Something to keep in mind after reading Newt Gingrich’s defense of Mandela

In case you missed it, that defense is here. While Newt’s anti-apartheid history seems pretty legit, he still doesn’t get let off on the charge of hypocrisy, as this story from New Year’s Eve 2011 demonstrates.

Associated Press: Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich blasted the Justice Department for blocking a South Carolina voter identification law and suggested the Obama administration wants to “steal elections.”

During a campaign stop in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the former House speaker questioned why Attorney General Eric Holder is “so determined not to identify if people are not eligible to vote”

Gingrich went on to say that, “you have to ask, why is it that they are desperate to retain the ability to steal elections and I think that’s what it comes down to.”

The Justice Department recently rejected South Carolina’s law requiring voters to show photo ID at polling places as discriminatory against minorities. Republicans argue stricter voter ID laws are needed to avert voter fraud.

Gingrich was the big beneficiary of voter fraud in 2012, not Obama. Hypocrisy abounds.

So yeah, Newt was a passionate defender of the rights of black people — so long as those black people were way the hell and gone over in South Africa. When it came to the rights and freedoms of people here at home… Well, you know, screw that.

[photo by Gage Skidmore]

News Roundup for 5/16/12

Potentially the world's worst lifeguard

-Headline of the Day-
"Poll: Walker Leads Barrett By 6 Points In Wisconsin Recall."

The Wisconsin recall election is just around he corner and Gov. Scott Walker has the lead -- 50%-44%. It's a Marquette University poll, which is pretty solid. "Three polls out in the last few days show a very consistent picture," writes Josh Marshall. "Gov. Scott Walker has a small but solid lead over Democrat Tom Barrett in the Wisconsin recall election. The TPM Poll Average has it at Walker 50.5% to Barrett 44.2%."

But don't worry, the Democratic National Committee is going to help -- yay! According to Buzzfeed, "DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz will visit Wisconsin this month to campaign with Walker's challenger — but there's still no indication that the Wisconsinites can expect more help than that."

Basically, Debbie's going to come to Wisconsin to hold a fundraiser for Democratic challenger Tom Barrett. Which is just real sharp thinking. We've been at this for months -- we're tapped out. We're kind of the ones who need the help here. This is like Sarah McLachlan asking the sad dogs in her sad dogs ad to please help the sad dogs in her sad dogs ad. A little out of state money wouldn't be out of order here. I'm not sure Schultz understands what "help" actually means.

It's a good thing Debbie's not a lifeguard. If she saw someone drowning, she'd just holler, "Swim!" (Talking Points Memo)


-The logic behind licensing-



Don't worry, if that were really true, North Korea would have a rogue gay marriage program. (Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal)


-Bonus HotD-
"The Joke Jimmy Kimmel Didn't Tell."

Kimmel to Howard Stern: "I had some jokes about -- like Rick Santorum. I said something like -- well, I didn't say it, but: Newt Gingrich's campaign is so dead Mitt Romney wants to baptize it and Rick Santorum wants to put it in a jar and show it to his kids." (Political Wire)

Stories to Watch: 5/2/12

Crap. I have to mow the yard tomorrow. I swear I'm getting me a herd of sheep. Now here's the news...


Newt Gingrich's campaign died as it lived -- with long-winded, self-important bloviation.


Ever needed an example of someone being a mindless, kneejerk reactionary? Mitt Romney's here to help.


Greg Sargent makes a good observation: embattled Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's spending literally millions on TV spots and it's not even quivering the needle on his polling numbers. Right now, things are tied up in that polling, but Walker seems to have run out of steam. For once, an overused election standby is actually true -- it's all going to be about turnout. Which is bad news for Walker, since the Tea Party's running out of steam too.


Oakland police seem to be really bad at learning from past mistakes.


Also in "police who really suck" news, the DEA forgets about a prisoner in a holding cell for nearly five days -- without any food or water.


Even Republicans are starting to realize the GOP economic policies are boneheaded.


Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is asking the FCC to pull Fox's broadcasting license. The law states that licenses may only be given to people of "good character" and have to be used "in the public interest." Rupert Murdoch fails on both counts. If the law were ever actually enforced, Fox News would be off the air in a heartbeat.


Mitt Romney can't stop bragging about how rich all his friends are.


Finally, Europe practices stark austerity and the result is the worst employment numbers in 15 years. America hasn't gone fullblown austere and we've got the best numbers in four years. Those are facts. Facts hate Republicans.

Related articles

• Obama in Afghanistan: Romney Faces Power of Incumbency
• No 'SNL' For Mitt Romney This Season, Says Lorne Michaels
• Walker's Wis. Lost Most Jobs in Nation

News Roundup for 5/2/12

Newt Gingrich, economic genius

-Headline of the Day-
"Newt Gingrich $4 Million in Debt; Staffers and Creditors Fume."

It's official: Noodles is out. But while his presidential campaign will finally fold up shop, his campaign debt is going to stick around for a while.

According to the report, Gingrich "finished March with $4.3 million in debts, an alarming increase from $1.5 million at the end of February, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission."

"The campaign owes Moby Dick Airways $1.1 million for travel and charter flights.; the Patriot Group, a Virginia security company, $449,502 for helping to protect the candidate; and McKenna, Long and Aldridge, a law firm with offices in Atlanta, $183,658 for legal services, the reports show," the report goes on. Smaller businesses are getting screwed too.

"We floated quite a bit of money -- a lot of out-of-pocket costs that we covered," said Ryan Driscoll of Pro-Production Services, a stage, light, and sound company. "I am a little worried. Nobody wants to lose 32 grand."

For their part, Romney and the Republican Party have "offered to be helpful in retiring Gingrich's debt."

Would that be a bailout? I do believe it would be. Huzzah for fiscal sanity! (ABC News)


-The VP search is on-



An intriguing sign... (GoComics)


-Bonus HotD-
"Wife Of Key Legislator Behind North Carolina’s Anti-Gay Amendment Claims It Would Protect The ‘Caucasian’ Race."

I'm not extremely clear on how this works. Are we sure Jodie Brunstetter knows we're talking about gay marriage here? I think she might be getting her bigotries mixed up. (ThinkProgress)

Stories to Watch: 3/23/12

Rainy. Like spring should be, It's been like early summer around here lately and it's got me more than a little worried. What is actual summer going to be like? Now here's the news...


If Sarah Palin's had a lasting effect on American politics, it's in campaigns going out of their way to make sure their VP picks aren't complete morons.


Democratic Wisconsin state Senator Jim Holperin announces he won't seek reelection. He's from Eagle River, which is way the hell and gone up by the Upper Peninsula. It's outdoorsman vacation country, so it's a mix of conservatives and environmentalists. That race could probably go either way. Right now, the senate is split 16-16, with the recent retirement of Republican Pam Galloway, so this could really put everything up for grabs. In case you're wondering, Holperin survived a recall attempt, so it's not likely that reelection trouble was the reason for the retirement.


Is Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman a flight risk?


Old and tired: "Obama is Hitler!" New and fresh: "Obama is Ahmadenijad!"


A new poll shows Santorum's lead in Wisconsin evaporated and Romney way ahead -- a complete reversal of earlier polling. The problem is that it's a Rasmussen Poll, so I'd take it with a healthy-sized dose of salt.


A new way in which the Republican's budget plan from Paul Ryan is just god awful.


Newt Gingrich disagrees with Newt Gingrich on biofuels.


The Obama campaign team embraces the term "Obamacare." I say we keep it forever. What if Medicare were more commonly known as "Johnsoncare" or Social Security was "FDRetirement?"


Finally, the recalls here in Wisconsin are overshadowing even the upcoming GOP primary.

Related articles

• Newt Gingrich's racist campaign is dying (thehill.com)
• Recalled Wisconsin State Senator Quits (lezgetreal.com)
• Battle of addition: 157 days until GOP convention (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
• Piers Morgan Asks Newt Gingrich: 'Isn't This Stand Your Ground Law A Lot Of Old Nonsense?' (mediaite.com)

News Roundup for 3/20/12

Newt Gingrich

-Headline of the Day-
"Gingrich says actor Robert De Niro’s racially themed first lady joke 'inexcusable.'"

At a New York fundraiser, famed juggler and Marilyn Monroe impersonator Robert De Niro made the introduction for First Lady Michelle Obama. It was a terrible, shocking crime unparalleled in human history. In his introduction, De Niro said, "Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now, do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?" Everyone laughed, because it's all backwards and absurd and what you call your "comedy."

I know! It's awful right?

Anyway, Newt Gingrich caught wind of this and began firing off victim cards. "What DeNiro said last night was inexcusable, and the president should apologize for him," Noodles said. "It was at an Obama fundraiser, it is exactly wrong, it divides the country. If people on the left want to talk about talk show hosts, then everybody in the country should hold the president accountable when someone at his event says something that is as utterly and terribly unacceptable as what Robert De Niro said."

Because, of course, comments like this are what led to the horrors of institutional white slavery, the WASP holocaust, and... I don't know, the Hindenburg or something. White people have it bad enough without everyone going around pointing out the shameful fact that they're white. Call his wife white will you? Why, prepare to defend yourself, sir!

And this is just like what happened with Sandra Fluke and Limbaugh, as Noodles points out. After all, Rush went on a three day rant about how Fluke was a "slut" and a "prostitute," with guys lined up around the block and all the commies were all up in arms. Now De Niro spends two seconds to call his wife white and not a peep. The hypocrisy!

Know ye, Mr. Big Hollywood liberal, that the Righteous Wrath of Noodles is upon thee! Woe be unto thee as ye are smothered beneath a stack of victim cards! And it be unending, with attacks like unto the number of stars in the sky. No, there will be no surcease, ye will find no respite, until that very day that ye croak out thine final utterance: "Forgiveth me, Noodles!"

Or until Newt figures out that this is all unbelievably lame and he's getting zero traction from it. Then this will be the last anyone ever hears of it. (The Hill, with Gingrich rage-gnome video)


-Wall Street business culture-



"Ethics? What's that?" (Truthdig)


-Bonus HotD-
"Fat Chicago Cop Chokes Kid Out to Rousing Applause of 'Fox Nation.'"

The conservative base explained: they're all pretty much just assholes. (Wonkette)

News Roundup for 3/16/12

2012 is starting to seem very familiar

-Headline of the Day-
"Romney, Santorum Stir Less Enthusiasm Than McCain Did."

Remember back in 2008, when all the Republicans were all like, "Oh crap, I guess I have to vote for John McCain?" Well, it turns out that GOP voters in 2012 are feeling even more oh-crapper than they did then.

According to the report, "A little more than one-third of Republicans say they would vote 'enthusiastically' for either Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum if either candidate were to win their party's nomination for president. Slightly fewer say they would vote enthusiastically for Newt Gingrich. This level of enthusiasm is similar to Republicans' feelings about voting for Romney in early 2008, but lower than the enthusiasm level for that year's eventual GOP nominee, John McCain." In fact, enthusiasm for Mitt Romney was about where it was in 2006, when he -- you know -- lost.

If you ask me, you can blame Super PACs here. They've bought contests all over the country and the people the billionaires want don't really match up with what the people want. To be fair, what those people wanted seemed to be Herman Cain, but then he went and turned out to be a serial buttpincher and that ruined that dream.

Still, it doesn't seem very likely that the GOP electorate would go from Herman Cain to Mitt Romney all on their lonesome. Mittens has been winning races not because everyone thinks he's so awesome, but because he and his Super PAC buddies have been running "don't vote for Mitt's opponent -- he's even worse than Romney!" ads. People are settling for what they see as the lesser of two evils -- which is kind of tough, since those evils are like Satan and Beelzebub.

Of course, there's still a way to juice things up again come the general. It's the John McCain way: grab some random featherheaded lunatic who knows all the empty talking points and buzzwords by heart as a running mate, then hope they aren't exposed as a lightweight before election day.

Romney-Hannity 2012! (Gallup)


-On a related note-



"Now go ahead and pledge allegiance to the Koch brother, kids -- or do you hate America?" (McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"GOP Strapped to the Roof of Romney's Car."

File under "Perfection in Metaphors." (Political Wire)

Stories to Watch: 3/11/12

Welcome to "Stories to Watch" -- brought to you by Barney's Butt-Crack Balm and the Syrian Tourism Board. Now here's the news...


John McCain thinks it's unfair that President Obama would be mean to people who want to charge headlong into war with Iran. Keep in mind that this is a guy who's never voted against any type of military action ever. Someone needs to be mean to you, Senator. Your foreign policy toolbox is a little spare.


Also from McCain, he claims that Sarah Palin was "the best qualified" to be Vice President.


Kathleen Geier, who covers Washington Monthly's Political Animal blog on weekends, makes on observation on the gusher of advertisers leaving Limbaugh's show; it demonstrates that our poisonous national discourse is not beyond repair.


Even the hardcore Libertarian, Koch-funded Cato Institute says that President Obama isn't to blame for high gas prices. The words "supply" and "demand" pop up in their report. Note to Republicans and Fox News: you might want to look those two words up. They're really important in economics.


Some American psycho goes on a shooting spree in Afghanistan, killing at least 16 people -- including children. In response, Newt Gingrich calls for the withdrawal of troops from that country. You read that right.


Team Obama moves quickly to capitalize on the GOP's War on Women, which is bleeding women voters from that party.


Finally, a proposal for a new rule for legislators: if it's too gross to be printed in a newspaper, you shouldn't pass laws do it to a woman. Deal?

Related articles

• Greg Mitchell: Game Change As It Happened: When Tina and Amy Nailed Sarah Palin (huffingtonpost.com)
• Super Tuesday leaves McCain worried about November (cbsnews.com)
• Lauren Brown Jarvis: My Live Blog of Game Change (huffingtonpost.com)
• Mark Joseph: John McCain's Game Change (huffingtonpost.com)

Stories to Watch: 3/7/12

Thinking about making another batch of english muffins. If I get started tomorrow, I'll be out by the time their finished. Now here's the news...


#stopkony


After all the brouhaha, TLC's All-American Muslim is cancelled after one season. It was pulled because it sucked -- turns out they really were just boring, normal midwesterners -- but expect wingnuts to claim some sort of boycott victory.


As big of a jerk in victory as he is in defeat, Newt Gingrich's Super Tuesday Georgia victory speech included an Obama "quote" pulled straight out of Newt's ass.


Andrew Breitbart's swan song continues to be a big pile o'nuthin'. Note to political celebrities: don't make empty threats, because you might die and then your fans will ask to see your cards.


Shelly Bachmann continues to be insane.


An entire ad agency drops Limbaugh.


Warn the neighborhood: STAR WARS IS GAY!! Won't someone please think of the children?


Finally, Newt seems to be writing off Kansas entirely.

Related articles

• Georgia Win Keeps Newt Alive (newser.com)
• Ron Paul Is Night's Big Loser (newser.com)
• Super Tuesday results 2012: Mitt Romney says he feels 'pretty darn good' after 6 wins (dailymail.co.uk)
• TLC cancels 'All-American Muslim' (variety.com)

News Roundup for 3/6/12

More popular than Newt Gingrich

-Headline of the Day-
"Romney Rebounds Among Conservatives, But GOP Contenders All Stay Underwater."

It's Super Tuesday, so gather the children round the Super Tuesday for Super Tuesday dinner and regale them with stories of how the Super Tuesday winner is bound to be the most popular person in all the land -- because lying to kids on holidays is some sort of holiday tradition.

See, new polling shows that while Mitt Romney's made some ground with conservatives after winning in Arizona and Michigan, everybody else still hates him. And if it's not Mittens who comes out on top tonight? Doesn't matter. When it comes to GOP primary candidates, we hate all of them.

According to the report, "All four Republican contenders remain underwater in overall favorability in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll, marking the difficulties the survivor may face against Barack Obama. More Americans hold negative than positive views of Romney by a 10-point margin, Rick Santorum by 8 points, Ron Paul by 9 points and Newt Gingrich by a whopping 33 points."

Yeah, we really don't like Newt. I'll wait a moment until you're done laughing at him.

Done?

Now?

Still, really?

OK, we have to move on. Anyway, things don't look good from a historical standpoint here. The article tells us, "[A]s noted in previous reports, all are well below the levels of popularity attained by previous candidates -- John McCain and Obama among them -- at about this stage of their own nomination battles."

So let's see glued to our TV sets and watch as Republican voters in ten states try to decide which hated public figure they're going to have to settle for (ABC News)


-Desperate times call for...-



Click for full strip

I don't think it would help. (GoComics)


-Bonus HotD-
"President Mocks Fox News Reporter’s Question About Gas Prices."

In answer to Fox News White House Reporter Ed Henry's question about whether he actually wanted gas prices to rise, President Obama said, "Ed, just from a political perspective, do you think the President of the United States, going into reelection, wants gas prices to go up even higher? … Is there anybody here who thinks that makes a lot of sense?"

Interestingly, the words "stupid," "fucking," or "question" were not used in that response. (Talking Points Memo)

Stories to Watch: 2/25/12

I haven't made english muffins for a while. I've got some starter that I have to use up, so maybe that's what I'll do with it. Now here's the news...


Rick Santorum says that wanting every kid to be able to go to college makes President Obama a "snob." In addition to the absurdity of this statement, we can add a little hypocrisy. Rick's old Senate campaign website promises the candidate is "committed to ensuring the every Pennsylvanian has access to higher education." What a snob!


Liberal activist plan to use Michigan's open primary to put Santorum over the top and sink Romney. Voter mischief generally doesn't work, but this looks like it's going to be a tight one, so you never know.


The bird flu probably isn't as deadly as we first thought it was.


The LA Times plans to put up a paywall. You can read 15 free stories every 30 days, which is probably more than I read it now. People in California might feel a bit of a pinch, though.


Finally, Newt "Make the Moon a US State" Gingrich thinks Obama's reference to synthetic fuels made from algae is "weird." It's probably a bad idea from a climate standpoint, but it can be done. This is more of an example of being contrary just to cook up an issue than anything.

Related articles

• Santorum: Obama "A Snob" For Wanting All Americans To Go To College (buzzfeed.com)
• daveeza: AWOOOGAH!!! Conservatives Start To Sound The Alarm Over Rick Santorum's Extremism | TPM2012 (2012.talkingpointsmemo.com)
• The Politico Catches Rick Santorum in a Lie (themoderatevoice.com)
• No Really, Rick Santorum Can't Beat Barack Obama (usnews.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/23/12

Running a little late tonight. Now here's the news...


The Republican Attorneys General of seven states join in a lawsuit over the contraception coverage rule. Noticeably missing is Wisconsin, whose Republican Party had previously not been shy to fight the dreaded Obamacare in court. Guess they figure they're on shaky enough ground already.



This is actually kind of surprising: the Virginia Senate has put Republicans' "personhood bill" on hold for a year, effectively killing it for the time being -- and possibly forever. It was a deliberately unconstitutional bill designed solely to get Roe v. Wade back into the courts for a do-over and, as such, the entire effort has been a huge waste of taxpayers' money.


Newt's campaign looks like a scam.


Some people are wondering if Mitt Romney and Ron Paul have some sort of deal, since they seem to have ganged up on Rick Santorum last night. While it's purely speculation, I'm going to go ahead and say no. I think I'm just playing the odds here. Ironically, a seeming Romney/Paul alliance is probably evolution among evolution-deniers. Ron and Mitt have the same main competitor (Newt's a has-been now), so they have the same goal. It's entirely logical that they'd both exploit that to their own advantage, by capitalizing on each others' attacks on Rick. Game theory, really. It's like two guys in a barfight with the same person; one guy knocks him down, then the other sees the opportunity to give the downed man a boot. They didn't plan any of this out beforehand, it just sort of unfolds that way. People who think otherwise may be watching too much Survivor. Ideologically, Ron and Mitt seem to have about the least common ground of all the candidates.


Of course, all that doesn't keep Rick from doing a little exploiting of his own.


Santorum has a lead -- albeit a seriously anemic one -- in Michigan.


Allen West complains about the price of gas -- while driving an insanely huge Hummer. Remember when conservatives used to talk about "personal responsibility?" Yeah, those were the days.


Finally, Mitt Romney's new tax plan makes no sense at all.

Related articles

• Mitt Romney may have beaten Rick Santorum - but it came at a price (dailykos.com)
• Mitt Romney says Rick Santorum is an unprincipled political hack (dailykos.com)
• US politics live: Arizona debate fallout sees Romney up and Santorum down (guardian.co.uk)
• Did Rick Santorum Blow the Arizona Debate? (usnews.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/20/12

Heads up: I probably won't be blogging at all Wednesday, because I've got an important errand to run that'll probably eat up the whole day. Now here's the news...


Gallup gives Rick Santorum a substantial national lead over Mitt Romney. But the latest poll in Michigan shows his lead there has completely evaporated. It's now a tie.


Meanwhile, Rick's spending a lot of time "clarifying" the stupid and insane things he says.


Republicans sure do love their racism, don't they?


23 years, 500 episodes -- I think The Simpsons must be the most successful spinoff in the history of television.


Republican voters definitely do not want a brokered convention.


Romney's Super PAC blew through $14 mil. last month.


Finally, Santorum says liberals are "anti-science," because we don't want to use up the Earth's resources in a big hurry and pollute everything. In other words, if you don't want to do something that science tells you is absolutely stupid, that means you're against science. Black is white, up is down, and Rick Santorum's a freakin' genius.

Related articles

• Romney Making A Comeback In Michigan? (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Why a Republican Political Savior and a Brokered Convention Is Unlikely to Happen (themoderatevoice.com)
• Rick Santorum Leads National Polls, But When Will The Roller Coaster Stop? (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Talk of Brokered Convention May Be Just That (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/17/12

Friday. Too lazy to say anything else about it. Now here's the news...


As expected, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoes a marriage equality bill.


A judge denies Wisconsin Gov. Walker's request that the recall be delayed.


The GOP may find their contraception stance pretty expensive come election day.


To provide cover for that stance, at least one Republican resorts to just making stuff up.


It pays to remember that Pat Buchanan is just awful.


About that "failed stimulus."


It's starting to look like Romney's really in trouble and top GOPers are panicking.


Gingrich's Sugar Daddy isn't abandoning him quite yet. I'm not really all that surprised. No one expected Gingrich to win -- not even Sheldon Adelson. The billionaire 's contributions have been message money, not candidate money. He wants GOP candidates to talk about the things Newt Gingrich talks about. I mean, come one, the guy's a freakin' casino magnate -- he knows a losing bet when he sees one.


Finally, how insane is Rick Santorum? If he was telling the truth in 2008, he believes that Satan is using protestant churches to destroy America. That crazy enough for you?

Related articles

• Newt Gingrich sugar daddy Sheldon Adelson to cough up another $10 million (dailykos.com)
• Sources: Adelson met Newt, then Mitt (politico.com)
• Gingrich to get another $10M from Adelson (cbsnews.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/15/12

Have I plugged the Superfeed lately? Every item today comes from it, with the exception of the dog show story. I've come to rely on it. Now here's the news...


How completely insane are the CPAC wingnuts? This insane. Be advised, these are the people the GOP gets their marching orders from these days -- totally batshit-crazy nutjobs.


More fun with rightwing insanity: according to Fox, liberals want birth control as part of an anti-poverty genocide.


Iowa Republicans consider a completely unconstitutional total ban on abortion.


Rick Santorum comes out against the entire concept of health insurance. No, seriously. And this clown's polling better than Romney? Really?


An adorable little dust mop takes the top slot at the Westminster Dog Show. Not politics, but all work and no play...


The GOP is really serious about their suicidal stance on contraception coverage.


Mississippi Republican Becky Currie's plan to make undocumented people stink.


Mittens is both pro- and anti-porn. I'm pro-porn and booze and generally every vice that doesn't require a needle in your arm. It's what you call your "liberty." Seriously, look up the term "libertine" sometime. Pick the right side, Mitt. Embrace your pornographer funding.


Finally, embattled Wisco Gov. Scott Walker seeks to ride Obama's coattails. Tells you all you need to know about the way this "swing state" will probably swing.

Related articles

• Romney Protest Held Outside Westminster Dog Show (abcnews.go.com)
• Dog-on-roof story earns Romney boos outside Westminster show (mercurynews.com)
• Milbank: Republicans need to work on anger management (goerie.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/7/12

Once again, nothing much to say about what's happening around here. Pretty boring today. Now here's the news...


California's Prop. 8 banning marriage equality is ruled unconstitutional, so Mittens and Noodles shriek, "Judicial activism!" National Review's Maggie Gallagher surprises no one by playing the victim card. Expect more big piles of stupid from the right in coming days.


Another poll shows Romney slipping, with Obama opening up a lead. Meanwhile, Rick Santorum may enjoy a good night in the GOP primary fight.


One of those possible wins would be meaningless, however, as the Missouri GOP can't get their act together.


Meanwhile, Mittens says the contests tonight aren't all that important and he probably won't win, so please media, pay them no never mind.


This could turn out to be marvelously entertaining: Occupy CPAC! What happens when a bunch of protesters disrupt a gathering of paranoid sociopaths barely tethered to reality? Let's watch and see.


America acquires Extreme Marshmallow Cannon technology. Our enemies tremble.


A former aide to embattled Wisconsin Gov. Walker pleads guilty to campaigning on the public's time.


Finally, Alabama Republicans try to deal with the aftermath of their own disastrous anti-immigration law.

Related articles

• Celebrities React to Prop 8's Unconstitutional Ruling (justjared.buzznet.com)
• As One-Half of One of the 18,000 Same-Sex Marriages Performed in California Before Prop 8 Revoked the State's Gay Marriage Powers... (slog.thestranger.com)
• What Mitt'll Say About Prop 8 Now (esquire.com)
• MO-2012 Primary: 45% Santorum, 32% Romney, 19% Paul (PPP 2/6) (huffingtonpost.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/6/12

I've got some stuff coming up later in the week, so if posting is occasionally spotty, you'll know what's going on. Now here's the news...


In his Florida victory speech, Mitt Romney said, "In another era of American crisis, Thomas Paine is reported to have said, 'Lead, follow, or get out of the way.'" Well, in the words of Socrates, "Mitt Romney's pulling stuff out of his butt again."


The NAACP calls on Pete Hoekstra to apologize for a Super Bowl ad featuring pidgin-speaking Chinese woman.


Rick Santorum literally looks back wistfully at the days of back-alley abortions. I don't think there's a GOP candidate out there I dislike more than Santorum. He's just an awful person.


Although Newt Gingrich runs a close second.


The White House takes a tough line with the GOP; if there are no moves toward tax fairness, deep defense department cuts will go ahead as planned.


Team Romney's explanation for low turnout is pretty ridiculous.


The House GOP leadership are asses.


Finally, the Romney campaign apparently no longer sees Gingrich as any kind of threat.

Related articles

• Mitt Romney Turns Attention to Santorum (Update 1) (thestreet.com)
• Pete Hoekstra spends big on Super Bowl ad that offends just about everyone (dailykos.com)
• Will Ron Paul be last rival standing to Mitt Romney? (csmonitor.com)
• A Memo For Romney: Other Quotes Thomas Paine Didn't Say (buzzfeed.com)

Stories to Watch: 2/4/12

It's a lovely April day here in Madison. It's February, you say? Tell it to the climate. Now here's the news...


Was the Komen/Planned Parenthood debacle the result of wingnuts believing their own BS talking points?


Newt Gingrich thinks you're really mad about Manhattan elites who "ride the subway" and write for "fancy newspapers." Gawker has a great video collection of the hoity-toity riders of the absolutely opulent NYC transit system. Watch out fancypants, we're on to you!


Also in Noodles news, is Gingrich out after Nevada? An email sent around to reporters schedules a post-Nevada press conference from 11pm to midnight. Gingrich is expected to lose badly in Nevada and people don't generally schedule their concession speeches. Believe it or not, this is probably not good news for Mittens.


Yet another birther case goes down in flames.


'Baggers really are hopelessly insane.


The swing state of New Hampshire swings strongly toward Obama.


Finally, after a brutal massacre in the city of Homs, President Obama demands that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down.

Related articles

• Santorum, Paul bypass Nevada caucuses, look ahead (sfgate.com)
• Nevada set for Republican vote (bbc.co.uk)
• Romney hopes for lopsided win in Nevada caucuses - CBS News (cbsnews.com)
• Homs massacre: 200 dead as Assad's troops pound Syrian city with mortars (dailymail.co.uk)

Stories to Watch: 2/1/12

Not much going on here. So we'll get right to it. Here's the news...


Mittens scrambles to repair his "not concerned about the very poor" comment. It's probably too late, though. It's the big story of the day. Newt dives on it.


It's looking like Bill Kristol has finally accepted reality; no new candidate will come riding to the rescue. His new hope is Rick Santorum. Kristol really seems to love lost causes.


Public Policy Polling backs up Kristol, to a degree. If either Santorum or Gingrich drops out -- but not both -- he could be in for some real rough weather.


Laziest Punditry of the Day goes the the Washington Examiner's Conn Carroll. Conn takes Gallup's state by state approvals for Obama and assigns states accordingly -- as if high disapprovals mean an automatic loss. If that were true, we be talking about entirely different candidates right now, because Bush wouldn't have won his second term.


Senate Democrats make the Buffet Rule public.


The filmmaker who made Gasland was arrested at a House GOP hearing aimed at whitewashing the effects of fracking and undoing what few EPA rules govern it.


Finally, Newt Gingrich really is completely insane.

Related articles

• Does Romney have a real vision for America? (cnn.com)
• 'Gasland' Filmmaker Josh Fox Arrested For Trying To Film Fracking Hearing (thinkprogress.org)
• House Republicans order arrest of 'Gasland' filmmaker Josh Fox (dailykos.com)
• In Op-Ed, Elizabeth Warren Hits Scott Brown and Mitt Romney For Opposing The Buffet Rule (thinkprogress.org)

News Roundup for 1/30/12

GOP primary race

-Headline of the Day-
"Gingrich memo downplays Florida; looks ahead to Super Tuesday."

Matt Lewis' piece begins, "An internal Gingrich campaign memo obtained by The Daily Caller shows the campaign is planning to continue long after Tuesday’s Florida primary, stating simply: 'this race is just getting started.'"

Now mind you, by "obtained," Lewis probably meant "sent from the Gingrich campaign, delivered as a singing telegram by a stripper, while a skywriter flew overhead writing, 'READ AND PUBLISH ASAP -- AND DON'T SAY IT'S A PRESS RELEASE!'"

Basically, the memo says that the person who wins in Florida will have "less than 10% of the delegates they need to claim the nomination." So who cares about Florida? Chumps, that's who. Newt can totally lose Florida and become the nominee -- in fact, the memo comes just short of saying that was the plan all along.

What follows is a whole bunch of delegate math, which is boring. Suffice it to say, as Team Noodles does, that the remaining primaries "essentially guarantee... that no candidate will secure the nomination anytime soon and the map quickly becomes more favorable for Gingrich."

Super Tuesday is the ticket. And then a couple races after Super T. So, like, March 31. Two months of brutal, mudslinging, bruising, money-burning, debilitating electoral combat and then we'll have a nominee.

I'm sure this calendar just terrifies the White House. (Daily Caller)


-Dark side of the Newt-



Click for full comic

Newt's got a really big melon, is what we're trying to say here. (Bad Report)


-Bonus HotD-
"Mitt Romney Is NOT the 1% … Mitt Romney Is the Top 0.0025%."

Mittens is that guy the rest of the 1% are jealous of. (Wonkette)