Some Economic Stimulus!

Andy Borowitz had the following as his post on January 8. FINALLY, someone acknowledges the power of Obama's oration:

"Obama Hopes to Calm Americans With Series of Boring Speeches, Economic Address Contains Opposite of Stimulus

Hoping to calm a nation whose nerves have been rattled by economic woes, President-elect Barack Obama today delivered the first in a series of numbingly boring speeches designed to put the nation to sleep.

Viewers who were able to remain awake for the entirety of his speech could boil down Mr. Obama's economic plan to two points: stimulate the American economy while tranquilizing the American people.

"The President-elect is well aware that Americans are having trouble sleeping," said chief of staff designee Rahm Emanuel. "These speeches are designed to fix that."

By that criterion, Mr. Obama's speech on economic matters today was a huge success, with over half of his audience losing consciousness five minutes in.

"That speech was a home run," Mr. Emanuel said. "If he gives more speeches like that, you can throw away your Ambien."

But even as Mr. Emanuel was touting his boss's sandman-like oratory, Mr. Obama's Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, offered Americans the following warning: "If you are listening to one of President-elect Obama's speeches on the radio, do not attempt to operate heavy machinery."

FINALLY - finally someone acknowledges that Obama is not the Wordsmith he's been portrayed to be. And honestly, Hillary would not have had to look at notes while speaking on this issue like Obama had to do the other day, swiveling his head left and right looking at his notes, like a bobble head. Don't take my word for it, just take a look at this (I recommend leaving the sound off myself):



Remember when she was on Jim Cramer? She could speak extemporaneously on a number of economic issues and not miss a beat, and she sure as hell didn't check any notes:



I have to say, I am really of two minds about this: on the one hand, I am GLAD Clinton isn't the president during these trying times because you KNOW she would be blamed for the mess this country is in as if she had been in office for the past 8 years. Oh, and everything going on with Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon would be her fault, too.

On the other hand, I wish she WAS our president because I trust HER to actually know how to affect some positive change for the country. Obama? Not so much...To put it mildly.

Okay, so maybe I am just cranky about this comment John Kerry made regarding Clinton's hearing for her new position (Clinton Confirmation Hearing Set): Kerry said in a statement.

"My friend and colleague Hillary Clinton will bring her years of experience and acute intellect to her position as America's top diplomat."

Well, NO DUH, Sherlock!! So why didn't you back the one with the "years of experience" instead of this unprepared, ill-prepared PEBO we have now?? Holy cow.

Oh, but get this. Besides Dr. Gupta becoming our Surgeon General, guess who might end up being the US Ambassador to Great Britain? Indeed, it is another TV personality, only this one, unlike Dr. Gupta, has no experience for it (there's that theme again). Are you ready? OPRAH!!!! Yes, Oprah. (Major H/T to alert NQ reader, Capt Howdy for this.) I swear I am absolutely not making this up. Holy frijole.

I feel another head explosion coming on. In honor of Oprah's potential new gig, how about a song from Duffy? I might add, this could well be the Obots' theme song (sorry - the embed link has been disabled). Click HERE.

I Just Cannot Keep Up...

I bet Roland Burris can't either. First, according to NBC Chicago, Obama "forcefully" sided with the Senate, and Harry "No One Gets To Come Into My Clubhouse If I Don't Want Them Here" Reid, saying that while Burris is a good man, he wasn't going to get the secret handshake to gain admittance. Okay, maybe not in those words, but in these:

"Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it. I believe the best resolution would be for the Governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place. While Governor Blagojevich is entitled to his day in court, the people of Illinois are entitled to a functioning government and major decisions free of taint and controversy," said President-elect Obama.

Oh, no. Obama is "extremely disappointed." Well, join the freakin' club, Obama. You aren't the only one. There are millions of us who are disappointed. Heck, despairing might even be the word of choice. But I digress.

Now, Obama has changed his tune (surprise!!!!!). According to this CBS Report, Obama is now saying:

Mr. Obama was just asked about the Burris appointment during his morning press conference. The president-elect did not take a position, saying it was "a Senate matter."

Mr. Obama noted he had known Burris for years, adding: "If he gets seated, then I'm going to work with Roland Burris, just like I work with all the other senators."

Newsflash from the Department of Duh: You already took a position, Mr. Obama. Perhaps YOU should learn hot to use that whole Google thing to remind yourself of what you said about a week ago. Just sayin'.

And for the record, the Senate does NOT get to decide who they will allow in or not. It's a matter of who each state sends. You might want to go take another little look-see at that pesky piece of paper you find to be so "deeply flawed," the Constitution. Just a thought!

But Obama isn't the only one who is probably making Burris' head spin (and mine). The above-mentioned Senate owner (hey, that's how he is acting), Harry Reid. His constant stand that Burris will now be admitted to his playgroup is now weakening:

After repeatedly saying they wouldn't accept him and turning him away Tuesday, it now appears that Senate Democrats eventually plan to seat Roland Burris after all.

After Burris met privately with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, Reid told reporters today that he hopes "sooner rather than later" the full Senate will vote on whether to accept Burris.

And get this:

Reid said he and Burris met for 45 minutes and since he had "never met the man," it was "very enlightening," calling Burris "obviously very engaging, a very nice man."

Well, by all means, Harry, if the only criterion you have is if you think someone is "nice" enough, glad to hear Burris suits you on that level.

I have written about this before, but holy crap - our Senate is a very small junior high school. Grow the hell up already, Harry!! Sheesh!

By the way, in the article linked above about Reid, there is a link to a US News and World Report article (by Michael Barone)regarding issues of legality and seating Burris. I'll bottom-line it for you: they have to seat him.

In the meantime, I think the following should be Burris' theme song:



So, what will it be? Will he stay or will he go?

Talk About Heads Exploding

Oh, brother. More in the "payback for shilling for me department" from the Obama Camp. First, we get the homophobic, anti-choice, Pro-Iraq war Kaine getting the plum position of DNC chair. Now, I cannot believe I have to even type this, a TV personality on a network that pushed Obama down our throats, who is also a doctor, is going to be appointed Surgeon General! Oh, hell no, I am not making this up. Sanjay Gupta, of CNN fame, is going to be our new Surgeon General. See, you just can't make crap like this up, can you?

I'm practically speechless about this and its brazenness, so I'll let this piece by Paul Krugman speak for me:

"The Trouble With Sanjay Gupta"

So apparently Obama plans to appoint CNN’s Sanjay Gupta as Surgeon General. I don’t have a problem with Gupta’s qualifications. But I do remember his mugging of Michael Moore over Sicko. You don’t have to like Moore or his film; but Gupta specifically claimed that Moore “fudged his facts”, when the truth was that on every one of the allegedly fudged facts, Moore was actually right and CNN was wrong.

What bothered me about the incident was that it was what Digby would call Village behavior: Moore is an outsider, he’s uncouth, so he gets smeared as unreliable even though he actually got it right. It’s sort of a minor-league version of the way people who pointed out in real time that Bush was misleading us into war are to this day considered less “serious” than people who waited until it was fashionable to reach that conclusion. And appointing Gupta now, although it’s a small thing, is just another example of the lack of accountability that always seems to be the rule when you get things wrong in a socially acceptable way.

Uh, yeah. No frikkin' kidding.

So, just this week, we have the Senate barring the doors to a man who was LEGITIMATELY selected for a Senate seat by someone who, in the past, would have been presumed innocent until proven guilty, and who is STILL the governor. He would be the ONLY African American in the entire Senate. But no, they kept him out. Barred him.

Then we have Nancy Pelosi turning back the clock to pre-Jeffersonian times so that the majority CAN tyrannize the minority with rolling back the Fairness Rules ("Say WHAT, Nancy?"), and making a mockery of our democracy and our laws (read the post - it's eye-opening).

And the Tim Kaine thing. And that is just in the past few days. It's enough to make my head hurt. Well, I guess this IS change, just not the "change" the Obots expected!

Okay. I need a break from this insanity. You might, too. So, allow me to share another one of my favorite musicians with you, Eva Cassidy. There are very few actual videos of her, though. Unfortunately, she died in 1996 at the age of 33 from skin cancer (melanoma) that metastasized to her bones and lungs. She was a singer, a musician (largely self-taught), and an artist. She was a shy woman, and had a hard time singing in public, often not making eye contact with the crowd. Thank heavens she made herself do it, though. Cassidy's rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" is the most beautiful version I have ever heard. The following video was taken at the Blues Alley in Washington, DC (you can check out the recording of this song at YouTube, too):



Wow, right? Cassidy, a talent taken too soon from us, played all different styles of music, from jazz to country to Mo-Town to Gospel-style. This next song is one she co-wrote with Chris Biondo, entitled. "Somewhere":



And last, but not least, Cassidy's version of "Field of Gold":



I hope Eva Cassidy's music helped to keep your head from exploding, at least for now.

I Wonder If Their Heads...

Really do explode like pumpkins? I'm just asking because of the whole Obama picking Tim Kaine to be the new chair of the DNC thing. See, not only is Kaine anti-choice, but he is also anti-gay. Obama sure does like these homophobes, doesn't he? He constantly surrounds himself with them, Kaine being the latest.

Anywho - I ask about their heads exploding because of the following articles (h/t/ to lavender liberal for the Huffington and Aravosis pieces).

First up is none other than Arianna Huffington, who wrote this back on January 16, 2006: Dems Pick Kaine for State of Union Response; What the Hell Are They Thinking? The title alone says it all, doesn't it? Let me give you some tidbits from Ms. Huffington:

So the Democrats have chosen Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to deliver the party's response to President Bush's State of the Union speech. Chalk up another one for the What the Hell Are They Thinking? file.

Can't disagree with her there - and that was BEFORE he and Obama became BFFs!!! Here's the other good part:

Don't ask me why, but I actually watched Kaine's inaugural address on C-SPAN, and I was stunned to hear him dare compare the cause of Virginians like Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson to our cause in Iraq: "They stood here at a time, just as today, when Virginians serving freedom's cause sacrificed their lives so that democracy could prevail over tyranny."

Iraq as a war to ensure that democracy can prevail over tyranny is George Bush's talking point. God help us if it's also the talking point of the man the Democrats have chosen to respond to him after the State of the Union.

And during Kaine's run for Governor, he adopted another Bush talking point -- that it would send "a horrible message" to "cut and run" in Iraq. Could that be any further from Murtha's message that Iraq has become a civil war -- a civil war being inflamed by our continuing presence?

Maybe you are thinking -- at least those of you who have a life and missed his inaugural speech on C-SPAN -- that Kaine is a charismatic speaker who will really wow the American people. Well, he ain't. In fact, he scored so low on the scintillating speaker meter, that today's Note suggests Democrats make it a priority to get the Guv a speech tutor before the State of the Union.

That's right, all of you Obots who acted like Hillary alone was responsible for the Iraq war, and based your entire vote on that, despite Obama's non-record, and surrounding himself with people who voted for the war. Yep, KAINE is a big ol' Iraq war guy who sounds like Bush, and now he is the CHAIR OF THE DNC!!!!! Wheeee! (Oh, and at this writing, the ONLY thing HuffPo had on this was an AP article by Obama's sychophant, Nedra Pickler.)

The next one, from January 30, 2006, was John Aravosis on "Homophobe To Give Democratic Response To The State of the Union." Oh, this is good. Yessirree. Here's Aravosis on Kaine and gay marriage:

On the unlikely chance that you thought there was any value left in the Democratic party after today, we have a homophobe giving the Democratic response to the State of the Union tomorrow...

It's one thing for the governor to be worried about being "for" gay marriage in Virginia, the state that brought us miscegenation laws. It's quite another for the governor to not understand the difference between gay marriage and an amendment that rips away all legal protections from gay couples, gay employees, and their children.

The new breed of Democrat can't handle the concept of nuance. They can't handle the concept of some things being difficult to oppose, and other things being easy. Yes, gay marriage is a tough issue. But ripping away the rights of every gay person and their children in the commonwealth should be a no-brainer. You can explain why that's a bad thing, even to the people of Virginia, if you have half a spine.

Oh, don't you just love when the chickens come home to roost? I know I do...

Hmmm - I wonder what they are saying over at Daily Kos, that bastion of "All Things Obama"?? Oh, this is good. Poster gladkov has a piece entitled, "Tim Kaine: A Big Step Backwards as DNC Chair?" Just hold the phone - is this person questioning the wisdom of The ONE??? S/he better be careful - you know what happens to people who write posts with which the Orange does not agree - you get No Quarter! Oh, and booted outta there. Perhaps the first paragraph was intended to mollify Daily Kos readers:

I was very disappointed to hear Howard Dean was stepping down but he served his term, went on to new things. I respect him for that. I am a bit non-plussed about the choice of Tim Kaine, however, as DNC Chair.

Dean. Blech. Major sexist pig.

But is is the following where I think gladkov is pushing the boundaries:

Crooks and Liars gives a good run-down of some of the issues:

http://crooksandliars.com/...

Ugh. After Howard Dean, could we pick a more disappointing choice for DNC head? After all, what the spinally deficient Dems need is a more milquetoasty, against stem cell research, pro-life, anti-gay chairman whose actions speak directly to his callousness towards those less fortunate directing the candidates and elections to help retain the Democratic majority, doncha know?

Here's a little newsflash for you, crooksandliars - "WE" didn't pick Kaine. Obama did. But why quibble?? Gladkov continues:

Let's start with the gay marriage/civil unions thing. Now for weeks, many have told us GLBT to shut up about Warren. It's just a prayer, it doesn't mean anything. It's about Obama's real policy. Ok, so who does Obama put in charge of the DNC: http://sicsempertyrannis.blogspot.com...

Only Kaine, a civil rights lawyer, has spoken in favor of granting certain rights to gay couples in long-term relationships. He said he supports the right of gay people in long-term relationships to enjoy the "civil benefits" available to married couples.

"I have never said I supported gay civil unions, gay marriages," Kaine told the AP last Friday. "I do believe that people shouldn’t be kicked out of their jobs or discriminated against because of who they are."

How kind of Mr. Kaine. He thinks I should not be kicked out of my house!
But, um, what about gay marriage or, failing that, civil unions:

"Marriage between a man and a woman is the building block of the family and a keystone of our civil society. It has been so for centuries in societies around the world. I cannot agree with a court decision suddenly declaring that marriage must now be redefined to include unions between people of the same gender.

"Virginia defines marriage as being between a man and a woman and I strongly support that law. Regardless of the court ruling today in another state, I am confident that there is nothing in the Virginia or federal constitutions that would require Virginia to alter its longstanding policy about marriage."

The Democrat also insisted that he opposes gay marriage and gay civil unions but supports contractual rights for gay and lesbian Virginians.

So, um, for all who said we should wait and see what Obama actually DOES instead of relying on that silly symbolism of Rick Warren, what about a DNC Chair who opposes even civil unions, who will be reinforcing this in his policy arguments? Think we have a right to be outraged now?

No, many of us were already outraged at Obama's treatment of the GLBT community. A long damn time ago. Glad you could catch up, though. Sorry you're all upset now. Maybe you should have looked a little closer to the other homophobes in Obama's life. I could say, "Better late than never," but now we are stuck with Obama and his anti-gay minions, so thanks tons for that.

I guess watching their heads explode as they realize that Obama really isn't so great is one small consolation. Not enough, but it's something, right? I'm sure there are more examples of the sheer hypocrisy that has become the hallmark of the Obamanation. Feel free to share! I imagine over the next four years, there will be more than we ever could have thought possible...

Just one more recap: Obama has chosen the DNC chair a man who is anti-choice, anti-gay, and pro-Iraq war. Gee - he's just everything the rest of us thought he was...

So, Now How Do You Feel...

All of the women's groups who endorsed Obama, all of the women who flocked to him, claiming he was SO great on women's rights and the best choice on issues of choice? I ask because guess who is going to be taking over the DNC? Tim Kaine. Remember him? Maybe this post I wrote back in July will help jog your memory:

My, my - funny how things happen. You would have to be living on the moon to not hear about ALL of the people Obama is considering for his Patsy, uh, I mean Vice President. All kinds of names have been thrown out from Chuck Hagel to Joe Biden. The current major leak (but really you are all supposed to know about it - shhhhh!) has Tim Kaine, Governor of VA, as a likely candidate. Never heard of him? Yeah, well, we lived in VA when Mark Warner was governor, and he was GREAT. Kaine was his Lt. Governor, so when Warner's terms was up (VA permits ONE six year term - that's it), Kaine rode in on his coattails. He hasn't done a whole lot since then, at least not a lot of positive changes for which he is receiving any accolades. BUT - Obama stumped for him in VA, and Kaine has been stumping for Obama around the world, uh, I mean, COUNTRY, and now they are BFFs! Woohoo!!!! Kaine has now moved to the short list for VP!! Gosh - he must be really experienced, and his constituents must really love him, right?? Uh, no. Like Obama (wow - I almost typed "Bush" then - I am not kidding, and it isn't just because I'm tired!), Kaine isn't all that experienced, certainly not in important matters like foreign affairs. Which would help since Obama has no experience, even with his NINE DAY trip!!!! A whole nine days - that is enough, right??? No. No, Obama, it is not even anywhere in the same ballpark as REAL experience, like Clinton's. But you know that already. You're just trying to appease your cultists, um, ah, I mean FOLLOWERS. Oh, that isn't right, either - SUPPORTERS! Yes, that is what politicians are supposed to have - supporters Okay. Got it. Anywho...

Ahem. Since you may know NOTHING about Gov. Kaine, he is personally opposed to the death penalty as a practicing Catholic, but when he campaigned as a gubernatorial candidate, he assured people he would not impose him personal beliefs on the state. In other words, he would not prohibit death penalty executions. Wow - what a stand up guy. He was not going to allow his personal faith to supersede the Commonwealth of Virginia's laws (and I hasten to say that I am completely opposed to the death penalty - always have been). Well, okay then.

Oh, but wait - there is more. While Governor Kaine wouldn't impose his religious beliefs on the death penalty, he had/has NO problem imposing them on the issue of - wait - for - it, yes, ABORTION!! So, a woman better not kill a zygote, but it's A-OKAY to kill a full-grown adult. Yes, indeedy! That makes sense, right?? Oh, yeah, NO. Governor Kaine, before he was governor, said he had a "faith-based opposition" to abortion, and vowed to promote ABSTINENCE focused education - you know, the one that doesn't WORK. And to ban so-called partial-birth abortions. This was a more popular position in VA than his opposition to the death penalty. In other words, his faith-based opposition takes a backseat to political aspiration. One was not politically expedient - the death penalty issue. The other one was - abortion. Regardless, now that Obama has secured the endorsements of NARAL, and even more importantly, for the second time ever in presidential politics, Planned Parenthood's, it makes PERFECT sense that he would target an anti-choice candidate to run as Vice President. It highlights that some of the very few times Obama exposed his true colors was his exceedingly patronizing comments to/about women and when they can/not choose to have an abortion.

What's that I hear? Oh, it is Planned Parenthood being thrown under the bus. And NARAL. Couldn't happen to two more deserving organizations supporting OBAMA over CLINTON after all of the work she has done on behalf of women, and the sexist, patronizing, arrogant way in which Obama has treated women, especially on choice!

So, all of you Obamabots trying to hold Roe v. Wade over our heads, what say you NOW, huh??? Really think he is not going to turn back the clock on women's rights like you claim McCain will do, and Obama won't? Because I think you are dead wrong. He doesn't give a damn about women and our health. He has made that abundantly clear. In the same way he proved he doesn't give a crap about the Constitution voting for FISA and telecom immunity (AT&T welcomes you to the Denver Democratic National Convention - I kid you not!), oh, and PLEASE stop calling him a "Constitutional Scholar" - he was a lecturer at the same law school he had just attended. It's like being a TA, for crying out loud. And he has made it clear as day - HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION! He cares about getting money, and getting elected. Your lives will be SO much smoother once you accept that! He will say and do whatever he has to do to accomplish those two tasks. So, quit with the whole Roe v. Wade scare tactic, because Obama DOES NOT CARE ABOUT WOMEN and our health. He does not. Too bad Planned Parenthood and NARAL apparently cared more about publicity (and money?? Does anyone know if Obama's "Hope PAC" gave them money?) than they did about supporting the candidate who would work the hardest for the issues about which they claim to care. Thanks a whole lot for the capitulation there, PP and NARAL. How do you people sleep at night?

So, Tim thinks we should care what he thinks about abortion, like so many other men. And he wants to impose HIS "faith-based opposition" on VA, and presumably, the country, should the world got to hell in a handbasket and Obama gets into the White House with him. Holy Cow...

What a surprise that Obama finds a way to get Gov. Kaine in after all. Cough. Ahem. It may not be VP, but a pretty plum choice nonetheless. Kaine and Rick Warrencan have themselves a good ol' time at the Inauguration talking strategy about getting rid of Roe v. Wade. I'm just sayin'...

Oh, yes. And in the, "Isn't it Ironic" file, there is this THIS article from November 12, 2008:

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine ruled out serving a new Democratic White House as chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday.

Speculation about Kaine heading the party began after DNC Chairman Howard Dean announced Monday he will step down in January.

Kaine said at a news conference Obama's transition team asked him if he was interested in the position. He said his response was that he'd rather be governor and won't do both jobs.

"That's not something I'm going to do. I don't view that, frankly, as consistent with being governor, so I'm going to be governor," Kaine said. "I would view it as taking my eye too much off the ball about things that need to happen here."

Except, apparently, it IS!!! Ah, more honest and trustworthy politicians in the Democratic Party! So, not only is Kaine rabidly anti-choice, he's also a big liar! Great! He should fit right on in with the Obama people, don't you think? I think his response to the possibility of being in Obama's cabinet highlights just how well:

For Kaine to accept an immediate appointment to an Obama Cabinet post would force him to turn the final year of his term over to Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.

"It's not turning the keys over to Bill Bolling that worries me. It's that I took an oath to be here for my whole term ... and I have communicated that to the president-elect already," Kaine said.

"We had talked about it a number of weeks back, but we've communicated since the election and I've made that point" to Obama, he said.

And how do you folks like THAT in the great Commonwealth of Virginia?!? Sounds to me like Kaine's attentions just might be a tad divided...I sure hope you didn't buy his double speak.

But hey, this is Kaine's payment (hmmm, that seems to be a common theme) for being the first governor to endorse Obama, and to work his little heart out for him making sure all of those felons were registered as they walked out the door of the prison (felons in VA lose their voting rights for life - unless the governor restores them). As is so often the case with Obama, this is a two-fer - he can pay back Gov. Kaine, and NARAL, PPA, Emily's List, and NOW all at the same time!! So, thanks - thanks so much for throwing us all under the bus supporting this Hope-y Change-y guy, who isn't all that change-y at all. Those of us who were paying attention are not surprised. Maybe deep down, you aren't, either, but it's too damn late now, isn't it? Way to sell us out. Thanks a lot for nothing.