Why 'It's in the Bible' is a shitty argument for hate

“Well, what Phil was saying in — he was reciting a part of the Gospel. The liberal left must feel that the Gospel, then, is insulting and offensive because Phil was just repeating what is in the Bible.”
—Sarah Palin, defending Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson’s homophobia by pretending that everything in the Bible fits within mainstream thought.

But, of course, that’s not true.

Deuteronomy 13:13-16 tells you to kill everyone in a town that worships a false god, then to pile up all their stuff and light it on fire. Does that mean that Sarah Palin believes we should nuke Tibet?

By this logic, it’s totally inoffensive to demand that rape victims be put to death. It would also be silly for anyone to get bent out of shape when you kill someone for using Tarot cards.And who could possibly object to selling your daughters into slavery? It says right there in the Bible it’s OK! Why do you hate God?

There are a lot of things in the Bible which not only run counter to mainstream values, but actual law. We don’t believe this stuff anymore; we’ve moved on. We’ll keep moving on.

"It says so in the Bible" is no argument. It’s only a weak excuse.

Dems should hope Sarah Palin carries out her threat to run for Senate

Public Policy Polling: Alaska should be a top tier pick up opportunity for Senate Republicans next year…but their top choice of a candidate is Sarah Palin. 36% of GOP primary voters in the state say they’d like Palin to be their standard bearer against Mark Begich to 26% for Mead Treadwell, 15% for Dan Sullivan, and 12% for Joe Miller. Palin leads mostly based on her strength with ‘very conservative’ voters where she gets 43% to 20% for Treadwell, but she also leads him 28/25 with moderates.

The problem for Republicans with a Palin candidacy is that even though she is in good standing with the party base, voters overall don’t like her at all. She has a 39/58 favorability rating, including 33/64 with key independent voters. There’s a lot of division about how strong her ties to the state even are anymore- only 47% of voters consider her to still be an Alaskan while 46% don’t, and 37% of voters in the state think it would be more appropriate for her to run for the Senate from Arizona to 41% who say Alaska.

It all adds up to a 52/40 lead for Begich in a hypothetical match up with Palin. He leads by 21 points with independents, 56/35, and takes 20% of the Republican vote. It’s a slight improvement for Palin from February when we found her trailing Begich 54/38, but she’s very much in a hole.

I doubt Palin will run and I doubt that she was ever going to run. The only reason that she said she was thinking about it was because her fifteen minutes of fame had run out and she was desperate for some headlines.

Still, Democrats should hope she does run, just in case. Without Sarah Palin, Republicans look ready to nominate Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell, who PPP calls “the best Republican hope." A race with the Lt. Gov. is much tighter, with a Begich lead of only 44% to Treadwell’s 40%. Oddly enough, that’s actually a worse showing that the polling average for an unnamed generic Republican. Electoral-Vote.com has Begich at 48% and a generic Republican at 47%. So there’s still a bit of good news there.

In any case, I don’t think the nation is in danger of being subjected to a Palin campaign. I doubt she’d ever run for anything again, unless she’s guaranteed a win. In this case, she’s guaranteed a loss.

[photo by Gage Skidmore]

Sarah Palin, cultural troll

ThinkProgress:

Former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin has a new Facebook post out, accusing President Obama of lying to the American people, using language deeply entwined with America’s Jim Crow past.

Titled “Obama’s Shuck and Jive Ends With Benghazi Lies,” Palin’s piece lays out how in her mind newly revealed emails concretely prove that the Obama administration has lied about the Sept. 11 attack against a U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya:

We now know that the State Department sent an email to the White House, the Pentagon, the FBI and others in the intelligence community about this Islamist group claiming responsibility. And yet for days afterwards the White House and State Department led everyone to believe that the attack was the result of a spontaneous protest over an obscure YouTube video that had been uploaded months prior. Anywhere from 300 to 400 people from the administration and our intelligence community would have seen that email. Why the lies? Why the cover up? Why the dissembling about the cause of the murder of our ambassador on the anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil? We deserve answers to this. President Obama’s shuck and jive shtick with these Benghazi lies must end.

TP notes that Palin’s word choice “show an extreme insensitivity to the racial history of the phrase.” It’s not a term you’d ever use in describing a white person and it is deliberately offensive. It’s racist and Palin was trying to be racist.

It’s something she seems to have learned from Ann Coulter. When you’re not getting enough attention, you say something wildly offensive, then play the victim card when people call you out for it. Then Sean Hannity gets you on his show for an interview and — presto! — you’re relevant again. Palin wants you to make her a big, notorious celebrity again, because her fifteen minutes of fame are brain dead and on life support.

The strategy stopped paying off for Coulter — everyone just got tired of her. Sure, she still goes on Hannity and says insanely idiotic things, but no one fucking cares anymore. Her “Am I outraging you yet?” act has gotten tiresome and we’re bored with it.

The same will happen to Sarah Palin. Ignore her and she’ll go away.

News Roundup for 7/18/12

Rep. Marsha Blackburn thinks you're really nosey

-Headline of the Day-
"RNC Finds One Republican Who Doesn’t Believe Romney Should Release Tax Returns."

Mitt Romney's released about five minutes worth of tax records and that's enough! My God, what does it take to sate your blood lust? Ten minutes? Fifteen? Can't you see the poor man's done enough? For the love of God, all he wants to do is run your entire country! How much do you really have to know about him?

That's the way the Republican National Committee wishes people would talk about Romney's tax returns. The problem is, that's the way no one's talking about Romney's tax returns. Even Republicans are going on the teevee and wondering aloud what the heck the deal is. They have to get everyone off this tax return kick and back to hating President Obama -- so they got Rep. Marsha Blackburn to talk about Romney's taxes. Because they're smart like that.

"[W]hen it comes to tax returns, it’s my understanding that the governor has released the same amount of tax returns as Sen. McCain had released," Marsha said on a conference call with reporters. "And quite frankly, what the American people are talking about is not tax returns, what they’re talking about is jobs and the economy"

A couple of problems here. One, the American people most definitely are talking about Romney's tax returns -- if they weren't, you wouldn't be talking on this here conference call -- and two, McCain kind of didn't really so much win. Using McCain as your yardstick for what people expect from their candidates isn't really all that wise. The report points out that "John Kerry, Al Gore, George W. Bush, Bob Dole, Bill Clinton, and Michael Dukakis all released many years of tax returns" and some of those guys won. There is no list of winners as chintzy with their returns as McCain and Romney.

Sorry. (Talking Points Memo)


-Who is Willard Mitt Romney?-



Wouldn't you like to know? (Truthdig)


-Bonus HotD-
"Report: Voter ID Laws Put Undue Burden On 10 Million Voters."

Let me translate that for you conservatives out there -- "Voter ID laws work exactly as intended." (Talking Points Memo)

Stories to Watch: 7/17/12

Had to skip the roundup to pick up a bike wheel that was in the shop. I broke a spoke on it the other day, which sucks. Everything's good now, though. Now here's the news...


Steve Benen points out that Mitt Romney's reaction to the Bain outsourcing issue has been pretty much wrongheaded. Instead of denying he had anything to do with it, he should be defending the practice -- which is not indefensible within GOP ideology. At a certain point, he's not going to be able to run from the charge anymore. If this is any indication of the way the campaign is going to operate in the future, expect Team Romney to pick a lot of wrong hills to fight and die on.


Something that is indefensible are House Republican priorities for education.


Extreme rightwing nutjob Tony Perkins met with Mitt Romney about selecting a running mate. Rep. Allen West's name came up. Apparently, Perkins learned absolutely nothing from the Sarah Palin fiasco. As a liberal, I can't think of a better Romney VP pick than that lunatic. He makes Michele Bachmann seem levelheaded.


At this point, the only Republican who doesn't think Mitt Romney should release more tax returns is Mitt Romney.


One of my senators is a complete idiot and a ridiculous boob.


What makes Minnesota's Republican Party different from other states'? When they tried to cheat in elections, they got caught.


Mitt's campaign of lies continues by taking an Obama quote wildly out of context.


Rush Limbaugh's a clown.


Finally, Harry Reid talks post-election filibuster reform.

Related articles

• Rush Limbaugh: Batman Villain Was Named "Bane" To Hurt Mitt Romney

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• Communist Republicans demand Mitt Romney release his taxes

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• McCain: Sarah Palin Was A "Better Candidate" Than Mitt Romney

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News Roundup for 4/24/12

The world's least honest person, this side of James O'Keefe-

-Headline of the Day-
"Planned Parenthood Worried It's The Target Of New Undercover Sting."

Something hinky's up at Planned Parenthood clinics across the nation, as women are walking in and asking weird questions that no one's ever asked before. According to the report, "clinics in at least 11 states have reported two dozen or more 'hoax visits' over the past several weeks, in which a woman walks into a clinic, claims to be pregnant and asks a particular pattern of provocative questions about sex-selective abortions, such as how soon she can find out the gender of the fetus, by what means and whether she can schedule an abortion if she's having a girl."

The hoax is probably being carried out by Live Action, an anti-choice group headed up by James O'Keefe cult-member Lila Rose. In the past, Rose and Live Action tried to prove that Planned Parenthood was involved in sex trafficking -- no, really. They didn't have a lot of luck on that front, for obvious reasons. But that didn't stop them from stitching together a lying video from out-of-context takes anyway, because that's just what O'Keefe cultists do.

How worried should you be about all this? Not very, if you ask me. This is probably the first you've heard of the sex trafficking thing, so Live Action's influence is close to zero. Nice to see a group of liars getting all the attention they deserve. (Huffington Post)


-Speaking of unwanted pregnancies...


Click for full strip

If Sarah Palin ever sees this, somebody's getting buried under a stack of victim cards. (GoComics)


-Bonus HotD-
"Governor Rick Scott Vetoes Funds For Rape Crisis Centers During Sexual Assault Awareness Month."

If there's one thing that sets the generals on the front lines in the War on Women apart from everyone else, it's their general lack of brains. (Huffington Post)

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)

Stories to Watch: 3/21/12

Not much going on here. Nice again. Too nice. Now here's the news...


The guy who made the Sarah Palin bio-flop will now be part of the crew heading up Andrew Breitbart's orphaned media sites. So, I guess the odds are they're all going to get extremely boring now.


A conservative "ambush journalist" gets the scoop on Bono -- except, in a hilarious turn of events, he doesn't.


You've got the War on Women, the War on Voting, and the War on the Poor (along with all the other class warfare being waged). With Paul Ryan's budget proposal, we now have the opening shot in the War on the Young.


Another GOP campaign of lies messaging failure: only a small percentage of Americans believe Pres. Obama is hostile to religion. It should surprise no one to learn that the number is around the usual lunatic 20% who always believe whatever crazy meme is going on out there. This puts it on par with birtherism. Seriously, enemy of religion = 23%, not a citizen = 20%.


Noodles and Ricky glom on to Etch-a-Sketch-gate. Meanwhile, the Romney-shilling Drudge Report doesn't even cover it.


President Obama, this was pretty impressive.


The anti-marriage equality group NOM is totally going to put Starbucks out of business.

Related articles

• Gotcha Interview from a Republican "Journalist" Becomes Gotcha Video Against Republican "Journalist" (slog.thestranger.com)
• Obama staffers seize on 'Etch-a-Sketch' quip (politico.com)
• Newt debuts Etch A Sketch prop (politico.com)

Stories to Watch: 3/13/12

The GOP, in their own words...


...now here's the news...


Sarah Palin challenges Pres. Obama to a debate. It's puffed-chested grandstanding, because she knows it'll never happen in a million years. Which is good for Sarah, because she'd get her ass beat.


From the "ain't learned Jack" department: 4 out of 19 of the US's largest banks are unprepared for an economic meltdown and wouldn't survive without a bailout. Just another example of why "too big to fail" is "too big to exist" -- i.e., they don't have to be prepared because if the worst happens again -- and it will -- we'll have to bail them out or blow a whole in our economy. It's free, taxpayer-funded profit insurance. Bust the trusts.


I'm not sure I'm 100% clear on what this means, but Rush Limbaugh's syndicator is suspending "barter ads" for two weeks. Apparently, this is bad for Rush.


Neil deGrasse Tyson says hyperpartisanship has broken NASA.


Rick Santorum's decides it's time to go to war with Fox News. No, really.


Allen West doesn't seem to understand how time works. Not the Einstein space/time stuff, but the basic concepts of "past," "present," and "future." Effect before cause? Cool with him.


Republicans aren't putting together a coherent message on Afghanistan.


Another round of GOP primaries tonight. The big winner is expected to be Jesus. And Mittens, but mostly by not losing any ground.


Finally, Catholic League president Bill Donohue cements his reputation as an inexcusably awful, awful person.

Related articles

• Louis C.K. Drops Correspondents Dinner Gig after Greta Van Susteren Complains (crooksandliars.com)
• Sarah Palin: Allen West Should Be Considered For Vice Presidency In 2012 (allenwestrepublic.wordpress.com)
• Sarah Palin Defends Rush Limbaugh, Says Apology Was Unnecessary [Video] (jezebel.com)

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: 3/9/12

I'm feeling lazy tonight. Frozen pizza it is. Now here's the news...


This could easily be the stupidest thing Sarah Palin has said in her entire life -- at least, publicly.


The tradition continues after Breitbart's death: Breitbart.com caught editing the context out of video again. I guess because that whole Shirley Sherrod thing worked out so well for them.


Ask yourself this; "What the hell is my tax money doing in Rush Limbaugh's pocket?"


You know, this whole Obama/Bell tape nothingness is making it a lot harder for the right to deny their own racism.


Are your gizmos acting goofy? This could be why.


Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker ain't doing so hot in the promise-keeping department.


What could push gas over $5 a gallon? According to Exxon's CEO, Republicans' crazy rhetoric about Iran.


Meet the Republican Abortion Tax -- because Republicans hate taxes so much.


Finally, bad news for the GOP; the labor market recovery is a real thing. Rooting against America turned out to be a bad call.

Related articles

• Howie Kurtz is right and wrong about Rush Limbaugh (americablog.com)
• Prof. Ogletree: I Was Joking About Obama Video Clip (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• ABC's Jake Tapper Falls for Right Wing Race Baiting on Derrick Bell (my.firedoglake.com)
• Will 2012 Be a Reprise of 2010's Summer of Hate? (motherjones.com)

News Roundup for 1/31/12

Unstoppable

-Headline of the Day-
"Stephen Colbert’s FEC report: Big money!"

Stephen Colbert's Super PAC is super-loaded. According to the report, "Between July 1 and Dec. 31, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow collected more than $825,400, ending the year with nearly $674,000 cash on hand, according to disclosures filed over night with the Federal Election Commission." To date, treasurer Shauna Polk says the super PAC has raised $1,023,121 total.

"Stephen Colbert, President of ABTT, has asked that I quote him as saying, 'Yeah! How you like me now, F.E.C? I’m rolling seven digits deep! I got 99 problems but a non-connected independent-expenditure only committee ain’t one!'" Polk wrote in a statement, adding, "I would like it noted for the record that I advised Mr. Colbert against including that quote."

So how's that measure up against other celebrity Super PACs? Let's look, shall we?

Sarah Palin’s political action committee raised $756,000 in the second half of last year – a steep drop off from the first half, when she as flirting with a presidential bid.

Palin’s relatively meager second half haul came despite heavy spending on fundraising and a bus tour that fanned speculation she might seek the GOP presidential nomination.

Colbert's PAC is (mostly) a joke and he's clobbering Sarah Palin in fundraising.

So, yeah... (Politico)


-Noodles v. Mittens-



It may be unending, but it's still fun to watch. (Washington Post)


-Bonus HotD-
"Robocall of the Year."

Mitt Romney forced holocaust survivors to eat pork chops!

This message brought to you by Newt's robot. (Political Animal)

Stories to Watch: 1/28/12

The Washington Post has changed the address to Greg Sargent's RSS feed. Why do sites do that? It's a total pain. I'm going to have to edit it into the Superfeed, but I'm not going to be able to do it right away. For the time being, items marked "[Greg Sargent]" are actually general WaPo news stories. That'll be fixed later today.

I wish I would've noticed it sooner, because I added the Maddow Blog to get Steve Benen's new home into the feed this morning. I was already under the hood once -- I could've done it then. Now here's the news...


John Nichols notes that if you take all the votes in the GOP primary so far, break them down as a percentage of the electorate, and compare them to the number of signatures turned in to recall Wisconsin Republicans, you find that the Wisconsin recall is about twice as popular as all the GOP candidates combined. That may seem a little off in the weeds at first, but his point is that the numbers show a much more important movement than the media is giving us credit for.


For his part, Stephen Moore mostly agrees. In a Wall Street Journal piece in which he calls the recall the "most important non-presidential election of the decade." Of course, being the WSJ, that means sheer terror at the thought that unions could be making a comeback.


Mitten's opens up a big lead in Florida. However, that'd be the third time this month that the frontrunner has switched from Romney to Gingrich or vice versa (the last being just eight days ago) -- and new polling is expected tonight.


Sarah Palin attempts to remain relevant.


Grover Norquist wants to impeach Obama if he wins reelection and doesn't extend the Bush tax cuts. "High crimes?" "Misdemeanors?" "Democracy?" What are these things of which you speak?


Obama takes on an obstructionist congress.


Mittens has lost the independent voter.


Finally, Obama and Democrats are working to bring the Buffet Rule -- which would have the wealthy paying more in taxes than their help -- up for a vote. This is probably going to be a big one, so keep an eye out.

Related articles

• Late Night FDL: Crime and Punishment, by Grover Norquist (firedoglake.com)
• How Out There Is Grover Norquist? (andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com)
• Mitt Romney turning off independents (dailykos.com)
• What Romney Would Pay Under His Tax Plan (alan.com)

Stories to Watch: 1/19/12

I'm going to try using the word "socialist" the way conservatives do -- simply as a synonym for "bad": we're expecting a socialist snowstorm tomorrow and if it gets too socialist, I may not get a lot of blogging done. Not only will it keep me digging, but socialist weather tends to interrupt my internet connection. I'll probably make some hot cocoa -- from scratch, the real stuff -- so I probably won't have it too socialist, when all is said and done. Now here's the news...


If Newt Gingrich becomes president, he'll exercise dictatorial power -- he promises.


Hey look, yet another of the endless stream of GOP debates I won't waste my time watching.


Rick Perry drops out of the GOP primaries, leaving a hole in much the same way a stone dropped into water might. The campaign world is not rocked.


Santorum wins Iowa -- far too late for it to make any difference. The media narrative is already written out and they'll be damned if they're going to change the "momentum" plot line.


We're reminded that payday lenders make a killing ripping off the poor. And I'll remind you that these things sprouted up like mushrooms after Clinton signed welfare "reform." How many straight years of failure does that make? Doesn't matter. No one's counting.


After the FBI raids the online filehosting site Megaupload for alleged copyright violations, Anonymous stages a raid of their own and crashes the Justice Department's website.


No one has ever accused Sarah Palin of having a keen political mind and her finger on the pulse of the American people. There's a reason for that.


Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's plan to create a quarter of a million new jobs while drastically undercutting consumer demand is going about as well as you'd imagine.


Finally, that auto industry bailout was sure an awful, awful thing, huh?

Related articles

• Governor Walker's Wisconsin Lost 3,900 Private-Sector Jobs In December, Nation Added Jobs That Month (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• How Scott Walker Turned the GOP Against Workers (alternet.org)
• Walker on the Run: 1,000,000+ Signatures in WI (bradblog.com)
• One of Newt's Ex-Wives Says He Wanted An 'Open Marriage' (littlegreenfootballs.com)

News Roundup for 1/18/12

"I'm ba-ack!"

-Headline of the Day-
"Newt: Palin Will 'Play A Major Role' In My Administration."

Newt Gingrich envisions a role for Sarah Palin in his administration. Maybe as Secretary of... Ummm... Well, it's hard to think of anything she'd be qualified for and Newt probably hasn't given it a lot of thought. Maybe VP again. Who knows?

See, this is all about bumping up his numbers enough to get past Mitt Romney in the South Carolina primary. Sarah Palin endorsed Gingrich (But not really. We'll get to that. Keep your pants on) and Newt wants to capitalize on that.

What happened was that Sarah was on Fox News, which is the only network that still gives a crap about her, and she said that if she were in South Carolina, she'd vote for Gingrich. Not because Newt's such an awesome candidate, mind you, but "in order to keep it going" and -- I'm assuming here -- weaken Mittens. Yeah, this is about the weakest "endorsement" you could probably ever get, but when you're within shouting distance of the frontrunner in a state primary, you take what you can get.

So how do you make a backhanded endorsement seem stronger? You amplify your relationship with the endorser. Newt and Ol' Sarah go way back, he's always planned on making her the Secretary of Boy Howdy or whatever, and a vote for Newt is a vote for his old pal Sarah Palin.

Never mind that Palin was basically saying she'd vote for a cinderblock if she thought it would keep the primaries going. (Talking Points Memo)


-Mittens' argument catches on-



Remember, Romney worked hard to get way up to the 15% tax bracket. (McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"Did Rick Santorum Win the Iowa Caucuses, Not Mitt Romney?"

The answer is "probably yes."

The real question is "will it matter?" (Daily Beast)

Stories to Watch: 12/29/11

We'll probably get snow tonight. Too late for a white Christmas, but you take what you get. Now here's the news...


Charles Johnson explains why a Christmas Day tragedy probably wasn't the "honor killing" the right so desperately wants it to be. It's worth a read if only to see the phrase "the internet's dumbest man" applied to Jim Hoft. It pays to remember that Johnson was a wingnut blogger before he wised up, so he knows how these people think.


And, of course, the haters haven't taken Johnson's post very well.


Speaking of the internet's dumbest man: Hoft takes a Pew poll and runs with it, apparently without actually looking at it. Hoft's big takeaway is that, despite the OWS protests, people still don't like socialism. The problem is that the most respected political label in the poll is "progressive" -- and in Hoft's world, those two words are synonyms.


Newt won't go down the birther road.


Someone needs to tell Rick Santorum that there are married poor people.


I'm starting to wonder if Rick Perry has early Alzheimer's. It's one thing to forget a federal agency, but it's another to forget something that happened to you personally. I'm being serious here. I hope he gets himself checked out.


Things that make you wonder: Gallup has a poll out showing that the person who's ideology fits most closely with those of Americans is John Huntsman. Yet Huntsman can't buy the time of day from voters. The person least like the average is Barack Obama, who still leads in almost every poll. Long story short, I don't think this is a very good poll.


Also from Gallup, Democrats beat Republicans on the issues of taxes and unemployment.


Ron Paul is a conspiracy-theorizing nutbag, which makes him fairly typical of the right.


Finally, in real danger of becoming a one-term senator, Scott Brown decides it's time to play the media victim card. Unfortunately for Brown, Sarah Palin probably wore a hole in it.

Related articles

• Rick Santorum vs. Rick Perry: Former Senator Attacked On Earmarks By Texas Governor (huffingtonpost.com)
• Huntsman on Iowa absence: 'They pick corn in Iowa' (sfgate.com)
• Rick Perry Draws A Blank On Key Supreme Court Case Overturning Texas' Anti-Gay Laws He Defended (thinkprogress.org)
• Lawrence v. Texas: Another Perry Oops Moment. (themoderatevoice.com)

Stories to Watch: 12/19/11

No roundup today and I doubt there will be one for the rest of the week. Holiday prep, combined with Walker recall work, leaves me a little squeezed for time and the roundup is nothing if not time consuming. On the plus side, I'm making a buttload of sourdough pancakes that I'll freeze and give away like Christmas cookies. This place smells awesome. I'm almost done with everyone's, then I'll make a batch for myself. Now here's the news...


North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il's condition is downgraded to Kim Jong Dead.


CNN has a poll out showing that the Newt Gingrich fad is doing what fads do.


Stuff that makes your blood boil; after making a killing killing jobs, Mitt Romney still makes money off Bain Capital -- and probably pays a lower tax rate on it than you do.


Nate Silver says Ron Paul is actually leading in Iowa.


Massachusetts GOP Sen. Scott Brown -- already in a tough reelection battle against Elizabeth Warren -- is not happy with the way John Boehner totally screwed up the payroll tax cut extension.


On a related note, Tea Party Rep. Phil Gingrey is a clown.


And speaking of the Tea Party, remember how it's just crazy to suggest there's any racism among the 'baggers? Yeah, about that...


Rick Perry is embarrassed.


Finally, Sarah Palin is still in denial about the expiration date on her fifteen minutes of fame.

Related articles

• Rep. Phil Gingrey: Payroll tax fight is GOP 'Braveheart moment' (dailykos.com)
• PPP Iowa Tracker: Ron Paul takes lead, Newt Gingrich falls off cliff (dailykos.com)
• Sarah Palin Tells Fox Business Network That 'It's Not Too Late' To Jump Into The GOP Race (mediaite.com)
• GOP Elite Suddenly Terrified That Romney's Bain Capital History May Be A Liability (huffingtonpost.com)

Stories to Watch: 12/12/11

I'm starting to get a little antsy about snow. We should have some by now, but we've barely had a flake. If we're going to have a white Christmas, the weather 'd better get a move on. Now here's the news...


And so it begins; Newt and Mittens are busy kicking the crap out of each other before a single primary vote has been cast. Bonus; they're both on the money. Romney calls out Newt for being a Freddie Mac lobbyist, so Newt points out that Mittens was in the job-destroying business at Bain. In the end, the big winner in this fight may be Obama.


Batshit insane hate-radio host Michael Savage offers Gingrich $1 million to drop out. The big news here; Michael Savage claims to have a spare million bucks.


Fox News is a transparent propaganda operation. They're barely even trying to hide it.


Sarah Palin refuses to accept that her 15 minutes of fame are over.


Newt Gingrich is a typical Republican in at least one aspect; he believes everyone needs to freak out over something that's never going to happen.


Krugman comes out saying we're in a global depression.


Arizona's "no Hispanics allowed" law will go before the Supreme Court.


Mittens had an uncomfortable conversation with a 63 year-old vet -- and it was beautiful.


Also from Romney; he keeps saying he wants to keep America from becoming like Europe, while pushing the same policies that are currently failing so spectacularly there.


Finally, Politico's Ben Smith moves to... Wait, what? Yup, BuzzFeed.

Related articles

• Radio Host Michael Savage Offers Newt Gingrich $1 Million To Drop Out Of Race (mediaite.com)
• Newt Gingrich tells Mitt Romney to shut up about Freddie Mac until he gives back Bain Capital money (dailykos.com)
• Mitt Romney: I'm not going to attack my rivals, but Newt Gingrich is too 'erratic' to be president (dailykos.com)
• TRENDING: Gingrich challenges Romney to a bet (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)

Stories to Watch: 12/5/11

Got the tiniest bit of snow today and no accumulation, but any excuse the make a big pot of chili is a good one. Next time, I'll make a thermos of hot cocoa. Now here's the news...


Wisconsin Governor and recall target Scott Walker is oddly silent about threats and crimes being committed on his behalf.


Gallup finds that the race for the GOP nominee has narrowed to Mittens and Gingrich, which the two being "the only two candidates Republicans say would be acceptable presidential nominees from their party." The good news for Team Obama is that Gingrich is seen as more acceptable that Romney -- by a wide margin (62% to 54%), meaning the base is falling back to the old habit of putting ideological purity above electability.


Case in point; being mean to Donald Trump makes Newt Gingrich sad.


The first item in Greg Sargent's "Morning Plum": "Top Romney operative admits ad attacking Obama was 'propaganda.'"


Always count on Democrats to be the ones to fold.


Karl Rove thinks a Trump-moderated debate is a bad idea. Helping Karl make that case is The Donald himself -- twice.


Apparently, Sarah Palin got a sex change, moved to Mexico, and is running for president down there.


Finally, Paul Begala finds the entire GOP presidential field to be less than impressive; "[A]s LBJ said of the Republicans of his day, [they] couldn't pour pee out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel."

Related articles

• Now Political Buddies, Gingrich Once Accused Trump Of Manipulation (thinkprogress.org)
• Former Obama Spokesman Asks 'Is Karl Rove Trying To Neuter Gingrich?' (mediaite.com)
• Trump-moderated debate gets first RSVP (shortformblog.tumblr.com)
• Republicans Critical of Trump Debate (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)

News Roundup for 10/7/11

Michael Bloomberg

-Headline of the Day-
"Michael Bloomberg tells Occupy Wall Street protesters to lay off banks."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has just about had it up to here with these darned protesters on Wall Street. Mike wonders why they gotta pick on the banks, instead of protesting the government -- like decent 'baggers do. Unfortunately, his reasoning is just one big ol' sack-o-stupid.

"Everyone’s got a thing they want to protest, some of which is not realistic," Bloomberg said during his weekly radio show Let's Rap With Da Mair. "And if you focus for example on driving the banks out of New York City, you know those are our jobs... You can’t have it both ways: If you want jobs you have to assist companies and give them confidence to go and hire people."

Because that's what the protesters want, don't let the total lack of any "BANKS GET THE HELL OUT OF NYC!" signs or anyone saying anything like that fool you. The whole thing is about driving those danged banks to New Jersey.

Mike also had some words for labor unions that have thrown their support behind the protests, telling them "their salaries come from -- are paid by -- some of the people they’re trying to vilify." He'd have a point, except labor unions pretty much exist to hold employers accountable. Try using that argument on a picket line sometime Mayor, then enjoy all the open-mouthed "WTF, are you stupid?" stares you get.

"We’re just supposed to sit there and be silent while people get hurt?" asks Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. "Is that what the mayor’s rationale is?"

Apparently so. Now go home, put on a three-cornered hat and pantaloons, and protest Obama -- like a normal person.

Did I mention that Micheal Bloomberg is a gazillion-dollar Wall Street type? I probably should have. (Politico)


-I think you've run out-
The Republican Party is taking the news that Chris Christie and Sarah Palin won't run pretty hard.


Click for full comic

I think you guys are stuck with the nuts you've already got. (Go Comics)


-BonusHotD-
"Nearly Half of Americans Cannot Name A Single GOP Presidential Candidate."

Kind of explains the previous item, doesn't it? (Wonkette)