Help for Undecided Voters

Thank gawd, the mud-slinging, terrorist-mongering, race-and-gender card playing, never-ending 2008 presidential election is about to end. Seems like political contests are starting earlier and earlier. Before you know it, we'll be knee deep in rhetoric for the off-year congressional races.

Election 2008 can't end soon enough for me, although don't miss my live blog on Election Day direct from Washington, D.C. Up to the minute results, live entertainment, and announcements as they occur straight from NPR studios.

I also found just the thing for all you undecideds and fenceys inclined to change your mind inside the voting booth. A sneak peek at the heartland, the real hockey moms and joe six packs who won't be pulling the lever for Obama-Biden. Hand-waving, cancer stick-puffing, hog-riding compatriots for America.

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Is this the kind of thinking pointing your support in the wrong direction? Sounds downright comical when it comes direct from the horse's patoot.

Texas McCain Campaign Worker Tries to Start Riots

"B" stands for "bubblehead of the third kind."

Okay, people, the riots are postponed until voting day. It was all an ugly hoax.

Now go back to your Family Guy reruns.

Obama Buck Supporters Drink Racist Kool-Aid to Survive

"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Finally, the Chaffey Community Republican Women's newsletter published by apparent racist Diane Fedele confirms what Obama supporters have known all along.

Inherently bigoted Americans don't support Barack Obama not because they consider him one of the most liberal representatives in the U.S. Senate, not because they harbor political views diametrically opposed to his, not because his associates are of questionable character, not because of unsubstantiated accusations of alleged improprieties, not because of his supposed lack of experience, and not even because they incorrectly believe him to be a Muslim.

No, Diane Fedele and her ilk don't want Senator Obama to become president because of the color of his skin. Pure and simple, they don't want darkies running the White House, especially not that scary wife of his, Michelle. No angry black women at our State dinners, eh Ms. Fedele?

And don't try pulling the wool over anybody's eyes with some lame excuse about random food items. Your fellow GOP-minded Americans have already condemned your pathetic illustrations, depictions that are nothing more than negative racial stereotyping, the kind decent men and women have been fighting to eradicate for decades.

Despite Fedele's reported apology, vocal Obama supporters have loosely organized an outrage campaign. Last time I looked, they were calling for bombardment of Fedele's email and any other means of communication. I'm not an avid supporter of censorship, but this is one time I'd like to see the haters go down.

We may be in the midst of the most important election in our collective lifetimes and these nimrods want to use race as their guide? Shame on Diane Fedele, the Chaffey Community Republican Women's group, and all other haters who base important decisions on such nonsense.

You people are the warts on the bottom feeders sucking pond scum to survive.

The Part of Chicken Little Will be Played by President Bush

We interrupt the nation's impending catastrophic doom for the story time minute. Today's tender tale is that favorite children's classic, Bush'n Little.

All around Bush'n Little there was nothing but ruin and collapse. One day, wayward debris plopped down on his feathered brain.

"Laura! Dick! Come quickly. The sky is falling!" he chirped.

"Better do something at once, Bush'n Little," chimed in Brother Dick. "Go agitate those big guns down in Congress or play in traffic. Leave us alone for a change."

And so, Bush'n Little picked himself up out of Pennsylvania Avenue and trundled down the road. He met Fallson Paulson and McCan't McCain along the way. The three of them happened upon Dosie Pelosi, a beguiling creature with her own agenda.

"Oh please, Dosie Pelosi, the sky is falling. Can't you see?," pleaded Bush'n Little. "We need huge wads of cash for my buddies back at the hen house so that they can build a bridge up to the sky. That'll keep it from falling down, for sure."

"I see nothing of the sort, Bush'n Little," snarled Dosie, "And even if I did, you chickens have made such a mess of things, what good would it do?"

Fallson Paulson dropped to one knee. "Fair and gentle soul, Dosie Pelosi, have pity on feathered friends flocking together," he pleaded. "We need your help to stop the sky from crashing over all of us. You must get on board behind our cash grab or the entire sky will collapse."

"Fallson Paulson! How you do make me laugh," Dosie replied. "The Kingship is now up for grabs and I would be a fool to enhance the stature of your contestant over my own." At that point, the wily fox keened her eyes on McCan't. "Pray tell, what are you doing here, McCan't? Shouldn't you be out campaigning?"

"I put that on hold along with today's scary debate to follow in the path of Bush'n Little," replied McCan't with more than just a hint of pride. "He flaps about in noble acts of selflessness, screaming and warning like a bat out of hell, yet proposes nothing worthwhile. Nada. Zip. I can learn much from his chicken ways."

"Speak up, McCan't," urged Dosie, "I must determine whether I should kiss up to you."

"Uh, nope, sorry," said McCan't. "No can do. I cannot speak up. Too political. Besides, Bush'n Little is the one in charge. What he says goes."

And with that, Dosie Pelosi turned her back on the motley crew to seek out her own source of sustenance. The sky and everything in it could rain down on the world, she didn't care. She had everything she owned tied up in off-shore bank accounts, private foreign investments, and a slew of other hedges against catastrophe. She would be just fine in her own little padded lair.

But Bush'n Little and company? Somebody's lunch. She'd make completely certain of it.

Where is Hillary Clinton When Candidate Refers to Lipstick on a Pig?

In the return to "silly season" politics, the McCain Campaign is blasting Barack Obama for supposedly sexist remarks made at a campaign stop in Lebanon, Virginia.

Let's just list this for a second. John McCain says he's about change, too. Except -- and so I guess his whole angle is, 'Watch out, George Bush, except for economic policy, health-care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy, and Karl Rove-style politics. We're really gonna shake things up in Washington.' That's not change. That's just calling some -- the same thing, something different. But you know, you can -- you know, you can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.

Obama then praised both McCain's "compelling story" and Palin's "interesting story," saying his "hat goes off" to anyone who's looking after five kids -- I've got two and they tire Michelle and me out -- that's why John McCain's campaign manager said this campaign isn't going to be about issues, this campaign is going to be about personalities."

Jane Swift, Massachusetts chairwoman of McCain's "Palin Truth Squad," said Obama's lipstick remark was an obvious reference to Mrs Palin's much-quoted line that the only difference between hockey moms and pitbull dogs is lipstick.

"It seemed to me a gendered comment. There's only one woman in the race," she said.

Baltimore radio station WCBM immediately jumped on the bandwagon, devoting almost all of this morning's air time to outraged indignation and terse demands for an immediate apology.

Local talk show host Tom Marr not only relentlessly pounded Obama for his lipstick remarks, but also clobbered him on his "You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change -- it's still gonna stink after 8 years" remark, claiming the expression was a reference to 72-year old John McCain. One clearly misguided woman called the program to add how Obama's lipstick remark proved he is a Muslim because "all Muslims refer to their women as pigs."

Obama Campaign senior advisor Anita Dunn swiftly responded to the ridiculous controversy in a prepared statement,

A pathetic attempt to play the gender card about the use of a common analogy - the same analogy that Senator McCain himself used about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's health care plan just last year. This phony lecture on gender sensitivity is the height of cynicism and lays bare the increasingly dishonorable campaign John McCain has chosen to run.

"The expression is timeless and it has always meant that though you may dress something up, it doesn’t change what that something is," explained Robert Gibbs, chief Obama Campaign spokesman.

Indeed, the expression is so common that McCain's former press secretary, Torie Clark, used it for a book title and McCain himself used the expression last October when offering his opinion about Hillary Clinton's health care plan (thank you, Jake Tapper).

Obama recently issued his own response to the unnecessary distraction. He has nothing to be sorry about. In a full-blown effort to counteract media bias, the McCain Campaign has gone overboard, jumped the shark to a whole new level of underhanded politics. Talk about vicious attacks. McCain supporters are having a field day with the misrepresentation of Obama's remarks.

The American people want to hear about issues, the candidates' political platforms, and answers to hard hitting questions. Cloyingly desperate attempts to revisit political silly season only demonstrates how little McCain/Palin have to say.

Fox News Bill O'Reilly Battles Big Nas Attack: "Racist Smears Must Stop"

Racial and political polarization grows ever wider in the good old U.S.of A. Why recreate the turbulent 1960's when real political storm clouds gather strength in our midsts?

The latest fracas occurred last Wednesday, July 23, 2008 when popular rapper Nas, MoveOn.org, ColorOfChange.org and a large heterogeneous crowd of people demonstrated with more than 600,000 petition signatures in front of Fox NYC headquarters. Nas called Fox News a "propaganda machine," skewering the network for its "racist attacks on the Obama family and Black America."

Fox News host Bill O'Reilly quickly shot back, insinuating no one reported the demonstration because "the vile rapper" Nas doesn't carry much clout. O'Reilly cited declining album sales and "vulgar lyrics peddled to children" as proof, challenging anyone to characterize his comments as racist. He also bashed MoveOn.org as the "new media Klan," a reference to the KKK and insidious behavior.

Media wars, don't you love it? Rather than clash on the streets with police and billy clubs poised to strike, celebrities battle one another on the air waves where anyone with a video camera can join the fray.

Let's try to ratchet the hatred down a notch, shall we? In the words of our own Moan Quivers, "All we are saying is give peas a chance."

Comparison of Nas album sales proves nothing. Only a week ago, the rapper's new album Untitled soundly trounced the competition, debuting in the #1 Billboard album slot with sales of 186,600. Notable lower ranked competition included the Mamma Mia! soundtrack, Kid Rock's Rock N Roll Jesus and O.A.R.'s All Sides. Lower album numbers are likely a reflection of Dubya's failing economic policies than a decline in Nas' fan base.

On to Fox. O'Reilly did not say a lynching party for Michelle Obama might be "legit" if she has the wrong political opinion. During a "No Spin Zone" back in February, O'Reilly stopped a caller from trashing the potential First Lady without a thorough investigation. The segment showcases O'Reilly using nothing more than a poor choice of words later taken out of context.

Heaping fuel on a concrete brick does not a racist fire make.

But whoever supervises pundit E.D. Hill may want to order some sensitivity training. Despite the whitewash from Baltimore's own Michelle Malkin, racist smears have materialized on Hill's watch.

Obama's baby momma? Woman, puh-leeze! Surely, Hill has the final say over her news story captions. The message of that piece -- unfair censorship of criticism directed at Michelle Obama -- was completely lost because someone in Hill's entourage likened the "baby momma" reference to entertainment.

OMG! Granted, a new term recently entered "white people" vernacular, but making light of this development demonstrates a disconcerting level of ignorance.

For more than a century, African-Americans have had to deal with slavery fallout, including disintegration of family values at the hands of task masters. Slaves were treated as chattel, often with husbands and wives literally ripped apart never to see one another again. Today, a large holdover of African-Americans perpetuate this distorted model of family not because it's necessarily desirable, but because it eventually became acceptable. In any event, the model offered black families something white people usually didn't: survival.

I'm not judging whites and blacks. My sincere hope is that all Americans will unite to change this perversion of family values. All Americans need to understand and appreciate how a two-parent family helps children thrive.

In the meantime, news elite need to sensitize themselves to a pervasive cultural model giving rise to a name for never married mothers of children. The term "baby momma" is an insult to women like Michelle Obama, women who actually marry their children's father before conception in an effort to provide stable homes and model traditional family values.

More so, questioning the Obama victory bump as a terrorist hand gesture is so far over the line of acceptable discourse, even I don't want to go there. Every day I get emails about Barack the Muslim terrorist sympathizer, Barack the politician with anti-Semite political advisors, Barack the socialist who will naively allow the destruction of America. I wish Obama detractors would focus on something other than their worst nightmares. For all the war mongering and economic policies emanating from the Dubya Administration, this country isn't exactly positioned for an era of peace and prosperity.

The proof is in the pudding. 'Nuff said.

I'm going to let Keith Olberman have the last word on perceived racism at Fox. Personally, I can't stand network news left or right, nor political pundits telling me what to think. I digest all of the news with a grain of salt, carefully scrutinizing the source and their respective agendas in an attempt, however misguided, to formulate my own conclusions.

However, if Olberman's charges are accurate -- and many say they are -- something is seriously wrong with this picture. Under our next President, Fox News could very well have a Congressional inquiry breathing down its back.

As good a reason as any to clean up its sorry excuse for journalism as swiftly as possible.

[Source]

Update: The O'Reilly Factor video has disappeared from the Internet for purported copyright violation so many times, we're afraid it may never reappear. In the event the embedded video becomes inoperable, we have taken the time to provide a transcript. Note that we are not employees nor associated with Fox News. However, we have run the embedded video three times and will vouch for the accuracy of our transcript.

Bill O'Reilly appears on screen with the words "Reality Check" under a picture of Nas

O'Reilly: Check number two concerns the vile rapper, Nas. As you may have heard, that guy is accusing Fox News of being a racist organization. This from a person who makes a living peddling the “N” word and violent lyrics to his target audience of children and young adults. He is a real champ. The good news is only a very few media have given him any attention and those who did do not deserve your attention. They are corrupt. That’s because Nas had an obvious agenda in this case. His new album is a bomb, a disaster, a catastrophe, and he desperately wants attention. Two years ago, his last album sold three hundred and fifty-five thousand copies in his first week. This one has sold a hundred and eighty-seven thousand copies. Not good. I hope I’m not a racist for pointing that out. Check number three…

That's the Way McLaughlin's Oreo Cookie Crumbles

Here we go again. A talk show host emits a racially charged epithet and all hell breaks loose. Wonder how long protesters will take to mobilize on this one.

Just to be clear, John McLaughlin, host of ratings challenged The McLaughlin Group, did not call Senator Barack Obama an oreo cookie. He merely said that Obama fits the stereotype of an oreo cookie.

Uh, split hairs much? What's the difference? Look, don't take my word for it, read the transcript for yourself. Better yet, watch the video.

In case you've been out of it or on vacation, a baton is passing in the civil rights movement. As a result, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who could not gain the backing of a major political party if his life depended upon it, hurled some disparaging criticism against presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Jackson mistakenly thought his microphone was off. Man, did he ever miscalculate. Good thing he never got any further than the primaries in his quest for the presidency.

Jackson's gutter language attack and subsequent apology were already fish wrappings yet, mainly due to pundits like McLaughlin, the controversy lingered. If you ask me, McLaughlin got caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Verbatim, here is the query that landed him in hot water.

Question -- Does it frost Jackson, Jesse Jackson, that someone like Obama, who fits the stereotype blacks once labeled as an 'Oreo' -- a black on the outside, a white on the inside -- that an 'Oreo' should be the beneficiary of the long civil rights struggle, which Jesse Jackson spent his lifetime fighting for?

My, oh my.

Some people simply refuse to let the Jackson flap die a quiet dignified death. Some people would rather milk every bit of salacious sound bite they can wrench from that gob of goo. Some people just don't know when to leave well enough alone. Some people even think it's a good idea to add their own unsavory ingredients to the mix. And unfortunately, some people don't acknowledge retirement even when it has the courtesy to come politely knocking at their door.

That's why some people can now count themselves among the casualties of a political firestorm. Good luck with those cookie references now.

Stray Cat Bar Brawl Raises Specter of Bias on Josh Brolin Arrest

Gotta love townsfolk who make political hay out of actor Josh Brolin's recent Shreveport, Louisiana arrest. For the record, reports of actor Jeffrey Wright being maced and stun-gunned are being played down by local authorities.

If any gossip could upstage the birth of Brangelina's twins, it's a politically charged Southern brawl.

The fracas let loose last Saturday night (or Sunday morning, take your pick) when cast and crew of Oliver Stone's ambitious Bush dynasty epic, "W," refused to exit the Stray Cat Bar. Set and lighting technician Eric Felland, allegedly behaving like a drunken ignoramus, clashed with management, prompting the arrival of a slew of local police to clean house. Four police cars and several bicycle police reportedly descended on the scene.

Josh became "embrolined" in the ensuing fray and was arrested for interfering with police, a misdemeanor. Jeffrey was, shall we say, at the "wright" place, but at the wrong time. Both posted bail and were released.

Cinematical raises the specter of bias, questioning whether the arrests reflect a desire to teach Hollywood a lesson rather than simply keep the peace. The police report is so lacking in detail, I have to wonder whether Shreveport "good 'ol boys" purposefully hid their witness notes to deflect criticism.

What I can't get over is how people like "Peter Wabbit," come out of the woodwork to heap a helping of good old fashioned prejudice on this Hollywood smackdown:

Brolin must get his looks from his Mom. Ain't much to look at is he? Too bad Oliver Stone, Michael Moore, and Spike Lee weren't involved. I'd love to see them all 'Coon Eyed'. Southern Polices will straighten you out.

Coon-eyed? That's a term of endearment I haven't heard much lately. From what I understand, it means black-eyed, as in beaten up, something I suppose lisping confederate boy would like to see happen to Hollywood's more notable "liberal" directors. Southern Polices? Now that's just poor grammar.

Do the views of lisping confederate boy reflect an inbred prejudicial attitude in Southern police departments? I don't know. Let's put it this way, I've heard stories. Incidents like this only serve to confirm my own inbred prejudices about Southern justice, a crying shame in twenty-first century America.

I'll end this jaunt into politically charged territory with one prediction. Thanks to the actions of these keystone cops, you won't see Hollywood filing many more film permit applications in Shreveport, LA. Heck, they may have single-handedly stopped filings for film permits anywhere south of Georgia.

Except Florida and Texas. That's real "W" terrain.


Update: This story seems to have morphed into a nasty brawl of its own. The comments at Hollywood Elsewhere, one of our sources for this article, quickly reached the level of smackdown, ending with a desire for a more thorough investigation. Good. Without hard facts, we were left to extrapolate from cursory reports.

The original Shreveport Times article now has links to follow-up stories, reports, and downloads. Details about the brawl and arrests are still hard to come by.

As for our links to the "Peter Wabbit" user profile and comments, they have mysteriously disappeared. Yes, someone at The Shreveport Times removed these comments, and the user profile is now under investigation. This development is somewhat curious, especially since police are refusing to release tapes of the arrest to the media.

If "Peter Wabbit" crossed the line by wanting to see certain Hollywood elite "coon-eyed," so be it. It is, however, a real loss that people can no longer verify the accuracy of my report. Up until the time I reprinted the offensive comments, the user profile and comments remained undisturbed.

The member used a confederate flag as their avatar (hence the "confederate" reference). And while I cannot verify that a person who substitutes w's for r's (hence the "lisping" reference) is in fact of the male persuasion, I can attest to a user profile that appeared to describe a male (hence the "boy" reference). My reference to "lisping confederate boy" was a parody of the user name and avatar, nothing more; however, it strikes me as rather odd that the Shreveport Times found nothing particularly offensive about this member until our article hit the blogosphere.

Opening a Dialogue on Racism in Black National Anthem

Last week, we blasted as racist the unexpected rendition of our national anthem by singer Rene Marie. Rather than the words penned by patriot Francis Scott Key at Baltimore's own Fort McHenry, Marie interjected lyrics known as the "black national anthem" to the tune of The Star Spangled Banner at a Denver government event.

One of our readers commented, wanting to know why we thought the song was racist. Commenting back would not do this controversy justice. My preference is to start a real dialogue, not simply attack and retreat. The more we discuss our biases and bents, the easier it will be to reach common ground.

Either that or obliterate one another in a hail of flames.

But seriously, without trying to fan the flames of inherent passions and prejudices, I'll tell you exactly why the singing of words other than those of The Star Spangled Banner to the tune of The Star Spangled Banner symbolizes racism, the title of our article, at least from my own subjective and perhaps prejudiced perspective.

Let's begin with the definition of racism:

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Next, let's explore the lyrics of the "black national anthem:"

Lift every voice and sing 'til earth and heaven ring
Ring with a harmony of liberty
Let our rejoicings rise high as the listening skies
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea
Sing a song full of faith that the dark path has taught us
Sing a song full of hope that the present has brought us
Facing a rising sun of a new day begun
Well, let us march on ‘til victory is won

Now, I don't know about you, but I have never been on any dark path that has taken me anywhere, let alone taught me anything. I'm second generation American on both sides of my family. And while I'll admit the road has been somewhat rocky at times, I've never considered myself an outsider looking in at the opportunities America holds for those who want to take advantage of them.

Ergot, I have no reason to march on until victory is won. As far as I'm concerned, victory was won for all Americans a long time ago. If pockets of Americans continue to struggle and believe they have not found victory, it is only because they have not found a way to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. I sympathize with those Americans and will do anything within my power to help them help themselves, but I will not wallow in their mistaken belief that victory is not theirs as well. That would be like admitting the American dream is a lie, something I am not prepared to do.

Now, getting back to the belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement. When someone sings about a dark path and marching on until victory is won, those lyrics symbolize an experience that is completely foreign to me as an American. They are not my American heritage, nor the heritage of all Americans. They may symbolize the heritage of a particular group of Americans, making it fine for that group to feel a kinship with those lyrics.

But when examining the American experience from a cultural and historical perspective, those lyrics are antithetical to the common collective. The lyrics of Marie's song apply only to a small sector of Americans, not the American population as a whole. That's why those lyrics, and more specifically, singing them at a government sponsored event symbolize racism.

Contrast those lyrics with the actual lyrics of The Star Spangled Banner to understand what I mean. The defeat of the British at Fort McHenry is part of every Americans' heritage. Without victory during the War of 1812, we might still be subjects of England's royal crown. Our national anthem binds us together as Americans because the lyrics immortalize an event helping to shape an entire nation, not just one segment of the population.

Agree or disagree which, thank heaven, is your right here in America.

Operation Chaos Fuels Loathing for Limbaugh

Many moons ago, half-rated TV sitcom Hearts Afire ran an episode with a somewhat ignominious guest star. I say half-rated because although it starred the late John Ritter and had its bright spots, it never really found an audience. Another casualty of network wars most likely.

Make no mistake, even back then, this guest star was probably the most hated gentleman "inside the beltway." Nemesis to the then all powerful and almighty Clintons. MSM journalists routinely panned the guy, probably convinced they could bring him to his knees.

In the Hearts Afire episode, he more or less played himself. It was then that I caught his more human side and began thinking he wasn't a monster at all, just a big blowhard steadfastly right wing with very conservative political principals. To some extent a misogynist, yes, but likely due more to a chivalrous upbringing that hadn't played well with feminists. This was late 20th century America, after all, where everyone had a right to say as they think and do as they please within reason. Perhaps he had just bumped against the wrong women.

I couldn't understand all the animosity for the fat guy. Maybe because I didn't understand in the decade following my college graduation, major universities and media outlets had basically become shills for liberalism. Okay, I was a hippie in my day too, but like most liberals with a mortgage and a car payment, I'd grown out of it. Real life concerns sparked a change in my politics, leaving me somewhat right of center. Today, I think of myself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. I remain a card carrying Democrat as I have since I first registered to vote, although these days I barely recognize my own Party.

After that television episode, I began tuning into the fat guy's radio program, soon learning that most of what he said made a lot of sense. I didn't always like the way he said it, and often disagreed with his politics. But something about the way he presented himself, his logic, and yes, homespun humor really resonated with me. This was someone I could have befriended in high school, someone likely nerdy and unpopular. Just the kind of person an "uncliquey" gal like me would have gravitated toward for his wit and intellect. I kinda liked this guy. If anything, his program was highly entertaining.

If you haven't already guessed, the Hearts Afire guest star was none other than that "lovable little fuzzball," Rush Limbaugh. Okay, stop the moans and groans, I'm serious about this. I like Rush. And I am not a ditto head. These days, I disagree with practically everything he has to say, but I tune in whenever I can. I don't have to agree with him to know that the man makes sense. Maybe if media glitterati made a similar acknowledgement, they could finally go head to head with him in a civilized debate.

For some reason, luminaries in the media and universities don't just dislike Rush, they loathe him. I'm talking serious hatred.

I liken Limbaugh loathing to the feelings elicited by a family of squirrels nesting in the roof of a house. The owner tries to firebomb them with pesticides or calls an exterminator to round them up and they still manage to come back the following spring. No matter what the owner does, she can't get rid of them. The tiny pitter-patter of their grubby paws on the ceiling drives the owner positively berserk. She tries to live with them, but realizes she can't. In desperation, she shoots up the attic with an uzi sub-machine gun. The following spring, they're back, only this time they've moved into the kitchen. Meanwhile, despite repeated repairs, the roof continues to leak.

Lookit people (Rush likes to say that to his audience, so I'm using it here), all you driveby media types and movie bigwigs, people who think they control the outcome of elections by calling Nancy Pelosi on speed dial, and other D.C. muckety-mucks, if you think Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos" hasn't thrown a monkey wrench in this election, you people must be on crack.

Of course it's allowed Clinton to bloody up Obama.

On today's program, Rush finally admitted what I've known all along. Back in March, 2007, the Clintons pounded MSM insiders to leak stories about Obama's ties to the Reverend Wright and Bill Ayres. No one of any substance would comply. Sean Hannity took up the call regarding Ayres, but nothing really became of it. To this day, I don't think anyone in the Democratic Party cares. People did what they thought they had to do to stop a bloody war drafting young men into a conflict they didn't understand or support. That stuff is now the backdrop of movies like Forrest Gump, Born on the Fourth of July, The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, and Bobby. A different time, a different place. End of story.

According to Limbaugh, ABC's Brian Ross tossed the first Reverend Wright firebomb. I disagree. Even as Obamamania began sweeping the nation, there were already rumblings on the radio, cable news, and the Internet about Obama's former pastor and Obama's schooling at an Indonesian madrassa. If Clinton had dropped out of the race after the Potomac Primaries like she should have, those rumblings would have been left to the Republicans. Instead, by remaining in the race, Clinton allowed right-wing bloggers to take up the cause.

As Limbaugh rightfully noted on today's program, John McCain would have snuffed out the campfire if Clinton had dropped out before Texas and Ohio. McCain has vowed not to run on a negative campaign. I have to believe the Reverend Wright firestorm would be too controversial, too racist, too distasteful for John McCain. Most Americans do not keep their ear to the political ground. That would have been the end of it.

But not for Hillary Clinton. By keeping her in the race, by motivating Republican operatives to crossover and cast votes for her in the primaries, Limbaugh single-handedly, albeit with the help of thousands of loyal listeners, kept her campaign alive, thereby keeping the Reverend Jeremiah Wright torch aglow until it did eventually ignite into a MSM firestorm. This has indeed put a huge damper on the Obama campaign. He's bloodied, but he's not down for the count.

Much to the Clintons' chagrin, the media firestorm did not bring Barack down in flames. If anything, it rallied a huge majority of African-Americans behind him, about 90% according to Limbaugh. Unfortunately, it also caused other minorities, specifically Jewish Americans to become extremely distrustful and fearful of an Obama presidency. Rush sometimes speaks in code, but I get it. On today's program, he translated "Operation Chaos" into German. Drawing out the hard consonants, digging in with a language most Jewish people despise (for obvious reasons), I knew all too well what Limbaugh was talking about.

The German translation made my stomach turn, but I had to agree. I can attest to the fallout of "Operation Chaos" first-hand. My Jewish friends who voted for Obama in Maryland's primary now say they will not vote for him in the general election. There is no convincing them otherwise. My African-American friends say they will stay home in November if Clinton becomes the nominee. They and the Caucasian intelligentsia know there will be no justice in America if superdelegates swing the nomination Clinton's way.

White blue collar workers aren't the only Democratic card carriers. Neither are white women 65 years of age and older. A Clinton nomination means a victory for McCain in the fall. Even a Baltimoron like me knows that.

Yet again, I disagree with Limbaugh's assessment about the election. Obama can still pull off victory in the fall. The only problem is the race will now be very tight. Democrats will have to come out in droves if they want to make an Obama presidency happen. This wasn't true prior to the launch of "Operation Chaos."

When pontificating talking heads claim "Operation Chaos" is now dead, or that it's an exercise in futility, or that the Reverend Wright firestorm barely nicked Obama, I throw my hands up in disgust and scream, "You people are loony tunes!" Most of the time, no one is around to hear me and if they are, I tell them I'm just talking to myself.

What irks me is the way media glitterati try to belittle Limbaugh, not give him his due for something diabolically brilliant. "Operation Chaos" is a screaming success. To claim anything less would be like shooting up a roof with an uzi.

Obama Emerges as Only Candidate to Advocate for More Perfect Union

History was made today.

For better or worse, March 18, 2008, the day the green began to seep away from his hometown of Chicago River, will be marked in history as the day when the first credible African-American presidential candidate and Democratic party frontrunner refused to ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the room, but rather, confronted a beast that refuses to release its stranglehold on America, powerfully and with dignity.

A day when a black man afforded every privilege of America, private schooling, elite colleges, a seat in the United States Senate, took the sum of his parts and rather than try to sweep them under the rug or bamboozle the crowd with snake oil, stripped those parts bare and naked, and said, "This is who I am."

Just words? I think not. "Not this time."

Whatever happened to "Don't judge, lest ye be judged?" What about, "Walk a mile in my shoes?" Did we really want to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, or was that just another Madison Avenue come on to sell cases of Coca-Cola? Does anybody here remember my old friend John? Martin? Bobby? When peaceful protest could bring about profound changes in our society, our legal system, and in our hearts?

What's happened to us since then, America?

I'll tell you what. The daisy ad. Riots. Death. The National Guard. Black Panthers. Disillusionment. Lost wars. J. Edgar Hoover. Watergate. Presidential pardons. Distrust. Hostages. Nicaragua. Weapons deals. Waco. Bin Laden. 9/11.

All around us, public schools continue to fail, the economy is in shambles, homelessness is increasing, diseases and disorders are on the rise. More senseless murder. Gangs. We sit and watch the sound bites, click off the TV and hope it all goes away.

No, it isn't going away.

It's part of who we've become, America, whether we wanted to or not, it's who we are. And sure, thank goodness, good human decency is still in large supply. We are still a fairly prosperous nation, a generous people, and for the most part, free. But this isn't the America we imagined for ourselves and our children back in those heady days of the 1960s when almost anything seemed within our grasp. Back when Americans looked at themselves with pride and accomplishment, as the greatest nation in the world, when we envisioned a future realizing a dream that began on a lonely bus seat in Selma, Alabama.

What's happened to us since then?

We've become beaten and dispirited because nothing ever changes. The politicians promise and talk and tell us how our lives will be so much better when we put them into office. And we believe and pull the lever because, honestly, what choice do we have? They're all the same. Just a different package. We hope this time it will be different. But it rarely is. Because most of them are in the business of politics for themselves, not the people, we've all seen this show before.

But once in a while, maybe once in a lifetime, that rare candidate comes along. The one who, yes, chooses his words oh so carefully, but whose message basically stays the same. The one who tells you up front what he plans to do, and you may not agree with those plans, may not want the implementation of those plans, but at least you know what the plans are. The rare candidate who doesn't parade his skeletons in the closet, but when those skeletons come out to play, doesn't ignore them either or hope they'll eventually dance away.

A candidate who picks up the broken shards of hopes and dreams, before the bullets shattered them into a million pieces, who holds the shards up to the light and says, "We can make America great, but first we must find a way to come together, and if you give me that chance, I will show you the way."

A candidate with the audacity to hope because once hope is gone, there's no realistic chance of making anything different. A candidate who goes against the flow, who doesn't look at things the way they are and ask, "Why?" But who looks at things the way they could be and asks, "Why not?"

We've been down this road before, America, so many times. We're so beaten and disillusioned, we dare not believe, "Why not?" because nothing ever changes, the politicians are all the same, they just come in different packages.

Well, not today, America. Today, a candidate said, "Not this time. This time we talk about it." We talk about that 800 pound gorilla in the room. We don't dust it off, slap a suit on it, and throw a hand organ in its arms. No, today we look at it just the way it is, with its ugly hairy face, smelly breath and nasty behind, and we talk. "This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected," a candidate said today. "A single moment of recognition between [a] young white girl and [an] old black man," that is where this candidate begins.

We can focus on what divides us and lament the wasted promise of the past, or we can face our past head on and come together in the future. This is what can happen for us, America. This is what we can become. If America truly strives for greatness, it cannot remain a place of "us against them." America must fulfill the dream and become the place of "we."

Today is the day when "we" get a second chance.

Read the complete transcript of Barack Obama's "More Perfect Union" Speech here and listen with the full audio file .

Rush Limbaugh Endorses Hillary Clinton for President

Do I have your attention?

No, I mean, DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION?!

Because if I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I wouldn't believe it myself. There I was, propped up on the couch in a semi-groggy almost comatose state, barely able to breathe through one nostril, when the parody played over the airwaves.

Much as I like and admire Rush Limbaugh -- say what you will about him, the man is a media mogul -- I refuse to join the ranks of "Rush Babies," people who subscribe to his 24/7 website providing full access to live "Ditto Cam" reports, the fabled "Stack of Stuff" newsletter, political parodies from Paul Shanklin, and latest gimmick grabber, the "O.O.C." sheriff badge proudly affixed to the lapel of African-American "Official Program Observer," James Golden/Bo Snerdly, their "Official Obama Criticizer."

As a result, I have no links to today's parody. Nonetheless, it has etched its wretched mark in my mind, looping over and over in a fuzzy haze like that time when I was five years old and got locked into a backyard shed during a family get together. Yes, it did happen, but the details get muddled over time. I'm so coked up on cold medication, the finer points of today's EIB program are no longer accessible. But this much I know. Rush Limbaugh and his ilk are terrified by the prospect of running John McCain against Barack Obama in November.

There's a parody floating around out there somewhere and when I get my grubby paws on it, you'd better believe I'm linking to it. But for now, trust me. Just trust me.

Limbaugh, Coulter, my own local Bruce Elliott, they're all praying, hoping, desperately desiring a Hillary nomination. And the smart money knows why. Because she isn't electable. Not even against decrepit politics as usual John McCain.

Today on his program -- if I could swear I would swear -- I heard Limbaugh endorse Hillary Clinton for president. Maybe he just wants her to claim the Democratic nomination so Republicans can beat the crap out of her in the fall, I can't be certain. I immediately turned off the radio to concentrate on other matters such as this blog. Hey, I know this article sounds sophmoric, addled, disjointed, but what do you expect from a sick person?

The point is -- and there is a point in all of this so I'm going to make it -- the point is, Republicans are so worried about winning in November, they're now hatching a nefarious plan to keep Hillary's candidacy alive. I wish Republicans would take a good hard look at themselves and decide whether early support of John McCain is to blame. Numbers and statistical impossibilities aside, of all the presidential hopefuls, he seemed the least likely to become their come back man from behind. Giuliani, Huckabee, yeesh, a disaffected Democrat like me might have even given Romney a second glance, but McCain? Why has he emerged as their front runner? His hardball stance against abortion? When is the "moral majority" going to get the loud and clear message that the majority of Americans believe a woman has and should always have a right to choose?

Most of McCain's other policies don't mesh with the right wing, we all know that. What the Republicans seem to be missing, and what Limbaugh very clearly emphasized today is that McCain's policies don't mesh with disaffected Democrats like me either. Unlike Ann Coulter who honestly rubs me the wrong way, the only way I and probably legions of other "third party Democrats" will ever consider casting a vote for McCain is if our party nominates Billary. I whole heartedly agree with Limbaugh, something I don't do very often, when he posits McCain is a lock if the Democrats back the Clintons.

As an aside, this dribble about Florida's liberal Jewish voters is just that. Liberal Jewish voters comprise a tiny almost infinitesimal fraction of the electorate, hardly a force to behold inside the Democratic elite. And this laughable conjecture about African-Americans, give me a break. If the party backs the Clinton, my guess is a good portion of that vote will stay on the job November 4th.

Now I'm no expert on state primaries, but I'm worried about crossover votes and the impact Texas and Ohio voters will have on this election. Is it really fair to pressure super delegates into a Hillary nomination when the Republicans are hatching a strategy to keep her candidacy alive? For their own nefarious reasons?

The majority of Americans are tired of the divide, sick of the bitter infighting, tired of the haves getting fat while the have-nots struggle to stay alive. These labels I hear bandied about, liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat, drive-bys, neocons, and Limbaugh's divisive tactics, they're not working. They're not bringing us to a better tomorrow. If anything, they're leading us over the cliff like lemmings too stupid to realize they're about to die.

Barack Obama will have plenty of media scrutiny in the months ahead, this much is certain. The media is not about to give him a free pass to the presidency. For now, the American public is mesmerized with the man from Illinois because he speaks a message long since forgotten. Hope, connection, togetherness, vision, prosperity, peace. Obama says he can make it it so. Many are willing to roll the dice and let him try.

Come up with something better, Republicans, and you too shall have a shot at the White House. But John McCain? Puh-leeze! Republicans will have to do better than that.

Political Divide Needs to Dump Rancor

The Internet is bursting with stories about candidates dividing the country, talk radio blowhards dividing parties, and dynasty dinosaurs dividing African-Americans and Latinos (couldn't resist that last jab). Could The Spewker's "Divided We Fall" collection possibly be on the cutting edge of a major political issue?

Not patting ourselves on the back for leading the charge, just blowing off steam. Numerous issues have been dividing this country far longer than the birth of this blog. Take a big breath, America. Exhale slowly. Then prepare to laugh. We could all learn a thing or two from the following YouTube phenoms.



Yes, I'm a huge fan of Michael Buckley, have been since I joined YouTube. Without wanting to look like shills, we promote his videos as much as possiible. I don't know exactly when Buckly reached the stratosphere of subscribed channels. When I stumbled upon his program, he boasted a mere 3,000 or so subscribers. Now he's their number two angling to be number one guy.

What the Buck's witty combination of sass and blast strikes a happy chord with people like me. Michael Buckley's hilarious take on issues no one else will discuss is like icing on Eva Longoria Parker's wedding cake.

Americans won't solve their differences until people are willing talk about them. We don't have to agree with each other. We don't even have to like one another. But each of us has a responsibility to get along. Respect, tolerance, and a smattering of good humor. It's so simple. We just don't want to follow the recipe.

Now I'll probably get attacked as a kumbaya hugger.

The Spewker is Going Dark Until February 4, 2008

This is the last article on The Spewker until February 4, 2008. If you could see my house, you'd know why.

The dishes are no longer simply piling up in the sink. This morning I saw creepy little bugs crawling around the dish drainer. And the laundry! Don't get me started on the laundry. There's always another pile that needs sorting and washing. Maybe I could see the light of day if the children would hang up all the clothes they pull from their closets and reject. But since they're too lazy to put clean clothes back on the hangers, and since they clean up their rooms by stuffing all the clothes scattered across their floors in their laundry baskets, I think I'd better start getting used to the dark.

Mind you, I would hang the darn clothes up myself if they didn't stew with the stanky stuff for umpteen days. Their laundry baskets are filled with gym socks, underwear, and moldy looking junk I can't decipher. I'd beat the kids silly and take away their cell phones if I thought it would change their scuzzy hygiene habits. Where did they learn such infuriatingly disgusting habits, I wonder. Oh. Right. Our house. Never mind.

I'm also starting to have nightmares about the inch and a half of dust building up on the heating baseboards. Is something like that bad for one's health? I know. I know. I should hire a cleaning service. Well, good services are hard to find. The last one I had drove me to drink. Constant new personnel, interminable lateness, and couldn't care less attitudes. I kissed them goodbye without so much as a whimper.

Ah, navel gazing. Thrilling for the writer to unload, boring for readers to view. I'll bet half the people who started this article surfed to something else after my diatribe against the children. Were you one of them?

Oh, crimey, you couldn't be one of them if you made it this far, now could you? I don't know what's more stupid, me asking a question like that or someone responding to it.

Mona is now nudging me saying this article is truly starting to sound weird. "If you don't stop," she's warning me, "we're going to lose a lot of subscribers." Moan has a tendency to be right about such things, so I suppose I will stop. If I've offended anyone, I sincerely apologize and beg forgiveness. It worked for Gene Simmons with The Donald, right?

A few random thoughts before I sign off for the rest of this month.

Conservative talk radio blows. No, I mean it. It didn't before, but now it does. It's like all the conservative talk show hosts have bandied together and decided the only Republican candidates that make sense to them are Romney and Thompson. Maybe, maybe Giuliani if he would just get out there and campaign in the early primary states. The votes of little states don't seem to figure into Rudy's political strategy, or so they say. Not wanting to look positively thick, the conservatrons are barely mentioning his name. Rudy is not out of this race, fellahs, remember that!

Also, I'm getting fed up hearing every single one of them say, "I still think Hillary is going to become the nominee, even though I don't want her to become the nominee, I really think she's going to get the nomination." Those blithering idiots! If they really didn't want Billary to become the nominee, none of them would be saying that. Every single one of them would be too scared to come out with such a prediction for fear of being wrong. They're only repeating the Billary mantra because they want the Democrats to nominate her. They know she can't win against any of the Republicans and that's a fact.

Believe it or not, and I say this most sincerely, Obama at least has a shot at becoming our next president. He's likeable, his sound bites are right, and he plays to his own party. Hardly any Dem is going to jump ship if Obama becomes the nominee. That's exactly what the conservative talk show hosts are afraid of, mark my words.

Moving on. The presidential election. I've decided to stop blogging about it. My thoughts about the election and the candidates are pissing too many people off, probably because I'm such a moderate. I don't understand where these people are coming from. My legal training allows me to see both sides of a controversy without becoming emotionally invested. Not so for the majority of people I've met on the Internet. Either I agree with them and align myself with their point of view, or they target me as the enemy. Divisive politics is counterproductive, antithetical to my inherent nature as a people person, and not worth the animosity it engenders. I'm tempted to remove all the "political commentary" articles from the topix list in this blog, but that would be capitulating to the bullies. One thing about yours truly, I don't back down on issues I truly believe in and care about.

In fact, I care so passionately about these issues -- *sniff* *sniff* -- I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if I didn't *sniff* *sniff* care about these things so very passionately. I'm only trying *sniff* *sniff* to help *sniffle* the American people (smattering of water in the eyes) when I blog about political issues *sniff* because I care so unbelievably passionately (clearing throat) and want to make the world a better place for the children, the dear precious children, bless their tiny little hearts and souls.

Finally, social media. It's huge, very powerful and impressive. Each day I become more emersed in it, I am energized by a newfound ability to reach people from all walks of life and nationalities. I don't have to actually meet these people. I only have to somehow connect with them. When I do I feel the same way as if we had connected at a bar or a convention. Sometimes such chance encounters become lasting friendships. I'm debating whether to post articles about social media when I return. They wouldn't be research or anything intellectual, just my own thoughts and impressions. If anyone is still reading this article, let me know what you think about social media and whether you think it may compliment the existing "American media" category here at The Spewker.

Thank you, whoever is left, for your interest, time, and patience. Please subscribe or bookmark this site and return on February 4th. You won't regret making the commitment, I promise.

Update: 2.25.08 The 2008 presidential election has been way too exciting to ignore. Despite my best efforts, I continue to blog about it. If the articles piss people off, so be it. At the end of the day, I have to be true to myself. Besides, I'm a believer in the cliche, if you build it they will come. There's a place for a political moderate on the Internet. The Spewker should be a place similarly minded people can call home.

Evan Sayet Demonstrates Cause for Political Divide

Have not been on Facebook in such a long time. Decided it was time for an update. Sent out many responses to e-mails, application requests, group requests, and initiated some requests of my own. These included updating contacts made back in November at BlogWorld. So many interesting bloggers and developers criss-crossing the globe, making their marks, reaching out to audiences across the world. Some with greater successes than others, certainly, but all with a story to tell and goals to accomplish.

A chance meeting with Evan Sayet at the Hard Rock Hotel stands out as a highlight. Evan is a political pundit with an emerging following. He likes to intersperse humor with politics, having been on the Hollywood and New York scenes for a number of years. Surprisingly, he doesn't appear to have his own Facebook, and at this time of the morning, investigating whether he does in fact maintain one will have to wait for another time. What struck me as unusual is the presence of a 50 member (at this time) group devoted solely to Evan entitled "The Next Great Conservative Thinker."

Evan did not strike as particularly conservative when we sat down to shoot the breeze at the Hard Rock. In fact, he projected an almost liberal vibe, or at the very least, a moderate point of view. His Facebook group features a Heritage Foundation appearance which literally blew me away, mostly because he seems so different in person. It's true we mostly discussed family and personal matters, but we also touched upon the 2008 election and merits of the different candidates.

Evan's years in Hollywood have served him well. Unless you already know you're sitting down with the "next great conservative thinker," you'd swear you happened upon another liberal New York ethnic minority. The dichotomy was so compelling that after digesting the entire 40-some minute presentation, I couldn't go to bed without penning some thoughts and impressions.



Don't feel compelled to view the entire video, although Evan does have a fascinating take on the modern liberal mindset. According to him, liberals are not evil or stupid, they merely subscribe to something he calls "the cult of indiscriminateness." By subscribing to utopian ideals embeded in their psyches by the age of five, liberals reject conservative rational thought because they've been told their liberal belief system is the one true hope for mankind. Discriminate thought, thought that distinguishes between behaviors, choices, lifestyles, etc., is the equivalent of bigotry. Since bigotry is bad, liberals adhere to a philosophy where everything and everyone is equal, sharing, and essentially playing on the same field. Evan throws in some references to Hollywood, television programs, and John Lennon, all the essential cultural markers of the 60's, but the basic idea is the same espoused by most other conservatives.

He also makes a point of mentioning liberals are virulently antagonistic to political positions other than their own. I would be inclined to agree, however, I've come across my share of antagonistic thinking from conservatives. A certain radio pundit comes to mind.

Why are politically minded people always trying to convince each other that their opinion is the rationally right one and everyone else is irrationally wrong? Wouldn't it be better to simply air our opinions, discuss their merits or lack thereof, and agree to disagree?

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with Evan. His take on the mindset of liberals borders on sheer genius. But by saying the things he does in the manner in which he says them, Evan alienates every person with a liberal agenda. Wouldn't it be better to try to bridge these gaps rather than continue to increase the divide?

Actually, I am not one to preach. I live next door to one of the biggest liberal hippie throwbacks from the counter revolution era. This gentleman never outgrew the commune and utopia mindset and continues to espouse liberal loftiness wherever and whenever the mood strikes. About a year ago, after jokingly criticizing his ability to remain so liberal well into adulthood as a byproduct of working for the government, we can no longer discuss politics. Not only did he not appreciate the humorous nature of this good-natured jab, but to this day, he purposefully lobs nasty comments my way as if intentionally seeking a rise. I've steered clear of engaging the antagonism to date, but it's getting to the point where I can barely maintain civility.

One more mention -- and I am NOT joking -- one more zinger about my pronounced Baltimore accent, and it's POW, straight to the moon Alice, right to the kisser.

Hillary Clinton Rouses Heiffer Sympathies and Other Undigested Blips

Undigested news items gleaned and overheard while out and about...

"We've had the freedom to do whatever we want, if we're fortunate enough to know what that is." Rush Limbaugh discussing the allure of socialism and communism to the current generation of Americans.

"Barring any imminent settlement of the WGA strike, the 2007 Golden Globes Awards will be held at my apartment on the Westside of Manhattan this year." Alec Baldwin reacting to rumblings of cancellation of the popular awards show.

"My husband paid for those tires, and there was no reason for that man to come and steal them." Tearful outcry of Baltimore City, Maryland resident, Daphne Brockington, after husband, Charles, received a five year prison sentence for killing a man who stole his $1,500.00 Mercedes-Benz tire rims.

"I know you're going to inspect me. You can look inside my mouth if you want." Hillary Clinton stumping from a livestock auction barn in Dunlap, Iowa.

"To think that I would just be in support of somebody because of the color of their skin would mean we hadn't moved very far from Dr. King's speech in 1963, saying that we want people to be judged by the content of their character, and not by the color of their skin." Facing criticism of celebrity endorsement for Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey defends stirring support for black presidential candidate.

Happy birthday to all who share December 18th with these famous celebs: Keith Richards,64; Steven Spielberg, 61; Ray Liotta, 53; Brad Pitt, 44; Katie Holmes, 29; Christina Aguilera, 27.

Celebrities Served 12.13.07

This is the first edition of a new feature here at The Spewker. A roundup of political and legal news culled from the world of entertainment:

1. The home of the “Voice of Los Angeles,” could be razed rather than preserved as a national landmark. The new owner claims Bukowski was a Nazi sympathizer. [utchmynitz]

2. Akon plead not guilty to criminal charges for tossing a young fan off a concert stage earlier this year. [pravda]

3. PETA is targeting Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, for killing animals to look attractive. [dumbasscelebrities]

4. Media mogul Conrad Black was sentenced to 6-1/2 years in prison for fraud and obstruction of justice. [canoe]

5. Gary Collins has been charged with driving under the influence, but somehow escaped prosecution for manslaughter after his accident victim died. [latimes]

6. Daniel Baldwin’s lawyer wants an arrest warrant dismissed, claiming his client's failure to appear for a scheduled hearing was an honest mistake. [celebnewsupdate]

7. Speaking of mistakes, everyone’s favorite screw-up skipped a scheduled court deposition in her pending child custody case. [babble]

8. Madonna is battling the board of her luxury apartment for blocking her purchase of a neighboring property. [timessquaregossip] Madge recently horrified animal activists by dying her sheep rainbow colors for a spread in Vogue. [thenews]

9. In more New York housing battles, following a dispute with her landlord, Bianca Jagger was evicted from her home. [showbizspy]

10. Looks like a home isn't a castle on either coast. Burglars hit the Hollywood Hills estate of Charlize Theron. [13wham]

11. Shia LaBeouf can breathe a sigh of relief. Walgreens dropped trespassing charges against the handsome Transformers and Disturbia star. [stuff]

12. Handsome rules the day in awards news. George Clooney and Don Cheadle received the 2007 Nobel Peace Summit Award today. [thenews] Clooney is planning a second profile raising trip to Darfur next month to increase awareness of human suffering. [moono] His documentary about the war torn region, A Journey to Darfur, will air this Monday on the AmericanLife TV Network. [usatoday]

13. Sopranos creator, David Chase, is back in federal court fighting copyright infringement claims. A former municipal court judge argued Chase ripped off the successful HBO series from his crash course about the New Jersey mob.[blogonaut]

14. In other claims, the Rev. Al Sharpton denounced an IRS investigation into his non-profit civil-rights organization, National Action Network, as a low-down smear campaign to discredit his forthcoming presidential candidate endorsement. [officialteflontvblog]

15. More smear. A racist slur cover-up from the 2004 manslaughter trial of ex-NBA star, Jayson Williams recently reared its ugly head. [nj]

16. When will the drunk driving stop? Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver singer, Scott Weiland, was arraigned on DUI today. [msn]

17. Adding more fuel to the fires of the Bush administration, the 58th annual Berlin International Film Festival will debut Errol Morris’ Iraqi prison scandal documentary, Standard Operating Procedure. The festival runs in early February, 2008. [loosetooth]

18. Trying to make light of the whole Iraqi prison controversy, Fox humor columnist, Greg Gutfeld, suggests waterboarding torture tactics should become the country’s national sport. [thinkprogress]

CNN/YouTube Republican Debate Bathes Candidates in New Light

For people who hadn't yet had an opportunity to watch the top Republican presidential candidates spar, Wednesday's CNN/YouTube debate was an eye opener. As Rudy started blasting his very worthy opponent over illegal domestic help, I swear I saw Romney extend his arm with a certain covert hand gesture. All morning long, I've been poring over Joe Raedle's Getty images. Almost bought one to display here, but the cost far exceeded the blog's monthly income. Editorial image #78138383, third from the bottom of the page clearly indicates some bad vibes going on. If the link ceases to function three years from now, this spewked version essentially conveys the same idea.

Maybe Mormons on the campaign trail aren't as pious as they'd have everyone believe. Romney also appeared somewhat arrogant and a tad too pompous for my tastes. On a personal note, the slick goo in his do reminded me of my father's Brylcreem days. Earth to Mitt. A little dab'll do ya. Not a whole handful.

When the debate eventually reached the inevitable, “WWJD” question, I had to groan. Love how the Republicans had no problem discussing their personal religious beliefs, almost like they fully anticipated such a question. Wonder why inquiries like this never get posed to Democrats? Could it be because they have no place in presidential debates?

Separation of church and state is a fundamental pillar of this nation’s foundation, yet Republicans, especially conservative Republicans, love to interject religious beliefs into political forums. Huckabee’s answer, along the lines of "I think Jesus was too smart to become involved in politics," not only rallied the base, but also gave Huckabee the push he needs in the polls. How ironic that by downplaying the political savvy of one of the biggest rabble rousers in human history, Huckabee miraculously launched himself into the enviable number two spot, albeit, with the number one spot still up for grabs.

Republicans should step back and stop the applause. The Reverend Mike sends the wrong message to non-Christian and atheist Democrats. Shades of Ann Coulter, perhaps? Not scary enough to change my mind about Hillary, but certainly not a formidable enough challenger against other Democratic contenders. In fact, if Huckabee dropped the religious rhetoric, he could easily be a top-tier Democratic candidate.

Huckabee talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. The airwaves, press, and blogosphere are brimming with reports of Huckabee's implicit support of illegal immigration as well as questionable fiscal policy. No wonder this blogger took an immediate shine to Huckabee's record.

Huckabee is emerging as the Hillary of Republicans. From what I understand, he has captivated the hearts and loyalty of many Iowan Republicans. But just like the Hillary Democrats, these voters cannot articulate why.

Malibu Fires Send Mel Gibson Packing

I don't get it. Don't Malibu firemen understand that some stars don't need to be evacuated from encroaching flames?

Yep, it's true. The wildfires have spread to Malibu. However, unlike mere mortals, some people are more at home among the terrifying flames. Some, who have made pacts with you know who, truly relish the searing heat, attendant mayhem, and mind numbing destruction. Oh yes, there are a few.

To understand what I mean, take a good hard look at the subject matter of Mel's latest projects. Gore, torture, mutilation -- it's all there in living technicolor. When people begin to see Mel for who he really is -- a biggot spewing booze swilling hack with tons of money and no real friends to show for it -- they'll understand my disdain.

There are more important things in life than having gobs of money and a copious lifestyle. Like knowing when to keep yer trap shut. Mel must have missed that lesson. Probably too busy pitching whatever.

Ann Coulter Savaged for Bashing Jews and Judaism

The Britney Spears of the conservative movement, a blemish on the face of “kinder, gentler, compassionate conservatism.” A Connecticut anorexic in King Arthur’s Court. A transvestite refugee from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. So refers Michael Savage from his beleaguered talk show fest, The Savage Nation, to none other than Ms. Ann Coulter.

Wow. The shark turning against one of its own, such a rarity in politics (wink). Then again, I can always count on Savage to speak his mind, not his party line. Problem is, sometimes he goes a tad too far. Last night’s rebroadcast was no exception.

It all started on Monday when Coulter appeared on Donny Deutsch's CNBC show, The Big Idea. Seemingly out of nowhere, Coulter began a spew against Jews. Her anti-Semitic vitriol rankled Savage so badly, he devoted more than half of yesterday’s broadcast lambasting and pummeling Coulter into dog meat. To add insult to injury, all but one of his callers received a tongue-lashing for failing to echo his outrage. One allegedly Orthodox Jew said he didn’t see Coulter’s comments as anti-Semitic because she only parroted the fundamental Christian doctrines she was raised to believe. Savage ordered him to “grow some balls,” warning he would be one of the first people tortured in a Polish pogrom. Yes, old Mike was in rare form.

So, what exactly did Coulter say? Mmmm, basically that Jews are imperfect beings because they don’t believe Jesus was/is the messiah, and that America would be a better place if all Americans were Christians. But don’t rely on a paraphrase. Read for yourself Coulter’s final attempt to worm her way out of the point of no return:


I have to say, I was slightly offended when Coulter insinuated women should lose the right to vote because they elect Democratic presidents. But this latest bit of Jew baiting is downright unseemly. Not selling enough books, so let’s whip up a media frenzy by picking on the "purple state" Jewish host of a niche cable program. Yeah, that’s the ticket.

Bad publicity is better than no publicity, or so they say. Too bad Coulter didn’t get the memo about the bigot exception. Her obvious bias against Jews is too palpable to ignore. The inevitable reaction of a closet Klanner desperate to plug a book destined for the dusty dollar bin.

Ann, darling, your 15 minutes is up. Make sure not to trip as you step off the stage. Ooops, too late.

Savage was right to be outraged. Ann should get the hook, the quicker the better. My problem with Savage arose later in the program. After advocating for harmonious understanding and peaceful co-existence between Jews and Christians, Savage blasted some priest for ministering to homosexuals. Taking up the cause of one vulnerable population only to beat down another struck me as hypocritical and self-serving. A real turn off that dulled his message about Coulter, to say the least.

If Savage intends to use his talk show to make the world a better place, as he claims, then he should try harder to fake a social conscious. Or at least save the gay bashing for a different broadcast.