Over Time with Bill Maher, November 13, 2015

Bill Maher and guests Asra Nomani, Jay Leno, Michael Steele, Dylan Ratigan and Paul Reiser answer viewer questions after the show.

Over Time with Bill Maher, September 13, 2013

Bill's back! And as usual, lots of stuff happened while he was away.

Ep. 293 September 13, 2013 - Overtime

Over Time with Bill Maher, October 26, 2012

Ep. 264 October 26, 2012 - Overtime

Over Time with Bill Maher, March 9, 2012

Ep. 240: March 9, 2012 - Overtime

Reince Priebus Elected RNC Chairman

Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Steele has left the building! Yes, everybody's favorite blue Muppet punching bag has been supplanted by the new guy. A guy with a--let's face it--foreign name. Almost un-American, wouldn't you say? Rinse Prius? Reich Precious? Rich Prepuce? WTF? Doesn't the Republican National Committee know that their base is 'Merican? What's with this French or Russian or whatever shit? Really?

[Excerpt]

Reince Priebus Elected RNC Chairman



The national Republican Party, coming off huge election victories but facing a $22 million debt and an internal war over identity, ousted chairman Michael Steele Friday and chose Wisconsin party chief Reince Priebus to lead in the run-up to the 2012 presidential race. . .


Read more at: Huffington Post

RNC Chair Hopefuls No Brain Trust

Image from source, Randi Rhodes

I happen to believe that most occupants (and likely most candidates) for the chairman slot of either the Republican or Democratic National Committees are insufferable. The only one I've been able to stand in a very long time was Howard Dean. I think it is the job requirement of all political spin, all the time. There is very little room for unvarnished, unadulterated truth coming from the head of either organization. So, I'm not overtly partisan when it comes to my opinion of either position. But there is still a difference. Take for example the complete idiocy and/or bigotry coming from the current slate of RNC Chair hopefuls.

[Excerpt]

Dumb & Dumber

. . .It’s a good thing the debate to be the new chair of the RNC isn’t an episode of Jeopardy, because Republicans wouldn’t do too well on “Great Literature” (video below). When the candidates were asked to name their favorite book, chair hopeful Ann Wagner thought they asked for her favorite bar, and said “probably my kitchen table.” When the question was explained to Wagner, she said her favorite book was “George Bush’s new book.” The sad thing is I would vote for a person who sits and drinks at their kitchen table over anyone who would read George Bush’s book. . .

Read more at: Randi Rhodes

RNC Chair Michael Steele is a "Disaster."

Well, duhhh!  To Democrats, Michael Steele is the gift that keeps on giving. Funny that now that the November elections are looming, he's suddenly absent from the Sunday morning political talk shows. 

[Excerpt]

GOP strategist says RNC Chairman Michael Steele is a ‘disaster.’



Michael Steele’s term as Republican National Committee Chairman has been riddled with controversial verbal missteps that have roused the scorn of his Republican colleagues. His most recent gaffe in mischaracterizing the Afghanistan war prompted an outcry among prominent Republicans who called for his ouster. Remarking on the appearance of “Shadow RNC” Chairman Ed Gillespie over Steele as the RNC mouthpiece, Face the Nation’s Bob Schieffer asked GOP strategist Ed Rollins today whether the GOP should “do something” about Steele. Rollins doubled-down on his dismissal of Steele’s efficacy, calling him a “disaster” who has “failed miserably” in his mission. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Sarah Palin To Run The RNC?

After the long holiday weekend, I'm finding blogging a little harder to get into. So, I'm posting a few easy--but entertaining and relevant videos, to get the ball rolling. This one has Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks guest-hosting The Dylan Ratigan Show. The subject? Sarah Palin as head of the RNC!

Daily Show: Steele Crazy After All These Years

After the long holiday weekend, I'm finding blogging a little harder to get into. So, I'm posting a few easy--but entertaining and relevant videos, to get the ball rolling. First up is a great Daily Show with Jon Stewart clip on Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele's most recent screw-up. This time, it was on Afghanistan, and is possibly enough to end his career.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Steele Crazy After All These Years
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Michael Steele in Hot Water Over Remarks About Afghanistan

Image from source, CBS News

Michael Steele, the leader of the RNC has made a habit of stepping on rakes.  But this most recent "candid moment"--complete with a doozy about Afghanistan being Obama's chosen war--might just be his undoing.  Are we almost rid of one of the Republicans' long list of cartoon characters? Maybe not.  Think of Sarah Palin.  When she screws up, they love her even more. But then, Michael Steele doesn't shoot moose, and you know, have boobies.

[Excerpt]

Michael Steele: Afghanistan is "War of Obama's Choosing"

Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele suggested at a Connecticut fundraiser that Afghanistan is "a war of Obama's choosing" despite the fact that it began years before the president took office.



As criticism of his comments grew Friday, Steele issued a statement saying that he supported the U.S. troops, but did not address his factual mistake. . .



Read more at: CBS News

GOP Short of Cash

Image from source, Politico

Maybe they can hit up BP for a loan?

[Excerpt]

RNC woes put party in cash crunch

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele’s internal housecleaning is winning plaudits from GOP committee members who hope it stops the barrage of negative publicity that the party has endured in recent months over controversial spending.



But even as the embattled chairman moves to demonstrate that he is holding aides accountable for lapses in judgment that included underwriting a night out at a bondage-themed nightclub, some Republican state chairmen are expressing concern that the committee’s underlying cash crunch could hamper their campaigns in November’s midterm elections. . .

Read more at: Politico

Thanks to Tracy for the link.

Drill Baby Drill Becomes Spill Baby Spill

Image from source, Huffington Post

I know, I know, President Obama recently committed to offshore oil exploration, so this is not exclusively a Republican thing. But Obama didn't have "drill baby, drill!" as a campaign motto like the GOP did in 2008. And Obama didn't declare that "study" was unnecessary, and that we just need to drill here, drill now, like Sarah Palin (R-Facebook) recently did.  The disaster is still growing, and I cannot claim schadenfreude on this one. Still, it bears pointing out that the mindless, simplistic drilling "solution" was misguided.  If anything good comes of this, I hope that offshore drilling be regulated so that no deep water drilling happens ever again unless there is a contingency plan to deal with deep water cleanup.

[Excerpt]

'Drill, Baby, Drill' Champions Silent On Gulf Oil Spill

More than a week has passed since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, killing 11 workers, injuring over a dozen more, and causing a massive oil spill that may eclipse the Exxon Valdez.


Yet the two most prominent political champions of offshore drilling -- Sarah Palin and Michael Steele -- appear not to have uttered a word about the incident. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Michael Steele Admits GOP is Racist

Image from source, Wonkette

Well, that's kind of the gist, anyway.  And I mean c'mon, that's about as shocking as when we learned Ricky Martin is gay.  The honest truth is, I posted this because of the graphic, which cracks me up.

[Excerpt]

Michael Steele Admits GOP Has Been Strategically Racist For 40+ Years, Hooray!

Perhaps you have heard about this one! Michael Steele gave another one of his speeches. In this speech, he confirmed what all you race-baiting liberal ‘tards have been wetting your pants about since forever: minorities such as Africkans have not had much of a reason to vote for the Republican party since Pat Buchanan wrote up Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” 40-some years ago. . .

Read more at: Wonkette

Michael Steele: Americans Have No Fundamental Right to Health Care

Why is it that when I hear a Republican like Michael Steele say something like this. . .



I think of this. . .

Harry Reid Steps in It; Steele Overplays It

Image from source, Chicago Tribune

For the second time in the past two weeks the antiquated term "negro" has been in the news. Last time, it was the use of the word in the census. This week, it has been revealed in a tabloidy political book that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) used the word in relation to then Senator Barack Obama. Now, to be fair, Reid was not using the word in a pejorative way.

His statement--saying essentially that in America today, a fairer skinned black person with an educated, middle-American speaking style would do better running for President than would a darker skinned person with a more colloquial speaking style--is true. It may be uncomfortable, and it for sure was inartfully articulated, but it is true. Predictably, conservatives are making hay with it. But true to form, they're taking it way around the bend. Having Michael Steele, lord god king foot-in-his-mouth--with his own racially insensitive statement last week--be their point man is just bizarre. Comparing Reid to former Leader Trent Lott, who said that a segregationist would have solved all of our problems as President in the forties is even weirder. And demanding that Reid step down as speaker is just stupid.

As a Nevadan, I have my gripes with Reid. But we also have Senator Ensign, so come on now, which has had a worse offense?

[Excerpt]

Sen. Harry Reid and the 'double standard'

GOP Chairman Michael Steele and other Republicans on Sunday accused Democrats of a double standard, saying they accepted Sen. Harry Reid’s apology for racial comments about President Obama, but they also should have demanded that the Nevada Senator step down. . .

Read more at: Chicago Tribune

Sunday Morning Update

After having had the entire holiday season off work, I convinced myself that Monday through Thursday of last week was merely a four day "work break" before my vacation resumed. But here we are on Sunday already, and my fantasy is about over. With the still reduced work schedule in place though, the four-on, three off rhythm is still pretty tolerable. What is nearly intolerable is my regular Sunday morning routine of watching the political chat fests.

It's getting pretty tedious. For the third weekend in a row, one of the primary topics was still the failed underpants bomber and "what it all means." Worse, on at least two of the shows, the leaders of both political parties, Tim Kaine and Michael Steele, were yapping and yapping, mostly about inconsequential stuff. I've always detested these sorts of politicians, regardless of party. The only one I could really stomach was Howard Dean. Mostly, they're smarmy and calculating, and nothing they say can be viewed as 100% true. . .it's all through a political lens, all of it.

The big deal this morning somehow became Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's ill-advised choice of words about Sen. Barack Obama as he was campaigning for President. What Reid said was correct, that Obama had a great shot at the job (he won it, after all), because he wasn't "too black" for a majority of America to vote for him. That may not be politically correct--or even very nice--but it's true. If Obama's manner was like that of Kat Williams or Martin Lawrence, there is zero chance he'd have won. But it's not a smart thing to say, and of course he used the incredibly old-school word "negro" while doing it. Still, Reid apologized and Obama accepted uncategorically. That should be that.

Still, Michael Steele--who has his own very full slate of problems--tried his Muppet-headed best to turn this into a white-hot issue. His call for Reid to step down as Leader struck me as a desperate attempt to take the shame spotlight off of Steele (who had his own stupid "racist comment" moment just this week).

I thought that This Week with George Stephanopoulos was going to be a step up, when I saw that there was no Kaine or Steele on that one. Then I heard the dreaded words, "Liz Cheney." Enough! I'm taking The Other Half's advice, and I'm bailing on the political shows for the week!

Michael Steele Distances Himself From Town Hall Dissenters

Image from Muppet Wiki

GOP leader Michael Steele has done very little that has been good for his party--though Democrats love him!--but he's right on this one. I know that disenfranchised Republicans and conservatives are puffing their chests about all of the attention they are getting. But I just can't imagine that this ugly display is having the intended effect.

As a Democrat, when I see them they just look like idiots. But what about Republicans or independents? Some of them are digging it, surely. But all or even most of them? I kind of doubt it. For one thing, all of these rabble-rousers seem rather unfocused, and sometimes unintelligible. This would really work if they were intelligent, well-spoken, and made a little sense. But they're coming off as. . .well. . .more than a little bit crazy. Which from my side of the aisle, is actually a good thing!

[Excerpt]

Steele Distances Himself From Town Hall Mobs: "We’re Not Encouraging People To Be Angry"

STEELE: I had nothing to do with that, I did not encourage that. And we’re not encouraging people to be angry I mean to the point of being nasty and brutish and ugly. That’s not what this is about. There’s no upside for the Republican Party or the people involved to do that. Now some people, you know, that’s how they express their frustration, that’s how they express their frustration. But that’s not something deliberately coordinated by me or any one state party. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Top 10 Conservative Idiots, May 26, 2009

I usually start the week with a link to Democratic Underground's "Top 10 Conservative Idiots" column, when there is one to link to. And I didn't expect there to be one today, due to the holiday. But in a pleasant surprise, here it is! Enjoy.

[Excerpt]

The Top 10 Conservative Idiots, No. 365
May 25, 2009
Lie Of Newt Edition

Just when you thought you'd seen the last of them, Newt Gingrich (1) and Dick Cheney (2) rear their ugly heads. Elsewhere, Michael Steele (3) and The RNC (4,5) plan a big comeback. . .

Read the list at: Democratic Underground

UPDATE: In a completely silly coincidence, the picture of Newt Gingrich at the top of this post resembles greatly the image of Susan Boyle in my very next post!

What if Obama Nominated Jesus to the Supreme Court?

This video spoof is probably not too far off. After all, before there were even any "short lists" to speculate about, Republicans were already speaking out against whomever President Obama might nominate.

Quote of the Day: Michael Steel and Tea Bagging

"Change…is being delivered in a tea bag. And that’s a wonderful thing."

--RNC Chairman Michael Steele



Read more at: Think Progress