Keith Olbermann is my hero

I'll admit it, I have a news junkie crush on Olbermann. Tonight his commentary on Rumsfeld and his "moral or intelluctal confusion" speech made in Salt Lake City the other day was spectacular. He made the point that everyonne needs to look at what Rumsfeld said, regardless of where they fall in the political spectrum. Olbermann is right, for an administration of this country, the United States of America to call it's citizens fascits and compare us to Nazi collaborators is more than just hyperbole. It's unconscionable.

Olbermann reminded us that the administration, any administration are our employees; and temporary employees at that. It's time we really; and I mean everyone; question this administration, and the extreme right wing of the Republican party. Because they are no longer on the same page; hell they aren't even in the same book as the majority of Americans.

It's actually a very interesting time to be living in Salt Lake City (yes, that is an oxymoron) but the local news take on this past week and the visits of Rummy, Condi and Chimpy are the headlines. Cindy Sheehan was here but the local papers chose to cover a mother who lost her son in Iraq and stands with our president and the ridiculous "stay the course" claptrap the administration is spinning. It's made me think about how the other side sees it. The truth is the fear mongering still works on the faithful. When I mention to people here that we've gone from FDR and "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." to Chimpy and the only thing he has to sell is fear and "terra" they honestly have no idea what I'm talking about. It's scary. Anyway, it's late and I'm tired.

Keith Olbermann is my hero. Our democracy is a little bit stronger tonight because he dared to call Rumsfeld on his hubris and not treat it as a punchline; much like Begala on CNN and others. Thanks Keith!

The hubris of holy Joe

So, Lieberman lost the Connecticut primary and he's whining. He actually had the never to go on and on about the dirty tricks and nasty ads of the Lamont campaign. The only problem with that was he was the one who sounded shrill and nasty. He started the day off by claiming that the Lamont campaign hacked his website and brought it down. He talked about it all day; never once suggesting that it might have something to do with the fact that he was using a server with 10GB of bandwidth. In typical WATB style it had to be someone else's fault; Holy Joe is the victim here. No, Senator, the voters of Connecticut were the victim of your pomposity, and arrogance; and they have finally stood up to you and said NO MORE, go away, we don't want you to represent us anymore. You haven't truly represented the people of Connecticut for the past five years, and in their first opportunity to send you packing they did. Now take the hint and slink back under the rock the republican party has furnished so nicely for you.

Joementum

So, I'm watching Stephanopolous and Lieberman is going on and on about what a great senator he has been and that he's going to win the primary. The man is so out of touch and continues to say this primary is just about the war; he's been helped by the MSM. Fred Barnes from the Weekly Standard called him an icon in the Senate; well I think it's time for more real people and fewer icons. Lieberman continues to spin the lie that he has provided CT with jobs over his 18 years in DC it's a lie. He also had the nerve to say that the campaing has been nasty on both sides; from where I sit the only one I see slinging mud is Joementum. Lamont keeps bringing the conversation back to the issues. I have to say I am very confused as to how/why Lieberman has garnered the support of NARAL and Plannned Parenthood; one would think after his comment about rape victims being a short drive away from a hospital that would provide them with Plan B if they were taken to a Catholic Hospital who refused to help them. How is he a proponent of women's reproductive rights? It's apparent to me Senator Lieberman has not had any contact with rape victims nor can he empathize with the trauma that is inherent in such an absolute violation of body, mind and spirit. For most of us that should be reason enough to vote against Lieberman, in the primary, general election or anytime. It's unconscionable.

How racist are these guys?

Is it me or have members of the Republican party reverted to Jim Crow language? What is it with the sudden resurgence of the term "tarbaby"? I hadn't heard it in over twenty years and the last time I heard it I was taking a CompLit course on American Folklore. Suddenly, it seems to be a term that republicans are using with surprising frequency. First Tony Snow used it in his first official press-briefing and instead of apologizing after being called on it, proceeded to attempt to give the press corps a lecture on the history of the term. Yes, it was used in the Uncle Remus stories and yet pretty much faded from the public discourse after it was added to the unending list of racist terms. One would think after the brouhaha it caused any one with half a brain would stay away from the term. Apparently, Mitt Romney, the Governor of MA does not keep up with the news. He used the term on Monday to describe the "Big Dig" in Boston. When again there was an uproar over the use of the term; he claimed he had no idea anyone would find it offensive. Is he kidding me?

Romney was worried that people wouldn't vote for him because he's a Mormon; no need to worry about that now. No one will vote for him because he's a racist. So the guys from BYU who are following Mitt around making a documentary about a Mormon running for President and trying to prove that their religion isn't some sort of cult; might just as well pack up and go home. Romney's bid for president died a quiet bloodless death in Iowa the second he used the term tarbaby to describe the Big Dig.

Le Tour de France 2006

It's too bad so many Americans opted not to watch the Le Tour this year. Not only did an American win; to satisfy the ethnocentricity of most Americans; but it was the most spectacular Tour in memory. The yellow jersey was worn by 7 riders overall and at one point late last week the winner was counted out. It's nice to have a winner who actually had to do the work required to win the race and who didn't think that he deserved the win from the outset just because he's one it before. As you can tell I am not a Lance Armstrong fan; never have been. He's is an excellent stragegist and has his place in the record books. Now hopefully, we can watch a tour without the constant references to Armstrong, that I believe they do to keep the attention-deficit american audience, because heaven forbid we have to learn about some new athletes.

This years tour c'est fin and I am sad; yet it was a great one and one they will be talking about for years to come and with good reason. Pity so many on this side of the Atlantic missed it because Lance wasn't riding. For the first time in eight years there's a winner with a personality and that you don't feel the need to ask the judges to check for a pulse.

It looks like we may be winning

You know things are bad for the Republican party when Sir Charles Barkley says, "I was a Republican-until they lost their minds." Even more amazing the New York Post printed it.

I hear the voices

I am amazed that I seem to be the only person I know who is more disturbed by the President's comment that he "hears the voices" than the fact that he mangaled the
English language, again. "I'm the decider".

I think we should be looking at this man's mental state instead of focusing on his inability to speak his native language. I mean he says God told him to be President, he claims to answer to a higher father. Where I come from people who believe these things and say them out loud are usually sent to the lock-down unit for at least a 72 hour hold and evaluation.

We all know by now that this guy is an idiot; I think we need to be more comcerned with his mental state. We know he's an alcoholic without a program; he's told us as much. Like many folks I wonder about that twitchy jaw, last time I saw a jaw move like that I was hanging out with coke freaks. I see in his attitude the beligerance of an active alcoholic who believes whatever decision he makes is correct; even with evidence to the contrary. I have no doubt he is working on plans to take to war against Iran and this scares me; just because he's ready for the rapture doesn't mean the rest of us are.

I'm tired of hearing how well the economy is doing; it may be great for those with money in the market. but for those of us who work for a living it gets harder every year. Suddenly eveeryone is worried about illegal immigration; but only the illegal immigration of Mexicans and Central Americans. Think about it; there are plenty of illegal immigrants from Europe, Asia and the Middle East yet no one is complaining about them; the men who hijacked the planes on September 11, 2001 were not in this country illegally. They entered on valid student Visas, and let's be realistic Al-Queada is not pouring over the US-Mexico border. This is just one more Republican wedge issue in an important election cycle. Skeletor, Michael Chertoff, is talking tough about immigration; but guess what still has no comprehensive plan to secure our ports, nuclear power plants or mass-transit systems in this country. I often wonder how they have been able to get away with the tough on terror arguement. Correct me if I'm wrong but W. was in office when the largest loss of life at the hand of terrorists occurred in this country. Why anyone would think this bunch of chicken hawk, corporate apologists are helping to protect us is beyond me. Yes, they can say well we haven't been attacked since; and this is true. What they are forgetting is that between the first attack on the World Trade Center, who, by the way, were captured and tried; there was a span of eight years. In that time, the Clinton Adminstration stopped the planned attack on New York's bridges and tunnels; and captured the perpetrators of the attacks on the American Embassy in Nigeria. What exactly has the Bush administration done? They say they have stopped plota and yet refuse to give any details; if these guys had found anything concrete they would be shouting it from the rooftops.

I also don't understand this belief that republicans are better when it comes to war-all of these guys are chicken hawks they avoided and evaded military service in their youth how could they possibly know anything about military tactics?