Davey's ignorance of modern culture, and English words in general.  What shouldn't be ignored is the rather deft ability Davey uses to drink deep of the stupid and completely miss the object of my argument.  I said nothing, NOTTA, zip about Palin's sexuality.  I wrote very aptly about the use to which her sexual objectification would be put.  And this, the dumbed down version of Budge, finds "churlish".  He didn't get it, or rather, he wishes you, gentle reader, wouldn't.

I bring up the Dave example last because it is the most telling (and also gives me the most amusement).  There are pathetic souls out there who will excuse, manipulate and exploit the very things they find abhorent just to give Palin a pass in this election.  That is the Palin Ripple.  Davey has already embraced commentary that under other circumstances (assuming his non-existant integrity) he would argue against.   Facts mean nothing to those swamped under the Ripple.

In part, I think that's sexist.  The fair maid must be defended at all costs.  In part, I find it partisan beyond the bounds of any reason  (that's my comedy).   In other part I find it to be exactly what I wrote of.  The woman is "appealing".  She does guy stuff.  She can breed (Oh, yes, Budgie, I bet you find that important.)  A lot of the people defending the indefensible are becoming, or simply are, the very MILF hunters of which I wrote.  John McRage made a play for the white male voter, and he seems to have had some success with the Palin Ripple.  Thanks, Budge.  ~wink~

Now that the Ripple has passed through, it doesn't seem likely that the support of Palin will hold strong.  She is smart, but not as smart as the MILF hunters want (which is the fantasy that she is smarter than the rest of us lowly pleebs.)  But she is not a Goddess.  Massive gaping holes are appearing in her image as a reformer.  Her 'Mavericky Maverickness' is being just as neutered as McCain's.  She was a very poor choice for VP, and to be honest, I'm already getting tired of hearing about her.  I'm looking forward two weeks and seeing this campaign once again boiling down to the old fart and the change guy.  And the Old Fart did himself no favors by choosing the VPILF he didn't even bother to vet.  (That term and website is coming from her 'supporters', so don't blame me ...)  I honestly believe that McCain stole Palin's political capital, and she won't get it back after this election.  She will go down in history as the greatest 'frustration' ever foisted on the 'manly' voter.  Sucks to be them, and truly sucks to be her.

But we'll wait and see what else the Palin Ripple will bring to the surface.

Mavericky Maverickness And The MILF-hunter Vote

I've been giggling to myself since I heard the news.  The Cranky Old Fart picked Governor Sarah Palin to replace him in the fight against Islamofascicommunism when he kicks the bucket.  Tasty pick ... bonehead.  I was so sincerely hoping for Mittens!, who is apparently a bit ... put out ... at having been played like a fiddle.  But Palin is truly a terrific choice from the Masters of Disaster, the GOP.

She's terrific on so many levels, I can't hope to list them all.  So let's start with the big one:  she has no experience at the national (or more importantly, the International) level at all.  None.  Zip.  Squat.  Her experience in administrating the largest-small state in the union is less than any large university Presidents (most Universities having populations and needs that rival Alaska's).  She's been a Governor for all of a year-and -half.  Though I've no doubts the wignuts will come up with all kinds of lunacy to defend her lack of credentials, that lack is so glaring that the defenses themselves will engender only further comedy.

(As an aside, Wiley Cody is making his bid to be seen as the Stupidest Blogger in Montana.  Pointing out that being a mayor of a town of 6000 people leaves you with no credential to administer a country of 300 million is the same as saying that being President of a chess club leaves doubt that you could be President of the United States.  At no point does the conclusion follow that one saying the latter 'hates chess clubs'.  And somebody who throws out the word "meme" as if they understand it looks pretty stupid claiming plagiarism or misatribution when a common phrase is used by more than one person.   Wiley, you got some championship caliber DUMB going on.  Eric and Andy should be nervous that you'll take the title any day.)  

Secondly, It's amusing me to no end that the party which has hissy fits about the "identity politics" of the Libs is now blatently showing their hypocrisy.  They chose, McCain chose, a woman specifically because she's a woman.  That speaks poorly of the GOoPers attitude towards women, and poorly of McCain's honesty.  But don't take my word for it.  Listen to the sage Rob Natelson:

To be sure, choosing a woman offers McCain more chance at the women’s vote (although it also may turn off those conservative Christians who believe leadership positions should be occupied by men).  But the choice also communicates a weakness for playing politics that is at odds with the McCain image of honesty.

And if that weren't enough, McCain has just insulted American women well beyond calling his own wife a "cunt".  Adam Serwer:

The pick of Palin is dripping with transparent condescension, the notion that the enthusiasm behind Hillary was simply the result of her being a woman, that it had nothing to do with what she actually stood for, and in that sense it's equally sexist. Palin is essentially a hard-right ideologue, and therefore nothing like Hillary as far as substance is concerned. It's not very different from running Alan Keyes against Barack Obama in 2004. The conservative media reaction has already engaged in paternalistic language, with FOX News reporting on television that "McCain broke the glass ceiling," implying in fact, that the pick had nothing to do with Palin or her qualifications, but merely her gender. It's fitting that the party positing affirmative action as a program that picks people exclusively based on race or gender rather than qualification should do something similar given an opportunity for political advancement. While Obama is promising change through policy, not simply through the circumstances of his birth, the McCain campaign thinks his appeal is simply visual and demographic, and therefore something they can exploit.

Oh yes, "my friends".  More than half of this country has just had their intelligence insulted, compliments of Angry McYouKidsGetOffOfMyLawn.

I know full well that McCain could have chosen more poorly, but he also could have chosen much better.  Unlike many, I wasn't all that surprised by the choice of Palin; she's been on my radar for months now.  She's hella-smart, articulate, commited and very beautiful.  Yes, I wrote that:  VERY BEAUTIFUL. 

Which leads me to the third reason I'm happy that Gelding McCain chose Palin.  She's beautiful, and he just got the MILF-hunter vote.  He just earned the vote of every randy buck crossing the field.  Only.one.problem.  That doesn't earn the vote of the women that McCain hoped to garner.  Check it out:  the feminists are up in arms about the fact that less that 2 hours after the anouncement a site went live declaring VPILF (Vice President I'd like to fuck.)  The fun part is, that is a tribute site for Sarah Palin.  A tribute to her beauty and objectified 'screwability'.  I invite argument from those who think that the message of her 'hotness'  won't completely out weigh the message gained from her real strengths, her intellect, her organizational skills.  And specifically, I invite anyone to convince me that that won't turn off the very women McCain hoped to gain by this move.  (As Obama said, McCain doesn't get it.  After all we are talking about a guy who expressed his desire for his wife to compete in a biker-stripper-symbolically-banging-bananas competition.)  I realise full well that I will likely be castigated as sexist for pointing out how Palin's beauty stands against her.  That isn't the point at all.  The Old White Guy hopes that Palin's beauty can help him, in a grossly exploitive fashion.  I await the failure of that hope with eager glee.

Let me be clear about my views.  Sarah Palin appears to be a sharp and able politician.  She has some great ideas about ethics, when she's not being vindictive against her sister's ex-husband.  If she gets the hell out of Alaska, she may be a great star in the GOP someday.  But she was a poor and desperate pick for VP now.   If McCain had done this a week before the election, I'd have called it a "coup".  As it stands now, McCain just bought a world of hurt.  I celebrate this choice, because Cranky McPOWIsMyExcuseForEverything is going down.  Sadly, Palin will go down with him.

Happy

The U.S. can be a leader in the world again.  The desperate gasping Dinosaurs on the right, and their little helpers ~wink~, want to promote the idea that Barack Obama is some kind of "messiah" to the people who intend to vote for him.  Nope.  He's just happy to be the guy who will be President.  He's happy to be the guy who can represent the best of America to the world.  He's just happy to be what we have so longed for ... a leader.  Strangely enough, the world likes the Happy.

In a rousing speech that covered an array of international issues, the senator from Illinois evoked the Berlin airlift of 1948 and the Cold War struggle against communism to urge Europeans and Americans not to “turn inward” but to dedicate themselves to a new era of cooperation.

This guy is happy:

He should be. 

This guy is not:

He's just desperate.

Let's make him happy.

 

There.  Isn't that better?

Agreement

Alternate Title:  Still hoping for Mittens!

It really isn't always that difficult to find agreement between the left and the right in this nation.  Why just today, Wiley Cody posted one of the more agreeable things he's written.  Relying on a title that has already gotten passe as a joke on the InterTubes, he goes on to agree with progressives on a number of things.

I’m not against withdrawal from Iraq.  I’m just against doing it before we win.

I’m not against alternative energy, clean energy or the fantastic economic opportunities they provide.  I’m just against relying on those sources before they are viable.

I’m not against universal health coverage.  I’m just against a single-payer government program to provide it.

He then goes on to claim (with no foundation) that liberals/Democrats argue for the things he agrees with, but never talk about how to get there.  So let's look at his agreement as if he is sincere (which he's obviously not).

A)  1)  Invade Iraq

     2)  ???

     3)  Win?

Actually it appears that we are "winning" in Iraq, the country that had nothing to do with the War on terrorism.  Al Qaeda is pulling out ... having found it easier to kill us in Afghanistan.  But that doesn't appear to have made things a whole bunch peachier for Iraqis.

B)  1)  Rely on oil, but want alternative fuels.

     2)  ???

     3)  Alternative fuels and energy independence.  YAY!

I don't think I've seen one person argue that we need to (or even can) rely on alternative fuels that aren't viable.  Rather fortuitous for Wiley to use such words for his silliness, though, because the current debate  focuses clearly on whether or not the use of fossil fuels is still viable.  And it's looking more by the day like they aren't.  The Republicant 'fill-in-the-blank' solution for #2 is - Drill MORE fossil fuels.  Doesn't that sound a whole like 'stealing more underpants'?  Of course it does.

C)  1)  Desire universal health care

     2)  Reject a perfectly reasonable plan for getting there with no debate. ???

     3)  The Democratic candidate has a plan, but Wiley apparently doesn't like that either.  No Profit.

It's easy to understand this one.  His #1 is a bold faced lie.  Universal health care is the last thing that Republicans really want.  It spells the death of the GOP brand.  Sadly, it often seems that Democrats don't want it either, more's the pity.

But to show that conservatives and at least this liberal are more than happy to agree on some things, I am losing my hope that Gelding McCain will choose Mittens as his running mate.  I've come to agree with Montana Headlines.  Oh yes, Please let it be Jindal.  ~cues up Tubular Bells~

Same Back Atcha, Pal

It seems that John McCain "hates" bloggers.  Yup, real fan of free speech, that one ...