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Jay Bookman

Graham protests GOP retreat into irrelevance, to little avail

10:53 am July 24, 2009, by Jay

After announcing his intention to vote in favor of the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court — the only Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee to take that step — Sen. Lindsey Graham took a lot of heat from conservatives angry that he had broken party ranks.

In an interview with Politico, Graham defended his decision and returned fire at his critics on the right:

“If we chase this attitude … that you have to say ‘no’ to every Democratic proposal, you can’t help the president ever, you can’t ever reach across the aisle, then I don’t want to be part of the movement because it’s a dead-end movement,” Graham said.

“I have no desire to be up here in an irrelevant status. I’m smart enough to know that this country doesn’t have a problem with conservatives. It has a problem with blind ideology. And those who are ideological-driven to a fault are never going to be able to take this party back into relevancy.”

That isn’t the view of people such as Brian Darling, director of Senate relations at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Darling claims that by supporting Sotomayor, Graham is signaling that President Obama is “free to nominate an individual with extreme views if that nominee has an Ivy League education and some experience on the federal bench.”
Just to add some context, a new Fox poll puts the American populace at 40 percent Democratic, 34 percent Republican and 20 percent independent, with those independents overwhelmingly approving of Obama’s job performance (54 percent approve, 36 percent disapprove, an 18-point differential.)
Overall, Obama is viewed favorably by 62 percent, with only 33 percent disapproving. Fox’s numbers for Sarah Palin, by the way, are harsh. She draws approval from 38 percent, disapproval from 51 percent. I’m pretty sure she would disagree with Graham on the Sotomayor nomination, which is why that 38 percent still likes her.
Then again, I’m also pretty sure Palin will never be a position to vote on — or more importantly, to make — such a nomination.
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242 comments Add your comment

Normal

July 24th, 2009
11:00 am

Lindsey Graham… The voice of the Moderate Republican??!!,
Who’dthunkit?

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
11:01 am

I sure wish we could get to the point where people could distinguish between voting for and supporting judicial nominees. Republicans generally understand that if the nominee is qualified then you vote for them even if there isn’t a snowball’s chance in Hades you would ever have made them your pick were you to find yourself in the position of making that pick.

Of course we certainly can’t expect someone that uses any snippet of news possible to take a shot at Sarah Palin to understand that.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
11:01 am

What is Graham’s approval rating? He usually calls them like he sees them. I thought McCain should have picked him to be his running mate. He’s certainly right in this instance. Blind ideology helped get us into our current difficulties, some would classify as a mess.

Normal

July 24th, 2009
11:03 am

I am glad that at least one Republican has pushed away the mantle of the neo-conservative. If more follow suit, we might have a Party that can do some good. The talibabtists are going to have to be put back in their place. We have too much to fix and we need evrybody to help.
Once it’s fixed, then we can argue other things.

RealityKing

July 24th, 2009
11:04 am

Our progressively liberal President and ideological-driven 111th Congress are doing a fine job at bring the republican party back into relevancy..

George American

July 24th, 2009
11:07 am

By siding with Hussaine Oblunder and nominating this “wise (cough and laugh) Latina woman(?)” our old pal Lindsay has given his conservative southern brothers the finger.

There will be hell and his job to pay.

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
11:09 am

Note the gratuitous Palin reference.

And pretty much any mention of her these days is ‘gratuitous”. It’s like mentioning a sex toy when talking about shopping for a new car. Ok, maybe not quite like that. :lol:

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
11:10 am

Is he tacking left as a prelude to bigger things?

booger

July 24th, 2009
11:10 am

Can’t have a conversation without bringing up Palin, can you? I know, you know, and most people know Palin will not be a nominee for president, yet when you want to compare and contrast Obama with someone, out she comes. This is a not so subtle way for you to marginalize the entire party.

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:10 am

When did Graham become a Republican?

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
11:11 am

booger: really, though, don’t need Palin to marginalize the Republicans at this point. Even without her, they’re doing just fine in that department.

Just sayin’.

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:14 am

Obozo is on a damn the torpedoes hellbent crash landing into the happy perch once occupied by no other than Dhimmi Carter, bookman says the Repugs are irrelevant, you got to admire his toe the party line roboticism.

Fetch.

Good doggy.

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
11:16 am

Thanks for posting that @ 11:14, Whiner! You’ve been wrong all along, so it’s good to know that Obama’s going to keep taking us to the heights the country wants to go. Great news!!

md

July 24th, 2009
11:17 am

“Blind ideology helped get us into our current difficulties, some would classify as a mess.”

And blind ideology continues with a one sided gov’t. The “mess” is likely to continue as well.

@@

July 24th, 2009
11:18 am

What I found most interesting was how Sotomayor had to disavow her liberal credentials to win favor. Of course it’s easy to say one thing and end up doing another when looking for votes/support.

The Transformer — from SCOTUS to POTUS or vice versa.

Normal

July 24th, 2009
11:18 am

Whiner, you may be correct,(nearly said “right”) Lindsey’s home page says South Carolina Senator and nowhere mentions the word “republican”.
Hmmmmm..

booger

July 24th, 2009
11:19 am

ByteMe,

If you believe that, then that’s all the more reason for Jay to move on to new territory. It,s actually getting a little embarrassing.

If VP candidates are that interesting, think how much more interesting a real VP, like Biden could be. I’m not sure Jay knows how to spell his name, at least I have never seen him try.

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
11:19 am

Just to add some context, a new Fox poll puts the American populace at 40 percent Democratic, 34 percent Republican and 20 percent independent, with those independents overwhelmingly approving of Obama’s job performance (54 percent approve, 36 percent disapprove, an 18-point differential.)
Overall, Obama is viewed favorably by 62 percent, with only 33 percent disapproving.

I’ve gone back and forth to the link five times now and can’t find this current “62% overall approval” number. It very clearly says the overall number is 54% which is down from 62% last month. If you click to the full poll results the Independent number is the same as the overall 54% approval number, but it’s down from 66% a month ago.

Brad Steel

July 24th, 2009
11:21 am

Palin is the cover girl for the strategic blunders, half-wit stupidity, and cynical bend to the GOP.

Thanks, Jay, for reminding the GOP and the wingnutters that they need to get in the game or remain irrelevant.

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
11:25 am

Never mind my 11:19. I found the bait and switch from an approval number to a viewed favorably number. Nice fun with numbers gymnastics Jay B.

Imbedded links in articles

July 24th, 2009
11:25 am

RW has a point.

Like those of other blogs, imbedded links to assertions or references would enhance the credibility of the opinions.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
11:26 am

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:14 am

It was Graham that said he didn’t want to end up being irrelevant.

Doggone/GA

July 24th, 2009
11:28 am

“Of course it’s easy to say one thing and end up doing another when looking for votes/support.”

Sure…and exactly the same thing was said about Roberts too.

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
11:28 am

ByteMe –

“It’s like mentioning a sex toy when talking about shopping for a new car.”

you say that like it’s a bad thing …

Bud Wiser

July 24th, 2009
11:32 am

That is because the 62% number is fiction.

Obowo cracker eaters just make stuff up, and we are supposed to believe it is true, simply because they say it, plus the fact that they will tell us that they actually believe they are smarter than the rest of us, and again, just because they say so, so, we had better believe everything theysay, because it MUST be true!

Take this global warming thing; everyone has heard about the record cold temps for July in Nashville last week, capital of GreenJeans Gore home state, a state, by the way, that had they voted in majority for Gore in 2000, HE would have been president, and not GW Bush.

The (green)Gashouse Gang of the 21st century still stick to their smoking, but empty guns. Every ’scientific data’ they can toss has been, or can be refuted by someone else. All Gore wants to do is get himself and his buddies in on the ground floor of the carbon credit ripoff, making themselves so rich as to make Bill Gates look like a street corner pencil peddler. And Obowo is paving that highway with cap and trade.

Amazingly enough, there are still plenty of idiots that haven’t a clue, but believe firmly in their hearts that one day they and their children will frolic naked through Elysian Fields made possible because of Gore and Obowo, and everything in life will be free because someone else, NOT them, will be paying for it.

Oh wait, I just described the basic garden variety dimwitocrat!

jt

July 24th, 2009
11:34 am

When did Graham become a Republican?

When the republican party betrayed their base, grew and empowered the federal goverment, spent like drunk sailors, and otherwise emulated/morphed into the democratic party.

Graham fits in quite nicely with Steele, Snowe, Chambliss, Isackson etc…….ad naseum.

Kennedy bootlickers all.

Normal

July 24th, 2009
11:34 am

USinUK…Manual shifting make ME smile…

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:34 am

TN- If Graham keeps on with it, he won’t have to worry about being “irrelevant.”

I mean, Dhimmi Carter was never “irrelevant,” after all, he gave rise to Ronald Reagan.

Part Duhx?

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
11:36 am

“everyone has heard about the record cold temps for July in Nashville last week”

huzzah!!! cold weather in Nashvegas = no climate change!!! calloo, callay!!!

(meanwhile, just ignore the fact that the UK had record temps a few weeks ago and that Eastern Europe is currently in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave … it was cold in Nashville, so that’s good enough for me)

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
11:37 am

Normal –

“USinUK…Manual shifting make ME smile…”

speed bumps, babbbeee … s’all I’m sayin’

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:38 am

I yield the Misses Popularity contest to bookman-

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 30% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-eight percent (38%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -8 (see trends).

And I rule.

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
11:40 am

booger: yes, I actually do believe that. Bringing her up between her regularly scheduled screw-ups is unnecessary. We all remember her. I’d rather make fun of Inhofe anyway. He’s not pretty, but he’s pretty screwed up.

USinUK: I was just making my own gratuitous sex toy reference. :)

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
11:40 am

Just this morning it was 64 degrees and now it’s 82. Take that climate change deniers!

And….

Is this lefty site calling our VPOTUS a liar?

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
11:41 am

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:10 am

Disavowing one of your own. Tsk, tsk, tsk. He’a a Republican, and a good citizen. He sees the world as it is; diverse, volatile and changing.

http://lindseyograham.wordpress.com/

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
11:43 am

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:38 am

Did someone say irrelevant?

getalife

July 24th, 2009
11:44 am

Mavericky but I want to see his birth certificate.

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
11:44 am

“64 degrees and now it’s 82″

in Atlanta??? in July??? what the heck is going on???

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
11:45 am

Time for a laugh:

Blogger response to CNBC

md

July 24th, 2009
11:50 am

““64 degrees and now it’s 82″

in Atlanta??? in July??? what the heck is going on???”

Must be the start of the next ice age. Quick, lets start a hedge fund selling heating supplies.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
11:50 am

Sen Graham is not only showing the difference between the philosophy he represents and that of ideologically conservative Republicans with this vote

He’s also clearly demonstrating his adherence to principle and class in contrasting his ‘yea’ vote for a qualified nominee with the ‘nay’ votes for Justices Roberts and Alito, cast by then-Senators Obama and Biden.

Tom

July 24th, 2009
11:52 am

The Republicant party has always been that way. Gawd forbit any of those intellectual/moral/ethical goose-stepping goons of conformity discover and utilize a tiny bit of brain matter. They are commited to destructioon of all things positive – regardless of the cost to the nation. So utterly ignorant that they consistantly vote against their own self-interests. Really should be eradicated.

@@

July 24th, 2009
11:52 am

DoggoneIt!

“Of course it’s easy to say one thing and end up doing another when looking for votes/support.”

Sure…and exactly the same thing was said about Roberts too.

don’t you wish you could say that about POTUS Bush? While he chose to ignore the polls, Obama chose to shove his in the direction of those who were waiting patiently.

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
11:56 am

Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004.

Aah understand, this means we need to be more like the democrats, I got it, sure thing.

getalife

July 24th, 2009
11:58 am

I think it is Hatch that votes to give Presidents their picks for the SC so there are two.

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
12:02 pm

Tom, what has a Repub. done to you to cause your hatred?

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
12:06 pm

Paul: Obama was clear on Roberts:

Obama said he was skeptical of Roberts’s “deepest values,” his “broader perspectives on how the world works” and his “empathy.”

According to Obama, the chief justice nominee told him that “he doesn’t like bullies and has always viewed the law as a way of evening out the playing field between the strong and the weak.”

But Obama didn’t believe it.

“He has far more often used his formidable skills on behalf of the strong in opposition to the weak,” Obama said.

Obama’s assessment: “he seemed to have consistently sided with those who were dismissive of efforts to eradicate the remnants of racial discrimination” and “seemed dismissive of the concerns that it is harder to make it in this world and in this economy when you are a woman rather than a man.”

Although Obama did not specify what evidence he had for these judgments, he was probably referring to cases such as one in 1990, when as a Justice Department official, Roberts opposed the use of racial preferences by the Federal Communications Commission in awarding broadcast licenses, and in 1982, as a Reagan administration lawyer, when he opposed lowering the standard in voting rights cases from needing to prove a racially discriminatory intent to only needing to show a discriminatory effect.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16640635/

His criticism of Alito was similar in speeches he made at the time.

If nothing, he is consistent on his view of judges.

Doggone/GA

July 24th, 2009
12:06 pm

“don’t you wish you could say that about POTUS Bush? While he chose to ignore the polls, Obama chose to shove his in the direction of those who were waiting patiently”

Is it just me, or does this make no sense whatsoever as a response to my remark about Roberts?

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:08 pm

GRAHAM IS DEAD WRONG. NEVER CROSS THE AISLE FOR THIS POTUS POS! :roll: just sayin’ :-)

Mr. Snarky

July 24th, 2009
12:08 pm

“When did Graham become a Republican?”

He seems to have a brain, so I guess he’s a RINO. Good for him.

booger

July 24th, 2009
12:09 pm

Tom,

Apparently there is a correlation between using ones brain matter, and engaging in name calling and childish behavior. Not just referring to you, it shows up a lot.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:09 pm

EXPAT: It’s aLgOrEs version of Global Warming! That fool may have won, but we didn’t let him in office! Hahaha!

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:11 pm

No Mr. Snarky, he’s moron! As is ANYONE who back ANYTHING Barry does or says! Just sayin’! :roll: ;-)

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:12 pm

Oh, do you all know I don’t like Barry? :-)

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
12:13 pm

GtG -

“That fool may have won, but we didn’t let him in office! Hahaha!”

yep. that’s sumpin’ to be proud of, all right.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:13 pm

That cop arrested Barry’s friend, so he’s stupid!

Mr. Snarky

July 24th, 2009
12:14 pm

Gandalf the Dumb, if you’re an example of intelligence, then I want to be stupid.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
12:14 pm

ByteMe

I was contrasting Sen Graham’s voting for judges who are the President’s pick, basing it on whether or not they are qualified. Not if they agree with them or not. Sen Graham said Judge Sotomayor wouldn’t have been his pick, he disagrees with her philosophically, but she’s the President’s pick, she’s qualified and he’ll vote for her.

I believe Sen Hatch takes the same stand.

Sen Obama didn’t just have a different view on judges, he had a different view of the role of the Senate in confirming. And, Sen Obama later stated an ideological litmus test.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:14 pm

Soda my ear! She a flamin’ liberal!

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:15 pm

Mr. Snarky, You got your wish!

@@

July 24th, 2009
12:15 pm

I’ll explain, DoggoneIt.

Sotomayor is bent towards liberal ideology. POTUS Obama got elected by the same bent…

over. Many of those leftist bents feel as though he’s missed the target.

I wasn’t talkin’ as much about Sotomayor as I was talkin’ bout Obama.

Like Paul so often says….BOHICA!

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:17 pm

EXPAT: winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing! It was for the best we didn’t let AlGoRe in the White House, he would have gone solar!

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
12:18 pm

Doggone @ 12:06, no it’s not just you. But I read alot here I don’t understand. ????

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:19 pm

BOHICA! Barry is one giant SNAFU!
One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America!

Doggone/GA

July 24th, 2009
12:20 pm

“I’ll explain, DoggoneIt.”

Sorry, but your “explanation” is as nonsensical as your original comment. And I don’t know what “BOHICA” even means, and can’t say I’ve ever seen it before…but then I tend to skip over a LOT of what Paul says.

booger

July 24th, 2009
12:20 pm

Mr. Snarky,

This is your good fairy, Your wish to be stupid is hereby granted.

Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)

July 24th, 2009
12:22 pm

Well, this Graham needs to be voted out of office pronto. Any so-called Republican that says anything but No to anything this Obama does is nothing but a Trader. Have a good p.m. everybody.

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
12:22 pm

doggone: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=B.O.H.I.C.A

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
12:23 pm

Paul: He says he doesn’t agree with her “philosophically”, but I haven’t seen anything more detailed on this, have you? I wonder what “philosophy” he disagrees with her… based on her judicial record or her speeches…?

As far as Obama: again, he’s consistent. There’s no bait-and-switch going on.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:24 pm

That redneck convert got it right!

One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
12:24 pm

Redneck: what’s he trading? I think the word you wanted was “Traitor”.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:25 pm

Like Trader Joe’s? WE Have Traitor Barry’s!
One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America

@@

July 24th, 2009
12:26 pm

DoggonIt, I’ll say the same about skipping over your LOTS.

Now since 3 of my last five posts have failed to appear…

AND since it no longer bothers me that they don’t, I’ll take my leave until later.

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
12:28 pm

Snarky, you might want to back out of that minefield!

Dusty

July 24th, 2009
12:40 pm

OH come on.. Bookman thinks he has found a Republican he can “harp” on. Graham made a smart move. (Bookman tries to make it sound otherwise.)

Graham KNOWS that Sotomayor is going to get to the Supreme Court. He doesn’t waste his time. He is acting like a fair-minded -reach- across- the- aisle mover of a fairly qualified woman lawyer. It could be worse. She could have graduated from UCLA.

Now Graham is free to loudly protest and vote AGAINST any SOCIALIZED MEDICINE BILL that comes before Congress. There will be no “reaching across the aisle” then. He will be known as the fair politician who responsibly rejects a witch doctor bill of bad booboos. Now that is when the errrrr..mud hits the fan.

Give Graham credit. He is not showing all the cards in his hand. It is a smart move. And we haven’t seen many in Congress. Keep an eye on him We definitely need a good Republican SMART SOUTHERNER for President.,,,not another Oscillating Obama foot-in-mouth socialized medicine man.

Mrs. Godzilla

July 24th, 2009
12:41 pm

Sen. Lindsey Graham will never run for national office. Mark my words.

I suspect he has read the writing on the wall in his home state and
is making an effort to reach across the aisle. Good for him.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
12:45 pm

ByteMe

Isn’t that enough? Philosophically? What Sens Obama and Biden were speaking of was also a philosophical difference of opinion, exemplified by the decisions.

Bait and switch? Given Judge Sotomayor’s testimony, many opposed to her would make the same claim! But that seems par for the course, now, for Supreme Court nominees.

Again, the larger issue seems, to me, to be the criteria by which a Senator decides whether or not to vote to confirm a nominee. With the Grahams it’s whether or not the judge the president has nominated is qualified. With the Obamas and Bidens it’s not if they’re qualified but also if they agree philosophically and ideologically.

Ild-way Ill-bay Iltner-hay

July 24th, 2009
12:45 pm

Rasmussen has Obumbler far lower than the polls jay sites. Why should anyone be surprised that Obumbler took a swipe at the Cambridge police. If i’m a Cambridge cop, I’m just happy Obumbler hasn’t dispatched Billy Ayres to bomb police headquarters to avenge Fred Sanford’s goodt name.

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
12:47 pm

Dusty, I take offense, I graduated from UCLA! (Upper Clarkston Lower Avondale)

Dusty

July 24th, 2009
12:48 pm

Well, true, RedNeck,

Graham does not appeal to the trailer park, food stamp crowd. I mean he is INTELLIGENT.

I give you credit. You do a grand job of the undercover lib agent parody poop assignment. You do give us a laugh, kinda like those comics who act like stupid clowns.

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
12:51 pm

Dusty –

“Give Graham credit. He is not showing all the cards in his hand. It is a smart move. And we haven’t seen many in Congress. Keep an eye on him We definitely need a good Republican SMART SOUTHERNER for President.,,,not another Oscillating Obama foot-in-mouth socialized medicine man.”

soooooooooooooo never gonna happen … and I actually kinda like Graham, but if you’re backing him, you’re money is on the wrong horse.

Dusty

July 24th, 2009
12:51 pm

Scooter,

Accept my apologies. I nominate you for the Supreme Court.

N.J.

July 24th, 2009
12:56 pm

Depends on which FOX NEWS poll you are looking at. The Fox News Dynamic poll has three components , one is general, the second is job rating and the third is “favorability rating. Obamas latest FAVORABILITY rating on the Fox Poll is 62 percent:

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. July 21-22, 2009. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

“I’m going to read you the names of several individuals and institutions. Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one. If you’ve never heard of an individual or institution, please just say so. Barack Obama.”

.

Favorable 62%

Unfavorable 33%

Unsure 5%

http://www.pollingreport.com/obama_fav.htm

Of course those who count every single point drop in a poll neglect the margin of error in a poll.

If someone has gone from 63 to 59 in a poll that has 4 percent margin, for example, there has statistically been no change in their rating.

Dusty

July 24th, 2009
1:00 pm

USinUK

Whenever you advise against something, I know it is the right move for Republicans. Brainwashed libs can point us conservatives in the right direction even though it is not a good move for us to read too much propaganda.

Graham surely does have you fooled.

I don’t bet on horses but the Southern racetrack is the best place to place a bet.

md

July 24th, 2009
1:00 pm

“soooooooooooooo never gonna happen … and I actually kinda like Graham, but if you’re backing him, you’re money is on the wrong horse.”

I believe the same was said about our current leader 3 or so years before the election.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
1:01 pm

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
12:17 pm

If you still think it was for the best, then you need to be locked up for your own protection.

USinUK

July 24th, 2009
1:06 pm

dusty and md –

“Whenever you advise against something, I know it is the right move for Republicans”

unless he suddenly sprouts himself a wife, the whispering campaign will be what prevents him from being POTUS. and, darlin’, that whispering campaign isn’t coming from the left side of the aisle, either … check out the right wing blogs everytime Graham does something centrist, there’s more than one reference to wrists being limp and closet doors …

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
1:08 pm

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
12:24 pm

Votes? But that’s just the genius of Redneck.

Trust me

July 24th, 2009
1:11 pm

Why does the truth always sound so different from what the Republicans say.

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
1:19 pm

USinUK, I’ll have to think about your 1:06 for a while. ???

Northern Songs, Ltd.

July 24th, 2009
1:28 pm

This place was so much nicer yesterday when we were talking about baseball.

ByteMe

July 24th, 2009
1:31 pm

Northern: one time we got on a discussion of which rides were the best at Disney World. Sometimes it clicks, other times people just feel like pissing on each other.

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
1:35 pm

ByteMe, Yeah and I think everyone ran out of piss!

Paul

July 24th, 2009
1:38 pm

Scooter

But not vinegar!

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
1:39 pm

NS, Ltd.

DeWayne Wise, the guy that made the saving catch in the 9th, was playing for the Braves in 2004 when Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game against them. There have only been 18 in history and this guy has been on both sides of one.

Better?

Northern Songs, Ltd.

July 24th, 2009
1:40 pm

Paul and getalife – Hatch has announced he is voting against Sotomayor.

Northern Songs, Ltd.

July 24th, 2009
1:41 pm

RW – thanks, and nice bit of trivia that.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
1:41 pm

One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
1:43 pm

UAinUk–thanks for bringing up the “limp writst…closet doors.” I wanted to but thought better of it. That is why Graham has reached the pinnacle of his political career His own party members call him the “Pink Elephant” and his Democrat opponent was able in the campaign to call him “light in the loafers” and do it unchallenged.

I have no idea whether or not Sen. Graham is gay. But if he is give him his credit for not having a “show wife,” unlike many of his colleagues, Democrat and Republican alike. Rest assured, though, were he to toss his chapeau into the POTUS ring, the Democrats–many of them “liberal” bloggers here, would have a field day with these rumors.

I have plenty of reasons for not voting for him should he run, being GOP the top one. But since gay rights (what a term to be forced to use in this day and age!) is my deciding factor, Fierce Advocate is certainly not getting my vote next time around either. And whether or not we want to admit it, the GOP is doing a better job of courting the disenchanted element in the gay population. I wonder if perhaps this might not be prepping the party loyalists for accepting the “light in the loafers Pink Elephant.

thomas

July 24th, 2009
1:43 pm

How did this intro go from talking about Graham voting like he should have based on the qualifications of a judge, instead of ideological basis, to talking about Palin?

Is she now in congress?

Or is it possible Bookman spent some time behind a locked door with his active imagination before he wrote this?

Jay you are going to go blind or get hairy palms……..

Joey

July 24th, 2009
1:44 pm

The evidence on this blog is that not a single Republican is being pursuaded by Jay’s endless statements and pronouncements of the Party’s demise.

That is unless Normal is a Republican waiting for and wanting the Party to come back to him.

The Progressives/Liberals/Democrats posting here seem to be unanimous (over and over again) in their agreement with Jay regarding the death of Conservative Republicanism.

Today’s post brings to 431 the total number of celebrations by Jay of the GOP’s passing since November 4, 2008.

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
1:44 pm

Thank G-d that 1:43 didn’t wind up at the top of page 2! :-)

thomas

July 24th, 2009
1:47 pm

Josef Great point.

Funny how a liberal called him a lil light, but we didn’t see much about it. Heck one poster here even said that those criticism never came from the left only from the right.

The more the 2 sides think they are different the more they are the same. I think they just like disagreeing

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
1:49 pm

josef,

Too bad it didn’t. You;d be back out front in the head scratcher department.

/And it still might end up here if Jay B has some posts stranded in the moderator’s office.

Kayaker 71

July 24th, 2009
1:58 pm

From the last thread….

The Cambridge police dept has demanded a full apology from the President for his stupid comments. He has stepped on his crank big time…. white America does not forget.

md

July 24th, 2009
1:58 pm

“unless he suddenly sprouts himself a wife, the whispering campaign will be what prevents him from being POTUS. and, darlin’, that whispering campaign isn’t coming from the left side of the aisle, either … check out the right wing blogs everytime Graham does something centrist, there’s more than one reference to wrists being limp and closet doors …”

3 years is a long time. Never know when an entire demographic is going to rise up and vote for a candidate because of one trait. Certainly hasn’t happened before….has it?

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
2:02 pm

Kayaker,

To be fair the police were careful to sat they weren’t demanding an apology but they thought one was in order from both Obama and Patrick.

The funniest thing is that Obama is now blaming the press for this.

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
2:03 pm

sat, the little known alternate spelling for say….

Turd Ferguson

July 24th, 2009
2:04 pm

Obama blaming the Press…lol.

getalife

July 24th, 2009
2:05 pm

kay,

He won without the racist’s vote.

Just sayin.

Matilda

July 24th, 2009
2:07 pm

Am I the only one freaked out by the knowledge that you can be arrested for expressing your anger in your own home? I rant and rave in my foyer sometimes. So? If a policeman is standing nearby, it’s an ARRESTSABLE OFFENSE? Please!

Bud Wiser

July 24th, 2009
2:08 pm

Obowo today says that the Cambridge police acted “stupidly in the Gates arrest fiasco.

Whether or not they did, and however Gates and the cop interacted, now becomes irrelevant.

Obowo’s open-mouth-insert-foot soliloquy has now endeared him to many cops across the land; of course the 94%ers will still love him because he’s ‘blood’.

And the Democrats train to heavy damage in future elections gains steam, led by the mouthy ‘uppity muslim’.

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
2:11 pm

RW–school teacher here, head scratching? Already go MY bottle of A-200 (won’t buy Nix!) :=)

thomas–it has been my experience in this blog that I’ve been a lot more “accepted” by some of the conservatives than my fellow liberals…

md–not sure about “my” demographic, but a lot of folks in the Demo camp are not really listening to just how pi**ed off some of them are after having had their rose-colored glasses yanked off…

jconservative

July 24th, 2009
2:14 pm

” this country doesn’t have a problem with conservatives. It has a problem with blind ideology. ”

Senator Graham is 100% correct. Both Democratic & Republican “purist” should etch these words in stone. Read your history books – every presidential election since 1968 has gone has gone to the more “CENTRIST and BIG TENT” candidate regardless of party.
The bigger the tent the more votes you get as a presidential candidate.
Republicans are looking for a leader – they really need to look at Lindsay Graham.

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
2:15 pm

josef,

Sorry. I’ll find another term next time. That’s got to be an upsetting visual for a school teacher. (I’ll try to avoid nit picking references too.)

getalife

July 24th, 2009
2:15 pm

The officer lied. He said he was by himself but there is a picture of Gates in handcuffs with several officers including a AA officer. He was not in the press conference and we have not heard from him.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
2:15 pm

Matilda

The arrest occurred when Prof Gates was outside his residence.

As far as doing what one wants in one’s home – many communities have laws that prohibit one from making such a level of noise that it deprives neighbors of the enjoyment of their property. In other words, you can’t crank up the stereo to all levels at 2am and defend yourself by saying ‘it’s my house, I can do what I want.’

Paul

July 24th, 2009
2:17 pm

getalife

??? I understand Officer Crowley was first at the scene, then another officer arrived and was present inside, then other officers arrived and were present outside.

Doggone/GA

July 24th, 2009
2:18 pm

“The officer lied. He said he was by himself”

No he didn’t. He said he was alone when in the house, but that when he went outside there was at least one other officer there too.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
2:18 pm

Golly, do you think that if the Cambridge Police Department is brave enough to release the audio tapes, that

Pres Obama will be brave enough to release the torture reports?

Nawwwwwwwwwww

Doggone/GA

July 24th, 2009
2:19 pm

“The arrest occurred when Prof Gates was outside his residence”

So don’t go ranting and raving on your own porch or you’ll be arrested.

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
2:21 pm

Paul,

We had a noise situation here one day that had been going on for hours before we finally reported it. Apparently the law here is that if the noise can be heard 50 feet from it’s source it’s illegal and time of day doesn’t matter at all.

getalife

July 24th, 2009
2:22 pm

Yes Paul but he said he was alone.

I’d like to hear from the AA officer .

AmVet

July 24th, 2009
2:28 pm

What a shocker!

Really a Queen, George Aryan, Wiper, Snarked and the other Republiconned now see the Dan Quayle look alike and think alike, Lindsey Graham as a traitorous RINO ala Hagel and McCain.

Yet in every case they were actually great little party apparatchiks.

Graham is a solid anti-sodomite and voted as a conservative roughly 90 percent of the time, yet he is now dismissed as NOT loyal enough.

“…of the GOP’s passing since November 4, 2008.”

Joey you have the date wrong, it is November 7,2006.

I’m sure you remember it: The Senate election was part of the Democratic sweep, in which NO Congressional or gubernatorial seat held by a Democrat was won by a Republican. The bottom line? The conned lost 36 out of 36 races. A first in American history and an unparalleled slaughter.

Luckily for you, in 2008 you only lost 20 out of 24.

OH! And the White House and six governorships.

Can you say Electoral Bloodbath, Part Trois? Coming to an Election Everywhere November 2012.

Matilda

July 24th, 2009
2:30 pm

Paul, of course there are noise ordinances. Are you saying you’re violating the noise ordinance and should be arrested if YOU stand on YOUR OWN front porch and shout for someone to get the heck off your property for two minutes, or until they leave? That’s not exactly the same as cranking the stereo at 2 a.m. with disregard for sleeping neighbors, now is it? Are you saying you don’t have a right to express yourself in your own YARD at any time? Are you saying there’s NO difference between expressing yourself in the midst of a situation, and creating a deliberate, ongoing disturbance? That doesn’t sound like the America *I* grew up believing in. Sounds fascist to me, and as far as I know, I’m still entitled to my belief in the Bill of Rights, even if you cede it readily to any white male with a high & tight haircut.

getalife

July 24th, 2009
2:30 pm

I think there are 5 officers in this picture:

http://www.demotix.com/blog/exclusive-citizen-journalist

Normal

July 24th, 2009
2:30 pm

Joey, If the Republican party came back to just right of center, I’d be there, because I like balance. I’m left of center. I also like balanced budgets and I like to spend less than I take in.

Josef, your 1:43, tell it like it is Brother.

Never have understood what sexual preference had to do with anything.
If a a man or a woman can do the job given, then nothing else matters.
Abilities are the only concern of those who want success. Preferences
are the only concern of those who hate, and they hate because they are taught to be afraid. And that, boys and girls is a shame.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
2:33 pm

RW-(the original)

Nice ordinance. We’ve neighbor young adults home from college. Think they’re rockers…. understand they tried out for American Idol. The music stopped. Reality must’ve sunk in.

Then again, I had a call at 5:45 am. From a neighbor, early for her, not me. Seems I’d punched a button on the universal remote and the outside speakers were linked to the tv and engaged all night when some shows were on autorecord. Oops.

Oh, and I suppose I shouldn’t have called her back to thank her after I found the source. Double oops.

DoggoneGA 2:19

True.

AmVet

July 24th, 2009
2:33 pm

And connable GOPhers,

Like Nolan Ryan’s seven no-hitters, that losing percentage over the past two elections of 94% – ironically Wiper’s favorite number – will likely NEVER be seen again.

Unless you can keep it going!

Which I guess is not out of the question…

@@

July 24th, 2009
2:37 pm

I’d like to hear from the AA officer .

Paging Senator Boxer inner!

Doggone/GA

July 24th, 2009
2:38 pm

I don’t actually know what the noise ordinance is in MY county, but I’m sure my neighbors violate it every time they have an outdoor party. Last time, it went on from 1:00 PM until 11:00 PM. Outdoor sound system, DJ, and all. But what they heck…I just opened the windwos and enjoyed the music. And apparently so did our other neighbors, becasue NO ONE called the cops on them. Thank heaven, though, that they’re not jazz lovers. Being Hispanic…they had lots of great Mariachi music.

getalife

July 24th, 2009
2:39 pm

Obama said he used bad choice of words but still think cooler heads could prevail by both parties. Using it to talk about race issues like I said. Wants unity. Destracted from health care. RW was wrong. Cracking jokes.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
2:39 pm

Matilda

I was addressing the concept of doing what one wants while on one’s property.

As far as yelling at trespassers, from the situation you described, disorderly would not apply. But if officers responded, one continued to rant, it very likely could.

So, no, you do not have a right to ‘express’ yourself in your own yard at any time. Well, okay, you do… but you might get arrested.

Got to your last sentence. Sigh. Hey, what if it’s an African American officer with a high and tight? Just got discharged from service with the Army, Ranger tab, and wanted to continue to serve? And what if it’s a female? Can I cede what I believe then?

Been a long time since we’ve had a blogger equates opinion of what should be with law as it is.

Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)

July 24th, 2009
2:40 pm

Well, I’m even more glad Sister Dusty is back from vacation. See, the missus has been awful nice to me the last week or so. I needed somebody to give me a good reaming. And it looks like Sister Dusty done stepped in to take the job.

I hear there’s a good reason this Lindsey Graham ain’t never been married. I won’t say all they’re saying about him, but let’s just say him and this Josef Nix would get along real good. I reckon some of you ain’t read the story by the reporter that said he went to a political dinner and a Senator kept a hand on his thigh the whole night. And it wasn’t no woman Senator neither. I reckon that might could be another good reason why he won’t never run for President.

Have a good p.m. everybody.

md

July 24th, 2009
2:45 pm

“Sounds fascist to me, and as far as I know, I’m still entitled to my belief in the Bill of Rights, even if you cede it readily to any white male with a high & tight haircut.”

Any guesses as to why there may still be race issues in the good ole us of a?????

thomas

July 24th, 2009
2:46 pm

Matilda, Gates admits that the cop was leaving his home and that he (gates) followed the officer outside to continue ranting and raving calling the officer a racist. Thus disturbing the peace.

Police officers have made many mistakes in the past, but to automatically assume that every cop is a racist, makes you no better than any of the racist you are hoping to find. Police officers have an untold difficulty in their job and put THEIR life on the line everyday, and deal with many unstable people from all walks of life. The officer trained other officers against racial profiling.

To another posters point the other officers came in after the altercation and subsequent arrest. Just as is common in nearly every arrest. How many times have you seen an officer arrest a suspect by them selves. They may place them in handcuffs but usually backup is called for.

Don’t forget there WAS a reported breakin.

To any degree why would our all wise and smart president make a convicting statement like he did with out knowing the facts. Its not like he has done it before, stimulus package, Gitmo, health care reform…. he spoke definitivly about those without knowing all of the facts so why should we expect different.

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
2:51 pm

Redneck–nope, me and Senator Graham would NOT get along real good. You been taking lessons from Sen. Boxer? Even if we are both light in the loafers, that’s about where the similarity would end…

Now, my good liberal colleagues, 12,000 (and still counting) servicemen and women hounded out from service to their country is undeserving of an outcry for justice and fair play but one set-to between an African American professor at a prestige university and a responding police officer and the person of color President’s response can bring on this storm of “debate” over racism? And here we are provided with a post where a discussion of what it means “to be a gay man in America” is actually relevant, and…?

@@

July 24th, 2009
2:52 pm

Tonight’s video selection?

White version.

Black version.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
2:52 pm

Race issues exist because Race baiter such as Gates act the fool! He isn’t a victim or racism, he’s the cause of it!

Paul

July 24th, 2009
2:53 pm

Oh, and Matilda…

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534615,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g12:r2:c0.675478:b26661214:z0

Officer Crowley definitely does not sport a ‘high and tight’ haircut…

just trying to overcome a bit of…. nonunderstanding?

Matilda

July 24th, 2009
2:53 pm

Paul, the law is changing all the time. What law enforcement officers are and are not allowed to do does indeed change regularly with judicial rulings. “No knock” warrants, warrantless spying, cameras on red lights where the yellow was reduced by a second or two, and the okay to let the K-9 officer shove his nose in your crotch whether there’s any probable cause for a drug search or not….

That being said, I have the utmost respect for MOST police officers. They risk their lives everyday getting between us and scum, so we don’t have to get scum on us. They do it for low pay, little respect, in hot uncomfortable uniforms. Most of them work 70 hours a week just to get by. Truth. Pay them more, IMO.

I’ll also concede that Dr. Gates was likey over the top in his reaction to the situation, and did his part to escalate the it beyond what it should have been.

BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT AGAINST THE LAW TO GET ANGRY, SHOUT, AND TELL SOMEONE TO GET THE EFF OFF YOUR PORCH. Or it shouldn’t. Yes, you are correct, I AM definitely concerned with what the law “should” be vs. what it is.

Turd Ferguson

July 24th, 2009
2:54 pm

Obama and his “cooler heads prevail” nonsense. Too for the big mouth…he is already in it now.

Sounds as if, Im thinking, Pelosi and Company are gonna try to “side-step” and ram HCare through…never turn your back.

Thanks for chiming in matilda and remember your mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
2:54 pm

Barry is a fool! One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
2:55 pm

Gates is a fool too!

One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
2:55 pm

md, there will always be race issues just like there will never be peace on earth. If there were only two people left on the planet they probably wouldn’t get along.

thomas

July 24th, 2009
2:55 pm

Gandalf, You are not saying that there are people out there who would accuse others of racism, just to prove a point are you?????????? :o

Normal

July 24th, 2009
2:57 pm

This basically from downstairs but I gotta ask. Has president Obama made any attempt to say he was sorry for his “Stupid” statement?

I just saw that the Police Union was demanding an apology. Since when can’t a man make an off the cuff statement defending a friend without being chastised for it? Don’t get it, never will…but this kind of thing is a truer indicator of how some groups feel about President Obama than the polls do, and that’s scary.

Anyway, all three of the players in this soap opera were stupid acting.
Gates, the cop and the President. Let it go, unless all you can do is hate.

As the President of “Designated Blamee, Inc” I accept total responsibility of the whole issue and I give my sincerest apology to
Gates, the cop and the President. Now that’s done, it’s over, get over it, y’all

Gandalf of Gwinnesia

July 24th, 2009
2:57 pm

Enter your comments here

Gandalf OneBigA$$MistakeAmerica

July 24th, 2009
2:59 pm

Ya think? :roll:

Doggone/GA

July 24th, 2009
3:00 pm

“I just saw that the Police Union was demanding an apology”

My first reaction to that was: if they’re THAT touchy, maybe there’s more to being “stupid” than they realize.

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:01 pm

Darn! I was trying to get my catch phrase in my name! Darn!
OneBigA$$MistakeAmerica

Normal

July 24th, 2009
3:02 pm

@@ lest we forget,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sssqBjaTzOU – 112k

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:02 pm

did the break tag quit working? OneBigA$$MistakeAmerica

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
3:04 pm

So who will Obozo racially goon up on today?

Paul

July 24th, 2009
3:04 pm

Matilda

Around here, police officers are well paid and receive overtime pay. Starting salaries for a 40-hour week are in excess of $40,000 a year. I’d call that ‘adequate’ for a rookie. The hours you cite – Houston had to change its retirement policy (final three years’ pay) because officers were volunteering for overtime and receiving pay in the neighborhood of $150k a year – to pump up their retirements.

So, many are adequately compensated.

Your last paragraph – correct, as I’ve stated. But I’m also pretty sure, as I stated, that if one continues to yell after police arrive, and police ask one to quiet down, that one faces arrest for disorderly conduct.

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:04 pm

I reckon they did!
One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America

Turd Ferguson

July 24th, 2009
3:04 pm

Hate? Can we please get a new term, OTHER THAN HATE, to abuse, misuse etc? Hate, Hater, Hay-in is just so played.

We need some new material.

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:05 pm

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation.

Sgt. Leon Lashley says Gates was probably tired and surprised when Sgt. James Crowley demanded identification from him as officers investigated a report of a burglary. Lashley says Gates’ reaction to Crowley was “a little bit stranger than it should have been.”

Asked if Gates should have been arrested, Lashley said supported Crowley “100 percent.”

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:06 pm

Mr. Gates, you racist POS, we demand an apology!

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
3:08 pm

Look at this Obozo, I’m condescending to you, bwa-

A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation.

Sgt. Leon Lashley says Gates was probably tired and surprised when Sgt. James Crowley demanded identification from him as officers investigated a report of a burglary. Lashley says Gates’ reaction to Crowley was “a little bit stranger than it should have been.”

Asked if Gates should have been arrested, Lashley said supported Crowley “100 percent.”

Uh oh, somebody’s gonna get called an Oreo.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
3:08 pm

Normal 2:57

[[Has president Obama made any attempt to say he was sorry for his “Stupid” statement? ]]

No. In fact, he’s expressed amazement it’s getting so much attention.

The Police Ass’n didn’t ‘demand’ an apology. They asked for one.

[[Since when can’t a man make an off the cuff statement defending a friend without being chastised for it? ]]

Defending a friend is one thing. Characterizing the professional competence of another person or organization is something else. That, plus presidents are held to a higher standard. Remember, during the election, all those discussions here about how we want someone ‘more capable’ ’smarter’ ‘not average’ ‘more astute’ as president?

I Report :-) You Whine :-(

July 24th, 2009
3:09 pm

Well, now we know that I ain’t Mufti!

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
3:13 pm

“Obama calls white policeman who arrested scholar”

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/obama-calls-white-policeman-99582.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

Paul

July 24th, 2009
3:16 pm

TNGelding

Wonderful! Good example.

Now, can we please have a new topic?

Mrs. Godzilla

July 24th, 2009
3:17 pm

a little bit ago….

President Obama just made a surprise appearance at the daily White House press briefing, taking over the podium from Press Secretary Robert Gibbs to make a few comments about the hullabaloo over the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.

“These are two decent people,” Obama said. He said he spoke by phone with Sgt. James Crowley, the arresting officer, which he said confirmed his impression that Crowley is a good, decent police officer.

But, he said, “African-Americans are sensitive to these issues, and even when you’ve got a police officer who has a fine track record on racial sensitivity, interactions between police officers and the African-American community can sometimes be fraught with misunderstanding.”

“My hope is that, as a consequence of this event, this ends up being what’s called a teachable moment,” Obama said.

…where all of us, instead of pumping up the volume, spend a little more time listening to each other, and try to focus on how we can generally improve relations between police officers and minority communities, and that instead of flinging accusations we can all be a little more reflective in terms of what we can do to contribute to more unity.
As for those who criticized the president for getting involved:

There are some who say as president I shouldn’t have stepped into this at all, (which) I disagree with. The fact that this has become such big issue is indicative of fact that race is still a troubling aspect of our society.
“Whether I were black or white, I think me commenting on this and hopefully contributing to constructive, not negative, (discussion) … is part of my portfolio,” Obama said.

As for the teachable moment, he said we need to spend “a little more time listening to each other, and focus on how we can generally improve relationships between police officers and minority communities.”

He also said Crowley suggested that he, the president and Gates meet over a beer in the White House. Obama said it hasn’t been scheduled, but seemed open to the idea.

Crowley apparently asked Obama how to get reporters off his lawn.

“I informed him I can’t get the press off my lawn. He pointed out my lawn is bigger than his lawn,” he said, to laughter from the press corps. “Sgt. Crowley would be happy for you to stop trampling his grass.”

Obama also joked that no one’s been paying much attention to health care because of this story.

FROM TPM

AmVet

July 24th, 2009
3:18 pm

OK, real life calls. (Thank gawd!)

For your aural pleasure, some soft twelve string sweetness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoxHGxQw9ws&feature=related

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmgZ2EcXCz4

Good night all…

Ted Kennedy

July 24th, 2009
3:20 pm

Guinness Stout all around…HURRAH!!! Psst…barkeep…I’ll have a Yager shot on the side…HURRAH!!!

Normal

July 24th, 2009
3:21 pm

Paul, you are correct. They did ask. my bad, but it looks like the President is trying to make ammends now.

Matilda

July 24th, 2009
3:22 pm

Why didn’t the police officer simply depart once he realized he was not confronting a burglar? “Sorry to bother you,” and a mumbled “Hope you don’t need our help anytime soon….” while walking away would have been an appropriate response to the angry ranting of the middle-aged partially lame man who just produced proof that he was in his legal residence. He probably would have stopped hollering the minute he found himself alone again, and no neighbors or Presidents would have been disturbed. Just sayin’.

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:23 pm

I report: I knew that already!
One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America

Just sayin’! :-)
:roll:
:idea:

Normal

July 24th, 2009
3:25 pm

Matilda, the concern you have for the law is, “the intent versus the letter of the law”…I think. Too many follow the letter of the law too often and usually with skewed results, the “intent” allows a little empathy (Oh no, that word, again).

md

July 24th, 2009
3:25 pm

“md, there will always be race issues just like there will never be peace on earth. If there were only two people left on the planet they probably wouldn’t get along.”

I agree, and Congress would be a good starting place. At the moment, we have the Black, Hispanic, and Asian Caucuses. Why? Are they all not there to represent ALL americans? What about native americans, europeans, eskimos, females, etc. etc.

Until we all call ourselves americans, race issues will not go away.

Ted Kennedy

July 24th, 2009
3:26 pm

Matilda dear you have arrived a little late to the party. Nonetheless please have a Pabst Blue Ribbon on Uncle Teddy!! Psst…Barkeep…I think a shot of Pepe Lopez Tequila is in order…HUURRAAAHH!!!

Ted Kennedy

July 24th, 2009
3:27 pm

Uncle Teddy will soon be starting a cawcuss for alcoholic Americans…HURRAH!!! Belly up boys and girls, another round of GUINNESS!!!

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
3:28 pm

md–@ 3:25–Native Americans? You mean there are still some of THOSE PEOPLE left? Ssh..DADT.

Eric J.

July 24th, 2009
3:32 pm

“One
Big
A$$
Mistake
America”

Um…is this supposed to be clever, or even contributing to this or any discussion in some constructive manner?

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:33 pm

Barry got it wrong with the 2 decent people, only one decent person. Gates is a POS and needs to spend more time in jail. Cops need to start targeting him and harrass him every single time he leaves his house.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
3:34 pm

Kayaker 71

July 24th, 2009
1:58 pm

Then why do they keep voting for Republicans for president?

md

July 24th, 2009
3:35 pm

“md–@ 3:25–Native Americans? You mean there are still some of THOSE PEOPLE left? Ssh..DADT.”

And since they were here first, maybe they should kick the rest of us “racists” out of their country.

Normal

July 24th, 2009
3:36 pm

Wife just called, locked herself out of the house. Lord, I love my California girl…See y’ll later, gotta go play white knight…

Scooter

July 24th, 2009
3:36 pm

I’m with uncle Ted!

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
3:43 pm

Gandalf, the White! (Mufti of Gwinnesia!)

July 24th, 2009
3:23 pm

And just think, we could have had Hillary!

I’m willing to live with our mistake for 3 1/2 more years and see if he can correct his.

Paul

July 24th, 2009
3:44 pm

Normal 3:21

Credit RW-(the original) for pointing out wasn’t a demand.

AmVet – sweet! I kinda thought it would be a symphonic link, but that one’s fine. Have a great weekend. Hope the traveling’s about done.

md

July 24th, 2009
3:44 pm

“Wife just called, locked herself out of the house.”

Hide a key in the yard, someone wants to break in, they do it without the key anyway.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
3:45 pm

Normal

July 24th, 2009
3:36 pm

Hope you don’t get arrested! Or are you being facetious?

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
4:02 pm

normal–elsewhere…

md–they’re not a group we want to hear from especially when they don’t act meek and mild so grateful for the “oh you poor thing” crocodile tears we all like to shed when put on the spot. The Unmentionable is Choctaw-Cherokee and believe me, if white and black America alike ever heard what he has to say and he’s not particularly “radical” on the issue. But, out of sight, out of mind. His other people of color peers thought he was stark raving mad when in the last election he said that if he was voting “race” McCain would have his vote hands-down, having a record on Indian issues unsurpassed by any Senator, including Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

md

July 24th, 2009
4:07 pm

Jo,

And the rest of us like to think we have/had problems. Doesn’t even compare.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
4:07 pm

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
3:28 pm

I’m afraid I’m one of the liberals that don’t fully empathize with your plight. But I’d never do or say anything to deliberately hurt you or anyone else. It’s just that it’s hard to overcome 50 years of “tradition”. I just think you should be satisfied with civil unions and forget the “marriage” thing. I have a gay brother who is very unhappy with his life, although he has always been accepted by the family. I certainly agree with you on DADT.

The sexual problems in this country are mostly hetero-, and I’m one of the worst offenders. I’m ashamed of and disgusted with myself on a daily basis. I think the lack of sex education contributed to my lewd behavior. It amazes me that anyone could criticize anyone else’s sexual activity, knowing that God only knows what they might have been up to. I can only pray that He will forgive me for mine.

“Sailor charged in Camp Pendleton shooting death of seaman”

SAN DIEGO – A sailor has been charged with fatally shooting and burning a gay serviceman last month at Camp Pendleton, but Navy officials said Thursday it was part of a crime spree not related to the victim’s sexual orientation.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jul/23/bn23provost-man-arrested/?military&zIndex=137171

pat

July 24th, 2009
4:16 pm

Sotomyer is to unqulified and to stupid to be on the Supreme court. There is no need to reach across, she should get zero votes from anybody.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
4:19 pm

pat

July 24th, 2009
4:16 pm

She is the product of the true American experience, as Obama is. If only we were all as well educated and competent. Live with it.

TGT

July 24th, 2009
4:20 pm

Looks like th “Blue Dogs” are helping republicans (in the House) become more “relevant”:

“House healthcare talks break down in anger… with Blue Dogs saying they were ‘lied’ to.”

sane jane

July 24th, 2009
4:20 pm

TnGelding, when did you get into the business of telling other people (who are different from you) what they should be satisfied with? (civil unions v. marriages)

If the church decides to accept them (like my fellow Episcopalians), why is it anybody’s business other than the parishioners & the two folks wanting to get married?

sane jane

July 24th, 2009
4:23 pm

pat, with 4 misspellings and some wayward grammar in one single sentence… you probably shouldn’t be calling ANYBODY “stupid.”

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
4:25 pm

TnGelding–I appreciate your response. I will be “satisfied” with civil union when all those out to get legally hitched, whatever the ceremony, are required by the state to go to a Civil Union Bureau to take out a Civil Union License. Until such time we are creating a separate class and separate under the law is not equal. DADT is another issue and Fierce Advocate is as full of s**t as a Christmas Turkey in his calling for a “study,” politicspeak for “not in this lifetime, Pombo.”

The mere fact that you and I are event talking about this in a public forum speaks to a great leap forward since Stonewall, but the glass ceiling is there as witness what brought this on in what was supposed to be a discussion of Lindsey Graham and the future of the GOP. Also, note it was not I who brought the subject up and, if I may be forgiven for being thin-skinned, take a look at how it was brought up to begin with. In my shoes that was just another of those slaps in the face that goes with “being a gay man in America.”

Anyway, Jay’s posted his travellin’ music…

sane jane

July 24th, 2009
4:25 pm

Gandalf, there’s decency in every human. Even you.

RW-(the original)

July 24th, 2009
4:26 pm

Destracted from health care. RW was wrong.

getalife,

You and Sean Hannity agree on this one. I must be right after all.

sane jane

July 24th, 2009
4:29 pm

For government/legal purposes, why don’t we ALL get civil unions? Leave the marriage stuff to the churches.

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
4:30 pm

TnGelding–I read the link. Thanks. That you would be aware of it at all, much less post the link, speaks to a decency of conscience I respect.

GreenJeans

July 24th, 2009
4:36 pm

TN at 4:07 you say: “I just think you should be satisfied with civil unions and forget the “marriage” thing.”

Forgive me for butting in here.

I used to think as you do. That changed forever on April 14, 2009.

I was sitting at my desk, writing my umteenth check to the federal government for my taxes.

All of a sudden it hit me like a hammer…my taxes ought to, should, and will buy me the same rights and privileges as any other law abiding citizen–right up there in the front of the bus, if you will.

If Civil Unions are good enough for you, then they are most certaily good enough for me. Until all “marriages” are retrofitted to become civil unions, I’ll hold out for a “marriage” same as you, even if I have to continue to spend thousands in legal fees to protect my relationship.

This realization has shaken me up, surprisingly. I would have accepted the separate-but-equal crumbs six months ago. Not now. I guess some of us have had too much time to think. Second-class just isn’t going to cut it.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
4:36 pm

sane jane

July 24th, 2009
4:20 pm

I was just responding to something Joseph had written earlier, and was too lazy to go back to the originl posting.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
4:42 pm

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
4:25 pm

Thanks for being so understanding. I just wanted you to know that a lot of us understand we aren’t where we need to be, despite our best thoughts and intentions.

Yeah, I was up there already. I think I’ll walk over to the river and clear my head.

Have a great weekend.

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
4:48 pm

TnGelding–@4:42 This is what is meant by dialogue. I appreciate more than you may ever know your willingness to engage therein in an open, dignified and respectful manner.

Green Jeans–the legal fees! Oy, gevalt! We kept a family lawyer on retainer while raising our kids “just in case.”

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
4:50 pm

sane jane

July 24th, 2009
4:29 pm

Good idea. Actually, that’s what we have. Couldn’t find a preacher that would marry us! “Married” by a JP in his beautiful home in Buckhead.

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
4:57 pm

GreenJeans

July 24th, 2009
4:36 pm

You’re welcome to butt in on me anytime. It’s a public forum. With all the religious hypocrisy it’s going to be an uphill battle for you. I know the tax thing is just a small part of it, but it is an abomination. Good luck and best wishes.

GreenJeans

July 24th, 2009
5:00 pm

JN –

To be honest, you sharing your story here (several times in the last few months you’ve mentioned that you feel as if you don’t have time to dink around anymore) has really made me think. My partner and I were recently discussing how we’ve become used to the inconvenience, used to the expense, used to the wasted time and energy to the point that we’ve lost sight of the injustice. We’re gonna hold out until it’s done right.

This forum is clearly filled with intelligent folks from every spectrum. That is why I like it. Time constraints keep me from participating much, if at all, because I can’t fully engage in discussion. As you’ve discovered, sometimes the personalities are stronger than the content and that is in no way a slight to Jay. But every now and then something strikes my chords for sound. Thanks for fighting the good fight.

GreenJeans

July 24th, 2009
5:02 pm

To TN thank you for your equible response, and peace to you.

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
5:21 pm

green jeans–yeah, I’m back to the real world come Monday, I was asked to come in early to get some stuff out of the way before report date. Got a wonderful boss, so am more than happy to oblige. Will miss, though, sparring hereabouts to my heart’s content.

While I try as much as possible to minimize the differences, there are those times when, if I said what I really FELT like saying. I tangled with one of our more “party line” liberals who took umbrage that I kept on bringing up the Unmentionable. S/he never would take me up on the challenge to go through the day and, every time s/he mentioned the spouse to stop and think, can I or can’t I? The two-stepping that went on was truly entertaining.

Like you and your partner, we have come to accept so much of it as daily course, we sometimes lose sight of just what is at work in the bigger picture. But, I look at our three kids and their kids and it’s been worth it and we’d do it again.

josef nix

July 24th, 2009
5:27 pm

Checking out…

the evil rich

July 24th, 2009
10:14 pm

Give me a break, Graham ISN’T a conservative anymore, he’s just like Bob Barr or Saxby Chambliss. But unlike the dems, true conservatives can find fault within our party and show it.

I’m still waiting to hear from dems on Timmy “the tax cheat” Geitner, William “cold cash” Jefferson, or Nancy “the LIAR” or Barney “Freddie and Fannie is in fine shape” Frank.

Hmmmmmm

July 24th, 2009
10:24 pm

Not a word about Obama’s remarks on racial profiling…… Imagine that…

TnGelding

July 24th, 2009
10:43 pm

Hmmmmmm

July 24th, 2009
10:24 pm

That was the topic immediately before this.

http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2009/07/23/obama-and-the-henry-gates-incident/comment-page-5/#comment-81260

Bud R.

July 24th, 2009
11:05 pm

A little late but still funny:

What’s the difference between a white gerbil and and a brown gerbil?

The white one got away.

Jack

July 25th, 2009
7:45 am

Graham is sounding like a “wise legislator” lately, maybe he will reject the stupidity of his Republican right wing losers. Lord willing……

Paul

July 25th, 2009
8:15 am

Jay, and yet again you mention Palin. Com’n Jay, admit it, you’re kind of sweet on her…

Pogo

July 25th, 2009
10:36 am

Jay fiddles with the republicans while his democratic Rome is burning. And it is burning fast.

Boots

July 25th, 2009
10:39 am

The number of Republicans will be even less if the party continues hell-bent in a radicalized direction. They’re marginalized now, but will fall off the charts if they continue to listen to the Palin, Gingrich, Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter rhetoric.

As a former South Carolinian who voted against Graham at every opportunity, the ol’ boy must have had a small stroke. He’s beginning to make sense and that scares the heck outta me. Of course, he’ll be discredited by the majority of the party who insists that the best strategy for taking back the congress and the White House is to vote “no” and at every opportunity use the word “socialist.”

An itelligent bunch, they are.

Boots

July 25th, 2009
10:44 am

Just noted the post of “the evil rich” at 10;14P — that’s the type of intelligent approach that’s going to re-elect the Democrats in 2010 and Obama in 2012.

Vote against everything and resort to name calling.

Joe the Plumber must be consulting with the Republicans to come up with a stratege like that.

Linda

July 25th, 2009
11:44 am

Years ago, there was not much difference between the Dems & Reps, as there isn’t today on the state & local levels, but most of the Dems in DC today are radical left-wingers. Most (not all) Americans are in the middle, a little to both the right & left. It is unbelievable what they have done to our country in 6 mts. More Americans are beginning to wake up & take notice.
The stimulus bill had nothing to do with stimulating the economy & has only made it & unemployment worse, as I think was intended. The health care bill has nothing to do with health or care. Cap & tax has nothing to do with the environment. They have nationalized our financial industry, our insurance industry, our auto industry & are trying to nationalize our health care industry & our utility & energy industries. Unread bills have to be passed yesterday, the real excuse being before the people have a chance to review them. We had the best real estate financial system in the world until the govt. intervened & caused a world-wide catastrophe. We have the best health care system in the world that the govt. will also destroy with intervention. Our debt will bankrupt our country. We’re paying $100 million per day today in interest alone. We’re in big trouble.

Mrs. Godzilla

July 25th, 2009
12:32 pm

ByteMe – “It’s like mentioning a sex toy when talking about shopping for a new car.”

Yes, I’ve seen this before. That is so powerful.

Reality calling

July 25th, 2009
12:43 pm

booger

July 24th, 2009
11:10 am
Can’t have a conversation without bringing up Palin, can you? I know, you know, and most people know Palin will not be a nominee for president, yet when you want to compare and contrast Obama with someone, out she comes. This is a not so subtle way for you to marginalize the entire party
You’re right. You also have the Mark Sanford, John Ensign, Mark Foley, Larry Craig,David Vitter,Scooter Libby,Rush Oxycontin Limbaugh and Ann “horse-face” Coulter. I think you guys have done enough to marginalize yourselves with 2 terms of Bush and total republicon control…IN JUST 8 YEARS YOU TOOK US FROM PEACE AND PROSPERITY TO 2 FREAKING WARS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT!!!!!!!!!!
Hello!!!!!! REALITY IS CALLING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reality calling

July 25th, 2009
12:46 pm

Not to mention you borrowed AND spent our SURPLUS CLINTON LEFT!!
The US DEBT TRIPLED UNDER BUSH AND REPUBLICANS!!!
HEALTHCARE COSTS QUADRUPLED!!!!! under republicans…
WE won’t be fooled again

Reality calling

July 25th, 2009
12:50 pm

And the the USA suffered its worst attack EVER under REPUBLICANS!!!
Why did George W Bush and the republicans in TOTAL CONTROL at that time
listen to RICHARD CLARKE when he warned them in the memo
“Bin Laden determined to attack US” on W’s desk was IGNORED. Evidence of hijackers training in UIS was IGNORED under republican President George W Bush. You know, the guy you geniuses voted for NOT ONCE but TWICE!!!!!!??????!!!! You have NO credibility!

Reality calling

July 25th, 2009
12:55 pm

Reality calling

July 25th, 2009
12:50 pm
And the the USA suffered its worst attack EVER under REPUBLICANS!!!
Why DIDN’T George W Bush
(and the republicans in TOTAL CONTROL at that time)listen to RICHARD CLARKE when he warned them in the memo
“Bin Laden determined to attack US”?The memo SAT on W’s desk and was IGNORED! Evidence of hijackers training in US was IGNORED under republican President George W Bush. You know, the guy you geniuses voted for NOT ONCE but TWICE!!!!!!??????!!!! You have NO credibility!

Reality calling

July 25th, 2009
12:59 pm

Democrats= Peace and prosperity
Republican = Massive debt, economic collapse, bailouts for Wall St NOT Main St, NO Healthcare , healthcare costs continue exploding.
The party of NO has destroyed the US economy. Now they have the NERVE
to criticize efforts to pull us out of the pile of sh*t the republicans left him….HELLO!!!???!!! REALITY IS CALLING!!!

TnGelding

July 25th, 2009
6:07 pm

Pogo

July 25th, 2009
10:36 am

And out of the ashes…

TnGelding

July 25th, 2009
6:08 pm

Boots

July 25th, 2009
10:44 am

Is Joe the Plumber’s Apprentice the next invitee to the White House for a beer?

TnGelding

July 25th, 2009
6:09 pm

Reality calling

July 25th, 2009
12:55 pm

And how soon the electorate forgets.

Linda

July 25th, 2009
7:28 pm

Dear Realty Calling, It’s been 9 mts. since the election & Palin has been holed up in Alaska except for one national news conference. Why is the left still so paranoid & consumed with her? No one talks about her except the liberals.
You mentioned the Rep scoundrels. Let me mention the Dem scoundrels, beginning with the cheating, lying under oath president to the 39 Dems (& 1 Rep) arrested this week. This is a childish “but they started it” game. They are ALL politicians & corrupt on both sides. That’s the point. Let’s agree on that much.
We have NOT been at peace in 3 decades. We have been attacked by Islamic terrorists since 1979. Iran held 52 American hostages 444 days (during Carter), released the day Reagan was inaugurated. Since 1982 our embassies & military personnel were attacked in Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, etc. murdering thousands of us. We ALL already knew OBL wanted to blow up the World Trade Center because he had already tried in 1993 during CLINTON, killing 6 & injuring 1040. The first Bush went to war but didn’t finish the job. Clinton did nothing. Yes, G Bush got us in 2 wars. One of the FREAKING wars was to go after the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 & the new Dem administration & Congress has escalated that war. Why do you have a problem with that? The other FREAKING war is still controversial & only history will decide its fate. In ‘03, with 24 years of being attacked by Middle Eastern terrorists, educated in radical Islamic schools in countries run by religious zealots, how would you have tried to fundamentally change things? G Bush might go down in history with bringing democracy to the Middle East, starting with democratizing one of the largest countries, Iraq. The elections in Lebanon last month were won by the pro-West party rather than Hezbollah terrorists & women out-voted the men. Iran citizens are dying in the streets for freedom from their dictators for the 1st time in 30 yrs. There’s civil unrest in China.
Clinton didn’t have a surplus any year he was in office & didn’t leave a surplus. In FY ‘93, the national debt was $4.411488 T & in FY ‘01, it was $5.807463 T. G Bush did not triple or double the debt, even with the 2 FREAKING wars & upteen hurricanes. The debt was $5628.7 T in FY ‘00 & $9985.6 T in FY ‘08. The scary thing is that the Dems increased it by almost a trillion dollars in less than a month after the inauguration as payback. They used our tax dollars for old Dem pork projects in Dem districts. The “stimulus” bill was never intended to stimulate the economy & was rushed, unread, thru congress but only about 10% of it has been spent & unemployment continues to climb.
We had the best real estate financial system in the world until government interfered. They decided home ownership was a right, not a privilege, that poor people deserved homes. Congress gave Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac QUOTAS of sub-primes loans issued to unqualified borrowers–no jobs, no down payment & bad credit. They bundled them with prime loans & sold the securities on Wall St. & all over the world. Even Clinton admitted his administration’s responsibility. It was in the late 1990’s that the loans were implemented & the numbers grew. The Rep tried to rein in Fannie & Freddie but the Dem-controlled legislature stopped their efforts. Just the other day, Frank asked Fannie (now totally govt. controlled) to ease up on low-income borrowers buying condos. Here we go again. I totally blame the Dems for the global economic catastrophe.
If you think it was the Reps who bailed out Wall St., where do you think these banks & auto companies are located the Dems have been bailing out for 6 months?
If you are so worried about massive debt, where do you think the money for health care is going to come from? The independent Congressional Budget Office just this week testified that the health care bill will not cut health costs, will increase health costs & will add unsustainable costs to the deficit. There’s 52 Dems in the House that won’t vote for the bill, but they’ll probably be eventually bribed with more pork projects as they were to pass cap & tax.
What efforts are being employed to pull us out of the pile other than more massive spending, borrowing, taxing & printing money?
I am a conservative because I believe in small govt. This is only the third time in my adult life that we have had both a Dem president & a Dem-controlled legislature & the only time I have seen such a massive speedy total control of our economy & freedom. Americans voted to change Washington, not to change our Republic & not to bankrupt the US.

Linda

July 25th, 2009
7:43 pm

P.S. May God bless Reality Calling & America.

BigMike

July 25th, 2009
10:27 pm

Conservatives, get past yourselves, this Country is messed up not because of the last six months, I guess the last 8 years had nothing to do with it. Also by now it’s pretty obvious the racist in many of you are coming out. Sub-Limital messages are not even helping you in your opinions. Stop the racist PRESERVATIVE thinking, that you call conservative.

BigMike

July 25th, 2009
10:34 pm

Linda, you’ve got to much time on your hand ! A margarita, and good man could help you ease the tension. GET BOTH QUICKLY.

Tobey

July 26th, 2009
1:54 am

New to this blog but a couple of things I’ve noticed:

There must be a contest for wingnuts to come up with the best varitation of Obama. Did I see Obowo? Really, is that the best you can come up with? Really?

Love the ones who can only spout O’Hannity talking points and not actually perform research. This week’s talking points include calling for copies of the birth certificate. As with any job, you usually bring a copy when starting a job. Do you think that when he was filling out the paperwork, Obama said “oh, the birth certificate…….can I bring that next week when I start?” ….hilarious…you guys kill me!

Dr. R

July 26th, 2009
11:16 am

GOP just isn’t real fond of independent thinkers these days. That’s why they were cold to McCain and forced him into a more orthodox campaign that doomed him. To them, there is no moderation on anything; you follow the script or you’re a “RINO.” All of nothing. You’re fer us or you’re agin us. Anyway, Republicans made the case over eight years that the president should have his pick of justices, and if they are qualified legally, their ideology should not come into play. Now that they’re on the other side, they lose interest in that theory. Anyway, Sotomayor isn’t going to be a swing vote. The real battle will come when Kennedy retires and his replacement serves as the tiebreaker.

Linda

July 26th, 2009
12:03 pm

Big Mike, This country is “messed up” from many years of politicians. The difference between the parties are political positions & ideology, not race. I disagree with all the liberals in the administrative & legislative branches, regardless of their race. When the black chr. of the Rep party disagrees with the pres, is he racist? I think our pres. is extremely intelligent, highly educated in the finest schools, amazingly articulate, charming, a great orator, handsome, well-groomed, well-dressed & fit, but I disagree with him. Does that make me a racist? He disagrees with me. Does that make him a racist? 90% of the racists left in the US today are old angry black men.
My messages are very transparent & based on facts.
We all have the same amount of time in a week. As busy as we are, my husband & I feel it’s crucial to invest some of ours trying to wake up a few people as to the serious state of our country. Big Mike, this is not a football game. It’s not about what side wins. It’s not about what party you favor. It’s about spending, taxation, borrowing, printing money, inflation, unconstitutionality, socialism, our children & grandchildren. Open your heart & mind to a serious discussion of the real facts if you can get past your prejudices or we will all be slaves on the plantation together. May God bless you & America.

Linda

July 26th, 2009
12:08 pm

Dr. R, What is so sad is that only a small percentage of Americans know the name or would recognize the photo of just one judge on the Supreme Court, but most know Judge Judy.

Jackie

July 26th, 2009
1:51 pm

@Linda

Your articulation of racism and racist attitudes are accurate to the point of conflating racism with “most angry old black men.” How do you reach that conclusion? How do you feel when angry white man say openly “…we have bent over backward to accommodate blacks” ?

One could argue directly that your attitudes are VERY racist.

mike

July 26th, 2009
2:54 pm

Gee, I wonder if Jay will ever get past his myopic partisanship to acknowledge the anger between conservative and liberal Democrats on health care reform. Sotomayor is going to be confirmed and the criticism of Graham has been very limited, so much so that Jay can’t even cite such criticism. On the other hand, health care reform is could go either way and the discord among the Democrats will be the key to it passing or not.

I also have to laugh at the Jay’s notion that the GOP is “irrelevant”, when the poll he cherry-picks shows a 6 point difference in party affiliation among the American citizenry. (Of course, Jay’s traditional cherry picking omits the fact that the article he cites is titled, “Obama Approval Rating Drops to New Low” as his approval numbers continue to tank.)

If the GOP is so irrelevant, then why are they all Jay is capable of talking about? Spite? Gloating? If so, why does he think he is any different than the other hyper-partisans who dedicate their life to bashing those who dare not share their beliefs.

Frankly, I am thrilled to see that so many on the left are dismissive of the GOP’s chances in the future. This same myopic complacency from conservative enabled the Dems to take power, but it took longer than six months for them to get there. The left’s own myopic complacency is going to give the GOP the same opportunities and Jay is leading the charge.

mike

July 26th, 2009
3:53 pm

Dr R –

“GOP just isn’t real fond of independent thinkers these days.”

LOL. Yeah. Democrats are much more tolerant of independent thinkers. Just ask Joe Lieberman. Better yet, take a look at the left’s reaction to Blue Dog Democrats regarding health care:

“We caught traitor Blue Dogs on video: Mike Ross & others are public enemies”
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/18/754682/-We-caught-traitor-Blue-Dogs-on-video:-Mike-Rossothers-are-public-enemies

“BLUE DOG TRAITOR DEMOCRATS NEED TO BE TARRED AND FEATHERED AND THEN SET ON FIRE”
http://www.selectsmart.com/DISCUSS/read.php?16,713048,713330

(There are tons more of these links, but the spam filter will catch me if I post more.)

Spare us the mindless hypocrisy.

IC Atlanta

July 26th, 2009
7:17 pm

The most moderate Republican, McCain a Lindsey type, was trounced in November. Reagan – a true conservative won in 1980 and 1984 with a mandate. When Bush ran as a conservative in 2004 he trounced Kerry. Conservatism wins every time.

Rick in Grayson

July 27th, 2009
5:26 am

From Roy Beck regarding complete medical coverage for illegals and their children. Nancy Pelosi is apparently sponsoring this enormous expense:

So, what does CHC, (Congressional Hispanic Caucus), want Pelosi to add to the House Health Bill to make sure 12-20 million illegal aliens get full taxpayer-paid health coverage?

Nothing.

That is because CHC apparently feels that the House Bill as written pretty well guarantees the coverage. Look:

Asked if CHC leaders will ask Pelosi to specifically spell something out in the bill to address illegal immigrants, the Member said no. Rather, the Member said the CHC simply wants to make sure the bill � as drafted � doesn’t prohibit illegal immigrants from accessing care.
– Roll Call

Our allies on the Hill have been making just this point. Speaker Pelosi and others have been trying to say that the House plan doesn’t cover illegal aliens because it doesn’t specifically say that it does. Our allies, however, point out that unless legislation specifically bars illegal aliens from anything — and requires verification — illegal aliens always end up getting the benefit.

The fact that the Hispanic Caucus appears to be satisfied with the language the way it is suggests that our allies are right.

This bears repeating! Obama, Reid, Pelosi, and the rest of the Democrats and the Hispanic Caucus intend to pass a HEALTHCARE BILL that gives BENEFITS TO ILLEGAL ALIENS!

We will have enough trouble providing healthcare benefits to US citizens! US citizens are not OBLIGATED to support ILLEGAL ALIENS!

The cost will be 20 million (including their children including ANCHOR BABIES) X $7,000 = $140 BILLION EACH YEAR to provide healthcare for illegal aliens. At the same time, they take jobs from US citizens and legal residents, have a high birth rate, and will bring in their extended families via further immigration to balloon this cost to over $250 BILLION EACH YEAR over the next 15 years (not adjusted for inflation).

JOIN NUMBERSUSA at http://www.numbersusa.com! It is free and they provide excellent programs to fax your discontent to President Obama and members of Congress!

Join NUMBERSUSA to help stop this healthcare bill granting benefits to illegal aliens at a HIGH COST TO US CITIZENS!

jo seephus

July 27th, 2009
6:59 am

Since you are so interested in numbers, post the approval ratings of Pelosi, Reid, and the rest of group Graham likes to slap backs with. Always amazes me you libs are experts at knowing how to conservatively get our party on the right track. So it is “ideology” that prohibits one from casting a “no” vote. Let’s unearth some archived articles to see if similar articles were posted about Hussein Obama when he voted for partial birth abortion, tax increases, and legalizing illegals to get his party out of the left lane.

N.J.

July 29th, 2009
8:01 pm

As goes the Republican Party, so goes the U.S. Economy. The European Union passed the U.S. as the worlds largest economic zone a few years back with a net budget surplus, as well as a total economy of 18.394 trillion dollars in 2008 compared to the U.S. at 14.264 trillion. Of course it also has become the worlds largest market, the largest exporter. Manufacturing industries and jobs which have left the United States are all alive and well in the largest nations of the European Union and in particular Germany. Deducting internal trade, the European Union is the worlds largest exporter, with 1.7 trillion in exports followed by Germany with 1.53 trillion in exports. China follows with 1.4 65 trillion and the U.S. comes in fourth place with 1.377 trillion.

The largest reason for Europe passing the U.S. ? Its businesses do not have health care to worry about.

gzszfan1

September 2nd, 2009
12:03 pm

Congratulations, what the right words … great idea