October 31, 2004
Doesn't he know today's Halloween?
Guess that's what you get when you don't read the papers, but Atrios heard a rumor Bush will be handing out candy tomorrow to try to win votes.
Too little.
Too late.
You've been warned
Giant squid "taking over world" (link via Hack the Planet)
(For those who may not know, Giant Squid Productions is the name of the parent company of Crazy Apple Rumors.)
October 30, 2004
Comments down
Particularly nasty spam comment attack that MT-Blacklist didn't protect me from. My hosting provider had to rename my comment script.
Looks like I'll have to upgrade this site to MT 3.1 as well.
UPDATE: Comments are back.
October 29, 2004
Down. Down. Down.
I've been watching this Reuters poll for the last week. Bush's lead has gone from 3...
If you're going to pull bin Laden out of your ass, you'd better stand up, Mr. President.
October 28, 2004
Shorter media
I'll save you the trouble of reading today's campaign coverage. It all boils down to this:
Here's some actual evidence Bush sucks! But Bush says Kerry sucks! Which is right?!
Lying about their lying
Bush Campaign Acknowledges Ad Was Doctored
Shoot. I was kind of hoping they'd say "No. All those soldiers really do look alike!" I'm kind of disappointed in them.
But, there's always room for some lyin' about sumpin'!
"It was completely unintentional," [I totally didn't mean to click the clone tool! I wanted the lasso!] he said. "The ad has already been replaced." [Oh, well, good, then it's all settled and...]The ad still appeared on the front page of the campaign's Web site as of Thursday afternoon.
Whoops! And...
Dickens said, "There was no attempt to mislead."
Uh... yeah! The deliberate Photoshopping of an image to make it appear that there were more soldiers in the crowd than there were was somehow... educational! Not misleading!
Although, to be fair to Dickens, maybe he meant that while there was no attempt to mislead, but there was a deliberate attempt to lie. That could have been what he meant.
GOP: taking things out of context is our platform
I got an automated call from the RNC this morning that derided Patty Murray for praising Osama bin Laden as "charitable".
Of course, Murray's point was that much of the Muslim world supports bin Laden because he does support them with money. But rather than recognizing the validity of Murray's comments or recognize the nature of the enemy we're supposed to be fighting instead of the one they've been distracted by, the RNC will simply take things out of context to attempt delude voters that she supports the terrorists.
As the automated call said, "Please."
Add that to Bush's puppies ad that falsely insinuates that Kerry voted to cut intelligence spending after 9/11 and you're left to wonder, is the primary agenda of the Republican party now just to see how many things they can take out of context?
Blame the troops first
Giuliani backs up the "I didn't do it" president by pointing the finger at the troops.
These fuckers don't give a shit about the troops. They never have. To them they're a tool - a tool to keep them in power and a tool to get sweetheart no-bid contracts for their friends. They won't take responsibility for anything - it's always someone else's fault.
The troops did and are doing a difficult job that was handed to them by a shitty-assed president as best they can. Giuliani is a punk for trying to blame them for Bush's fuck ups.
October 27, 2004
Quick hits
1 - "I was exercising my political expression," it quoted him as saying. "I did not run them down, I scared them a little." (Via James.)
3 - And Howard Dean was supposedly unpresidential.
I smell a slander suit!
"LaRouche is a con felon and all I can tell you is that Mr. Morrison has supported and campaigned with LaRouche followers and Mr. Morrison also has taken money and is working with the Daily Kos, which is an organization that raises money for fighters against the U.S. in Iraq," said DeLay. (emphasis mine)
Fucking liar!
Sue him blind, Kos! SUUUUUUUUUUE HIIIIIIIIIIIM!!!!!!
Kerry in the lead? Kill it.
If this (link via Atrios) is true, it is another egregious example of how the media has failed to learn where it failed in the 2000 election. The Conventional Wisdom is that our Wartime Preznit is the folksy choice chosey security moms choose when they ain't choosin' Jiff, and that Librul Senator Kerry had better be up by twenty god damn points before you say he's got the lead.
But all this does is give ammunition to those who will scream "Illegitimate!" when Kerry wins both the electoral college and the popular vote. How could he have won?! The carefully rigged polls didn't show him up! He must have stolen the election by getting those black folks to come to the polls!
October 25, 2004
Rasmussen has Kerry up by 2 points.
48.4 to 46.4% (link via the Left Coaster). When leaners are included Kerry moves ahead by another point.
Meanwhile, Gallup continues to fudge the numbers but still can't cover up the fact that Bush is tanking.
The Bush Administration
(Actual protection from terrorism not included. Offer void... well... pretty much everywhere. Side effects may include dry mouth, painful urination, the condition known as Cheney-face, and a desire to hide in your basement until the Rapture comes.)
No, but seriously, kids...
How many times does this administration have to fuck up before people realize they suck really, really badly at the only thing they profess to be good at?
UPDATE: Quiddity does some math that should scare the shit out of you.
October 24, 2004
Tacoma paper endorses Kerry
As I told James, I had a feeling the News Tribune would endorse Kerry after endorsing the Republican candidate for governor, Dino Rossi.
Kerry is clobbering Bush in newspaper endorsements (link via Daily Kos).
October 22, 2004
The sound of crickets chirping
So, even the gay-bashing Eminem has come out against Bush.
And Jesse Ventura has endored Kerry.
Who, exactly has come out for Bush?
Other than Iran, I mean.
So, let me get this straight...
If Bush wins the election, he will have done so based on the complete misunderstanding by the people voting for him about his policies and positions.
Oh, that's just great.
And here I thought the major problem was just swing voters who refuse to pay attention to the race until the last minute and decide sole based on looking at pictures of the two candidates. Come to find out it's just fucking morons.
That must be satisfying. "We've got the idiot vote locked up!"
Go Bush!
October 21, 2004
The stupidest thing I've read in a long, long time
Via Kevin Drum I was reading a list of Libertarians (Oooh, don't you find Libertarians exciting?! I just think they're so exciting!) revealing who they're voting for and why. Louis Rossetto, who helped start Wired, wrote:
2004 vote: Bush may be wrong about everything else, but he is right about the issue that matters most for my children’s future: stopping Islamic fascism.
Wow. Someone's been drinking the sweet, dewey nectar that collects on Paul Wolfowitz during the night. You think Islamic fascism is the issue that matters most for your children's future?
Boy, are you an idiot.
If you're afraid a nuclear bomb is going to get set off in a major city my suggestion would be to be afraid of nuclear proliferation, not a particular group that happens to be unhappy with us.
Because, you know what? There are a lot of groups that are unhappy with us.
Before 9/11, the most successful act of terror committed on American soil in our generation was committed by whom?
A) Islamic fascists
B) The French
C) Democrats
D) Radical lesbian Buddhist nuns on dope
E) Right-wing separatist wackos
The correct answer is E. And the Bush administration's efforts to tear down international accords aimed at halting the spread of nuclear weapons, their arrogant attitude toward other nations, their reckless disregard for securing nuclear materials in Iraq and their utter failure to even slow Iran and North Korea's efforts to develop nuclear weapons run entirely counter to your weak thesis.
Afraid of getting blowed up real gud by crazies?
Vote Kerry.
Rossetto's idiocy doesn't stop there, however.
The alternative of not voting and allowing a billionaire currency speculator like George Soros to pick the next U.S. president is too dire to contemplate.
Apparently Rossetto prefers to have his presidents picked by billionaire media tychoons like Rupert Murdock, or billionaire Korean nutjobs like the Reverend Moon.
You know, you might make half an effort to have your argument for Bush make some kind of sense.
Or... not. Whatever. It's no skin off my apple. Really, so many entries simply defy any connection to reality that it's appalling. Jude Wanniski plans to vote for Kerry but may be tempted back to Bush if he fires Cheney, Rumsfeld and company.
In the next week and a half?! What the fuck are you smoking?!
That librul media!
When is a lead not a lead? When is a lead actually a lead?
Why, it depends on who's got the lead!
AP Poll: Bush, Kerry in Dead Heat
Ah, so they're tied!
Well, yes and no. Kerry got 49%, Bush got 46% and the margin of error is 3%. Fair enough.
But Reuters, which I think is arguably less pro-Bush than the AP (NNNNNNNNEDRA!), chooses to put a different spin on their poll results.
Reuters Poll: Bush Grabs One-Point Lead on Kerry
Bush leads 46% to 45%. Margin of error? 2.9%.
So, a somewhat statistically insignificant Kerry lead is a "dead heat". But a much more statistically insignificant Bush lead is a "lead".
Go Bush!
Frankly I don't know why I bother to look at these assinine polls since what actually matters is the results of the 51 individual races for president that will take place in one and a half weeks.
But, c'mon...
UPDATE: Kos noticed the same thing.
UPDATE II: Atrios correctly notes the way the margin of error works - which I vaguely remember from the statistics class in my MBA program - and which further points out how wet Reuters' headline is.
October 20, 2004
Link update
Since the Whiskey Bar is closed, please welcome Bob Harris of This Modern World fame to the Politics links on the left.
Cautiously optimistic
Here's a link for James since he doesn't want to talk baseball (SOX!!!).
This is all good news (is it news when you hear something that you just knew had to be true?), but no cause to rest. We're gonna carry this baby over the finish line.
October 19, 2004
Flip
This time on the flu vaccine.
In these troubled times, can we really afford to have someone so willing to be swayed by political pressure as George Bush in the White House?
Why does Jon Stewart do what others dare not?
It's probably because when Jon leaves work, he hangs around with his peers - actors and commedians - not politicians and political talking heads.
The Howler skewers Ted Koppel this week and reminds us of the fops who like to party with the people they supposedly cover so objectively.
It wasn't surprising to see Novak say he didn't think Stewart was funny and that he acted in poor taste on Crossfire in last night's Daily Show Moment of Zen. But I was personally disgusted to see James Carville say he thought Stewart was funny but he acted in poor taste.
Stewart finally pulled down the curtain.
Obviously the chattering teeth will struggle hard to pull it back over the timid form of Oz that Stewart exposed to the world. But rememeber, the audience applauded Stewart, not Tucker and Begala.
Gallup: Official Tool Of Bush/Cheney 2004
Steve Soto catches them violating even their own questionable methodology to favor Bush.
If there's one thing this administration wants it's the air of inevibility. Gallup stacks the deck to help them out.
Vermin watch
Cheney: Terrorists May Bomb U.S. Cities
Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday evoked the possibility of terrorists bombing U.S. cities with nuclear weapons and questioned whether Sen. John Kerry could combat such a threat, which the vice president called a concept "you've got to get your mind around."
Riiiiight.
The guy who got five draft deferments is concerned that the guy who was turning his boat into gunfire and chasing guys with rocket launchers - while he was stateside hoping to god he could knock his wife up fast enough - might not be able to combat a threat.
There's definitely something you need to get your head around.
Meanwhile, Dick had a few words for John Edwards.
"I thought, frankly, the other day what John Edwards suggested when he made his comments about Christopher Reeve, that somehow if John Kerry were president, Christopher Reeve could get up out of his wheelchair and there all of his problems would be solved, I really thought was an inappropriate remark, especially given ... well, given the false hope it engendered," Cheney said.
And we all know Cheney's not in the false hope business. As a matter of fact, he's not selling any kind of hope at all.
Terrorists will kill your children! That much I can guarantee you! The only question is how many of them! If you elect president Bush and I, we might be able to save a few!
October 18, 2004
October 17, 2004
This is no time for a democracy
Says the Dallas Morning News in endorsing Bush.
"This is not the time for Americans to abandon their president."
All together now: "How dare the Democrats field an opposition candidate! And in an election year!"
Fortunately, their witless lack of understanding of how this democracy works is not shared by many other newspapers (link via Atrios).
October 16, 2004
Mini Apple Store
I happened to make it up to the Southcenter Mall today to check out the Mini Apple Store that just opened. It was small but impressive. I think they made a mistake with the white floor, though, because they had a guy there continually wiping up scuff marks. The automated check-out looked interesting and I think it's a cool idea, but I did watch a clerk fumble with it a bit and say "I'm still getting used to this." If there's any kind of learning curve, that's going to be a problem.
I also got my first look at the new iMacs and allow me to just say...
...glaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh....
Rumors of new iBooks this week, according to the Unofficial Apple Weblog. So, naturally, I bought a new iBook.
Not really, but that would be just like me.
One more
I've been a long-time user of the free version of NetNewsWire, NetNewsWire Lite. But its author, Brent Simmons, just inspired me to buy a license for the full application.
Comment issues
A couple of folks have written in to note that they haven't been able to post comments with a "gmail.com" domain in their email address. I think Mike must be right that it was the "mail.com" part so I've deleted that entry from the spam filter and you should be able to use your Google Mail address now.
October 15, 2004
Fair and balanced
So, let's see how this works.
A conservative broadcasting group that uses a licensed portion of the airwaves that belong to every American is attempting to force its affiliates to air a partisan hit piece on the Democratic candidate - effectively ramming it down the throats of viewers in swing states just days before the election. A grass-roots effort has been launched to try to stop it and has hurt the company, but not stopped its plans.
Meanwhile a liberal movie maker can't get his opinion piece shown on cable pay-per-view - which is a completely private, opt-in venue - because the channel has been pressured by conservative political forces to not show the film.
When this is all over, will the failure to defend our democratic institutions force another set of weak mea culpas from the press and the networks? How many times do they have to turn a blind eye or play a willing part to rampant bias before they finally grasp their responsibility?
ATTENTION NADER SUPPORTERS
Think there's no difference between the Republican and Democratic candidates?
Well, I can guarantee to you that if Gore had been installed in the White House, we would not have invaded Iraq. Is more than 1,000 American lives and untold Iraqi lives big enough for you?
Also, while you're busy worrying that there's not enough difference between Bush and Kerry, here's a thought:
The biggest difference between Kerry and Nader is that Kerry can actually get elected president.
Wouldn't it be nice to vote for a winner? A winner who can make a difference?
Just something to think about.
Trying to find the words
I don't think it's accurate to describe America as polarized between Democrats and Republicans, or between liberals and conservatives. It's polarized between the people who believe George Bush and the people who do not. Thanks to some contested ballots in a state governed by the president's brother, a once-proud country has been delivered into the hands of liars, thugs, bullies, fanatics and thieves. The world pities or despises us, even as it fears us. What this election will test is the power of money and media to fool us, to obscure the truth and alter the obvious, to hide a great crime against the public trust under a blood-soaked flag. The most lavishly funded, most cynical, most sophisticated political campaign in human history will be out trolling for fools. I pray to God it doesn't catch you.
And marvel that these people - the ones who sent other people's sons and daughters out to die so they could give their friends billion dollar no-bid contracts - are still leading in the polls.
It's not the worst time to be an American, but it is a very bad time. This kind of corruption and usurption of a government designed to be for the people will not stand forever. Some of the preening, self-absorbed members of the political press will eventually be shaken by the unprecidented nature of the failure to govern with anything but the interests of a narrow few in mind. Eventually Americans will stumble out of their slumber even if it takes another attack or a draft to stir them.
I wish it didn't have to be so hard.
Deliberately missing the obvious?
I don't know if Josh Marshall is deliberately overlooking the obvious instance where Rove may have planted material damning his own candidate in an attempt to make his opponents look bad or if he's just being coy.
Forget about Tennessee, what about CBS?
October 14, 2004
OK, on three...
I think what's so devasting about the Cheneys' righteous indignation about Kerry mentioning that their daughter is a lesbian is how unscripted and from the heart it is.
Dick Cheney:
"And I am not just speaking as a father here, although I am a pretty angry father."
Lynne Cheney:
"Of course, I am speaking as a mom, and a pretty indignant mom."
Uh... yeah.
You read the whole article with its litany of just how out Mary Cheney is and you come away wondering... just what the hell is it that upset them?
UPDATE: In the comment section of this post on Demagogue, it became clear to me why the Cheneys are protesting so much. It's an excuse to bash Kerry over nothing and it's code to the religious right: we're ashamed our daughter is a lesbian.
They're not, of course, but they're willing to pretend to be.
You spin me right round, baby
The first time Bush got his ass kicked it was "Kerry cheated!" Now the complaint is "He said something that's factually true and not at all a secret!"
Boy, you'd think Mary Cheney being a lesbian was something they were ashamed of.
Also, let me just posit that complaining that Kerry is making proposals he can't pay for is just a tad ridiculous when you've already enacted tax cuts, crony give-aways and a war you can't pay for.
UPDATE: Yikes. In discussing the debate with someone who felt Kerry overstepped in bringing up Mary Cheney I apparently made almost exactly the same argument as Andrew Sullivan (link via the Liquid List).
...it exposes the rank hypocrisy of people like president Bush and Dick and Lynne Cheney who don't believe gays are anti-family demons but want to win the votes of people who do.
Well, I'm happy to agree with him when he's right.
The AP pussies out again
Headline was: Bush Overlooks Own Flip-Flop in Debate
Headline now is: Debate Inaccuracies Turning Into Classics
Cowards.
October 13, 2004
There was a debate tonight?
Actually, I had a prior engagement so I missed most of it - heard a little of it in the car and I taped it - but I see that Bush screwed the pooch (SANTORUM!!!) yet again. More and more he reminds me of the guy in Office Space who gets asked "What is it, you'd say, you... do around here?" and just get angrier and angrier as he's forced to realize he does nothing.
Josh Marshall points out a particularly salient bit that you should see more of in the coming days.
Bush just handed Kerry the right to show the American people exactly how he took his eye off Osama bin Laden in his rush to get Saddam Hussein... over and over and over again.
Marshall also provides his analysis of the debate and comments on how Kerry controlled the tempo and kept Bush on the defensive.
I have no doubts about Kerry's ability as a debater (he's a master debater - HA-HA! GET IT?). But I gotta say, maybe one of the reasons Kerry's been able to score so many points is simply that Bush has sucked so bad as a president.
UPDATE: And here's a sweet headline: Bush Overlooks Own Flip-Flop In Debate
"I HAVE PEOPLE SKILLS, DAMN IT!!!"
UPDATE II: Steve Soto says stick a fork in him.
Grrr....
Anyone know any good methods for getting rid of a mole (rodent-type, not skin lesion-type)?
Since moving we've discovered we have a mole that loves nothing more than making big piles of dirt in our front lawn, my EyeTV has up and died on me (they're replacing it free of charge), my Power Mac's hard drive had to be replaced ($120 to go from a 40 GB drive to 120 GB which I wanted to do anyway) and now my PowerBook has to go back to have IT'S hard drive replaced (covered under AppleCare).
Poltergeists. That's all I'm sayin'.
October 12, 2004
Appropriate quotes
Sinclair seems to be digging itself a bigger and bigger hole and Talking Points Memo is a good place to keep up on it all. It prompts me to remember a favorite quote from Mystery Science Theater 3000:
Ah, it does my heart good to see Crow burned beyond all recognition.
This is a good time for the management and dwindling number of shareholders of Sinclair to ask themselves "Are we a business or are we a right wing propaganda tool?"
They've now been lambasted by the Anti-Defamation League, their stock is dropping like a rock, and they're the target of a complaint to be filed with the FEC and another filed with the FCC.
Their response is to invite Kerry to participate in the magical evening of anti-Kerryism so, presumably, they can poke at him with sharp sticks in addition to defaming his character.
This brings me to a quote from the cult classic Big Trouble In Little China. As Jack Burton said after almost being run over by a member of the Lords of Death street gang, errand boys for the Wing Kong:
Son of a bitch must pay.
Here's a call to action (link via the Left Coaster) if anyone needs any direction.
October 10, 2004
Finally getting it
The press finally seems to understand Kerry's position on Iraq.
Edwards Disputes Rice on Iraq Invasion
Kerry has said repeatedly that Bush rushed to war without a strong coalition or a plan to win the peace.
See? It only took two debates and constant repetition but, by Jove, I think they've got it!
October 08, 2004
Debate
Once again, Chris Matthews was watching a different debate. Go figure.
UPDATE: Matthews asks Bush campaigner if Kerry was "appropriate" in his demeanor toward Bush.
I'll quote the Daily Show yet again: "How dare the Democrats field an opposition candidate. And in an election year!"
UPDATE II: When I saw the first debate, I wondered why I ever doubted Kerry.
Seeing the second debate, I couldn't fucking wait until this man is President. I am stoked by his performance tonight. He looked Bush in the eye and told him he should be held accountable for his horrible performance over the past three and 3/4 years.
Bush came with his "A" game and was still wasn't playing in the same league.
UPDATE III: And David FUCKING Ortiz! YEAAAAAAAAH!!!!!
I gotta say, though, I don't feel sorry for Bush, but I do feel sorry for Vlad.
Bush's closing statement
"We've been through a lot together as a country. Recession. War. Unemployment.
"Good times. Good times."
THE SMIRK IS BACK!
AH-HA-HA! Kerry just got the ol' smirk for the ASS-KICKING he delivered to Bush on the environment question!
And Bush's winking at the members of the crowd is really annoying.
October 07, 2004
The blog defense
I think Karl Rove has now sunk to getting his ideas for defending invading Iraq from Glenn Reynolds.
Saddam was embezzling money from the food for oil program!
Uh...
When do we invade Dick Cheney's bunker?
UPDATE: Digby has the specific charges (link via Atrios). Now we just have to get the U.N. to draft a resolution and then we can "mean what we say" our way into ousting this madman before he does something else unspeakable to the United States.
Preznit Zinger
Apparently after his lackluster debate performance, Bush has decided that, in lieu of having a actual record to run on, he will try out a series of "witty" one-liners that will have the crowd in stiches.
The problem might be that the crowds at the debates aren't allowed to laugh. And they're not hand-picked by the GOP. And it's a presidential debate, not Last Comic Standing.
Do the Republicans really think what people want is a guy running as class clown? I think they may have finally stooped below the American electorate's intelligence.
Sounds to me like Bush is just going to embarrass himself in a whole new way the next time around.
Mmm. Toast.
Kerry Holds Small Lead Over Bush
Unlike the "small leads" Bush has had over Kerry recently, this one's outside the margin of error.
Sen. John Kerry has taken a slim lead over President Bush, according to an Associated Press poll that shows the president's support tumbling on personal qualities, the war in Iraq and the commander in chief's bedrock campaign issue — national security.
And people are really starting to get it.
Eric Schlichting, a suburban Chicago inventory manager who tends to vote Republican, said Iraq is troubling him.
"Up until the last 18 months, I was leaning toward Bush, but the more that happens the worse it gets," Schlichting said. "He sticks to his guns, but his aim is so far off that sticking to his guns is not paying off."
Pat the bunny swallower
I found it amusing that reading this post on TBogg that it only took me getting to the second sentence of the quote before I knew who wrote it:
Not only would the Democrats not have attacked Iraq, they would have given Saddam Hussein an award for...
Coulter. She's always having Democrats handing out awards and praise to Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, Hitler, Satan...
Yes, who can forget the magical moment when Saddam Hussein beat out Satan for the 2003 Paul Wellstone Award for Anti-Americanism?
That's shtick's getting a little too pat, Ann.
October 06, 2004
The day after
Josh Marshall has good series of posts about the debate. Essentially the only thing you can knock Edwards for amounts to "there just isn't enough time in 90 minutes to take Cheney to task for every lie that comes out of his mouth."
Also, it was particularly gratifying to see this story on the front page of the paper below the piece on the debate.
The government’s most definitive account of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs, to be released today, will show that Saddam Hussein posed a diminishing threat at the time the United States invaded and did not possess or have concrete plans to develop nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, U.S. officials said Tuesday.The officials said the 1,000-page report by Charles Duelfer, chief U.S. weapons inspector in Iraq, concluded that Saddam had the desire but not the means to produce unconventional weapons that could threaten his neighbors or the West.
President Bush has continued to assert in his campaign stump speech that Iraq had posed “a gathering threat.”
The officials said Duelfer, an experienced former United Nations weapons inspector, found that the state of Saddam’s weapons development programs and knowledge base was less in 2003, when the war began, than it was in 1998, when international inspectors left Iraq.
Reality is very anti-Cheney.
October 05, 2004
4 for 4!
All my teams won today! Boston, Minnesota, St. Louis and Edwards!
Quite frankly I think Cheney did better than I hoped he'd do, but Edwards smacked him down so hard on Halliburton ol' Dick didn't even have a comeback.
"Well, er, I could spend a lot of time responding to that... goddam punk..."
Cheney is clearly the much more frightening of the Bush/Cheney team. He's both smarter and more evil than Bush. That's a disturbing combination. But it was satisfying to see Edwards take him to task for the constant "al Qaeda = Iraq" statements and deflate his "trial lawyers = bad" balloon.
John's got that one story he uses all the time but damn if it doesn't work.
October 04, 2004
Balance
Bush Holds 1 Point Lead Over Kerry, Poll Shows. Poll's margin of error? 3.1%.
Meanwhile all the stories about Kerry being ahead of Bush by two points in the Newsweek poll call the race "even" or "a dead heat."
Remember, no Bush lead is too statistically small to call it a lead.
Looking forward to the internals
Hopefully The Left Coaster will have the internals of the new Gallup poll that shows Kerry and Bush tied some time soon.
If those internals are anything like the previous ones, that means Kerry is actually ahead by a substantial margin.
October 03, 2004
Debate Result Overturned. Bush Named Winner.
It is my sad duty to inform Kerry supporters everywhere that the results of the debate have been overturned and Bush has been named the winner due to cheating by John Kerry.
"Cheating?" you ask.
Yes, cheating. Apparently Kerry somehow managed to smuggle what appears to be a pen into the debate. Just before the debate began, Kerry pulled it from his pocket which somehow caused him to be able to make Bush look like a lying, squirming, sack of shit who is uncomfortable at finally being questioned by someone with the balls to put the smackdown to him.
Since this has now been reported on Drudge, I'm sure it'll be picked up by all the major cable news channels and Kerry will be forced to withdraw from the race. It's truly sad that this had to end this way, just as his campaign had pulled into the lead. Because, you know, it looked to all reasonable eyes like he took Bush out to the woodshed. But now that we know he cheated... with... a pen... well... that throws the whole thing.
Although, it's also possible it was this which clearly would have been against the rules and should certainly mean that Bush should just be given the election.
Fucking dumbasses. It just kills them that Bush got his ass handed to him in a bucket that said "Bush's lying sack o' shit ass."
Oh, and perhaps they'd like to explain why at the end Bush picked something up off the podium and put it into his pocket. Did he steal something?! Must have, if Kerry was the only one who pulled something out of his pocket and put it on the podium.
October 02, 2004
Go Kerry!
There were a mess of Kerry supporters out at the Tacoma Mall today, including Firefighters for Kerry. They had a giant Kerry/Edwards sign and were standing right at the primary artery where cars were constantly streaming by. They were also handing out bumper stickers and buttons.
It was a strong and visible show of support for the guy who's now leading the polls.
October 01, 2004
ICHIRO!!!!!!!!
Breaks the record!
He is the man. Don't let anyone tell you anything different.
I'll be at the game on Sunday to see him set the record and to say goodbye to Edgar.
More Fox Shenanigans
Fox Photoshops Bush up to Kerry's height. (Link via Daily Kos.)
Maybe if the real George Bush didn't suck so badly, they wouldn't have to invent a fantasy Bush who's three inches taller.
Pathetic.
UPDATE: Not so sure about this one. Could be another angle.
UPDATE II, THE RETURN: BoingBoing says no. But, seriously, it's not like it was out of the realm of imagination.
AP changes another headline
Was "Powell Regrets Iraq Weapons Claim For War", a headline based on this graph:
He blamed "bad sourcing" and did not apologize for his U.N. presentation, which had been designed to rally support in the United Nations for the coming war. He said, "I am not only disappointed, but I regret that the information was not correct."
Now it's "Powell Wades Into Midst of Campaign Discord".
I don't know if the text of the story changed - I only got to it when Yahoo hadn't updated to the new headline.
Seems like they do this a lot and almost always to favor the administration.
We fabricate, you decide
Just go read Talking Points Memo.
Yeah, and Dan Rather's blunder is the biggest journalistic scandal in 20 years. The true scandal is that Fox hasn't gotten it's FCC license revoked for continued unabashed, deliberate, partisan Republican spin.
UPDATE: I'm with Jesse! I prefer my cash in small, unmarked bills!
Losing on your own turf
Both Kos and Atrios note one of Bush's big gaffes of the night. Kerry detailed how he'd make America safer. Bush joked that it would cost a lot.
This is a point that Democrats can hammer home. Bush doesn't want to pay for Americans' safety. He wants his tax cuts and his war in Iraq.
Protecting ports is boring! Bush wants to see things blowed up real gud! And then he wants to go buy himself a pony to try to fill the emptiness that lies inside!
Remember - national security was supposed to be his strong suit.
What does Bush do for an encore? Punch someone with a question about unemployment in the gut at the "town hall" debate?