Sunday Morning: Why Do I Keep Doing This?

By "this," I mean why do I keep watching these Sunday morning political gas-bag shows? You could call it research for the blog, I suppose. It's not particularly enjoyable. As I type this, the third of the major four shows, CBS' Face the Nation with Bob Shieffer has just begun.

On FTN, the first thing I noticed is that New Mexico Governor Bob Richardson has gotten a makeover, sporting a goatee and a nice new haircut. A far cry from his look during the Presidential primaries. Maybe he's trying to increase his chances of being Barack Obama's VP choice?

The "big story" this week on these first three shows is that of Obama's decision to forgo public financing. This is a very "inside the beltway" story, one that you'd likely find little interest among the public. Except that the shows and the right-wing are making a very big stink about it, trying their hardest to make it a big deal. Gov. Richardson is the first I've seen so far to point out that John McCain bounced like a ping-pong ball from public to private financing during the primary. He didn't go far enough though, as McCain actually broke the law doing it.

Over at FOX "News" Sunday, Tom Daschle (a nice enough guy, but very milquetoast) battled out the issue with Tom Ridge (who while fiddling with his earpiece demonstrated an odd tremor in his hand). Ridge was completely willing to excuse McCain's flip-flop on oil drilling as acceptable because of $4/gal. gasoline. Situations change, policies change. Apparently it escaped him that the logic also applies to the public financing situation: things change, policies change. On the pundit side, the most interesting thing to me was that Brit Hume, stalwart conservative, approved of Obama's decision, while the "liberals" on their panel thrashed Obama for it.

NBC's Meet the Press with(out) Tim Russert discussed the financing and oil issues too, showing a disturbing single-mindedness between at least three of the networks. Do they all get together and agree on what to cover? This time it was Joe Biden defending Obama, and Lindsey Graham thrashing him. Biden was very direct about Obama's change in position, and gave clear reasons why--though he did not point out McCain's more serious finance flips. Lindsey Graham--looking more like a constipated turtle than ever--feigned utter disgust at Obama's decision.

[Sidebar: Lindsey, disgust on your face is very unbecoming. I mean it, watch the tape of the show if you don't believe me.]

What I've learned this week is that the Democrats (at least on these shows) defend themselves without getting too twisty or bendy about it, and will cop to a change of position on an issue. Republicans--who sound very much like they've been given an outline with bullet points to follow--will criticize Democrats for "flip-flopping"--and then excuse their own side by saying "facts changed on the ground." Facts didn't change for Barack Obama on campaign finance? Um, yes they did. You can't have it both ways, Republicans, but I know you'll keep trying.

Stephen Colbert Owns Sean Hannity

If you're even a casual reader of this blog, you know that I'm a frequent critic of FOX "News," particularly the odious Sean Hannity. His shtick is so old, so predictable, but for some reason popular anyway. He's one of the many reasons I have such little faith in American popular opinion.

So, how great is it to have Stephen Colbert (in the guise of his conservative talk-show host character) of Comedy Centrals' The Colbert Report absolutely own the guy. Okay, pwn the guy, if you're of the younger generation. It's great.

Bill O'Reilly's Homophobia About Mayonnaise

This is a couple of days old, but you may have missed it like I did. At issue is a Heinz Mayonnaise commercial (from Britain), that has a family viewing the Mom/Wife as a New York Delicatessen man. Any fool can see that. Any "gay" content is merely part of the (I believe, good natured) joke.

Bill O'Reilly--like many Conservatives--sees just about anything remotely gay as a threat, and on a recent episode of The O'Reilly Factor on FOX "News", rants like a fool about it. He's an idiot. And for once, his panelists call him on it.

The O'Reilly clip:



And the original ad:

Yes, We Have No Bananas?

Image from Chiquita.com

I found a link to this story at AmericaBlog, and it's kind of a sad story. The least of the problem is that bananas are going up in price. Shoot, everything is going up in price. No, the sad part is that one day soon there may be no bananas. Seriously. Or at least not the variety that we eat today. I for one am a big fan of them. Oranges go bad in my fridge because I'm too lazy to peel them. Bananas have an easy-open package!

Of course, if Bill Maher is right, and all the bees are dying out, the point will be moot. There won't be any people left to eat the bananas. Glass half full?

[Excerpt]

Yes, We Will Have No Bananas

ONCE you become accustomed to gas at $4 a gallon, brace yourself for the next shocking retail threshold: bananas reaching $1 a pound. At that price, Americans may stop thinking of bananas as a cheap staple, and then a strategy that has served the big banana companies for more than a century — enabling them to turn an exotic, tropical fruit into an everyday favorite — will begin to unravel. . .

Read more at: New York Times

Quickie Post #3: Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood

Here is the last of three "quickie" posts of classic Saturday Night Live clips, to save my aching eyes from blogging for a little while.

After the original cast of SNL left the show, Eddie Murphy was barely more than an extra on the ill-fated Saturday Night Live '80. The whole cast--except for Murphy and Joe Piscopo--got the boot. The next year, SNL very quickly became the Eddie & Joe show, emphasis on the Eddie. Here's one of the reasons why. . .

Quickie Post #2: Roseanne Roseanadana

Here is the second of three "quickie" posts of classic Saturday Night Live clips, to save my aching eyes from blogging for a little while.

Continuing with the Weekend Update theme, still in the Jane Curtin era, here is one of the most beloved SNL characters ever invented, Roseanne Roseanadana who as usual, makes Jane Curtin sick.

Quickie Post #1: Weekend Update with Jane Curtin

The day has been long, and my eyes are a little bleary. And if you've been here before, you've probably read me whine about how hard it is to find interesting things to write on weekends. So, how 'bout I cheat a little bit? I get a bit of a breather, and you get to have a little fun!

Now that you're on board with the idea (you are, right?), here is the first of three posts of classic Saturday Night Live clips. Now, I'm not cheating very much, because I have been a long-time fan, having watched the very first episode live. So, I'll only post the clips that are my very favorites. Here we go. . .

Here's a clip from Weekend Update, with one of the best "reporters" to sit in the chair in the show's history, Jane Curtin.

The Daily McBush: John McCain on Abortion Rights

The issue of abortion is sort of a non-issue for me, as it is very unlikely--to say the least--for the issue to ever affect me, even tangentially. I'm still generally pro-choice, but I don't get very animated about it.

Women on the other hand, particularly the activist variety that strongly supported Hillary Clinton do care very much about the issue. And before the follow through on their threats to vote for John McCain out of spite, they ought to watch this video. . .



From The Jed Report

More on House's FISA Vote (I'm Still Not Over It)

I've been taking it kind of easy today, at least as it relates to the blog. Laundry, bug spraying, hair cut, grocery shopping. . .all taken care of, and by early in the day too! Since about 2:00 or so, I've been reading The Mormon Murders, an old true-crime book from the 80s, and it's fascinating. But I figure it's time to knuckle down, and put a few things on the ol' blog.

As my mother sarcastically said, "I'm sure they're hanging on your every word." Thanks, Mom.

I'm still pretty grumbly about the House of Representative's FISA/warrantless wiretaps/retroactive immunity for telecoms vote. Too grumbly to say much about it, but here's a great video encapsulating the ruling, and what's wrong with it.

Young Turks on Telecom Immunity and Wiretaps

I have to go out to dinner, so this may be my last post of the evening. In fact, I don't even have time to review this video before posting it. But after having watched dozens of these Young Turks videos, I'm quite confident that the subject has been covered to my satisfaction.

Later, if I have time, I may come back with an update. Good night, everybody!

UPDATE: I just watched the video, and yep, it was just what I wanted. Angry and chock-full of F-bombs and the like. As it should be. This was a wretched decision by Congress, and it can't be honestly covered politely. Way to go, Cenk!

John McCain Says He Didn't Love America!

Photo from Huffington Post

You know, when Barack Obama said we were entering the "silly season," he really wasn't kidding. Months ago, Michelle Obama said in a speech that during this campaign she was "really proud" of America for the first time. Her mistake was saying "first time," but nobody believes she meant that prior to this year she hated America.

It's faux outrage. A short grouping of words to latch onto like they were engraved into stone with maximum malice. Nonetheless, to this day right-wingers like Sean Hannity paraphrase it daily. It's more than silly, it's disingenuous and stupid. It plays in Peoria though, and that is what really stinks.

But did you know that John McCain once made a very similar statement? And his issue wasn't "pride" it was "love." He didn't use to love America! Can you believe the evilness in this man's heart? Heh. Of course I'm being sarcastic. I don't believe that McCain once hated America. But this remark should be repeated right back every single time the Michelle Obama quote is thrown out.

[Excerpt]

McCain says he didn't love America before the age of 31

Yes, John McCain has repeatedly stated that he didn't love our country until he was captured as a POW during Vietnam. Here's what McCain said in March on FOX:

"I didn't really love America until I was deprived of her company."

Then there's McCain in 1999:

"It wasn't until I was deprived of her company that I fell in love with America."

Read more at: AmericaBlog

House Gives Bush Wiretaps and Telecoms Immunity

This is a frustrating, exasperating, irritating, maddening, stupefyingly dumb ass move by Congress. The Senate still has to follow suit for it to go through, but I worry that they will. It's being called a compromise, but many are calling it capitulation. It is really neither of those. It's a cover-your-ass move for Congress, plain and simple. If they made this into the big issue it deserves to be, many Congresscritters (on both sides) would have big problems. So, they've taken out their Sharpies, and they're blacking out parts of the Constitution. Nice.

[Excerpt]

House votes to expand Bush wiretap powers, telecom immunity

Less than 24 hours after introducing a controversial measure to expand President Bush's authority to spy on Americans, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on Friday voted to approve the administration- and Republican-supported bill, sending it to the Senate where it will likely be adopted. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Barack Obama Bounds Ahead in the Polls

Photo from source, Newsweek

51% - 36% with Barack Obama in the lead? Wow. We all know a lot can happen between now and November, but this is heartening news, given so many neck-and-neck previous ones. One thing that is seldom discussed with these numbers though, is turnout. If the primary percentages hold, and Democrats far out-vote Republicans, it shouldn't matter how close it is.

But we need a large win. We need polls like this one going in to November. Because if we're back to neck-and-neck, it provides the opportunity for more voting monkey-business by the crumbling Rovian machinery.

[Excerpt]

Barack’s Bounce

Barack finally has his bounce. For weeks many political experts and pollsters have been wondering why the race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain had stayed so tight, even after the Illinois senator wrested the nomination from Hillary Clinton. With numbers consistently showing rock-bottom approval ratings for President Bush and a large majority of Americans unhappy with the country's direction, the opposing-party candidate should, in the normal course, have attracted more disaffected voters. Now it looks as if Obama is doing just that. . .

Read more at: Newsweek

Blast from the Past: Superhero TV Shows!

OK, folks, the blog has gotten wayyyy too serious of late. So much politics, so much news. . . We need some fun stuff! My go-to fun time diversion has always been super heroes, in print, on film or on TV. And I was a lucky kid, growing up in the 1970s and 80s. Super heroes hit a couple of times in that time frame. Some were hits, some were not, but you can better believe, I watched them all.






#1 - Automan - Desi Arnaz, Jr. starred in this short-lived ABC series, about a computer whiz who invents a virtual reality super hero. He can only appear at night (when energy use is lower), and he comes with a cool "AutoCar" and a sidekick called Cursor. Now, remember, this was 1983, and hardly anyone knew what a "cursor" or "virtual reality" even were. And the special effects were pretty impressive considering a TV budget and no CGI.

#2 - Spider-Man - CBS had hit shows with The Incredible Hulk and Wonder Woman, so they tried another super-hero show, and it was. . .well, not a hit. It was aired only sporadically, and Spidey didn't look much different than he did on The Electric Company. Still, the cast was good, and it was nice that they tried.

#3 - Isis - CBS's Saturday mornings had a hit with a live action Shazam! (Captain Marvel) show, so they spun off a female super hero show called Isis. She was invented for TV, but became part of the DC Universe alongside Capt. Marvel. It was very preachy, with a moral lesson each week. But I loved it.

#4 - Electra Woman & Dyna Girl - On ABC Saturday mornings, there was a strange live-action show called The Krofft Supershow with Captain Kool & the Kongs. It featured a "futuristic" band (name in the title), and several short regular segments like Dr. Shrinker, WonderBug and this one. EW&DG was a rip-off of the old Batman show, with women heroes. It was bad. . .oh so bad. And for some reason, I watched every episode anyway.

Rudy Giuliani Still Talking About 9/11

Presidential also-ran Rudy Giuliani has been described by Joe Biden thusly: "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence -- a noun, a verb, and 9/11. There's nothing else! "

As my grandmother used to say, "he ain't just a whoofin'!" Check out this recent appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe.

Gay Marriage Drives Michael Savage Insane

Image from source, Media Matters

Wait, there's something wrong with that headline.

Gay Marriage Issue Reveals Just How Insane Michael Savage Has Always Been

There. That's not perfect but it's better. The Savage Wiener (­­™The Thom Hartmann Show) is quite simply an out of this world lunatic. Anything remotely associated with gay people sets him off on horrific rants. I don't understand how this man rates third in talk radio (making him literally third rate). Obviously, since he is a right-wing talker, I'm prone to disagree with him. But I'm at a loss how any sane person--Democrat or Republican--could listen to this guy and like him.

Sadly, I've been informed that my Step-Dad is a regular listener. Maybe I'll call him up and ask what he thinks this means. . .

[Excerpt]

Savage: "The children's minds are being raped by the homosexual mafia"

Responding to a caller who said, "I had to explain to my young son why these two men were holding hands the other day," Michael Savage stated, "You've got to explain to the children ... why God told people this was wrong." He went on to say, "You have to explain this to them in this time of mental rape that's going on. The children's minds are being raped by the homosexual mafia, that's my position. They're raping our children's minds. . ."

Read more (with video) at: Media Matters

So, Was the Iraq War Really All About Oil?

Weapons of mass destruction. UN violations. Connection to 9/11. Saddam Hussein gassed his own people. These and many other reasons--a stew of truth, half-truth, and outright lies--were given as reasons for the US invasion of Iraq. If a reason was shot down, another would pop up in its place. Or sometimes, old reasons were reasserted, even if they had been thoroughly debunked. One thing it wasn't--we were told again and again--was a war for oil.

But that's what it seems to have come down to. Don't believe me? Read on. . .

[Excerpt]

Iraq, and Big Oil, and no-bid contracts … oh my

Dear Iraq, sorry the war hasn’t gone well. But now that the surge is wrapping up, we hope you won’t mind that we need several dozen permanent bases in your country. Oh, and did we mention that we’ll need you to approve some no-bid contracts for our oil companies, too? After all, what’s a few bases and oilfields among friends? . . .

Read more at: Carpetbagger Report

Off the Hook: Olbermann & Turley on FISA Compromise

If my rant about the Democrats' capitulation on the FISA/telecom immunity bill wasn't good enough to keep your interest, here is a much better take on it. For all the talk about Countdown with Keith Olbermann being liberally biased, please check out the major criticism of not only George W. Bush and Republicans, but Democrats as well.

New Barack Obama General Election Ad

I like it.

Telecom Immunity a Done Deal?

Photo of Steny Hoyer from source, Raw Story

This story has been exhausting for liberal bloggers like me. For months and months, we've been writing, reading, calling and emailing our representatives, telling them "No immunity!" Congress now seems prepared to "compromise" (read: capitulate) to the Bush administrations' wishes, allowing them to continue to wiretap without warrants. And the biggie: retroactive immunity for the telecom companies who aided Bush illegally.

Not incidentally, such a ruling would also insulate Bush himself from further scrutiny in this matter. And I suspect that some members of Congress from both sides of the aisle want to cover their own butts as well. Disgusting.

[Excerpt]

Deal reached on wiretap expansion, telecom immunity

Wary of making the debate between liberty and security into a campaign issue, Congressional Democrats appear ready to retreat in their years-long effort to instill some sort of accountability on the Bush administration and its enablers in the telecommunications industry for their extra-legal surveillance of Americans. . .

Read more at: Raw Story