Backhanded Complement

Unemployed non-book writer Sarah Palin says that she “thumbed through” “her book” the other morning and found that President Obama had cribbed from her work.

Oh wait, that’s not what she said.

I talked in my book too about the fallen nature of man and why war is necessary at times, and history’s lessons when it comes to knowing when it is that we engage in warfare. And a couple of the other things he said were, I thought, wow, good, those are nice, a broad message, so broad that I just wrote about those. A lot of Americans right now are getting to read also my take on when war is necessary.

Perhaps she thumbed through the audio version.  This one paragraph shows that she doesn’t know what the hell she is talking about.  However, she certainly knows how to jump on coattails.

One of the worst things I’ve heard about Obama’s speech accepting the Nobel Prize was that his speech was “incoherent” on The News Hour last night.  This Palin backhanded nonsense is the second.  She had every opportunity to give an important speech during the campaign but didn’t.  She’s had numerous opportunities after the campaign and she hasn’t.  Her catty ‘I already talked about that.  Obama is copying me’ is childish.  First, everyone on the planet knows she didn’t write her own book (just like everyone knows Chris Baker doesn’t live in Houston).  It’s those lies that all but 20% of readers/listeners believe that makes them disingenuous at best and outright liars in reality.

“Clowns to the left of me, jokers to my right . . .”

Obama can do no right.  Not a single thing.  He’s responsible for everything down to the nativity scene in the White House.  (Don’t get me started on the Christmas warriors.)

Thinking about things is hard.  Jabbering on about, oh what was the word that Joseph Bottum used AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN? is easy.

With that in mind, I fully support this blogger and his push.  It is what I knew going into supporting Obama in the primaries and in the general election.  If everyone else has lost their ever-loving minds, I cannot explain it.

It’s gotten to the point that any media I listen to, watch or read — with few exceptions — are bitching about Obama.

I thought about titling this post BITCH BITCH BITCH, but decided against it.

I am beginning to believe that not a single person who bitches about Obama has ever had to work with another person ever in their lives.  They have never had to disagree and then come to a compromise.  They’ve never had to adjust their world -view to accommodate another person.  Yes I work with someone like that.  But I have before and I will again, and what is my solution?  I adapt.

For every person trying to tear Obama down, I’m pretty sure — despite the day to day polls — that there are a good number of people around the planet completely happy that he’s the one making the hard choices.  I trust the man.  He earned my trust.  I have seen no reason to doubt him.

This:

I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations — that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

Every day I teach, every person I come into contact with, every individual grudge I diffuse, makes a difference.  I work with people from all over the world, including a small few from the U.S.  Those — the ones from my own country — are the ones I have the most problems with.   Especially those who have no sense of who they are working with beyond using them for their own personal potential gains.

I gotta stop here or I will get into another work rant.

Back on topic — my President — our President made me proud today.  Having Obama as our president has made more difference than most think.

The Speech

He reminded me again (as if I needed it) of exactly why I voted for him.  He was logical, methodical and hit just the right tone — he’s no believer in “American Exceptionalism” but he also is no apologist as others have tried to portray him.  We must finish what we started, back in the day when virtually everyone — and everyone I knew at the time — was with us.  He’s laid the groundwork through his travels, meetings and speeches since taking office.  He’s got not only the support of, but also praise from his lead commander in the region.  And despite McCain being on two networks right afterwards acting cranky and old, (along with Bob Schieffer of CBS — gah the man is obnoxious;  I don’t care how long he has been around), I think President Obama will be more persuasive.

This morning I was listening to Bill Bennett, and one of his callers related a story about his son being at Westpoint in 1996 or 1997 when Bill Clinton gave a speech.  The caller suggested that Clinton had already by that time disgraced the office . . . perhaps his memory is . . . spotty . . . but he claimed that the cadets would be polite for President Obama (no big surprise there) just like they were for Clinton, but he also claimed that after they had shaken hands with Clinton, they had a ceremony to “cleanse” their hands.  The caller suggested the same would happen with President Obama.  I’m doubtful.  Those I saw on teevee thrusting their hands forward through the thick of their classmates didn’t seem to be faking it.  They all seemed enthusiastic.  Many of them also asked to pose for pics with the president.  I’d like to follow up on this with Bennett tomorrow, but since I have a job, I’m not able to spend three hours on hold while Bennett belches and mumbles.

On the very long way home from work (don’t ask) I listened to a completely incoherent Michael Berry.  He is struggling with his position on Afghanistan — dipping into anti-war arguments, but clumsily.  (I’m doing this from memory — during a very terrible drive home, so forgive me if I don’t get it exactly right.)  He disparaged both the Afghans and the Pakistanis.  They live in caves.  They are backwards.  Osama Bin Laden can only connect with people in old fashioned ways because there are no cell towers where he is.  They are an arbitrary conglomeration and not a nation (neither one).

Then he switched over to hyper- conservative and agreed that going to war for oil is good.  You know, because WE NEED IT.  So it’s ok.  I didn’t hear him make the same argument for poppy seeds, but he could have.  He also proclaimed that he supports the troops!  as much or more than anyone because he is a good redneck.  Unfortunately, like all other chickhawks of all time, he never felt so strongly about it that he could serve.  Maybe it was because he was fat.  He does go on and on about that weight loss company that sounds a lot like AA for fatties (not that there is anything wrong with that).

But enough of giving time to small audience talk radio types for tonight.

I am proud of my president.  While I did not advocate military action even in Afghanistan, even back in the day (I’ve always been for the law enforcement approach), President Obama inherited (and no, Michael Berry, you cannot redefine what “inherited” means, no matter how hard you try) this conflict, and from all I can tell he has made an informed and prudent decision.  I support him.  He made a difficult decision.  He will follow through.  He has the support of the his commanders.

Now it’s just up to us — all of us — to make sure that we — with this plan — can succeed.

Dylan Gwinn from Local Traffic Reports to Big Time Talk Radio

I finally found this guy on the intertubes.  He’s done traffic for KTRH and has a you tube channel for his traffic videos.  His blog is nonexistent (you could buy if you want). He hasn’t done anything on his website for 2 1/2 years.  He does have the St. Ronny worship covered, as well as his liberal hate on.

(I’m listening to him right now — he’s full-tilt Obama is the problem, everything is his fault.  He’s also got a pretty good white man whine going about how he can’t speak his mind or that people knew about the shooter at Fort Hood yesterday couldn’t say anything to stop this before it happened.  Also, there’s the predictable anti-Muslim nonsense.)

Here are the podcasts from his show from yesterday (November 5th 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.).  For whatever reason, they couldn’t get his name right.  He should look into that.

Two things to listen for:  from the first hour — towards the end– Gwinn reads from an article about a mayor who suggests paying people not to have children as a solution for problem parents.  “AN outspoken Kiwi politician has proposed a new solution to the country’s child abuse problem – pay the “appalling underclass” not to breed.”  After a rambling and convoluted rant connecting this mayor’s suggestion to “death panels” and health reform, he states that he doesn’t know where Kiwi is. (rim shot)

The second thing:  from the second hour — right at the beginning — a woman calls in bellyaching about how President Obama started giving his closing remarks to a Native American Conference at the White House instead of immediately talking about what had happened at Fort Hood.  The woman is so pissed that she gets everything wrong (she thought he was talking about the health care bill, and that he was praising people working on health care).  Gwinn doesn’t check his facts, but jumps in with both feet and ad libs outrage.

Later on in the second hour he responds to a caller pointing a finger at the private companies making the flu vaccines as having some responsibility for the delays in getting them out.  Gwinn turns around and tells her, no.  It’s Obama’s fault because he ordered single dose vaccines instead of double dose and that’s what slowed everything down.  This is nonsense.

(Gees, here at the end of his show, he’s accusing liberals of hating America.)

So, my critique of what I heard, Gwinn is scattered — and stale.  He’s just regurgitating the same old things and even the way he deals with callers is typical.

Oh, great.  Now Michael Berry is on to continue with the white man whine about political correctness.  And he repeats his statement from yesterday that people should be cautious and wait for the facts to come in about Fort Hood, which he did do, but only after trying to get the journalist he interviewed first to SPECULATE more than once.

And I’m going to turn him off because he’s already said that he’s going to concern troll the President about how he handled his “press conference” yesterday (which WASN’T A PRESS CONFERENCE dumbass).

Just as He Promised

President Obama sign the defense spending bill today, and it included the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Of course, there are detractors out there.  I can’t tell you how many times the act has been characterized as addressing “thought crimes” which is just silly.  From the CNN article:

Several religious groups have expressed concern that a hate crimes law could be used to criminalize conservative speech relating to subjects such as abortion or homosexuality.

It’s just more whining’.  They will still be able to call homosexuality an ABOMINATION all they want.  I’m getting really tired of conservatives being WATB over requests from the rest of society that they simply be civil.  Oh, and their preemptive victim-hood stances are getting old as well (i.e. their taxes haven’t gone up, the White House hasn’t tried to block their favorite “news” station from getting access, nor is health reform going to allow government bureaucrats to kill anyone’s grandmother).

And speaking of health care — steady as she goes.  I’m hopeful we’ll get a decent bill and it will form the foundation of ongoing reform.

Jokes and Pee-wee Soccer

Oh, and “The Messiah” blasphemy.  That’s Ruth Marcus and David Brooks.  Of course, they both disagree with two undisputed foreign policy experts.

Zbigniew Brzezinski and Walter Russell Mead were interview on The News Hour tonight about President Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.  It was an insightful interview, and Brzezinski in particular felt that this could help the President in working with Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iran.

However, Brooks pronounced it a joke and that it just encourages “The Messiah” image of the President.  (He said much the same on NPR earlier.)  Marcus compared his receiving the prized to pee-wee soccer.

So whose opinions should carry more weight?

Washington week in review is on next.  I’m pretty sure there will be a lot of smug poo-pooing by the journalists.  Perhaps I shouldn’t prejudge them.

Before that gets started though, let me just say, I am proud of our president and proud of us for electing him.  He’s on the right course and has kept moving forward, despite having the largest set of concern trolls ever in history.

Oh Noooooes!!!!

Bo Obama pooped on his dad’s airplane!  Or so the terrible rumor-mongers are saying.  (There are some hateful things in the comments at the link.)  He also chews shoes, socks and magazines!

I’ve had a little more experience with this lately than I’d like to admit.  For some reason baby boy Murphy has decided to poop in the house the last month or so.  There’s no rhyme or reason to it — it doesn’t matter if I get home early or late — some days he leaves me a little poopy-present.

Murphy used to chew shoes until I learned to always put them in the closet, and I don’t have one set of sheets that doesn’t have a bite whole in it or worse.  Hopefully I’ve solved that for the future with some of that bitter-tasting spray that I’ve been using.

Just Found This — It’s Terrific!

It’s the White House Blog — which I have read before — but today’s entry is outstanding.  The best part:

RHETORIC:          BECK SAID VANCOUVER LOST $1 BILLION WHEN IT “HAD THE OLYMPICS.” Glenn Beck said, “Vancouver lost, how much was it? they lost a billion dollars when they had the Olympics.”  [Transcript, Glenn Beck Show, 9/29/09]

REALITY:              VANCOUVER’S OLYMPICS WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL 2010. Vancouver will host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games from February 12 – 28, 2010 and March 12-21, 2010, respectively. [Vancouver2010.com, accessed 9/29/09]

Glenn Beck is not only a jackass, but a dumbass as well.  But we all already knew that.

Oh, and I just remembered about that creepy interview Beck did with Katie Curic.

President Obama’s Speech

My goodness.  This is what I hope to teach my students about giving a speech.

He was crisp, didn’t let the applause stomp on his words and took it to the people who have been behaving badly.  (I want to know who the knuckhead that shouted ‘lie’ is.  If it is a congress member, then that is just shameful.  We’re not in the UK, you know.)

I’m glad I recorded this one.  It’s keeper.

I watched it on ABC — don’t usually watch that channel — now I know why.  What crap is on my teevee now — some sort of clutz show.  Good god.

The dickweed who screamed “you lie” at President Obama was dickweed Joe Wilson from South Carolina.  A state with ridiculously high unemployment and a governor who is still in office after disgracing himself by trying to make a big deal about not taking stimulus money while being a family values politician while forgetting he has a family.  What a sorry state. (via TPM)

The disrespect and deliberate attempts at humiliation attempted by elected and GOP officials towards this president — with no merit whatsoever — is amazing.  Let alone the constant pounding he has taken on all of the airwaves.  That he is still standing, dignified, is a monument to what we all have been working toward.  Progressives had better get behind this man.  He’s the best leader we’ve had in a long time.  He has a stronger spine than most in that body.

Wingnuts win again on local news.  The dickweed gets publicity and the response gets more air than the president.

They are more focused on the Aggie bonfire.

It’s almost useless to try to reason with people here.  The local news is oh so very conservative while the population isn’t.

I’m out.  To think that today the topic on wingnut radio was who is more influential Michael Vick or the president.  As many of my students answer, I say yes.

Yes.

Blood Meridian Local Edition

I visited Michael Berry’s website this morning, and found this rotating in their features thingy.  This nobody,  Paul Westcott tries to make it seem like 1) nobody knew who Van Jones is and 2) his crowd won something.  From his article:

To those of you uber-engaged political junkies you already know who Van Jones is…the Obama environmental adviser or czar who was just taken down by Glenn Beck. If you don’t know who he is well that means you’ve only been reading the Washington Post, NY Times, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN or listening to NPR.

He forgot PBS, and the New Yorker.  Or that Jones wrote a best seller. (h/t commenter Bubba for the link)

Oh, wait. Westcott was talking about wingnuts who didn’t know about Jones.  Well now, that makes much more sense.

Westcott continues:

Lets eliminate the confusion right now for our main stream media (MSM) fans – Van Jones was an adviser to President Obama who ran a group called ColorOfChange. Among the group?s activities getting Glenn Beck kicked off the air after calling the President a racist was on the top of their list. Activism Fail…

Jones is no longer associated with ColorofChange, though he did help found it in response to Katrina.  He then moved on to Green For All.  (Regular readers and informed people already know this, but bear with me.)  ColorofChange has been very effective over the past few weeks.  I had my investigative investigator record some Glenn Beck shows and he watched them and then sent me Beck’s list of advertisers for the past three days.  (Pobrecito!)  My email takes too long to load from here, but basically, Beck’s left with the same old companies that advertise on talk radio, some of which would probably advertise on a porn site and could care less (including G. Gordon Liddy — felon –  forcing people to buy gold), the local media whore owner of Gallery Furniture, and some resort in the Bahamas.  The only big name was Target, and it was only referenced that you could get some crappy thing there.  (Target is off my shopping list.  Too bad they just built a shop nearby.)

Westcott continues:

In this tricky political time for the President, and after such a big victory for conservative hosts and bloggers expect to see a bigger push against the Obama czars and advisers.

Here are some of the names with big targets on their backs: John Holdren – Science Czar, Cass Sunstein – Regulatory Czar and Mark Lloyd – FCC, Chief Diversity Officer. We’ll get into this list and so much more on the . . .

Yeah, I’m not going to give the guy a link.  And thanks for letting us know the insanity will continue.

Oh, and GAHHHH, I heard Chris Baker today on the other station that Michael Berry runs get this close (can you see my fingers?) to doing what I call the crazy man scrrream (a la Beck) about THE LESSON PLANS1!11!!11!  Actually it’s funny to listen to Baker (and I win google!)  pretend he’s in Houston.  He’s not.  Everybody knows it.  But he lies anyway — for the MONEY! (Sorry I got linky crazy!)  (I should figure out a way to segment that scream and link to it all the time, much like Baker does Howard Dean — a physician and respectable man.  But tonight I am more excited that my post about Baker is at the top on google.  Little victories!)

Michael Berry, why did you fire Chris Baker?

Back on topic — sorry I got into that frenzy.  Deep breath.

Michael Berry has a nut job on his website — that’s all cool.  That the nut job is out for scalps should worry all.  Things turn.  And turn again.  Can we not stop the cycle?