Curious Image of the Day

From CNN, via Pam's House Blend:



On an unrelated note, here's a story about how the Republicans have made--in the words of Jon Stewart--Minnesota even whiter. And they puzzle over the lack of diversity in their party. I'm sure this has nothin' to do with it.

We Interrupt this Blog...

On Wednesday night in her speech Governor Palin got some (GOP) laughs with the line "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick." Here with a response is my friend Big Red, an inmate at the SPCA.


Dear Governor Palin,

I know pit bulls. Some of my best friends (me) are pit bulls. You, my friend, are no pit bull.

Sincerely,

Big Red
President and Vice President
Pitty Anti-Defamation Society (PADS)

P.S. I do look darn fetching in lipstick.
P.P.S. Please stop smearing pit bulls. We have it tough enough without being compared to Republicans.

Call and Response

moar funny pictures

So...many Democrats have noted how the "elitism" argument leveled at the Obamas is thinly veiled racism, a code for "uppity" which has long been used to describe African-Americans who do not know their "place" (ie, who dare to ask to be treated like human beings).

The veil is officially off.

Representative Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) said:

"Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.

Asked to clarify that he used the word “uppity,” Westmoreland said, “Uppity, yeah.”

The response from the Obama campaign rocks: “Sounds like Rep. Westmoreland should be careful throwing stones from his candidate's eight glass houses,” said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor.

Dispatches from St. Paul

moar funny pictures

My friend Annabelle is three and a half and lives in St. Paul. She had the most insightful bit of political punditry I heard today. This is what she wrote me:

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Seriously--far more sensible than Morning Joe on MSNBC today. Our Teevee nearly went out the window.

Annabelle's very smart mom also gave us this link to the NPR Minnesota blog which is a highly recommended read. It has some interesting information on the protests. Ike also has some good pictures and stories.

The NPR blog notes parallels with the '68 Democratic convention, though no one seems to be taking the protestors seriously as anything other than rabble rousers (and the infamous "anarchist" labels--more on the so-called "angry left" later!) But my favorite story was this one about the longest line in town--the one to see The Daily Show on location!

The Daily Show might argue, however, that there's quite a line for men's room at the Minneapolis Airport. Paging Senator Craig!!!

Hypocrites on Parade!

Jon Stewart knows hypocrisy when he sees it!



And this is just funny. And sort of telling.

Oops!

Two Republican toadies pundits on MSNBC got caught with their mics on:




Earlier this week Peggy Noonan wrote an editorial in WSJ about how Sarah Palin will save America. Here's what she says when she thinks no one's listening:

Noonan: The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about "narratives" and youthfulness and the picture...

In Case you were Wondering...

Curious as to why McCain would pick someone he had met exactly once to be the next in line as leader of the free world? Ahem. Max Blumenthal is reporting that the "Council on National Policy," a secretive rightwingnuttery that includes Grover Norquist, James Dobson, and Tony Perkins picked Palin and threatened a convention meltdown if McSame went with his choice--Joe Lieberman.

And the news is reporting that the GOP has adopted its abortion platform, reaffirming, no abortion EVER--not in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life/health of the mother. Pro-life indeed!

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Republicans rebuffed their certain nominee Monday by endorsing a platform that goes further than John McCain in opposition to abortion rights.

Yet in a pair of back-to-back votes on the opening day of their national convention, the 2,400 delegates yielded to McCain's desire to keep New Hampshire's presidential primary first in the nation.

Republican National Chairman Robert "Mike" Duncan used a quick gavel to adopt a platform unconditionally declaring the party's opposition to abortion. His resounding crack of the gavel overshadowed shouts of "no" when Duncan made a perfunctory call for objections.

The GOP document, which is nonbinding, does not provide exceptions allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest or where a mother's life would be in danger — all favored by McCain. The Arizona senator's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, opposes abortion in all cases, consistent with the platform.

As The Nation said, It's Palin's Party, not McCains. Not so mavericky now, eh? If you can't stand up to religious extremists at home....

Same Old Tune

So last Thursday we made history with the first-ever African-American nominee of a major party giving a really kick-bum speech laying out plans for what we need to do for the country.

On Monday a major hurricane hit the Gulf Coast and two more are looming in the Atlantic, reminding us of the problems with our emergency response systems.

And today we are talking about moose burgers, a 17-year old, and the finer points of politics in Wasilla, Alaska. Well played, Karl Rovians! Bob Herbert comments on this today:

Here’s the deal: Palin is the latest G.O.P. distraction. She’s meant to shift attention away from the real issue of this campaign — the awful state of the nation after eight years of Republican rule. The Republicans are brilliant at distractions. Willie Horton was a distraction. The chatter about gays, guns and God has been a long-running distraction. And we all remember the Swift-boat campaign.

But I'm still thinking about this...

Sending Help

I just got e-mail from my friend Barack (seriously, he addresses it "Dear Wally") asking to help out the Red Cross/first responders in the gulf. Here's the link.

Happy Labor Day!

It is the first day of the GOP Convention AND Labor Day.

Irony has landed in the Twin Cities.
Have a good one! (Even my friends who live in those places that celebrate labor day in May because they are commie pinkos. Just kidding!)