Friday, July 27, 2007
Vick and Ninnies
Madscribe:
My final word (well, almost) on the whole Vick-dogfighting thing. I find it amusing that two African-Americans (just so's y'all don't think I just beat up on white folk) that have made their fortunes by basically treating black people like dogs through cultural pollution, have joined forces with PETA and are jumping on the anti-Vick bandwagon.
Of course, jack legs like Sharpton and Simmons are thankfully on the decline thanks to the presence of men like Barak Obama, Cory Booker, Patrick Deval and others. I like how Sharpton has gone from black nationalist race hustler to ... multicultural race hustler by jumping on the PETA bandwagon ("Coming this fall to ABC, Al Sharpton starring in the new western, 'Have Camera, Will Travel'"). A progressive!!
No-talents like Sharpton and Simmons realize that black thought has surpassed (and is too diverse to ultimately submit to) the skin-fascist appeals of Sharpton types. Of course, the pimping game has gotten so tough that even Sharpton's brother-in-fascist-alms, Louis Farrakhan, is letting white people join his Nation of Islam (guess black folks got tired of being the only ones paying for the luxury cars and homes of Screwy Louis and his family).
All that to say, this is Vick's Maurice Clarett moment. The Virginia Code is explicit on dogfighting as an infraction, and there's allegedly too much evidence for Vick to play dumb about the whole matter (a felony in that state). The law is the law, no matter how stupid we think any state or federal law is (and laws protecting animals outside of a private property context are massively stupid to me).
Hopefully, in addition to good defense counsel and unlike Clarett, Vick stays the hell away from Jim Brown types and has a parent or morally significant other to whack him over the head for continuing to associate with bad crowds after finding professional success.
Advice to Vick: Do the white Democratic-Republican politician thing, give back the "dirty" money you made to a "clean" charity, go to "rehab" where you find Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, or Deepak Chopra; convert to vegetarianism, and tell the world you "changed." The American people love the publicly penitent, even if most Americans are moral hypocrites in their own damned private lives.
Finally, in response to those who thought I was too harsh in calling PETA (exactly what it is) an enabler of domestic terrorism (go look up the legal definition of "terrorism" in just about any federal or state code), I'll let you enjoy this little expose below from my favorite atheist, libertarian, meat-eating (but drug free) raconteur. Teach on, my white brothers!
Parts Two and Three, here and here ...
Update: My Ombudsman, EdMcGon has spoken and smacked me on the wet nose with a rolled newspaper. Change of venue, duly noted ...
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My final word (well, almost) on the whole Vick-dogfighting thing. I find it amusing that two African-Americans (just so's y'all don't think I just beat up on white folk) that have made their fortunes by basically treating black people like dogs through cultural pollution, have joined forces with PETA and are jumping on the anti-Vick bandwagon.
Of course, jack legs like Sharpton and Simmons are thankfully on the decline thanks to the presence of men like Barak Obama, Cory Booker, Patrick Deval and others. I like how Sharpton has gone from black nationalist race hustler to ... multicultural race hustler by jumping on the PETA bandwagon ("Coming this fall to ABC, Al Sharpton starring in the new western, 'Have Camera, Will Travel'"). A progressive!!
No-talents like Sharpton and Simmons realize that black thought has surpassed (and is too diverse to ultimately submit to) the skin-fascist appeals of Sharpton types. Of course, the pimping game has gotten so tough that even Sharpton's brother-in-fascist-alms, Louis Farrakhan, is letting white people join his Nation of Islam (guess black folks got tired of being the only ones paying for the luxury cars and homes of Screwy Louis and his family).
All that to say, this is Vick's Maurice Clarett moment. The Virginia Code is explicit on dogfighting as an infraction, and there's allegedly too much evidence for Vick to play dumb about the whole matter (a felony in that state). The law is the law, no matter how stupid we think any state or federal law is (and laws protecting animals outside of a private property context are massively stupid to me).
Hopefully, in addition to good defense counsel and unlike Clarett, Vick stays the hell away from Jim Brown types and has a parent or morally significant other to whack him over the head for continuing to associate with bad crowds after finding professional success.
Advice to Vick: Do the white Democratic-Republican politician thing, give back the "dirty" money you made to a "clean" charity, go to "rehab" where you find Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, or Deepak Chopra; convert to vegetarianism, and tell the world you "changed." The American people love the publicly penitent, even if most Americans are moral hypocrites in their own damned private lives.
Finally, in response to those who thought I was too harsh in calling PETA (exactly what it is) an enabler of domestic terrorism (go look up the legal definition of "terrorism" in just about any federal or state code), I'll let you enjoy this little expose below from my favorite atheist, libertarian, meat-eating (but drug free) raconteur. Teach on, my white brothers!
Parts Two and Three, here and here ...
Update: My Ombudsman, EdMcGon has spoken and smacked me on the wet nose with a rolled newspaper. Change of venue, duly noted ...
Labels: Al Sharpton, Domestic Terrorism, Michael Vick, PETA, Stupid Animal Rights and Dog Loving Idiots
For Whom the Bell Tills...
With each new "final report", the Pat Tillman story gets even less understandable -- and possibly more disturbing. Unfortunately, I don't have time right now to fully discuss this, but Josh Marshall's TPMuckraker site asks the horrifying question.
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Labels: Pat Tillman
Kudos to Costas
From Ronald Blum at theAssociated Press:
You gotta love Costas, don't you?
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"A day after Barry Bonds called him a "little midget man who knows (nothing) about baseball," broadcaster Bob Costas said he wasn't upset with the San Francisco Giants slugger and responded with a jab of his own.
"As anyone can plainly see, I'm 5-6 1/2 and a strapping 150, and unlike some people, I came by all of it naturally," Costas said Thursday in a telephone interview." "
You gotta love Costas, don't you?
Labels: Barry Bonds, Bob Costas
Spiderman vs. dead rabbits
When I saw this post by Andrew Farago over at livejournal.com, I thought this is one for the Thotsters.
Farago found an old Spiderman comic book from the 70's...distributed by Planned Parenthood! Fortunately, Farago posts the entire comic book for our reading pleasure (feel free to read it at the link above).
PLOT SPOILER AHEAD!
My only problem with this comic book is a slight contradiction in the plot. If the villain (Prodigy) is trying to get kids to have babies so he can snatch them, then how is Spiderman's following comment relevant?
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Farago found an old Spiderman comic book from the 70's...distributed by Planned Parenthood! Fortunately, Farago posts the entire comic book for our reading pleasure (feel free to read it at the link above).
PLOT SPOILER AHEAD!
My only problem with this comic book is a slight contradiction in the plot. If the villain (Prodigy) is trying to get kids to have babies so he can snatch them, then how is Spiderman's following comment relevant?
"He wants them to be baby machines! Changing diapars, going nowhere in dead-end jobs... Sitting home every night trying to find the time and money to go to a movie or buzz out to the burger stand."Perhaps I'm expecting too much to want a consistent plot from a "message" comic book?
Labels: Planned Parenthood, Spiderman
Open Thread
I better get the open thread out here before Rob gets upset. And we wouldn't want a child of the 60's like Rob to get upset...
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Labels: Open thread
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Stop The RT Presses ...
Madscribe has a kind words for A Certain Ethnic Candidate
Having finally caught a few highlights of the latest "debate" among Democratic candidates, a response by Senators Obama and Clinton to a question about Bush' idea of diplomacy and talking to "our enemies" caught my attention:
(Obama)
"The notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them, which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration, is ridiculous. Now Ronald Reagan, and democratic presidents like JFK constantly spoke to (the) Soviet Union at a time when Ronald Reagan called them an evil empire."
(Clinton reponse)
"Well, I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year. I will promise a very vigorous, diplomatic effort because I think it is not that you promise a meeting at that high a level before you know what the intentions are. I don't want want to be used for propaganda purposes."
Although he did so partly for purposes of oratorical triangulation, Obama is nonetheless correct to raise the name of Reagan in this critical time, particularly when we have a pseudo-conservative impostor in the White House who has totally trashed and destroyed not only the legacy of Ronald Reagan, but also obfuscated the importance of Reagan's moral motivations in using diplomacy in dealing with "enemies."
There's a time to talk, a time to fight, and a time to just be still. Intelligence is knowing what time you are in, at any given moment. Had Reagan shared the immoral acceptance of "innevitable war" that the Neo-cons love so much, he would have missed his historic moment to deal with Gorbachev in the late 1980s, and there's no telling how much more messed up our planet would be in the current age. A careful reading of the recently published diaries of the late president shows that he was no fan of the Neo-cons and their world view. The wisdom of Reagan and the failures of the current administration, as useful idiots for nihilistic ideologues, speaks for itself. As Obama rightly points out in citing Reagan, what is the use of a stupid international "macho" approach in dealing with trouble spots, when your approach simply doesn't and hasn't worked; indeed, has strengthened your enemies? Why NOT talk? We have nothing to lose because ... frankly, we're ALREADY losing!
Senator Clinton displayed a realpolitik understanding of current regimes and not offering too much, too soon (as her husband was wont to do) in trying to use non-gunboat diplomacy to instigate change.
Even though the previous statements occurred in the heat of two candidates trying to score points with a audience that was generally too moronic to understand the nuances of the statements, maybe a few Democrats and Independents will have the brains to see the truth underpinning both viewpoints and that the two positions are not mutually exclusive.
If Obama really understands the importance of his Reagan statement, rather than just name dropping to appeal to the "center," I might have to give the brutha some dap and order a bumper sticker or something ...
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Having finally caught a few highlights of the latest "debate" among Democratic candidates, a response by Senators Obama and Clinton to a question about Bush' idea of diplomacy and talking to "our enemies" caught my attention:
(Obama)
"The notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them, which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration, is ridiculous. Now Ronald Reagan, and democratic presidents like JFK constantly spoke to (the) Soviet Union at a time when Ronald Reagan called them an evil empire."
(Clinton reponse)
"Well, I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year. I will promise a very vigorous, diplomatic effort because I think it is not that you promise a meeting at that high a level before you know what the intentions are. I don't want want to be used for propaganda purposes."
Although he did so partly for purposes of oratorical triangulation, Obama is nonetheless correct to raise the name of Reagan in this critical time, particularly when we have a pseudo-conservative impostor in the White House who has totally trashed and destroyed not only the legacy of Ronald Reagan, but also obfuscated the importance of Reagan's moral motivations in using diplomacy in dealing with "enemies."
There's a time to talk, a time to fight, and a time to just be still. Intelligence is knowing what time you are in, at any given moment. Had Reagan shared the immoral acceptance of "innevitable war" that the Neo-cons love so much, he would have missed his historic moment to deal with Gorbachev in the late 1980s, and there's no telling how much more messed up our planet would be in the current age. A careful reading of the recently published diaries of the late president shows that he was no fan of the Neo-cons and their world view. The wisdom of Reagan and the failures of the current administration, as useful idiots for nihilistic ideologues, speaks for itself. As Obama rightly points out in citing Reagan, what is the use of a stupid international "macho" approach in dealing with trouble spots, when your approach simply doesn't and hasn't worked; indeed, has strengthened your enemies? Why NOT talk? We have nothing to lose because ... frankly, we're ALREADY losing!
Senator Clinton displayed a realpolitik understanding of current regimes and not offering too much, too soon (as her husband was wont to do) in trying to use non-gunboat diplomacy to instigate change.
Even though the previous statements occurred in the heat of two candidates trying to score points with a audience that was generally too moronic to understand the nuances of the statements, maybe a few Democrats and Independents will have the brains to see the truth underpinning both viewpoints and that the two positions are not mutually exclusive.
If Obama really understands the importance of his Reagan statement, rather than just name dropping to appeal to the "center," I might have to give the brutha some dap and order a bumper sticker or something ...
Labels: Barack Obama, Democratic 2008 Presidential, Hillary Clinton
The Perils of Alberto, Pt. XXIX
OK, it's one thing to have both Senate and House Democrats going after you. It's something else when even the director of the FBI has, um, a different recollection of events.
And the beat goes on...
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And the beat goes on...
Labels: Alberto Gonzales, corruption
Animal Whites Movement
Madscribe:
Sorry, but I couldn't let Ed's piling on the "Evil Vick" bandwagon go without rebuttal this morning.
I know it might be hard for millions of sports-loving, white male Republican types like Ed to fathom that many black athletes and folk have minds of their own and don't necessarily see eye-to-eye on issues of great import, such as the rights of animals (re: property) over those of black men, or that some of us don't consider homophobic, right-wing good l'il "behavin'" negroes like Tony Dungy to be the be all and end all of black male thought. I find it quite amusing, however, that an avid consumer of "jock culture" (fueled by the labor of black men like Vick) should all of sudden find that same culture which has brought him and others many hours of amusement to be the cause of American's Downfall. What other kind of culture other than "jock culture" IS THERE in organized sports?
For an independent black---and more intelligent---perspective on the whole Vick NON-controversy, I recommend this article by Dr. Boyce Watkins, a regular ESPN guest, who apparently has come to the same conclusion about (chiefly) white animal right activists and black athletes that I have.
Now to the degree that Vick has broken any federal or state laws on dogfighting, he has to pay the legal price. However, the whole moral superiority and smugness of some white journalists and politicians (and their negro sycophantic imps), including idiots like former black-male-lyching-Klan-member Robert Byrd, acting as if Vick is the equivalent of Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Hitler, and Stalin all rolled into one disgusts the hell out of me.
Apparently, to many white folk even in this day and age, blacks are not only sub-human, but now sub-animal, as well. To paraphrase a character in The Godfather, Part II, "they're animals anyway, they have no souls to lose."
And to any of you black-hating, misanthropic thugs at PETA (a domestic terrorist organization in my opinion) who might read this, I wish YOU WOULD even THINK about throwing some red paint on my leather coat. If you do, I'll gladly remind you that this is one vegan that's also a combat vet and has a lead pipe with your name on it ...
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Sorry, but I couldn't let Ed's piling on the "Evil Vick" bandwagon go without rebuttal this morning.
I know it might be hard for millions of sports-loving, white male Republican types like Ed to fathom that many black athletes and folk have minds of their own and don't necessarily see eye-to-eye on issues of great import, such as the rights of animals (re: property) over those of black men, or that some of us don't consider homophobic, right-wing good l'il "behavin'" negroes like Tony Dungy to be the be all and end all of black male thought. I find it quite amusing, however, that an avid consumer of "jock culture" (fueled by the labor of black men like Vick) should all of sudden find that same culture which has brought him and others many hours of amusement to be the cause of American's Downfall. What other kind of culture other than "jock culture" IS THERE in organized sports?
For an independent black---and more intelligent---perspective on the whole Vick NON-controversy, I recommend this article by Dr. Boyce Watkins, a regular ESPN guest, who apparently has come to the same conclusion about (chiefly) white animal right activists and black athletes that I have.
Now to the degree that Vick has broken any federal or state laws on dogfighting, he has to pay the legal price. However, the whole moral superiority and smugness of some white journalists and politicians (and their negro sycophantic imps), including idiots like former black-male-lyching-Klan-member Robert Byrd, acting as if Vick is the equivalent of Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Hitler, and Stalin all rolled into one disgusts the hell out of me.
Apparently, to many white folk even in this day and age, blacks are not only sub-human, but now sub-animal, as well. To paraphrase a character in The Godfather, Part II, "they're animals anyway, they have no souls to lose."
And to any of you black-hating, misanthropic thugs at PETA (a domestic terrorist organization in my opinion) who might read this, I wish YOU WOULD even THINK about throwing some red paint on my leather coat. If you do, I'll gladly remind you that this is one vegan that's also a combat vet and has a lead pipe with your name on it ...
Labels: Black Athletes, Michael Vick, So-called Jock Culture, Stupid Animal Rights and Dog Loving Idiots
Vick and the Jock Culture
From Jason Cole at Yahoo Sports:
Mike Vick...just...doesn't...get it.
Vick doesn't think think the allegations are a big deal. By extension, is it safe to assume he doesn't think dog fighting is a big deal? If he doesn't think being accused of fighting dogs is important, then how far of a stretch is it to believe he would actually do it?
While this may not be damning evidence, it certainly lends credence to the charges. But there is another side to Vick's state of mind: the jock culture.
We all have seen how jocks rarely have to face consequences for their off-the-field activities. We have all seen the DUI's, and speeding charges, and wife/girlfriend beatings, but how many times do jocks ACTUALLY get caught? I suspect it is a lot more times than we have been led to believe, but we will never know for certain if the police won't hold these kids accountable.
And childhood is where it starts. A kid is good at a specific sport in high school. But kids being kids, he does something wrong at school. The principal finds out, and covers it up, because the school's team is winning, thanks to this kid.
Maybe the kid is failing a class, so the principal puts a little pressure on the teacher to give the kid a passing grade.
By the time the kid is out of high school, he has only learned one thing: Do well at sports, and all other things will be forgiven.
In college, this lesson is only reinforced. Money, dinners, and gifts from alumni boosters only serve to ingrain the lesson. Of course, the campus police are always there to escort a star player back to his dorm room after he gets drunk and rapes some poor girl at a frat party.
On top of all this, the jocks all look after each other. That is part of the team mentality. Unfortunately, the jock culture almost elevates it to mafia-like similarities.
Consider all the current and former players who have come out in defense of Mike Vick:
Does anyone wonder where the phrase "dumb jock" comes from? Logic goes out the window when they have to defend one of their kind. Portis was downright defensive, Horn completely ignored the PR ramifications because he wants his teammate on the field, Sanders sounds like Oprah, and Smith is paranoid.
But why would great players like these reduce themselves to stupidity in order to defend the indefensible? Just as Vick doesn't see his own problems, neither do other players.
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"Until Monday, when [NFL Commissioner Roger] Goodell ordered [Falsons quarterback Mike] Vick to stay away from the team's training camp while the league reviews the federal dogfighting charges against him, at least one person close to Vick felt he didn't fully grasp the ramifications of his circumstances.
"I wouldn't say he's delusional about the problem, but I don't think he sees it as being as big a deal as everybody else," the associate said. "He thinks it's going to blow over eventually … He doesn't know how deep this goes.""
Mike Vick...just...doesn't...get it.
Vick doesn't think think the allegations are a big deal. By extension, is it safe to assume he doesn't think dog fighting is a big deal? If he doesn't think being accused of fighting dogs is important, then how far of a stretch is it to believe he would actually do it?
While this may not be damning evidence, it certainly lends credence to the charges. But there is another side to Vick's state of mind: the jock culture.
We all have seen how jocks rarely have to face consequences for their off-the-field activities. We have all seen the DUI's, and speeding charges, and wife/girlfriend beatings, but how many times do jocks ACTUALLY get caught? I suspect it is a lot more times than we have been led to believe, but we will never know for certain if the police won't hold these kids accountable.
And childhood is where it starts. A kid is good at a specific sport in high school. But kids being kids, he does something wrong at school. The principal finds out, and covers it up, because the school's team is winning, thanks to this kid.
Maybe the kid is failing a class, so the principal puts a little pressure on the teacher to give the kid a passing grade.
By the time the kid is out of high school, he has only learned one thing: Do well at sports, and all other things will be forgiven.
In college, this lesson is only reinforced. Money, dinners, and gifts from alumni boosters only serve to ingrain the lesson. Of course, the campus police are always there to escort a star player back to his dorm room after he gets drunk and rapes some poor girl at a frat party.
On top of all this, the jocks all look after each other. That is part of the team mentality. Unfortunately, the jock culture almost elevates it to mafia-like similarities.
Consider all the current and former players who have come out in defense of Mike Vick:
Clinton Portis (RB, Redskins): "It’s his property, it’s his dog. People should mind their business."
Joe Horn (WR, Falcons, from an interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution): "What upsets me is if you don't know Michael Vick or haven't talked to him about how he feels, you shouldn't talk about the man until he's proven guilty or exonerated. Let the system take care of itself and take its course...
I've spoken to him several times. Mike is saddened about the tension this is going to cause the team. I assured him I support him, the rest of the guys support him and the team supports him. Whether he's guilty or innocent or whether you believe he is, time will tell...
I think he should be around. The more he's around his family, his football family, his teammates playing football; it's what might help Michael Vick. I respect our commissioner but I don't think suspending him is going to help him. Michael wants to play football. He told me that over and over again. "I know what's going on but I need to be there playing and going through training camp to try and get through this." I told him over and over that good times will come again. Right now you're going through something and it's something you're going to have to go through."
Deion Sanders (former NFL cornerback, in an editorial on news-press.com): "What a dog means to Vick might be a lot different than what he means to you or I. Hold on, don’t start shaking your head just yet. Listen to me.
Some people kiss their dogs on the mouth. Some people let their dogs eat from their plate. Some people dress their dogs in suits more expensive than mine, if you can believe that.
And some people enjoy proving they have the biggest, toughest dog on the street. You’re probably not going to believe this, but I bet Vick loves the dogs that were the biggest and the baddest. Maybe, he identified with them in some way.
You can still choose to condemn him, but I’m trying to take you inside his mind so you can understand where he might be coming from."
Emmitt Smith (former NFL running back): "He's the biggest fish in the whole doggone pond so they're putting the squeeze on him to get to everyone else...Now, granted he might have been to a dogfight a time or two . . . but he's not the one you're after, he's just the one whose going to take the fall -- publicly."
Does anyone wonder where the phrase "dumb jock" comes from? Logic goes out the window when they have to defend one of their kind. Portis was downright defensive, Horn completely ignored the PR ramifications because he wants his teammate on the field, Sanders sounds like Oprah, and Smith is paranoid.
But why would great players like these reduce themselves to stupidity in order to defend the indefensible? Just as Vick doesn't see his own problems, neither do other players.
Labels: Michael Vick
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
D.C. residents need not apply
Jay Tea over at Wizbang has come across an interesting coincidence regarding years of federal political experience and who we elect for president:
Add this to the other traditional tendencies, such as no sitting senator has won the presidency since JFK, no Democrat from outside the South since JFK, and no Republican has won since Eisenhower who wasn't from California or Texas.
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"I haven't fully worked out how far back the trend goes, but it seems that when it comes to electing presidents, we tend to choose the candidate with the least Washington experience.
2004: Bush had four years, Kerry decades.
2000: Bush zero, Gore decades.
1996: Clinton four, Dole decades.
1992: Clinton zero, Bush over a decade.
1988 was an aberration, but come on -- it was MIKE DUKAKIS. I recall one political commentator (I think it was Dave Barry) announced that "the union of crazed loners announce they are sitting out this election. They urge anyone who feels enough passion to kill either candidate should seek professional help."
1984: Reagan with four years, Mondale with -- again -- over a decade.
1980: Reagan zero, Carter 4.
1976: Carter zero, Ford decades.
Is this a statistical aberration, or a sign that Americans tend to prefer outsiders and reject career Washington politicians? I'm not sure, but it definitely bodes ill for candidates like Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton (her term as First Lady will count, I think), Christopher Dodd, and John McCain, while encouraging to the likes of Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani, and Mike Huckabee."
Add this to the other traditional tendencies, such as no sitting senator has won the presidency since JFK, no Democrat from outside the South since JFK, and no Republican has won since Eisenhower who wasn't from California or Texas.
Labels: Presidential politics
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Ron Paul, George (No Ringo)
To celebrate the return of Madscribe to RAGGED THOTS, let's check last Sunday's New York Times Magazine feature on the honest, sane, maverick in the presidential primaries (Mike Gravel is a real joke). It's a very good and fair story by The Weekly Standard's Chris Caldwell.
My favorite passage -- just because it shows how Paul is not afraid to take on entrenched interests, regardless of their ideological allegiances:
Go, Ron, go!
UPDATE: Ross Douthat follows up Andrew Sullivan on the idea of Ron Paul being a significant spoiler if he chooses to run on the Libertarian line in '08.
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My favorite passage -- just because it shows how Paul is not afraid to take on entrenched interests, regardless of their ideological allegiances:
I also love the fact that the only big names to support his effort were Steve Forbes and Nolan Ryan!In the first days of 1995, just weeks after the Republican landslide, Paul traveled to Washington and, through DeLay, made contact with the Texas Republican delegation. He told them he could beat the Democratic incumbent Greg Laughlin in the reconfigured Gulf Coast district that now included his home. Republicans had their own ideas. In June 1995, Laughlin announced he would run in the next election as a Republican. Laughlin says he had discussed switching parties with Newt Gingrich, the next speaker, before the Republicans even took power. Paul suspects to this day that the Republicans wooed Laughlin to head off his candidacy. Whatever happened, it didn’t work. Paul challenged Laughlin in the primary.
“At first, we kind of blew him off,” recalls the longtime Texas political consultant Royal Masset. “ ‘Oh, there’s Ron Paul!’ But very quickly, we realized he was getting far more money than anybody.” Much of it came from out of state, from the free-market network Paul built up while far from Congress. His candidacy was a problem not just for Laughlin. It also threatened to halt the stream of prominent Democrats then switching parties — for what sane incumbent would switch if he couldn’t be assured the Republican nomination? The result was a heavily funded effort by the National Republican Congressional Committee to defeat Paul in the primary. The National Rifle Association made an independent expenditure against him. Former President George H.W. Bush, Gov. George W. Bush and both Republican senators endorsed Laughlin. Paul had only two prominent backers: the tax activist Steve Forbes and the pitcher Nolan Ryan, Paul’s constituent and old friend, who cut a number of ads for him. They were enough. Paul edged Laughlin in a runoff and won an equally narrow general election.
Republican opposition may not have made Paul distrust the party, but beating its network with his own homemade one revealed that he didn’t necessarily need the party either. Paul looks back on that race and sees something in common with his quixotic bid for the presidency. “I always think that if I do things like that and get clobbered, I can excuse myself,” he says.
Go, Ron, go!
UPDATE: Ross Douthat follows up Andrew Sullivan on the idea of Ron Paul being a significant spoiler if he chooses to run on the Libertarian line in '08.
Labels: GOP 2008 President, libertarian, Ron Paul
Jeri Curls Don't Ruffle When Heads Butt
Apparently, it is possible to have a "campaign shake-up" even when the "campaign" doesn't yet officially exist.
Fred Thompson's presidential whatever-you-call-it already dumps its top person. Tom Collamore may have set a record in the losing-a-fight-to-the-candidate's-wife category.
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Fred Thompson's presidential whatever-you-call-it already dumps its top person. Tom Collamore may have set a record in the losing-a-fight-to-the-candidate's-wife category.
Labels: Fred Thompson, GOP 2008 President
Is The NHL Happy...
...that nobody cares about the sport? Look what happens to the sports that have real fans in the U.S.:
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- MLB: Feds going after Barry Bonds over perjury in Balco steroid investigation.
- NFL: Feds going after Michael Vick over alleged dog fighting.
- NBA: Feds going after alleged point shaving and mob ties by ref.
- WWE: Feds looking into murder/suicide of professional wrestler (with steroid implications).
As long-time RT supporter ERA (who came up with the idea) says, "ESPN should launch a new channel with Court TV."
Labels: gambling, Sports, steroids
Spitzer Meltdown
In a remarkably quick turnaround, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo issues report reprimanding Gov. Eliot Spitzer (Cuomo's predecessor) for inappropriate use of State Police in a political dispute with Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.
Not in office eight months and already Spitzer is forced to toss his long-time spokesman overboard and "reassign" another flunky.
My Post colleague Fred Dicker takes a well-deserved victory lap.
What more this entails for the Spitzer administration.
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Not in office eight months and already Spitzer is forced to toss his long-time spokesman overboard and "reassign" another flunky.
My Post colleague Fred Dicker takes a well-deserved victory lap.
What more this entails for the Spitzer administration.
Labels: Andrew Cuomo, corruption, Eliot Spitzer
CNN/You Tube Review
Well, I'm in L.A. visiting my dad, who believes that cable is an expensive waste of time, so I'm learning how to live with things like, you know, broadcast TV. Needless to say, I didn't catch the debate. Anyway, Andrew Sullivan wraps up here and Ryan Sager (welcome back!) is on the case here.
It looks like Hillary did OK. Ho-hum, prepare for the coronation.
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It looks like Hillary did OK. Ho-hum, prepare for the coronation.
Labels: debates, Dem 2008 Presidential
Monday, July 23, 2007
No Report: You Decide!
Madscribe:
Ironically, as many YouTube links as I've posted on RT since RAG made me a contributor, I did not see one minute of tonight's "cutting edge technology" Democratic Debate on the web (I was enjoying the will-ful wonders of probate law class).
Being the well-informed populace that I know you are, I invite RT regulars to get me up to speed. Who do you think "won" the debate? Was it a worthwhile viewing, or one more rhetorically diffuse cluster-you-know-what? Does Bill Richardson finally have his own sexy singer on YouTube like "Obama-Girl"? (I envision a three-hundred-pound belly dancer with a veil, undulating to the tune of the Marvelettes' "Don't Mess With Bill")
Retiring minds want to know! Discuss amongst yourselves ...
UPDATE: After typing the above, I took a quick glance at Reason.com for some "libertarian insight" (albeit not of the Catholic type for RT regular, Rob). Apparently, my Richardson joke had a ring of truth as I'm seeing a confusing cloud of words that include the phrases "federal funding," "dance program," and "education." WTF?!?
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Ironically, as many YouTube links as I've posted on RT since RAG made me a contributor, I did not see one minute of tonight's "cutting edge technology" Democratic Debate on the web (I was enjoying the will-ful wonders of probate law class).
Being the well-informed populace that I know you are, I invite RT regulars to get me up to speed. Who do you think "won" the debate? Was it a worthwhile viewing, or one more rhetorically diffuse cluster-you-know-what? Does Bill Richardson finally have his own sexy singer on YouTube like "Obama-Girl"? (I envision a three-hundred-pound belly dancer with a veil, undulating to the tune of the Marvelettes' "Don't Mess With Bill")
Retiring minds want to know! Discuss amongst yourselves ...
UPDATE: After typing the above, I took a quick glance at Reason.com for some "libertarian insight" (albeit not of the Catholic type for RT regular, Rob). Apparently, my Richardson joke had a ring of truth as I'm seeing a confusing cloud of words that include the phrases "federal funding," "dance program," and "education." WTF?!?
I AIN'T SAYIN' SHE A GOLD-DIGGER: But Hillary Ain't Caught Up With Barak's Figure.
According to the Tuesday edition of the Financial Times of London (which, until Mr. Murdoch wrests control of the WSJ from its present owners, is my favorite business rag), Obama seems to be getting more "grassroots" funding from the financial sector than Clinton these days, particularly from hedge fund types. Considering that hedge funds are coming under closer scrutiny by SEC Chair Christopher Cox, maybe some of the not-so-poor are hedging their bets on the relative unknown in the hopes of buying future influence and doing an end-run around securities regulators? More on that later ...
Labels: debates, Democratic 2008 Presidential
NFC Preview
Time for the NFC Preview. (AFC Preview here)
Estimated wins this year are in parentheses:
NFC EAST
EAGLES (9 wins): The Eagles are the mark of consistency in this division. They haven't really improved any this year, but they aren't much worse either. Andy Reid has this team running like a well-oiled machine, as we saw last year when Donovan McNabb got hurt and Jeff Garcia stepped in easily. The Eagles are the team to beat in the East.
REDSKINS (9 wins): This team will live or die by QB Jason Campbell. If he improves significantly this year, they could easily win more than 9 games and blowout this division. However, I think he could be a solid quarterback who can put this team in playoff contention, possibly Super Bowl contention.
GIANTS (7 wins): Bye bye Tiki Barber. Bye bye Tom Coughlin. Hello Bill Belichick.
COWBOYS (6 wins): I feel it is safe to say Wade Phillips is a HUGE step down from Bill Parcells. The Cowboys highlight film this year should be titled "Ray Handley Does Dallas".
NFC NORTH
BEARS (10 wins): Exactly WHICH team in this division will challenge the Bears? Even losing Thomas Jones and (possibly) Lance Briggs will still leave the Bears strong enough to beat this division's sorry bunch of losers.
LIONS (7 wins): I will give GM Matt Millen credit: He got the best player in last April's draft. WR Calvin Johnson will be a legitimate superstar in the NFL. But even that won't be enough to save this sorry team.
VIKINGS (6 wins): Just four words: starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. Somewhere, Daunte Culpepper is laughing his butt off.
PACKERS (5 wins): Bret Favre getting another year older cannot be good for this team, even though he did play alright last year. Still, if I was playing for this team, I wouldn't feel like I was playing for a Super Bowl. I would feel like I was playing to get some old quarterback into the record books.
NFC SOUTH
SAINTS (12 wins): Actually, 12 wins might be a conservative guess. This team looks ready. Other than injuries, there is no reason this team can't win 14-15 games.
PANTHERS (8 wins): The Panthers are a good team, but not great. After a few mid to late season losses, expect the "Bill Cowher is going to the Panthers" rumors to start flying, and the Panthers will mail in the rest of the season.
BUCCANEERS (7 wins): If you look at all the quarterbacks on the Bucs preseason roster, there is one decent one: Jeff Garcia. The last time he started 16 games was 2002. He is 37 years old. Expect the Bucs to start strong with Garcia before he gets hurt.
FALCONS (5 wins): The Falcons will be a real "dog" this year. Seriously though, they have a new coach installing a new system and a quarterback with legal problems. The backup quarterback (Joey Harrington) is mediocre on his best days.
NFC WEST
49ERS (10 wins): This team will surprise a lot of people this year. Alex Smith is starting to become a good quarterback. Frank Gore may be the next Marshall Faulk. They picked up solid receivers in Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie, to go along with Arnaz Battle. TE Vernon Davis can only get better in his second season. The defense started to look better last year. This team will make the playoffs AND will contend for the Super Bowl.
RAMS (8 wins): The Rams will live or die by Steven Jackson. That said, I still see too many questions with their defense.
SEAHAWKS (7 wins): Mike Holmgren is looking like a strong candidate for the hot seat. This team won a weak division last year, and the main players aren't getting any younger.
CARDINALS (6 wins): The Cards got the right head coach. Now they just need an offensive line and a defense. If the Cards get any more than 6 wins, then you can call Ken Whisenhunt a genius.
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Estimated wins this year are in parentheses:
NFC EAST
EAGLES (9 wins): The Eagles are the mark of consistency in this division. They haven't really improved any this year, but they aren't much worse either. Andy Reid has this team running like a well-oiled machine, as we saw last year when Donovan McNabb got hurt and Jeff Garcia stepped in easily. The Eagles are the team to beat in the East.
REDSKINS (9 wins): This team will live or die by QB Jason Campbell. If he improves significantly this year, they could easily win more than 9 games and blowout this division. However, I think he could be a solid quarterback who can put this team in playoff contention, possibly Super Bowl contention.
GIANTS (7 wins): Bye bye Tiki Barber. Bye bye Tom Coughlin. Hello Bill Belichick.
COWBOYS (6 wins): I feel it is safe to say Wade Phillips is a HUGE step down from Bill Parcells. The Cowboys highlight film this year should be titled "Ray Handley Does Dallas".
NFC NORTH
BEARS (10 wins): Exactly WHICH team in this division will challenge the Bears? Even losing Thomas Jones and (possibly) Lance Briggs will still leave the Bears strong enough to beat this division's sorry bunch of losers.
LIONS (7 wins): I will give GM Matt Millen credit: He got the best player in last April's draft. WR Calvin Johnson will be a legitimate superstar in the NFL. But even that won't be enough to save this sorry team.
VIKINGS (6 wins): Just four words: starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. Somewhere, Daunte Culpepper is laughing his butt off.
PACKERS (5 wins): Bret Favre getting another year older cannot be good for this team, even though he did play alright last year. Still, if I was playing for this team, I wouldn't feel like I was playing for a Super Bowl. I would feel like I was playing to get some old quarterback into the record books.
NFC SOUTH
SAINTS (12 wins): Actually, 12 wins might be a conservative guess. This team looks ready. Other than injuries, there is no reason this team can't win 14-15 games.
PANTHERS (8 wins): The Panthers are a good team, but not great. After a few mid to late season losses, expect the "Bill Cowher is going to the Panthers" rumors to start flying, and the Panthers will mail in the rest of the season.
BUCCANEERS (7 wins): If you look at all the quarterbacks on the Bucs preseason roster, there is one decent one: Jeff Garcia. The last time he started 16 games was 2002. He is 37 years old. Expect the Bucs to start strong with Garcia before he gets hurt.
FALCONS (5 wins): The Falcons will be a real "dog" this year. Seriously though, they have a new coach installing a new system and a quarterback with legal problems. The backup quarterback (Joey Harrington) is mediocre on his best days.
NFC WEST
49ERS (10 wins): This team will surprise a lot of people this year. Alex Smith is starting to become a good quarterback. Frank Gore may be the next Marshall Faulk. They picked up solid receivers in Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie, to go along with Arnaz Battle. TE Vernon Davis can only get better in his second season. The defense started to look better last year. This team will make the playoffs AND will contend for the Super Bowl.
RAMS (8 wins): The Rams will live or die by Steven Jackson. That said, I still see too many questions with their defense.
SEAHAWKS (7 wins): Mike Holmgren is looking like a strong candidate for the hot seat. This team won a weak division last year, and the main players aren't getting any younger.
CARDINALS (6 wins): The Cards got the right head coach. Now they just need an offensive line and a defense. If the Cards get any more than 6 wins, then you can call Ken Whisenhunt a genius.
Labels: NFL
Sunday, July 22, 2007
"Mad" Dogs & Ed-lishmen
I'm on the road visiting Los Angeles and Santa Fe this week, so my posts will be erratic (if at all). Filling in will be blog regular Ed McGonigal and, the recently returned Madscribe! I'm sure you will treat them with the same deference and respect you do me! (Sorry, Ed; sorry, Mad!)
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