TV Listing Previews Trump Inauguration as an Episode of The Twilight Zone

I've been saying for weeks and weeks that it feels like we've fallen into an alternate reality, alternate timeline, or into a false, matrix-like simulation. Moreover, it feels wrong, like we don't belong here, and we need Neo, the Sliders kids, Sam Beckett, Barry Allen or the Legends of Tomorrow to come set things right.

I'm not the only one.

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Hysterical TV Listing Compares Trump Inauguration To A Nightmarish Twilight Zone

President Trump: The Inauguration

4pm, BBC One/ STV

After a long absence, The Twilight Zone returns with one of the most ambitious, expensive and controversial productions in broadcast history. Sci-fi writers have dabbled often with alternative history stories – among the most common is the “What If The Nazis Had Won The Second World War” setting – but this huge interactive virtual reality project, which will unfold on TV, in the press, and on Twitter over the next four years, sets out to build an ongoing alternative present. The story begins in a nightmarish version of 2017 in which huge sections of the US electorate have somehow been duped into voting to make Donald Trump president. It sounds far-fetched, and it is, but as it goes on it becomes more and more chillingly plausible. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

Republican Official Hangs Flag Upside Down on Inauguration Day

Image from source, Think Progress

Oh, for pete's sake. This crap is just getting ridiculous. Remind me again why The Dixie Chicks faced the wrath of the right? Oh yeah, it was for the comparatively mild statement that they were embarrassed by Dubya. Back then, any dissent by anyone about anyone in the Bush administration was called un-American and worse. Loudly. Vociferously. Why does just about anything go, now that it is a (black) Democrat being re-inaugurated?

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Republican Official Hangs Upside Down American Flag In Protest Of Obama’s Inauguration

The head of the Mon Valley Republican Committee in Pennsylvania is facing backlash from his local community after displaying an American flag upside down — a statement usually meant as a distress signal by soldiers in times of war — during President Obama’s second inauguration ceremony. The flag was placed outside the Mon Valley Republican Party’s meeting spot on the main road in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. . . 

Read more at: Think Progress

(Moving) Picture of the Day: Michelle Obama Gives John Boner Boehner the Stink Eye

"Whatever, dude." Image from Wonkette

President Obama Begins 2nd Term

Image from source, CNN

POTUS has a bit more grey in his hair, and FLOTUS has bangs. Those are just two of the things that have changed since the last time Barack Obama took the presidential oath. This time there was no flub between Obama and Chief Justice Roberts, which is nice. It remains to be seen if the Republicans are having a secret meeting to plan to obstruct everything, like they did last time. Although at this point, it kinda goes without saying I guess. Here's to four more years. Good luck, Mr. President. You'll need some. It's not going to be easy.

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Obama sworn in to second term, faces new challenges

With the official business of the 57th inauguration out of the way, Washington began preparing Sunday for a day of revelry -- and for the challenges facing President Barack Obama over the next four years. . .

Read more at: CNN

Hunky Anti-gay Pastor Booted from Inauguration

It's a small picture, but believe me
kids, he's schmokin' hot. Google
him, if you don't believe me. That's
probably the root of his homophobia.
Too many dudes hittin' on that.
Poor guy.

Some readers might be perplexed by my relative silence on the anti-gay benediction choice for Barack Obama's re-inauguration. I can explain it thusly: I'm an atheist, and I find the entire exercise to be ridiculous. There is no pastor and no benediction that I would find compatible with United States governance. There is a separation of church and state--allegedly--and I can't stomach any of the religious claptrap that comes with ordinary American politics. So--as most American atheists and agnostics do--I ignore it.

But when the Democratic politicians have horrifically anti-gay religious "leaders?" Yes, my panties get in a bunched formation. So, it is fortunate--whomever was responsible for the yanking of the invite/acceptance--that this religious douchenozzle is not giving the superstitious twaddle that all presidents have to at least to pretend is relevant to the job.

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Right Wing Goes Crazy After Anti-Gay Pastor Withdraws

A chorus of right-wing leaders Thursday decried the withdrawal of Pastor Louie Giglio from President Obama’s second inauguration ceremony, suggesting a left-wing conspiracy to force him off of the program. His withdrawal came a day after ThinkProgress exclusively reported that in the 1990s, Giglio had given a lengthy sermon in which he advocated for dangerous “ex-gay” therapy for gay and lesbian people, referenced a biblical passage often interpreted to require gay people be executed, and impelled Christians to “firmly respond to the aggressive agenda” and prevent the “homosexual lifestyle” from becoming accepted in society. . . 

Read more at: Think Progress

The World is "In the Tank" for Barack Obama

Photo from source, Reuters

One of the most over-used, and usually unprovable allegations during the primaries and presidential campaign was that the media was "in the tank" for Barack Obama. Positive and negative stories about each candidate were weighted and tabulated, and when Obama would have a higher "positive" score, charges of bias were lobbed.

It's not exactly a scientific theory. John McCain and Sarah Palin generated many negative stories by saying and doing negative things. But that isn't factored in. So the media (particularly MSNBC, if the theory is to be believed) were "in the tank." The story excerpted below does not try--at least I don't see it--to make such charges. But the way the headline was listed on The Drudge Report makes it seem that way. And I have no doubt that the rabid right sees it that way too.

But the fact is, George W. Bush's 2005 inauguration was not a major news making event. Half the country (and possibly more than half of the world) were seriously bummed about the event. It presented no particular change, and made no history. So it is no surprise that Obama's inauguration generated much more interest. It would be surprising if it hadn't.

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Obama inauguration got unprecedented news coverage

President Barack Obama's inauguration generated an unprecedented 35,000 stories in the world's major newspapers, television and radio broadcasts over the past day -- about 35 times more than the last presidential swearing-in -- a monitoring group said on Wednesday. . .

Read more at: Reuters

Barack Obama Takes the Oath of Office Again

On Tuesday, Barack Obama's oath of office was botched a little by Chief Justice Roberts' rearranging of words. So, probably to stem the squawking of the likes of FOX "News" and Free Republic, the two men met again to get it right. Good. Obama didn't need that following him around for 4 or 8 years.

Presidential Transition

This is historic video, whatever you think of the commentators. This is video of the transition of power, from one United States President to another. With commentary by Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, and others from MSNBC.

Picture of the Day: Out With the Old, In With the New

This photo kind of says it all.




Source: Kenneth in the (212)

GOP Struggles With Inaguration of a Democrat

One of the biggest surprises of the victory in November, culminating with today's inauguration, was that I didn't ever get a huge sense of schadenfreude. It's kind of like finally getting out of debt, or the work you do after you get that shiny new computer home. The anticipation is so great, the expectations so high, that there is something of an anti-climax.

Yes, George W. Bush is out of Washington. Most of his pals are out of any sort of power. Barack Obama is in the White House, and Democrats are in control of both houses of Congress. We got everything we wanted (short of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate), and I am happy about that. But I really thought I'd be whooping and hollering about the departure of the other guys. I'm thrilled that they're gone--don't get me wrong--but I'm just not feeling vindictive or nasty about it. I'd love to see them held accountable, but I don't feel much like twisting the knife.

People on the National Mall didn't feel the same way, it would seem. They booed Bush, Dick Cheney and Chief Justice John Roberts. They sang "Na, na, na, nah, hey, hey, hey, goodbye!" And I thought that was a little classless, a bit like the angry folks at a Sarah Palin rally. But you know what? This has really been a classless President. And a disastrously bad one. So, while I don't feel so inclined, I'm not about to deny my liberal brethren the opportunity for a little schadenfreude themselves.

And when it gets the GOP collectively sad and blue? Well, after the neck-stomping they've given Democrats for eight years, it's a little hard to feel bad for them.

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For GOP, it's hard to say goodbye

. . ."The one sorry note were the boos for President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Justice Roberts," said Khan, who was among a group of former Bush aides standing just a short distance from Obama as he was sworn in by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.

"And singing the goodbye song," Khan said. "That was uncalled for."

Others GOP stalwarts, such as Ralph Reed, for former head of the Christian Coalition, made the conscious decision to stay away. But that only offered only so much protection. . .

Read more at: ChicagoBreakingNews

President Barack Obama Inauguration

Today, for all of its many layers of meaning to so many people, feels to me like a vindication. Part of it is a culmination of a year and a half of blogging, spurred by the frustration of two terms of what felt like oppressive rule by George W. Bush. Part of it is finally having a President that is smart, well-spoken, and seems to have the country's best interests at heart.

I don't want to sully this event with yet another screed against Bush, but his every speech, his every appearance was an embarrassment. And that feeling got ever worse to the point that it felt like it would never end. So while I want to feel good, only for the beginning of a new President's term, and all of the historical importance of this particular President, I must confess that much of my joy is for the departure of the last guy.

I don't have rose-colored glasses on. I don't consider Barack Obama to be "The One," "The Messiah," or "The Savior." But I do have high hopes, and that's something I haven't had in our government for a long, long time.

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More Rachel Maddow on More Rick Warren

Today was another light posting day for me, because of Christmas shopping and blog apathy. Sorry about that, too much going on. Which explains why I'm posting another Rachel Maddow clip again about Rick Warren, the anti-gay preacher giving the inaugural invocation.

But it is not a rerun or a retread. This is good stuff, so I will not feel guilty!