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Taylor Marsh has been writing on line since 1996, with the archives provided here a representation of that work.

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Vacationing in Tuscany While London Burns

By on 09 August 2011

Well, that’s come to an end.

For good reason, as the New York Times outlines the spectacle.

“Descent into hell,” said a front page headline in The Sun tabloid which, like other newspapers, published a dramatic photograph of a woman leaping to safety in the arms of police from a blazing building.

“Mob Rule,” said the page one headline in The Independent, showing a masked rioter in a hooded track-suit against a wall of flame.

On Tuesday, the violence seemed to be having a ripple effect beyond its immediate focal points: news reports spoke of a dramatic upsurge in household burglaries; sports authorities said at least two major soccer matches in London — including an international fixture between England and the Netherlands — had been postponed because the police could not spare officers to guarantee crowd safety. The postponements offered dramatic testimony to the pressures on Mr. Cameron and his colleagues to confront the dark shadow that the rioting has cast on plans for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

[...] For a society already under severe economic strain, the rioting raised new questions about the political sustainability of the Cameron government’s spending cuts, particularly the deep cutbacks in social programs. These have hit the country’s poor especially hard, including large numbers of the minority youths who have been at the forefront of the unrest.

The New Yorker has the genesis of what caused it.

Austerity in Tottenham isn’t going down well at all.

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Parliament Testimony Begins by Murdoch’s Being Denied Request to Make Statement

By on 19 July 2011

**UPDATED**

11:55 A.M. EST – HEARINGS SUSPENDED FOR 10 MINUTES… as someone seems to have lunged at Rupert Murdoch, though it’s not clear what happened. The Guardian reports Murdoch’s wife Wendy seemed to slap him away before man in checked shirt could reach her husband. Johnny Marbles tweeted his “attack.” Pictures of failed pie attack.

5.01pm: Jane Martinson reports from the hearing: “He was sitting four rows back, calmly walked up with a plate of shaving foam – smacked it in Rupert’s face – Wendi intervened.”

4.57pm: The suspect looks like he has a substance like white paint on his face.

My colleague Jackie Ashley tells Twitter: “Wendi [Murdoch's wife] can throw quite a punch.”

4.56pm: The BBC says the young man has been handcuffed. Sky showed the footage again – it seemed to be an attack from Rupert Murdoch’s left.

4.55pm: A young man in a checked shirt has been detained by police.

4.54pm: Someone has just tried to attack Rupert Murdoch. His wife Wendi seemed to slap the person.

More updates (original column) below…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is the most humble day of my life.” – Rupert Murdoch

The hearings begin with Rupert Murdoch & his son James Murdoch asking to make opening statement, but were denied. Guardian has statement of Rupert Murdoch:

Mr. Chairman. Select Committee Members:

With your permission, I would like to read a short statement.

My son and I have come here with great respect for all of you, for Parliament and for the people of Britain whom you represent.

This is the most humble day of my career.

After all that has happened, I know we need to be here today.

Before going further, James and I would like to say how sorry we are for what has happened – especially with regard to listening to the voicemail of victims of crime.

My company has 52,000 employees. I have led it for 57 years and I have made my share of mistakes. I have lived in many countries, employed thousands of honest and hardworking journalists, owned nearly 200 newspapers and followed countless stories about people and families around the world.

At no time do I remember being as sickened as when I heard what the Dowler family had to endure – nor do I recall being as angry as when I was told that the News of the World could have compounded their distress. I want to thank the Dowlers for graciously giving me the opportunity to apologise in person.

I would like all the victims of phone hacking to know how completely and deeply sorry I am. Apologising cannot take back what has happened. Still, I want them to know the depth of my regret for the horrible invasions into their lives.

I fully understand their ire. And I intend to work tirelessly to merit their forgiveness.

I understand our responsibility to cooperate with today’s session as well as with future inquiries. We will respond to your questions to the best of our ability and follow up if we are not capable of answering anything today. Please remember that some facts and information are still being uncovered.

We now know that things went badly wrong at the News of the World. For a newspaper that held others to account, it failed when it came to itself. The behaviour that occurred went against everything that I stand for. It not only betrayed our readers and me, but also the many thousands of magnificent professionals in our other divisions around the world.

So, let me be clear in saying: invading people’s privacy by listening to their voicemail is wrong. Paying police officers for information is wrong. They are inconsistent with our codes of conduct and neither has any place, in any part of the company I run.

But saying sorry is not enough. Things must be put right. No excuses. This is why News International is cooperating fully with the police whose job it is to see that justice is done. It is our duty not to prejudice the outcome of the legal process. I am sure the committee will understand this.

I wish we had managed to see and fully solve these problems earlier. When two men were sent to prison in 2007, I thought this matter had been settled. The police ended their investigations and I was told that News International conducted an internal review. I am confident that when James later rejoined News Corporation he thought the case was closed too. These are subjects you will no doubt wish to explore today.

This country has given me, our companies and our employees many opportunities. I am grateful for them. I hope our contribution to Britain will one day also be recognised.

Above all, I hope that, through the process that is beginning with your questions today, we will come to understand the wrongs of the past, prevent them from happening again and, in the years ahead, restore the nation’s trust in our company and in all British journalism.

I am committed to doing everything in my power to make this happen.

Thank you. We are happy to answer your questions.

Submitted statement instead. Clearing room of noisy reporters or people, hard to tell which, came next. Testimony is being heard by the Committee for Culture, Media and Sport.

James Murdoch, chairman and chief executive, apologizes again.

Then he was interrupted by his father, Rupert Murdoch, who touched his arm and offered the quote shown at the top of this post.

The questions and testimony continues… The Lede is liveblogging the testimony…

HIGHLIGHTS…

Rupert Murdoch states he didn’t know he was being lied to. Murdoch obviously shaken, says “NOTW is less than 1% of our company.. I employ 56,000 people around the world… and I’m spread watching and appointing people that I trust…”

James Murdoch tries twice to interrupt Tom Watson’s questioning of his father, saying he can offer details, but Mr. Watson says he’ll come to him after he finishes, because it’s Rupert Murdoch who’s in charge of corporate governance.

“Nope.” That’s Mr. Murdoch’s one-word response about payments to Taylor. James says his father became aware after the “settlement” of “civil claim.”

At what point did you find out that “criminality was endemic” at NOTW? Mr. Murdoch objects to word “endemic,” saying it is prejudicial. Then says he was “shocked, appalled and ashamed…”

“You’re not really saying ‘amnesia,’ you’re saying lie,” Rupert Murdoch offers.

James Murdoch interrupts again to rescue his father from the line of questioning. Watson refuses again. Continues… James interrupts, trying again to answer what his father obviously cannot or will not.

Why did you risk the jobs of 200 people… ? RupertM states these people are being employed by other segments of his empire.

Watson: Did you close the paper down because of criminality? “We were ashamed… We had broken our trust with our readers…”

Keith Olbermann points out what is very obvious, which is that Rupert Murdoch has a script of patterned apologies he is using.

“What happened at News of the World was wrong,” James Murdoch continues. “We have admitted liability…”

Do you accept you are responsible for this whole fiasco? “No,” is Rupert Murdoch’s one word answer. Mr. Murdoch continued, saying he relied on people he employed and trusted.

I found this observation from BBC’s Nick Robinson poignant, while revealing how small Rupert Murdoch appears today.

It is hard to equate the man sitting a few feet away from me with the global media mogul feared by political leaders throughout my adult lifetime.

James Murdoch: No “no immediate plans” to start new Sunday paper.

Are you familiar with the term “willful blindness”? James Murdoch asks for an explanation. Then Mr. Sanders invokes Enron. “I’m not aware of that particular phrase,” says James. RMurdoch adds that he’s familiar with the phrase and denies it applies.

“To say that we are hands off is wrong,” RMurdoch states. “News of the World, perhaps, I lost site of…” Murdoch continues, saying he works 10-12 hours a day and once again saying NOTW was “so small.”

James Murdoch also admits settlement was for illegal phone hacking by News of the World employees.

Later in the testimony James Murdoch delivered Rumsfeldesque known knowns & unknown unknowables on alleged criminality. Classic Murdoch moment of obfuscation and incomprehensible elite media idiocy.

AFTER FAILED PIE ATTACK… allegedly made by Jonnie Marbles, a comedian…

Tide turns for a time… MP now apologizing to Murdochs, including wife Wendy, one using word “guts” to describe her willingness to be present during questioning.  Rupert Murdoch now jacketless.

Have you considered resigning? Murdoch, “No.” Why not? People I hired let me down, they should pay. I’m the best person to clean this up.

“Mr. Murdoch, your wife has a very good left hook.”

Rupert Murdoch allowed to read closing statement. “… In all that’s happened, we needed to be here today. … “ “Sickened” by what the Dowler Fowler had to endure and grateful he was able to apologize in person. Will “work tirelessly to earn their forgiveness.” Murdoch says while trying to hold others to account, they failed on themselves. Paying off police and listening to people’s voicemail is “wrong,” “no excuses,” saying your sorry “isn’t enough.” When people went to prison in 2007, Murdoch thought it was over, as did his son. “I hope our contributions to Britain will one day be recognized.”

Committee thanks the Murdochs, apologizes for the comedic pie event.

Rebekah Brooks testifies next.

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Pres. Obama’s Idea of Negotiating

By on 28 June 2011

The White House, seeking an agreement to raise the nation’s $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by Aug. 2, on Monday said it would not insist that any deal include an end to former President George W. Bush’s controversial tax rates on the wealthy. [...] The White House said the president is pushing the GOP to agree to eliminate some tax breaks for businesses and loopholes for wealthier taxpayers, but is not seeking to eliminate the across-the-board rates introduced by President Bush. That means taxpayers who earn more than $250,000 annually have gotten a reprieve. – Bush rates are kept safe in debt-limit talks

Pres. Obama plays golf with Speaker Boehner and Gov. John Kasich, so you can’t expect him to understand what his moral economic cowardice means to middle class Americans looking on at this spectacle.

I’m beyond appalled that Pres. Obama and the Democrats continue handing Republicans the economic argument, because they’re too scared to make the case Sen. Bernie Sanders has made innumerable times, the latest Monday on the Senate floor.

Shared sacrifice doesn’t exist in any meaningful way if you’re afraid to rescind the Bush tax cuts, while allowing Medicare tinkering and cuts, as Sen. McConnell is insisting in order to keep Sen. DeMint from jumping his leadership job.

The current rumblings leaking out of negotiations are indefensible from a Democratic, progressive or liberal perspective.

The immediate goal is to find upward of $2.4 trillion in 10-year savings and revenues to help offset what would be an almost equal increase in the federal debt ceiling to be voted prior to Aug. 2 — the deadline set by the Treasury Department. Thus far, the Biden talks have identified an estimated $1.5 trillion to $1.7 trillion in spending reductions — two-thirds of the final goal. The challenge is to either close the gap with some mix of savings and revenues or retreat to settling for a shorter-term debt increase equal to the lesser savings figure. – Revenue vs. cuts in debt debate

I certainly hope this turns out differently than it’s currently playing in my mind, because right now the willingness of Pres. Obama and the Democrats to offer so much on spending reductions without Republicans having any skin in this game is making me nauseous.

Remember, however, that what’s happening is because Pres. Obama wants it to be this way. What’s happening in the debt talks is coming down to decisions he approves of and is negotiating himself. You can’t blame this disaster on Republicans; well, you can, but then you’d be lying like the partisan hacks who are covering for Obama amidst this travesty he set up in the first place.

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Kennebunkport Republicans Choose Huntsman

By on 20 June 2011

Tomorrow from Jon Huntsman Jr. on Vimeo.

Mark Halperin is the Republican establishment’s most accurate weathervane:

This is the first, but by no means the last, of eye-catching endorsements Huntsman will get from the GOP Establishment, including many with ties to Ronald Reagan and Bushes 41 and 43. Gray’s endorsement will be a semiotic dog whistle for a lot of big-time bundlers. …

C. Boyden Gray is reportedly readying to become Huntman’s policy team leader.

The discontent in the blue blood branch, also keepers of Ronald Reagan’s torch, just don’t buy that flip-flopping, vulture capitalist Mitt Romney is a genuine GOP conservative.

There’s no doubt he’s the frontrunner, but I’ve been sensing for a while just watching Mr. Romney, whether through his announcement or last week’s debate, that he’s forcing the point in a way that seems rooted in more insecurity than surety. Yes, he’s more relaxed than last time, but that’s not a high bar. His dodging questions on culture is a slick trick for the purposes of the general election, but he’s got to get through the primaries first, something Hillary Clinton could warn him about.

Republican establishment ego demands a man who is as smart as they think they are, even if there’s no evidence that the Tea Party and right-wingers have any interest in their upper crust branding or things that might make Republicans appealing to a larger electorate.

I won’t say something as trite as establishment Republicans are fighting for the soul of the GOP, even as Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum prove they don’t have one. But there clearly is a wing of the Republican Party who thinks smart is cool and is willing to bet on losing to get behind Jon Huntsman, who announces tomorrow, if only to pave the way for 2016 and the big Republican battle, at a time the GOP establishment hopes the Tea Party has lost its strength.

Yesterday on Fox News Sunday, Jon Stewart admitted he’d voted for George H.W. Bush over Dukakis.

There hasn’t been a Republican that Democrats could vote for in twenty years.

As for Huntsman being that guy, the motocross pitch will certainly get my husband’s attention.

After the announcement, Huntsman and his charter plane – including family members and a few dozen journalists – will fly to New Hampshire, where he’ll have a rally with about 300 folks. He’ll return to New York City for a finance reception and dinner. On Wednesday morning, Huntsman’s charter will take off for Columbia, S.C., where he’ll tour a factory and hold a media availability, then attend a meet-and-greet with activists and file candidacy papers. After that, it’s off to Miami. On Thursday, he’ll open his campaign headquarters in Orlando, with some senior staffers seeing them for the first time. Then it’s on to Nevada, Utah, California, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts – and the amazing, draining adventure of running for president. – Mike Allen

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Defining Obscene

By on 13 June 2011

I’m going out on a very strong limb to judge a toss up on this one.

First, the New York Times, Jared Bernstein and everyone but Pres. Obama is pushing for the fed to get involved and create some kind of jobs program, while Larry Summers asks for more stimulus. But there’s still no real movement from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. yet.

A New York Times editorial today suggests that the federal government do some direct job creation to offset the weak economy. Why don’t we? Why won’t we? Why didn’t we do more of that in the Recovery Act? Is it because, as a Republican mantra would have it, “the government doesn’t create jobs — only the private market can do that?” Um… that can’t be it. There are over 20 million government jobs, about 17% of the total right now. And remember a few months ago, when temporary Census-taker jobs were boosting the employment rolls? It’s true we can’t have a robust job market if the other 83% aren’t generating jobs. But do me a favor–the next time someone touts that mantra, change the channel, stand up and shout something, or just do whatever it is you do when you hear an untruth. – Jared Bernstein

Then from the latest in the Anthony Weiner stupid files we have TMZ’s eye-popping gym photo spread. The rolling disclosure not shocking in the least, because this guy was in deep denial about his predilections, but the never ending crotch shots make Narcissus look humble, and adding exhibitionism to the list of gratuitous ugliness adds a new layer of creepiness to Weiner’s idiocy (though I still don’t think the Dem establishment has any authority to overturn an election by demanding he resign).

However, topping it off from the New York Times we get Pres. Obama’s reelection team working on their best pucker for Wall Street as they prep for 2012:

Mr. Obama, who enraged many financial industry executives a year and a half ago by labeling them “fat cats” and criticizing their bonuses, followed up the meeting with phone calls to those who could not attend.

The event, organized by the Democratic National Committee, kicked off an aggressive push by Mr. Obama to win back the allegiance of one of his most vital sources of campaign cash — in part by trying to convince Wall Street that his policies, far from undercutting the investor class, have helped bring banks and financial markets back to health.

Last month, Mr. Obama’s campaign manager, Jim Messina, traveled to New York for back-to-back meetings with Wall Street donors, ending at the home of Marc Lasry, a prominent hedge fund manager, to court donors close to Mr. Obama’s onetime rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton. And Mr. Obama will return to New York this month to dine with bankers, hedge fund executives and private equity investors at the Upper East Side restaurant Daniel.

“The first goal was to get recognition that the administration has led the economy from an unimaginably difficult place to where we are today,” said Blair W. Effron, an investment banker closely involved in Mr. Obama’s fund-raising efforts. “Now the second goal is to turn that into support.”

At least Anthony Weiner can be rehabilitated, even if he’s forced to do it outside of Congress.

Neither Obama nor Romney can be cured of campaign money junkie mania, while the middle class tries to stay afloat.

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BLOWBACK: Chris Christie’s Rockefeller Entrance to Son’s Baseball Game

By on 01 June 2011

Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger

Gov. Christie is pictured departing from his spanking brand-new AugustaWestland helicopter, which was reportedly purchased at a cost to taxpayers of $12.5 million. How he used it yesterday is the stuff of an amateur politician forgetting about perceptions in an era of austerity, which Gov. Christie helped to usher in as the champion of waste-busting.

The dust swirling around Gov. Chris Christie’s big shot entrance yesterday proves just how dangerous Democrats think he could be to Pres. Obama. I wrote back in March that I believe he’s the only Republican who comes close to the personal and political qualities of taking on Obama. Christie’s bluntness and seeming transparency makes him the ultimate un-Obama. Christie hasn’t disappointed either, because like all newcomers he’s let it all go to his head, his poll numbers in New Jersey cratering from where he started.

Yesterday’s stunt won’t help. Everyone is piling on because Christie’s behavior was so appalling it’s hard not to.

Gov. Chris Christie arrived at his son’s baseball game this afternoon aboard a State Police helicopter.

Right before the lineup cards were being exchanged on the field, a noise from above distracted the spectators as the 55-foot long helicopter buzzed over trees in left field, circled the outfield and landed in an adjacent football field. Christie disembarked from the helicopter and got into a black car with tinted windows that drove him about a 100 yards to the baseball field.

During the 5th inning, Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie got into the car, rode back to the helicopter and left the game. During a pitching change, play was stopped for a couple of minutes while the helicopter took off.

It’s bad enough it could sweep “Weinergate” out of the headlines.

Wall Street Journal: Chris Christie’s Helicopter Ride to Home Plate.

Ben Smith: Christie Can’t Go Home Again.

ABC’s The Note: Governor Christie Takes State Helicopter To Son’s Baseball Game.

New York Times: Christie Takes State Copter to Son’s Ballgame.

MSNBC’s First Read: Chris Christie’s helicopter ride.

It all segues into the other news coming in about his meeting with Iowa Republicans: Chris Christie won’t run for president, but he’ll visit Iowa this summer.

Damage control to follow.

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Trivial Pursuits in Times of Peril

By on 15 March 2011

“For my Dad, America was the land of opportunity, where the circumstances of birth are no barrier to achieving one’s dreams,” Romney said in a high-profile New Hampshire speech earlier this month. He added: “The spirit of enterprise, innovation, pioneering and derring-do propelled our standard of living and economy past every other nation on earth. I refuse to believe that America is just another place on the map with a flag.” – GOP 2012 theme: American ‘decline’

What’s playing out in Japan right now is overwhelming to comprehend. Looking at Libya, same thing, as Germany blocks an Anglo-French no-fly zone plan, while the Saudis sent troops into Bahrain, and today a report that Sect. Clinton was snubbed in Egypt. We’ve got our own domestic challenges too, so there are few places to turn for comfort.

During Rush Limbaugh’s first hour today he went on a bender about Pres. Obama’s NCAA bracket picks, which was a top item on Mike Allen’s Playbook this morning (where I get my early a.m. news), which NRO quickly picked up with a “Wow.” When I wrote about it today on Twitter, as I often do when I listen to the first hour of Rush, Politico’s Jonathan Martin responded that it was also on the top of Drudge, which stands to reason since Limbaugh often channels what’s on his front page. In the center column was PRESIDENT CHECKS OUT: FOCUS ON B-BALL BRACKETS… with a link to a weird little piece on Obama not being present enough as the world roils.

I’ll let you be the judge of whether Pres. Obama is doing his job, which is the crux of the Right’s argument today, joined by other anti-Obama sites, evidently believing that a moment spent on NCAA March Madness picks will mean the end of American greatness.

But I also won’t make light of the image issue being presented, because one of the reasons Ronald Reagan was elected is because at the end of Pres. Carter’s first term he seemed not on top of what was happening in the world, while considered responsible for America slipping. That’s the main theme of the GOP for 2012. Now all the Right needs is a Reagan.

However, the notion that Pres. Obama needs to be either looking grim and concerned or be hidden away for fear of seeming frivolous amidst Japan’s catastrophic nuclear challenge is not only ridiculous, but inconsistent with life itself.

Taking 30 minutes to enjoy the simple pleasures of life while Japan roils is not craven. It’s called living. Like him or not, approve of his politics or not, Pres. Obama is on the job 24/7, non-stop. To suggest that by taking a few moments out to honor the pleasures of sports is presidential sacrilege is misunderstanding the importance of trivial pursuits at times of great stress. So what if Pres. Obama plays golf on Saturday? George W. Bush did it all the time, which Rush and the Right never cared about.

Life is a pressure cooker. High stress jobs and situations make it even worse. Being president is beyond what any of us can imagine, especially today, and let’s hope one of Barack Obama’s plans is to live well beyond his presidency, not kill himself in the job.

Taking some time to enjoy life doesn’t mean a president or a person isn’t taking care of business. No one can immerse him- or herself in work constantly without eventually blowing a physical fuse.

It’s not a sin to enjoy life even when others are suffering. In fact, it’s more important to appreciate the gifts of life when you’re spared tragedy and take the time to breathe in the bounty when fate passes you by.

As for the Republican 2012 message of “American ‘decline,’” if they had a candidate there is no doubt Pres. Obama is vulnerable for this type of marketing. People like the President, but his standoffish, non-engagement leadership style amidst world events exploding, with Americans used to our presidents inserting himself and our country across the globe, is not going down well with everyone.

A normal moment of trivial pursuit comes off as out of touch. Cue the Jimmy Carter theme music, which is exactly what Republicans are turning to with their 2012 “American ‘decline’” theme, which in times when people feel overwhelmed and powerless could resonate.

If only Republicans had a candidate who could sell the message, but they don’t, at least not yet.

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Hey Keith, You’ve Been TMZ’d.

By on 22 January 2011



I can’t imagine anything Keith Olbermann would hate more than being TMZ’d. The juicy tabloid outfit has earned it’s verb status.

Segue to… TMZ’s take.

Here’s how it went down. Sources familiar with the situation tell us that Olbermann’s agent recently went to NBC complaining that Keith — who has the most popular show on MSNBC — was underpaid at $7 million per year. NBC execs told Olbermann’s agent they would not cough up anymore money.

Network execs were well aware that Comcast wanted Keith gone because he was “a loose cannon that could not be controlled.” It became clear to both sides that Olbermann’s days were numbered and they began negotiating an exit.

As an aside, I remember Harvey Levin during the whole O.J. nightmare in Los Angeles. He was KCBS-TV’s legal reporter and his reports got me through it without losing my mind. That he’s the executive producer behind TMZ is an interesting choice of fate, but if anything would make you go there it would have been O.J.’s acquittal in the criminal trial.

As for Olbermann, we still need his voice in politics. He’s got great sports announcing chops, but I want him back in our game.

But at least when Bill O’Reilly goes off on this Monday we know that Keith made his own deal to get out, even if The Suits had the papers already drawn up in draft and poured a Scotch when he was gone.

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Is Rick Santorum the Dumbest White Man on the Right?

By on 20 January 2011



Former Senator Rick Santorum: “The question is — and this is what Barack Obama didn’t want to answer — is that human life a person under the Constitution? And Barack Obama says no. Well if that person, human life is not a person, then, I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say, ‘we are going to decide who are people and who are not people.’”

What the purpose of Santorum invoking “black man” is you can decipher for yourself, but being brought up in racially charged St. Louis, Missouri it’s obvious to me.

Segue to a story that sickens everyone who reads it to the core, but will surely be used by wingnuts like Rick Santorum. The story of the Philadelphia clinic of Kermit Goswell that is detailed in a 261-page grand-jury report released yesterday and getting covered today, which is too murderously reprehensible and morally criminal to even quote here. What Goswell let happen at his abortion mill is the stuff of horror movies, not what any reputable woman’s clinic would do.

The question needs to be asked just why women were resorting to going to Kermit Goswell? For the same reason women rose up to make abortion legal and safe, but also affordable and accessible. People like Rick Santorum and others who rail against women’s freedoms, but also the murder of Dr. Tiller, has caused an atmosphere of fear to develop around women’s reproductive health issues, which even had an impact on the Democratic health care bill recently passed. By letting people like Bart Stupak win, Speaker Pelosi, of all people, and Pres. Obama helped conservatives, in whatever party they exist, push women into a situation on health care even in the face of what we’ve won in the courts. Making abortion coverage a separate entity to full reproductive health care that requires separate coverage and payment simply shrinks the pool so small that pretty soon the coverage and the care will be non-existent. This is the type of situation that makes places like Goswell’s develop in the first place. The other issue is regulations and having enough people to enforce them so that untrained hacks aren’t utilized during a serious operation requiring anesthesia.

But you can be sure that Pennsylvania’s alleged multiple murder horror will launch the nuts like Santorum and the Right into a campaign that will only make matters worse for women.

Perhaps he’s on Randall Terry’s bandwagon, the guy who wants to run against Obama on the “Freedom is Only for Men Ticket,” aka “The Bible Is Literal Platform,” trying to out Tebow Tebow by running an offensive ad during the Super Bowl.

Seriously, can we all agree that politics and sports slammed together is just plain un-American?

So, the answer to the headline is no, Santorum has lots of company on crazy.

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Pujols & La Russa Think Beck-Palin Event Not Political

By on 27 August 2010

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, scheduled to introduce Pujols, insisted Thursday that he and Pujols are attending only after receiving assurances that the event is not a thinly disguised political rally. – STLToday

Three-time NL Most Valuable Player Albert Pujols, as well as Cardinal manager Tony La Russa, will be among the guests tomorrow at the Beck-Palin “Restoring America” rally on the Mall. Oh, but only because it’s not a “thinly disguised political rally.” Well, they’ve got that right. It’s not thinly disguised at all.

But seriously, are they kidding? I honestly don’t know how Tony La Russa can say that with a straight face.

These guys are either dumber than a bag of rocks or… hmmm… I got nothing else.

ps-I’m going to try to check the event out tomorrow, depending on the insanity level of it. I’ll report in via Twitter if I can.

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2010: GOP Tea Party a Gift to Dems (and oh, that ‘Aqua Buddha’ guy)

By on 11 August 2010

–updated–

President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, who have been starved for good news through much of 2010, finally received a generous helping Tuesday night. Republicans, meanwhile, were left with several new reasons to wonder whether all the favorable national trends showing up in polls are enough to overcome local candidates who are inspiring little confidence about their readiness for the general election 12 weeks from now. – Primary night yields good news for President Obama and Democrats

Baseball, as metaphor today, with the Cards v. Cincy game a good backdrop, especially with WWE a winner last night, and gives you an idea of the atmosphere in the country politically as well. Democrats and the Republican Tea Party are in a brawl, which is a much tighter contest than anyone is spinning. Everyone hates each other and that goes well beyond any anti-incumbent spin that doesn’t tell the story at all.

General discontent revs up everyone’s motor when nobody likes the infrastructure set up that drives national politics.

In Colorado, Republicans fielded not only a weak candidate against Sen. Bennet, but the entire state ticket on the right reveals signs of Tea Party craziness. Same goes for Nevada, where Republicans took a likely pickup in Harry Reid’s seat and blew it by nominating Sharon Angle, one of the wackiest candidates in the country. That is until you get to Rand Paul, with the latest story on him from GQ magazine a laugh riot, unless of course you’re the woman who Paul and his friends, in a blinding pot haze, allegedly blindfolded, tied up and stuffed in a car, then later made to worship at the altar of “Aqua Buddha”:

The strangest episode of Paul’s time at Baylor occurred one afternoon in 1983 (although memories about all of these events are understandably a bit hazy, so the date might be slightly off), when he and a NoZe brother paid a visit to a female student who was one of Paul’s teammates on the Baylor swim team. According to this woman, who requested anonymity because of her current job as a clinical psychologist, “He and Randy came to my house, they knocked on my door, and then they blindfolded me, tied me up, and put me in their car. They took me to their apartment and tried to force me to take bong hits. They’d been smoking pot.” After the woman refused to smoke with them, Paul and his friend put her back in their car and drove to the countryside outside of Waco, where they stopped near a creek. “They told me their god was ‘Aqua Buddha’ and that I needed to bow down and worship him,” the woman recalls. “They blindfolded me and made me bow down to ‘Aqua Buddha’ in the creek. I had to say, ‘I worship you Aqua Buddha, I worship you.’ At Baylor, there were people actively going around trying to save you and we had to go to chapel, so worshiping idols was a big no-no.”

Nearly 30 years later, the woman is still trying to make sense of that afternoon. “They never hurt me, they never did anything wrong, but the whole thing was kind of sadistic. They were messing with my mind. It was some kind of joke.” She hadn’t actually realized that Paul wound up leaving Baylor early. “I just know I never saw Randy after that—for understandable reasons, I think.”

The whole article is priceless in that Rand Paul Is Even Crazier Than We Thought sort of way. Can’t Democrats mine this for negative ads to help out Jack Conway? To add in further developments, the woman in question has now issued one hell of a “clarification,” which puts Esquire in quite a position.

If you throw in Dick Armey’s view on Social Security, which is basically to dismantle FDR’s safety net so seniors are put at risk, well, the Tea Party crew is going to make sure even in low enthusiasm that Democrats have a real chance to keep their majorities.

Of course, just like the Cards v. Cincy game, when antipathy and tempers are high nothing is certain, except that none of these factions are friends.

Yet the Democrats should feel good about things right now. In the game of my guy is bad, but the other guy is worse, the Republican Tea Party is serving up a lot of losers. Seriously, when Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, who won her primary last night in Connecticut, a woman who has been seen kicking people in crotches is being touted as someone who represents the best of what the right has got to offer, if Democrats can get their act together they just might hold on to the majority.

Though let’s be serious, considering what Pres. Obama and the Democrats have done with that majority the only outcome if Dems prevail is at least the country didn’t send a bunch of Sharon Angles to Congress. Meanwhile, Chris Bowers rebuts recent polling of Democratic enthusiasm for Obama, which I’ll leave you to dissect yourself.

The downer in the picture looking to 2012 is that Pres. Obama has apparently lost the Walter Cronkite of Spanish media, Jorge Ramos. It’s a problem depending on what Republicans offer up, which right now is simply tinkering with the 14th Amendment, which once again gives Democrats and Pres. Obama a way to stay in power.

All this being true, I remain one of the doubters that progressives and liberals will be excited about 2010, which I believe is true of 2012 too, until and unless Pres. Obama and the Democrats do something they haven’t done yet, which is to act like Democrats, instead of dragging the Left to the right.

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TM.com Readers Agree with Wall Street Journal/NBC Poll

By on 24 June 2010

Americans are more pessimistic about the state of the country and less confident in President Barack Obama’s leadership than at any point since Mr. Obama entered the White House, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. – Confidence Waning in Obama, U.S. Outlook

Perhaps the sacking of Gen. McChrystal and the brilliant stroke of putting Gen. Petraeus in his place will make a dent in the new numbers revealed by the new WSJ/NBC poll. I’m not sure, because when Afghanistan is explained further I’m not sure people will buy why we’re still there. However, for right now, what I’ve written about the BP blowout and Obama’s management of the crisis, particularly on containment, has come true. The crude has dragged him down.

Independents have bolted, Hispanics and women, too, with African Americans remaining his only solid support. If you’ve been reading the site for the last year you have followed the storyline, because everything I have written is proof why Obama’s numbers have finally skidded. People were just waiting for a tipping point and his public management of the BP blowout was it.

In politics, if you’re explaining, you’re losing. Recently, when the White House was defending Obama against charges that Pres. Obama going golfing this past weekend equated to Tony Hayward on a yacht, people saw the correlation, even though I did not. Not even the fact that Obama and Biden were golfing on Father’s Day weekend made a difference. Most people sending me emails thought Obama golfing was insensitive. The issue did give Republicans a chance to change the subject. Strike back after Joe Barton’s BP apology blunder.

Now, as I expected, because oil experts warned of this happening, BP has suffered another setback in containing the oil, because the flow has increased due to troubles at the well head. To find out that BP is being allowed to drill in Alaska on a well that is considered risky, well, it’s insane. Interior Sect. Ken Salazar should have been fired long ago.

But about three miles off the coast of Alaska, BP is moving ahead with a controversial and potentially record-setting project to drill two miles under the sea and then six to eight miles horizontally to reach what is believed to be a 100-million-barrel reservoir of oil under federal waters.

I sent out my summer newsletter this week talking about the comparison between Hayward and Obama, yachting v. golfing. This is a response on Facebook about the issue, which I included in my newsletter:

“I don’t wanna be a dick about this, but I’m sorry, the optics suck and both events reek of elitist tone-deafness. I’m not giving Obama a pass on this. There’s plenty of equivalency.” – RB

After seeing RB’s response, LS emailed in this:

Golf and tone deafness. “… the optics suck and both events reek of elitist tone-deafness….” I couldn’t agree more. – LS

Below are a few other emails I received over the day. The first from a very angry Gulf coaster:

I am sorry but I have to agree with those equating the BP Ceo going yachting with Obama playing golf..in fact I would go further ..he played golf ..walked in nature , had the NY Yankees to the White House and other athletes , and kept giving WH concerts..while we on the gulf were breathing air that was unbreahtable and exposed us to god knows what..while 300 miles away on the Gulf our air burned our eyes, throats and gave us horrible headaches, while feeling like a 10 ton elephant was sitting on our chests..when we culd get no answers from our government..none!!!!!!!!!!!! While BP took over our beaches, our air, our water, our coast guard, our national guard,.and refused help from Fla Scientists..maybe you don’t want to hold Obama accountable..but I damn sure do!! It was under Obama that BP submitted their “spill plan”…bullshot only goes so far. My back Yard is the Gulf..and I will forever hold Obama accountable for ignoring his responsibilities to we the people when we needed a damn leader the most and got nothing from him! Hope his golf game was worth all of us being exposed to horrible, toxins..and god know what! He did not protect we the people ..and that is his damn job! – Arlene

As readers know, I have held Pres. Obama accountable from the start. He and his Administration, especially Salazar, have blown the containment aspect terribly. But the deal made last week with BP was important. There is just no comparison in culpability between Tony Hayward and Pres. Obama, not in any way. I do, however, believe Obama’s energy policy mimics any regular Republican.

More are below, though some are shortened due to length.

Is there anything our president can do that won’t bring criticism??? He’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. He cannot win with the wingnuts!! He’s under a lot of stress and if a few holes of golf help him relieve some of that stress on Father’s Day week-end, I say “do it”. It’s not like he’s spending a third of his presidency on vacation!! – GA

obama is in charge of protecting america period. it does not matter from what. the oil spill will wipe out the sea food industry in the gulf and affect millions of people and the fool is doing nothing to protect us from it. [...] – mrks

As far as Obama golfing – where was the howls when GWB went to Crawford to clear brush? I’m not happy with Obama right now. I’m not happy with the entire political scene. As far as I’m concerned we have a bunch of politicians who are totally incompetent and in the game for whatever it can get them. I don’t see them serving the people in anything they do. If I had my way I’d vote them all out and put in new faces. I’m sick of the whole system. Why I’m becoming an independent. – JA

Well, I think Obama golfing is kind of worse. For one thing he’s taken one damned vacation after another all spring throughout this crisis. [...] Obama needs to take control of both the cleanup and the well away from BP, and get some American oilmen in there. Americans might care a little more about getting something done and done right. I know we have some pretty smart people in the oil industry. We have scientists and we have engineers. We can’t do worse than BP has so far. – A.

Pres. Obama’s steely resolve on the McChrystal matter should help his poll numbers, but considering Afghanistan casualties are going to start rising even higher, it all depends on if news and cable focuses on the facts. Right now, however, the White House political team is stuck explaining how they let this happen.

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The Teflon Whiner

By on 14 June 2010

“In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11.. I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come.” – Pres. Barack Obama

If only Pres. Barack Obama had personally reacted as if the BP blowout was our environment 9/11 (as I wrote here long before Obama invoked it). He did not. All this statement does is remind us all, not only of the Rolling Stone article and the reporting of Lisa Myers, but that Obama didn’t feel the need to react personally until the narrative got out of his control. But never fear, Obama’s teflon presidency is not in any danger. They like him. They really like him.

One can only imagine what would have happened if George W. Bush did what Barack Obama did yesterday. Oh, right, he did. Michael Moore documented it. However, it’s unlikely that Mr. Obama will receive the same treatment, even if it’s richly deserved.

It’s good to be Barack.

And after all this time, Barack Obama still won’t pit Republican policy bankruptcy against the enlightenment of Democratic Party principles. Obama’s focus is on brand, his brand and nothing else. It takes time to make Teflon non-stick. In fact, he won’t even call out the culprits stopping the Democratic agenda during this historic time of a Democratic majority.

The politics of purpose has meant no we can’t.

I’ve linked to and mentioned several times Matt Bai’s “Democrat in Chief?” recently, because it pits Obama’s brand obsession against the real need the Democratic Party has to have a leader that takes Democratic policy beliefs and points them forward to solving our immense challenges. After hearing the activist left rail against Bill Clinton’s inability to build a wider base in the 1990s, it’s no wonder we’re hearing even louder dissent grow against Pres. Obama who is more interested in the politics of compromise and consensus than the principles of Democratic purpose. As we saw in the health care debate, Obama is reactive, not pro-active, otherwise he would never have let Sarah Palin’s “death panels” squeal rise up above the Democratic public option narrative, and Ken Salazar would never have been unleashed on the environment, to concoct the worst record since Reagan’s James Watt.

Segue to Roger Simon’s odd interview with Pres. Obama, which was posted yesterday on Politico:

“Some of the same folks who have been hollering and saying ‘do something’ are the same folks who, just two or three months ago, were suggesting that government needs to stop doing so much. Some of the same people who are saying the president needs to show leadership and solve this problem are some of the same folks who, just a few months ago, were saying, this guy is trying to engineer a takeover of our society through the federal government that is going to restrict our freedoms.”

There was some real irritation in his voice when he said: “And so — and this translates into very concrete terms — I think it’s fair to say, if six months ago, before this spill had happened, I had gone up to Congress and I had said we need to crack down a lot harder on oil companies, and we need to spend more money on technology to respond in case of a catastrophic spill, there are folks up there, who will not be named, who would have said this is classic, Big Government over-regulation and wasteful spending.”

Why Pres. Obama is acting like an insurance claims officer is beyond me.

The last paragraph above, delivered as a big fat whine, reveals such weakness and egotism as to be embarrassing for the man who holds the most powerful office in the world. Obama actually seems to care that there are some people who would complain about big government at a time when only government can solve the problem. However, considering what a colossal screw up Interior Sect. Ken Salazar has proven to be, even complicit in BP’s blowout, it’s not surprising. Obama’s whine is so anti-FDR as to be completely devoid of any Democratic foundation whatsoever. You’d think this was all about him. Unfortunately, for he and his loyalists it is.

Out of a long post on which I agree, Joan Walsh wrote four words that transcend both of our lengthy opining on Obama’s lack of leadership and current state of whining: Grow up, Mr. President.

Amidst an environmental 9/11 and ecological holocaust we’ve got a President who didn’t notice the moment until his own brand started to sag. Lucky for his Teflon presidency he caught it in time. But really, who can be angry at a man who never picks fights when needed, let alone on purpose, preferring to blame an amorphous “Washington” where Democrats work long hours in Congress to make changes that will help the American people.

Poor Congress. They suck up to Mr. Executive Branch, but all they’ve got to show for it is the back of Obama’s hand. I only wish it would teach these legislators that the founders’ gift of independence and separateness from the Executive Branch is power that should never be ceded.

All Obama’s whining comes on the wings of a disaster he and his administration helped create and where his actually policy prescriptions bode ill for any truly Democratic progress, but also for the brand that will be around long after Barack Obama is history.

The Democratic Party is rudderless, regardless of having a majority. Obama may survive and one hopes he will, as the alternatives appear worse at this point, though that’s not even a given at this point. But Obama does remain liked by the majority of Democrats, which Obama loyalists are always quick to point out and on which they remain correct.

But the Teflon coating sticking to the Obama brand is remarkably similar to the oil slicked Gulf that was allowed to happen on his watch. For Democrats it may leave a slimy sheen they won’t be able to wash off for years.

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Sunday Morning News Round-Up

By on 13 June 2010

President Obama on Monday and Tuesday will visit the Gulf states affected by the oil spill. He’ll address the nation on Tuesday night from the White House on the next steps in responding to the environmental catastrophe, his senior adviser said Sunday. – CNN

Some coffee with your news?

Good morning!

Important factoid of the day: On June 13, 1966, the Supreme Court issued the landmark case Miranda v. Arizona which held that criminal suspects had to be informed of their constitutional right to speak with an attorney and to remain silent before being questioned by police.

Here’s a round-up of some of the major stories bouncing around the airwaves and internet:

~ Some thought that President Obama would be more protective of government whistleblowers than his predecessor. Not. He’s gone after them with a vengeance.

~ In an opinion piece that I read about five times to determine if it was satire, two legal bloggers argue that Clarence Thomas would be a great GOP candidate for 2012. Words escape me.

~ A Roman Catholic priest in Colombia becomes a target for exposing the horrific human rights abuses of the government and security forces. The U.S. also has reason to possibly fear these revelations as it seems the U.S. is viewed by many there as having been knee-deep in the abuses perpetrated by the Colombian security forces.

~ Abby Sunderland, the 16 year-old who became stranded in the Indian Ocean while attempting to complete a solo sail around the world, was rescued by a fishing vessel on Friday. The whole incident has created a sometimes heated public debate over the wisdom of letting teenagers take part in extremely dangerous activities. And this incident comes on the heels of 13 year-old Jordan Romero being the youngest person to climb Mt. Everest in May.

~According to Haaretz today, Benjamin Netanyahu has updated President Obama on the selection of former Israeli Supreme Court justice Yaakov Tirkel to head a commission of inquiry into the flotilla raid.

~ Speaking of Israel, Poland has arrested an alleged Mossad agent involved the forging of passports in the assassination of the Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai and now the extradition battle begins.

~ On Friday Pope Benedict XVI begged for forgiveness for the sexual abuse scandal involving Roman Catholic priests but according to many, that still isn’t enough particularly given his own (alleged) personal role in the scandal prior to becoming Pontiff.

~ McClatchy is really doing a fantastic job journalistically of covering just about everything- from domestic issues to foreign policy. They seem to be doing something very few journalists at the NYT and WaPo do anymore- actual investigative journalism or in the alternative, simply asking tough questions of those in power. Yesterday they had a front page story about how President Obama, in deciding several months ago to expand offshore oil drilling, failed to essentially do the governmental equivalent of due diligence which might have prevented a catastrophic oil spill like the one we are dealing with now. It’s a damning story.

~ Speaking of BP, in case you missed this story from last week, the oil spill response plan BP submitted in 2009 contained numerous glaring omissions and in some cases, outright nonsense. For example, the wildlife expert that they said they would rely on in the case of a major oil spill had been dead for 4 years prior to the publication of the report.

~ Flash floods have hit Arkansas and tragically, the death toll continues to rise.

~ Joran van der Sloot was charged with murder and robbery and taken to one of Peru’s most notorious prisons, Castro Castro. Van der Sloot is charged with the murder of the 21 year-old student Stephany Flores and he is the prime suspect in the disappearance/likely murder of Natalee Holloway. Get this- Van der Sloot requested he get his own cell at the prison because he feared for his life, and they AGREED! Apparently, prisons in Peru are living hell and they make US prisons look like Club Med. Cells can have as many as 50 people in them, no beds , etc.

~HA! It’s a draw between the U.S. and England in the first round of play. Go Yanks! In other play, South Korea beat Greece and Argentina beat Nigeria.

~ Is infighting tearing apart the tea party movement?

~ Obama is pleading for Congress to release billions in funds for states to prevent massive layoffs and cuts, but Congressional Democrats have “spending fatigue.”

~ Chris Cillizza over at the WaPo doesn’t seem to “get” the significance of labor’s backing of Blanche Lincoln’s opponent, Bill Halter, in the Arkansas primary and instead argues that labor unions were the biggest losers of the past week. Now, I could be wrong, but labor sent a message, loud and clear, and if the Democrats don’t hear it, they could end up being 2012’s biggest losers.

This post has been updated.

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Election Night Countdown

By on 08 June 2010

UPDATE (10:56 pm): Politico, then AP, call it for Blanche Lincoln with 51%, Halter 49%. Also Orly Taitz wins nomination for CA Sect. of State. Yes, indeed, William Jefferson Clinton is still relevant.

UPDATE (10:04 pm): Big Dawg still relevant? Don’t look now, but Blanche Lincoln may pull this out. See Nate Silver.

UPDATE (9:52 pm): AP declares a runoff between Nikki Haley and Gresham Barrett on June 22; Haley, despite sexist smears came in first tonight.



It’s going to be quite a night. There’s the Arkansas Senate runoff, the South Carolina, Nevada, Iowa and California gubernatorial primaries, Nevada Senate primary, South Carolina 4th, and Virginia 5th district primary for Perriello, to name a few. Chris Cilizza has more.

Poll closings begin at 7 pm eastern time, with Arkansas closing at 8:30 pm eastern. California polls don’t close until 11 pm. Nevada is at 10 pm.

Sarah Palin did a robocall for Carly, hoping to get her into the race against Sen. Boxer, which would be some fight, neither woman afraid to throw a political punch.

In the midst of this for Washington National fans, Stephen Strasburg makes his debut at around 7:00 pm. Exciting moment in baseball.

While the New Orleans Saint are raffling off a Super Bowl ring hoping to raise $1 million for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Venice, La. Way to go, Saints!

For the big Arkansas battle, check out the local blogs here, here, here, here, and here.

Now we wait.. … What’s your election night drink tonight? If Halter wins it will be Tequila Silver shots at our place.

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Sarah Palin Takes on Arizona Boycott

By on 14 May 2010

–bumped & updated with Palin’s SBA List speech below–

Well, it’s not softball, but it’s ripe with irony. It’s a story about girls being kept from playing basketball, and the politics being played around it.

Seems Mrs. Palin’s a bit miffed that a school in Illinois won’t allow the team to travel to Arizona for the “hoop tournament.” Sarah let’s fly on Facebook:

[...] The assistant superintendent claims that a trip to Arizona “would not be aligned with our beliefs and values.” But apparently the school has no problem sending kids on trips to China, which has a population control policy that is anti-girl in practice – contributing to female infanticide and abandonment and sex-selective abortions. So, is China – with its many serious human rights violations (too many to list here) – “aligned” with the “values and beliefs” of the school? But our sister-state of Arizona is not? Really? This is ridiculous and totally unfair to the girls who just want to play ball. Going to Arizona to play in a tournament will not endanger them, and the ban sure doesn’t solve the problem of unsecured borders.

These boycotts of Arizona will not help the state or lead to positive change. Economic and political boycotts of our nation’s 48th state will hurt all Arizonans – including all members of the Hispanic community. If people really want to help, they should tell President Obama to do his job: secure the border. If he were to do his job, the good people of Arizona, who have been overwhelmed by violence on their border, would not feel compelled to do it for him.

Notice that she even takes a page out of Hillary Clinton’s women’s rights are human rights playbook?

Go rogue, young girls, and go play ball, chants “has-been ball player” Palin.

They’ve won their school’s first conference title in 26 years, but now because a school bureaucrat – an assistant superintendent – wants to play politics, they’re not allowed to play ball.

Sorry, folks, but on this one I’m with Sarah.

Keep the kids out of it.

UPDATE (10:14 a.m.): Sarah Palin now speaking in front of the Susan B. Anthony pro selective life organization. Notes follow: Her speeches are becoming more and more a random issue, taped together montage of her favorite things, with no through line at all. Palin claiming that “most of the Tea Party are women.” “Standin’ up against the machine,” taking stances against “your party” on “life issues,” Palin talks about her pro selective life, which mirrors SBA list. On Obama: “The most pro abortion president that ever occupied the White House.” Sarah continues, saying “All feminists who believe in the culture of life,” contending that the feminist movement was always pro selective life. “Trig has been the best thing that has ever happened to me and the Palin family.” Her words on special needs are moving, there’s not questioning that part. Next of to Bristol’s unwanted pregnancy, talking about her being on the national stage and taking heat; no mention of Sarah Palin’s part in putting Bristol on parade during campaign 2008. Her situation hasn’t changed her views on abortion, but has changed her “perspective,” so that she understands what women go through, knowing “choosing life isn’t always the easiest path, but it’s always the right path.” Again, Sarah Palin and other pro selective life individuals believe that freedom is not for women, because they want to curtail the self-determination rights of women. Then she brings up the pioneering spirit of western women who settled in the west, segueing to marketing her upcoming NRA speech, but also her belief that she’s a “frontier feminist.” News flash: You cannot be a feminist if you want to curtail the freedoms of women. Now, she’s off to talk to Greta Van Susteren from Fox, which she makes certain the announcer mentions to the SBA women attending.

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Kagan is Not Gay Conversation Embarrasses Everyone

By on 12 May 2010

cross-posted on Huffington Post

“I’ve known her for most of her adult life and I know she’s straight,” said Sarah Walzer, Kagan’s roommate in law school and a close friend since then. “She dated men when we were in law school, we talked about men — who in our class was cute, who she would like to date, all of those things. She definitely dated when she was in D.C. after law school, when she was in Chicago – and she just didn’t find the right person.” – Elena Kagan’s friends: She’s not gay

So much for the So What? defense.

Instead we’re outing heterosexuals. It’s all the rage in the Kagan age.

From the White House going berserk over the CBS blog post that charged Elena Kagan was gay, to Matthew Yglesias who said he thought so too, to the latest Friends Defense, this entire spectacle has embarrassed just about everyone.

The hardest hit is Andrew Sullivan, with Politico asking: Did Andrew Sullivan act irresponsibly in pushing the is-Kagan-gay? story line so forcefully? Sullivan always goes for speculation based on what he doesn’t know instead of what can be proven with facts, so I’m not quite sure why there is a question here. That Sullivan has a track record of disrespecting strong women, whether it’s Hillary, Sarah or Elena, is what actually should be the tell whenever he’s on the warpath. It’s part of the fact free fantasy world Sullivan inhabits that’s at issue.

Pam Spaulding is a better barometer on asking the question, coming up with a secondary point of fact: I will say that the open secondary discussion — that if Kagan did identify as a lesbian privately but was closeted publicly could be a problem in some quarters of the LGBT community was interesting and healthy to have.

It’s as if no one at the White House ever thought of this possibility. Thus cue the I Know Elena Kagan And the Elena Kagan I Know Likes Men faze of Supreme Court vetting, which the White House is clearly pushing, with Kagan proponents on all sides, gay and straight, bending over backwards to prove her feminine credentials, along with her straight man lust.

As a side show to this is softballgate and the photo pictured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

“It clearly is an allusion to her being gay. It’s just too easy a punch line,” said Cathy Renna, a former spokesperson for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation who is now a consultant. “The question from a journalistic perspective is whether it’s a descriptive representation of who she might be as a judge. Have you ever seen a picture of Clarence Thomas bowling?” – Softball Question, by Ben Smith

“A punch line?” Talk about touchy. Clarence Thomas bowling? It renders me speechless.

And it makes no difference that Patrick J. Buchanan sees a correlation between softball and lesbians. Are we never going to drag our country into the modern era, the 21st century, and simply laugh at people who remain in the 19th?

All of this misses the most important conversation, an opportunity missed, that the White House and all libertarian minded people should champion: You think Elena Kagan is gay? We have no idea. But so what if she is?

That’s exactly where gay rights groups should be, but instead these small minded people are talking about her possibly looking butch on the Wall Street Journal, though they won’t say that outright, and getting defensive over sporting comparisons with lesbians that are no less stereotypical than when Mike Barnicle squealed that Hillary Clinton reminded all men of their ex-wives.

I’m embarrassed for everyone, especially the White House. They’re obviously so uncomfortable with gays that they trotted out people who know her to out her as a heterosexual.

However, considering this country still thinks to be gay is to practice immoral behavior I certainly don’t expect Pres. Obama to show courage and mount the So What? defense. Because if there is one thing Mr. Obama isn’t doing it’s advancing social issues and the rights of women or gays (see health care and DADT). Can’t get caught being progressive, especially in an election year.

Perhaps we should be talking about this instead:

A 1998 memo shows that Kagan was among advisers encouraging Clinton to deny Medicare funding for abortions in cases of rape or incest – in part to avoid a messy battle with Republicans.

But no.

[...] But Journal officials ridiculed a question about the image, which also appeared among other photographs in the Times’s coverage of Kagan. “If you turn the photo upside down, reverse the pixilation and simultaneously listen to Abbey Road backwards, while reading Roland Barthes, you will indeed find a very subtle hidden message,” said Journal spokeswoman Ashley Huston. “I think your question is absurd,” said Journal Deputy Managing Editor Alan Murray in a separate email. – Softball Question, by Ben Smith

What a sorry spectacle this is.

This essay has been updated.

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THE MASTERS: Of Heel, and Heart

By on 12 April 2010

“Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course, the space between your ears.” – Bobby Jones

The underlying story for The Masters was a symbol. Not the ego drunk sports hot shot. But a simple pink ribbon on Phil Mickelson’s cap. It foreshadowed the fairy tale ending, as well as the human trauma amidst the drama playing out in one golfing family that made a man’s purpose behind winning something larger than self.

Mickelson’s wife, Amy, has battled breast cancer for nearly a year, and she did not feel strong enough to come watch the tournament in person all week. But after Mickelson sank his final putt to clench his third Master’s jacket, his wife was there waiting for him. With a cheering crowd in the background, Mickelson embraced his wife for 27 seconds before a short kiss. “I really want to recognize my family,” Mickelson said after the win. “My wife, we have been through a lot this year and it really means a lot to share this joy together.” – Tiger Woods Overshadowed by Phil Mickelson in Masters Finale

The gods had a plan; though after an errant piece of nature landed on the green as Mickelson took his back stroke putt for a possible birdie he sorely needed, you wondered if that was a sign. For Fred Couples, it just wasn’t meant to be. But it was great to see the golfer I’d followed around Riviera playing so easily, so well for most of The Masters, close to contention until the back nine at Augusta, where many a great golfer meets their match on the final day of play.

You knew it was about to open up when Phil “the lefty” Michelson, hitting off a wood chip lie, threaded the 6-iron in between two trees, hitting a championship shot of a lifetime, taking a chance to open it up or take himself out, because it was now or never to make a move.

Then there was Tiger. If you want context for where he fit, all you had to do was listen to the interview he gave after his final back nine. When asked about his emotional state, the golfing great simply said, “I think people are making way too much a big deal of this thing.” Of course, that was after he simply stated in response about how the tournament ended, “I came in fourth.”

Tiger didn’t mention the graciousness of the fans, the crowds, and the embrace of Augusta that cloaked his humiliating disgrace in forgiveness. For Mr. Woods, it all seemed simply to be something he expected.

But if anyone was surprised about Mr. Woods’ cold, calculated and controlled emotional reaction to playing The Masters after his ego gratifying sex spectacle was revealed, all you have to do is go back to 2000. Tiger Woods didn’t go to honor Jackie Robinson after Woods won The Masters. When the fine golfer Payne Stewart was killed when his plane crashed, and golfers all honored his passing, Tiger simply skipped that memorial, because he had to concentrate on his performance. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that his customary lack of grace and humanity revealed itself yet again yesterday.

Beyond the sordid saga of Tiger Woods and his sorry self-indulgence, there was another story playing out that was a rare moment for the heart of The Masters to shine through. Phil Mickelson’s wife Amy had been diagnosed with breast cancer last year; then just weeks later so was his mother. Amy has not been able to travel, the treatment so intense, with Michelson’s golf game put second for much of the last year, as the reports go. In fact, it wasn’t even assured that Mrs. Mickelson would be at the 18th hole to see her husband finish; resting in bed all day, because the trip from California was so grueling considering the treatment she’s still undergoing, though she is reportedly doing well now, even as the fight for a healthy life goes on.

However, after Phil Mickelson sunk the birdie putt at 18, walking up to mark his score, the beautiful blonde stood with their children to meet her husband’s embrace after he’d won a Herculean victory, not only on the golf course, but with his wife to see her standing there waiting with a smile and a kiss after a year that rendered such simple acts of love so precious that even golf now takes second place to the love of a spouse, family and normal life. Tears rolled.

The heart of the Mickelsons touched everyone watching the victor take his trophy. Not even the sterling silver replica, not even the green jacket, though beloved, could compete. It was the satisfaction of feeling the triumph over an evil illness, if just for this sweet moment, because in standing by his wife and putting himself and his sport second, somehow his heart, joined with The Lefty’s talent, made winning all the more sweet, because he did it for her. For all they’d struggled to pass through, for one instant it all fell away, and the meaning of team, partnership, and reward was laid at the feet of the fighting Mickelsons.

Meanwhile, Tiger said he’s going to take “a little time off” before coming back out to play. No one can take the greatness out of this golfer. However, as a human being he’s got a lot to learn. Though watching him at the close of The Masters yesterday, I’m not certain he ever will.

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Tiger Talks

By on 19 February 2010

Tiger Woods has an I’m The King Of The World ego fetish.

It seemed from his apology today that he gets that point. Golf journalists boycotted the spectacle. Good for them.

But Brit Hume will be happy. Woods mentioned his Buddhism; that he was raised in the Buddhist faith. The reality of seeking something outside yourself to fill a gap, make you happy, doesn’t work, he’s found out. He’s getting back to Buddhism, which for him gets him back in touch with something beyond his egomaniacal celebrity.

It was a serious, somber recitation of words that he’d rehearsed and obviously felt. But the creepy moves talking straight to the camera were cringe worthy.

“I have let you down. I have let down my fans…”

Then Mr. Woods directed comments to those who work for him, but also his business partners and board of directors, but also his wife, Elin.

“There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage. Ever. … Elin deserves praise, not blame. … .. I cheated… I am the only one to blame.”

Full stop. Who in the world is blaming Elin?

“It’s hard to admit I need help, but I do.”

Let’s regroup, folks, even as Tiger Woods talks about his in-patient therapy, it’s much simpler. Tiger’s sexual rambunctiousness is about satiating his physical ego. Changing behavior is about discipline. But it’s nice to have a modern day manufactured “sexual addiction” for you to blame. John Edwards, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Dick Morris, Henry Hyde… you name it, can relate. It’s about discipline, pure and simple, realizing that your physical ego isn’t more important than everything else in the world. Porn wouldn’t be a gazillion dollar industry if it was simply about sexual addiction.

“Please leave my wife and kids alone…” The press stalking Woods’ family obviously upset him, especially since it’s his fault. But it does invoke sympathy, which Tiger needs right now.

Tiger hugged his mother at the end. Then hugged a bunch of other people in the front row. Overproduced doesn’t begin to describe it.

Now, let’s get back to business: Making money. Begin the brand re-polishing, game on, though Tiger didn’t say when he’d be back to golfing. But the sport, which I love, isn’t the same without Tiger.

I just want him back in the game, which all this sexual addition, therapy, I have to publicly flog myself, just delays. But this is our self-righteous American culture in action. I find the whole thing just stupidly wasteful. Hey, but Tiger’s a brand. It’s the price.

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Super Bowl Sunday

By on 07 February 2010

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Today began “State of the Union” with Candy Crowley, with one of her guests Sect. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

I’ll add a big note of praise to the political gods and CNN for Ms. Crowley, the first woman ever to anchor an important Sunday news show. Talk about paying your dues. Christiane Amanpour does foreign policy and has a show on CNN too, but Crowley’s debut signals a real first for women. As her show is power politics up against the guys in Sunday morning primetime, talking meat and potato politics. Having written about the sexism on Sunday morning for many years, to finally be able to count a qualified female anchor in the mix is a real it’s about time treat for me.

David Gregory once again provided the gag reflex for Super Bowl brunch. Who does the booking for this guy?

Fox News Sunday had Gov. Sarah Palin fresh from the Tea Party speech, as well as Tea Partier Mark Skoda. Prepare for “birther” questions. Denial of them coming soon.

Oh… and… GO SAINTS.

Consider this a Super Bowl Sunday free for all.

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