Obama's having a great honeymoon.

From CNN: Obama Transition draws approval of 4 in 5 Americans.

The 82 percent approval is higher than then President-elect George W. Bush 8 years ago, who had a 65 percent transition approval rating, and Bill Clinton, at 67 percent in 1992.

Those are some MIGHTY impressive numbers for Obama, especially with the hard-right declaring when he first won that he was the most hated President-elect of all time. Your words, let me feed them to you.

He's even won over 61% of Republicans. That right there, for the 'most liberal Senator' is an acheivement. He's polling higher than Reagon did on confidence in his leadership.

Meanwhile President Bush manages to poll 3 in 4 Americans.

3 in 4 who are happy to see him go that is.

You know what? I think it's important to let everyone know, again, that the problem most of us on the left had with Bush was never really that he was a Republican, its that he had NO idea what he was doing. Looks like most of the country agrees with us on that. Republican, Democrat? Obama is showing that doesn't matter, and never really did. A good President is a good President. And a bad President, is President Bush.

Even Newt thinks you're stupid.

From CNN: Gingrich to RNC: Drop Blago video, help Obama instead

In a letter addressed Tuesday to Mike Duncan, chairman of the RNC, Gingrich slams the committee for releasing a recent Web video that seeks to connect Obama to embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

When even Newt "Contract on America" Gingrich thinks the RNC is going too far, and just being destructive and divisive, there's a definite problem. Seriously, this attempt to tie Obama to Blago is just STUPID. The ONLY connection is that they're both from Chicago, that's it. Christ. From this point on, every Republican who's from the same city as a serial killer has to bend over backwards to prove he's not an accomplice. Or else "Questions still remain".

9th-Level Crazy

From Pandagon: Want to see a Grade A homobigot? Meet Firpo W. Carr.

Oh, and let’s not leave out lesbians. Law enforcement agencies are struggling with a new phenomenon. “Butch” lesbians who physically abuse “lipstick” lesbians can easily penetrate the defenses of women’s shelters where victims seek refuge since they, too, are women. The original purpose of the shelters was to provide safe haven for women abused by men.
-- Dr. Firpo W. Carr, in his unhinged Los Angeles Sentinel screed, “God Pays Gays With AIDS”

You have to read all of this jaw-dropper to believe it. Someone needs to break it to the fact-free loving Dr. Firpo Carr (a self-proclaimed spiritual adviser to Michael Jackson and his family) that heterosexuals engage in sodomy. Look at him frothing over it with quite graphic, almost obsessive prose:

This guy is a grade-A psycho crazy frothing bigot. I wonder if he realizes that, once his homobigot compatriots stamp out the "gay menace", that he will be next in line?

Posted Without Comment

From yesterday's Journal-Gazette Letters Page

Christians will pick up the pieces

With Barack Obama’s election, progressives, secular humanists and every other stripe of liberalism have won the right to remake the world into their own image.

It is time not to oppose the insanity the left wants to impose upon America but rather to embrace it. These fools are going to destroy the economy and degrade civil society to the point where Americans will warmly embrace the Judeo-Christian values and principles that were once embedded within the founding documents and instruments of the United States.

Let us give the left its way and prepare to pick up the pieces. When the real crisis comes, we can emulate our Founding Fathers and institute a second Christian, American revolution.

When the inevitable failure of the left’s socialist experiment arrives in a national crisis, God’s children must be prepared to promote, create and maintain a Christian, values-based framework that protects God’s sacred civil gifts of life, liberty and the pursuit of property.

MICHAEL LEWINSKI Auburn

The Cycle Begins Anew

From Media Matters for America: Media Matters: Media pick up where they left off 8 years ago

I'd suggest you go read it. It's a pretty in-depth article pointing out how the media's back to its old tricks - trying to tie a popular, Democratic candidate to scandals by any means possible. Remember the Clinton era, when Whitewater was the biggest scandal ever and everything was proof that they were hardened criminals?

Media Matters does- and they know the media's setting up to try that shit again.

Rod Blagojevich: Criminal

What amazes me out of this whole story, is the near immediate attempt by the right to tie Obama to this. Everything from hints that he's somehow involved in it all, to simply implying he's a child of the same 'Chicago Politics', and will end up doing the same thing.

The disconnect from reality by these people is amazing, so let's look at the facts.

In the Blagojevich incident, he was, as it was aptly put "on a crime spree" it wasn't merely trying to sell Obama's senate seat, but everything from trying to surpress the press, to trying and pull funding from a CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, because they wouldn't give him a $50,000 contribution. So to try and tie it to Obama, you'd need to try and tie it to a children's hospital, and the Tribune as well, otherwise you're just being dishonest.

Secondly, is Obama involved? Yes, but not how they want you to think. There are tapes of '7' senate candidates for his seat - only one of which (number 5) seems to have done anything grossly unethical. Number 1, in fact said all she could offer was "gratitude" in exchange for the seat. Who is number 1? It's now believed to be: Valerie Jarrett.

This is how Obama is involved. Valerie Jarrett is in fact who Obama was backing for the position, and Jarrett and Obama offered, as I said "gratitude" in exchange for the seat, nothing more. Blagojevich's response to that? "Fuck him. For nothing? Fuck him." On top of that, it seems a call Obama may have gotten the ball ROLLING on him being investigated.

Mr. Obama placed the call to his political mentor, Emil Jones Jr., president of the Illinois Senate. Mr. Jones was a critic of the legislation, which sought to curb the influence of money in politics, as was Mr. Blagojevich, who had vetoed it. But after the call from Mr. Obama, the Senate overrode the veto, prompting the governor to press state contractors for campaign contributions before the law’s restrictions could take effect on Jan. 1, prosecutors say...

Mr. Obama used leverage that he had seldom employed — publicly, anyway — and strongly urged Mr. Jones to bypass Mr. Blagojevich and approve the ethics bill, banning the so-called pay-for-play system of influence peddling in Illinois...Mr. Obama’s intervention deepened a rift between him and Mr. Blagojevich that had been growing for some time.

Leading to:

...the government obtained court approval to intercept oral communications in certain locations in the offices of Friends of Blagojevich. In addition, as part of its investigation, the government obtained court approval to intercept wire communications on the home phone of ROD BLAGOJEVICH.

Ta-da.

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Stupidity

From The New York Times Online: Deal Close on Auto Bailout, but Obstacles Remain

WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats and the Bush administration inched closer on Wednesday to an agreement on a taxpayer rescue of the American automobile industry, but major obstacles to a rescue were developing in the Senate.Congressional aides said a deal between House Democrats and the White House was close, and White House aides said good progress had been made. But House Republicans, who are at a 236-to-198 disadvantage, were circulating an alternate plan that they said would allow the car companies to be competitive again without putting public money at risk.

A House vote on the Democrats’ rescue plan was set for Wednesday afternoon, but even if it passes that chamber by a wide margin, it could be blocked in the Senate because of Republican opposition.

“Republicans will not allow taxpayers to subsidize failure,” Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican minority leader, said on Wednesday. And Senator David Vitter, Republican of Louisiana, said he would use procedural tools to delay a vote in the Senate.

Great. Let's throw some more money into a sinkhole. Yes, I understand the consequences of letting them fail (which probably wouldn't be failing anyhow); that doesn't mean I like this. I also seriously doubt we're going to see the changes they're supposed to make that are tied to this - if it iasn't changed at the last second, then they'll simply "forget", and slip a few contributions to politicians to make sure they "forget", too.

If American automakers made cars right, we wouldn't have this problem. Or, at least, it wouldn't be so bad.

And am I the only one who notices a small irony in a Rethug saying "Republicans will not allow taxpayers to subsidize failure"? Really now, Sen. McConnell? So what do you call the billions thrown into the illegal occupation of Iraq? Oh, wait, you war-drum pounders think that's a massive success.

Palin's shopping spree cost goes up.

From CNN: More Spending on Palin revealed

The Republican National Committee's total fashion bill for Sarah Palin's nine-week stint on the GOP presidential ticket is in: $180,000.
But honestly, is anyone ACTUALLY surprised that it went up?

Actually the only part of the article that struck me was:

The RNC also spent close to $24,000 in several high end stores, including Ann Taylor, Bloomingdales, Brooks Brothers, Neiman's, Nordstrom, Macy's, Saks, Target, and Victoria's Secret.

... Wait. What? Let's look at that again.

The RNC also spent close to $24,000 in several high end stores, including Ann Taylor, Bloomingdales, Brooks Brothers, Neiman's, Nordstrom, Macy's, Saks, Target, and Victoria's Secret.

...

Victoria's Secret.

Why in the Hell does the vice presidential candidate need to purchase ANYTHING from Victoria's Secret as part of campaign spending? This just raises MORE questions!

Robert Novak: Proud Traitor and Douchebag

From Think Progress: Novak: ‘I Don’t Think I Hurt Valerie Plame’ And I Would Out Her Again Because The Left ‘Tried To Ruin Me’

During a recent interview with the National Ledger, conservative columnist Robert Novak was asked if he would reveal Valerie Plame Wilson’s secret CIA identity if he could go back and do it all over again. Novak noted that he has previously said he “should have ignored” what he had been told about Plame, but he now claims he is “much less ambivalent“:

NOVAK: I’d go full speed ahead because of the hateful and beastly way in which my left-wing critics in the press and Congress tried to make a political affair out of it and tried to ruin me. My response now is this: The hell with you. They didn’t ruin me. I have my faith, my family, and a good life. A lot of people love me — or like me. So they failed. I would do the same thing over again because I don’t think I hurt Valerie Plame whatsoever.

Unrepentant treason and outright pride in bringing harm to another person. And yet this man is allowed to walk free.

Go ahead, Republicans, tell me again about how much you cherish the "rule of law".

The Yearly Question

How long before a letter in one of the local fishwraps, decrying the mythical "War on Christmas" and babbling about "the reason for the season" and whatnot? Now taking all wagers, high bets, low bets, hard bets, yo bets.

Ann Coulter Shuts the F Up

From the NY Post's Page Six: WE HEAR... THAT although we didn't think it would be pos sible to silence Ann Coulter, the leggy reactionary broke her jaw and the mouth that roared has been wired shut...

I admit it's be outright wrong to laugh at someone else's misfortune, even someone horrible and hateful like Coulter.

But, on the other hand, "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into a open sewer and die."

Therefore: AH HA HA HA HA HA!

Of Change.

It's time, once again, for the podium!

So Obama's been slowly unveiling his cabinet, and what we've found so far is a good number of folks from the Clinton days (including one Clinton herself), some more 'centrist' choices, and as we found out today, Bob Gates, current Secretary of Defense staying on at least temporarily.

What has been the response? Whining. Bitching and whining. A LITTLE from the Democratic side, mostly the much more hard left side, from what I've seen, and a lot from the Neocons and those that just plain hate Obama. Why? Because they don't have anything left to complain about.

Yes, the latest volley is the declaration that Obama's choices show that the "Change" mantra is hooey. "This isn't change!" "I want my change!" "I knew he was lying!" seem to be the rallying cry of the stupid right now. Obama has made VERY wise choices right now, from what I can see, do I like all of them? Not really, but I do understand all of them. He's finding the best people for each position. In the times we're in, that's the best thing an incoming President can do.

I swear, it seems as if some people expected "Change" to mean that he was bringing in college students. What I always took it to mean, was taking what wasn't working, and making it work. You do that by using the best people. Seriously, what next? Complain because he's still married to Michelle? "That's not change we can believe in!"

Do Not Attempt to Logically Reconcile the Following Statement

Conservatives claim the media is liberal.
Conservatives oppose the Fairness Doctrine for fear that the media will have to present all sides of an issue.

Mike Pence and Jack Thompson: Idiots of a Feather

From Reverent and Free: More Pence Nonsense

Congressman Mike Pence is obsessed with the latest boogieman concocted in the bowels of the conservative movement, the reinstatement of "The Fairness Doctrine." Thursday, Pence's blog linked to an article by Jack Thompson, warning of the doctrine's reinforcement.

Well, besides the inherent hypocricy of a known advocate of censorship whining about how the Fairness Doctrine would supposedly limit free speech (by the way, genius, there's an inherent flaw in your logic there, but I'll save that for next post), which Craig points out anyway, I have to wonder: Is it wise to get your opinions from a guy who, among other things, threatens people with legal action if they e-mail him and have any disagreement with his opinions, threatens people who donate to charity when he welches on an offer, walks out on his own disbarment proceedings in clear contempt of the court, submits gay porn as evidence that there's a conspiracy against him and thus makes it possible for anyone to see it while simultaneously claiming that the people he was submitting it with regards to are the ones making it available, and has a laundry list of other misuses and abuses of the legal system on his record? Is that really smart, Rep. Pence, to associate yourself with that level of reprehensible filth?

Oh, wait, you're a GOPper trying to keep other people's opinions out of the public square. It's natural for you.

Hate Pushers Want to Violate Constitution

From KCBS San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose: Gay Marriage Opponents Want Prop 8 Retroactively Enforced

Lawyers for the Yes on 8 campaign said they would argue the California Supreme Court should not only uphold the state ban on gay marriage but invalidate same-sex weddings performed before November 5.

Ahem.

Idiots.

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

I know you're stupid. I know you see only two or three lines of the constitution as applicable to anything you do.

But if you're going to ask for treason, you'll be treated as the traitors you are.