Meanwhile, on Facebook: Mitt Romney's Bogus Charges

Yeah, I'm still not getting the "division, hatred and anger" charges coming out of camp Romney/Ryan. I think they're still desperate to change the direction of the storyline, and they'll grab anything they can use as an oar. The President at his most strident rarely emotes anything harsher than a stern lecture. This cartoon--currently floating around on Facebook--captures the argument perfectly.

More on the "Division, Anger and Hate"

I'm not buying it. Image from Wonkette

I'm still not getting it, this allegation by Mittens that accuses the President of "division, anger and hate." But I think I'm starting to draw a bead on it. With each jab given by Barack Obama, Mitt has responded with alarm. He and his surrogates have alleged that what he said (whatever it is that day) is shocking, out-of-bounds, beneath the office of the President, on and on. Ordinary political jabs are treated as if they were punches below the belt (right in the magic underwear! Now, that's below the belt!). It's similar to the way Mitt chuckles whenever he's asked something uncomfortable face-to-face.

So, I think this accusation of division, anger and hate is just a tactic. This is no more nasty a campaign than the last one ("Pallin' around with terrorists," anyone?), or the primary battle between Obama and Hillary Clinton, or even the recent Republican primary, with Newt Gingrich! It's bullshit, but I fear it could take root like so many other dumb things in these campaigns (windsurfing, tanks, Rev. Wright).

[Excerpt]

Everyone Go Sign Mitt Romney’s ‘Stop Hitting Me’ Petition

Mitt Romney has a never-ending list of complaints about things President Obama is not allowed to criticize him on — Medicare, his business career, taxes, things of that nature — but the Obama campaign simply won’t stop. The only way to stop this now is to get the people involved. We must all sign this petition to get our names in the Romney contact database end the hurtful attacks on Mitt Romney during this most important of elections. Will you, reader, “sign [this] petition if you agree President Obama should take his campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago”? . . .

Read more at: Wonkette

Steven Weber: Fear Fracking

I haven't posted a piece by Steven Weber in quite a while. I've often said that the actor/writer writes like I think. . .If only my thoughts came out that well. Though I was slightly troubled by his revelation of a friendship with Andrew Breitbart (wow), his writing nearly always hits a bulls eye for me.

Anyway, I've been trying to figure out what the flying frack is going on with the GOP/Conservatives these days. To me, their unrelenting meanness--as evidenced by the late Andrew Breitbart and still-with-us Rush Limbaugh--is their brand now.  

Test welfare recipients for drugs! What, they don't use drugs more than other people? Who cares, test 'em anyway!

Actor/writer Steven Weber

All women who use birth control are sluts!

Gay people are evil!

On and on. But Steven's theory is fear. And fear may really be the root of it. Fear stokes other negative emotions, and can surely make a person mean. Make the people scared of the poor: They're drug users! Make them scared of "loose women." Make them scared of "teh gay." And you'll make them angry. And mean. And when you treat what they fear with meanness, you inspire a "they deserve it" reaction. I think ol' Brian from Wings is on to something here.

[Excerpt]


Fear Fracking 

I suppose it could be said that Rush Limbaugh and his brethren (and sistren) in the right-wing corporate media who regularly sculpt human behavior and current events into an unabashedly cruel and particularly paranoid narrative, only to then regurgitate it to their fact-starved audience like owls disgorging mouse-viscera into the open twitching beaks of its young, are only doing so because "It"'s there. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Daily Show: Lewis Black on Anger in Politics

With all of the anger (vague, faux, misinformed and otherwise) in politics today, who better than Lewis Black to comment? It's brilliant really. I'm surprised it took this long. . .

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Back in Black - Angry Outbursts
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

John McCain Defends Barack Obama from Angry Mob

In the last two weeks, John McCain, Sarah Palin, and their campaign have whipped their base into a frenzy. They've been aided and abetted by Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin and a host of other right-wing blowholes. Their demonizations of Obama often do not make sense, or are contradictory. But their base doesn't do a lot of thinking for themselves. They let these bloviators stir up their emotions, until they boil over.

So, irony of ironies, John McCain is now forced to defend Obama against the very mob he's drummed up.



UPDATE: I couldn't resist giving you a little taste from right-wing world on this story. This comment, directed at John McCain about Barack Obama is from Free Republic:

"Wrong John, he is against everything American. Against everything good people stand for and believe in. He and his wife are no less than the END of America as we know it if they are allowed to ascend to power. Take a stand and stop this John !!!! You have the power to change minds if you speak the truth and take them to task for their ignorance - and that of the American populace."

These guys are total nutjobs.

Source: Free Republic

Gambling and Fury: John McCain's Temper

There are few character traits less attractive than self-importance. Whether it's being used to curry favor, used to try to get out of a sticky situation (Larry Craig), or as in this instance, to make someone feel small, it's an ugly thing to witness. Throw in a temper tantrum, and you've really lost me.

John McCain seems to have evidenced this trait at a casino in Puerto Rico a couple of years ago. And the story is easy to believe, because McCain always looks like he could snap any second. I wonder if we'll get a public demonstration before November 4th?

[Excerpt]

At the Craps Tables With John McCain

by Michael Kinsley

. . .McCain’s game is craps. So is Jeff Dearth’s. Jeff was at the table when McCain showed up and happily made room for him. Apparently there is some kind of rule or tradition in craps that everyone’s hands are supposed to be above the table when the dice are about to be thrown. McCain—“very likely distracted by one of the many people who approached him that evening,” Jeff says charitably—apparently was violating this rule. A small middle-aged woman at the table, apparently a “regular,” reached out and pulled McCain’s arm away. . .

Read more at: The Daily Beast

Thanks again to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Brave New Films: McCain's Rage

Good film. Watch it.

Would John McCain Rather Fight Than Think?

This is a great ad, and definitely food for thought for anyone ready to vote for John McCain because of his alleged foreign policy experience. Assuming they're right about that, does McCain have the temperament to match the experience?

Ex-Clinton Supporters Set Up Hilarious Web Site

Image from source, Wonkette

This is a funny story crossed with a scary one. I've already written a few times about the strange phenomenon of disgruntled Hillary Clinton supporters who defiantly oppose Barack Obama and support John McCain. I've pointed out the sour-grapiness of the whole thing, and the spiteful cutting off of their noses. And I've learned a couple of things: 1) They're still angry, and refuse to cool off, and 2) They apparently only cared that Hillary Clinton get elected, but didn't give a damn about anything she stood for.

This group has started setting up shop on the internets. There are several sites dedicated to the disaffected group. Very likely, some are Republicans up to mischief, leading these angry flies into the spider's chamber. Others are probably serious. Either way (or both), they are chock full of some seriously troubled people.

That doesn't mean that there isn't humor to be found in this sad turn of events. Case in point is the site in this excerpt. The spelling is atrocious. The points are incoherent. The site is rife with spelling errors. The layout and design is archaic--and visually jarring. And it is all--to this blogger/graphic designer--hilarious. Hillarious? Check it out.

[Excerpt]

Hilltards Create World’s Dumbest Website

1996 called, and it wants its crappy GeoCities “home page” back where it belongs, in 1996. Here is the one and only monument to the great movement of angry middle-aged white ladies who managed to graduate high school: 35,000 of them got together and built the world’s lamest website — you must visit it; the letters blink on and off! — with the memorable domain name of “hcsfjm.com,” which stands for “hot c** sandwich for John McCain. . .”

Read more at: Wonkette