Hi again Open Thread!

Is there sometimes a Closed Thread? Would I need a ticket?

To the Republican and Democratic National Committees:

Stop it. Stop spewing hate and misinformation. Your tactics are sophomoric at best and do not work anymore.

Get a clue. We know what you are saying is utter shit. We are tired of your histrionics, of your prepackaged pabulum. We are tired of the lies.

The facts are what counts. The Truth is what counts. If you don't have the Courage to deliver these then go to hell, or at least get off the airwaves and out of my mailbox.

You are all an embarrassment to this country. Shame on you. Slime.

Good interview with Dean on Franken's show. Always good to hear from him.

The GOP is terrified and nothing motivates like fear.

From the GOP Web site:

"October 26, 2006: Donald Lambro writes in this morning’s Washington Times “the 2006 elections could turn on one final, frantic, door-to-door battle: who wins the voter turnout game. A little more than a week before voters decide who will control Congress next year, that game is played out in a half-dozen battleground Senate races and 40 to 50 closely-contested House elections across the country. …many contests appear close enough where turnout could make the crucial difference. …No one doubts who has the stronger voter turnout ground game: the Republicans.”

We need our grassroots volunteers now more than ever. If you are not already signed up to be a 72-hour volunteer, you can do so here. Please encourage friends and family to be a part of this crucial effort."

Dems need to get going!

wearenotstupid, betcha you had to post that here because the RNC makes it next to impossible to post on their blog...much like getting into a RNC fundraiser.

Posted by AaronM on October 26, 2006 at 05:35 PM

AaronM,

Isn't that what our military is testing right now?

It's obvious that the Iraqi militias are rapidly grabbing power and trying to consolidate as much territory as they can. Shiites militias in the South are fighting each other. Sunni and Shiites are at it farther north. And then Shiites and Sunnis are both fighting Kurds in the North.

It may be too late for the current military operations to get a fair test...if we had only stopped the looting in the first days and established some order from the start. Oh, well.

We need to approach the militias who are obviously running the show not the current government. The military knows who the players are and could negotiate with them to meet over a table as well as over guns. They have worked with them to free kidnapped victims.

But what will be discussed at that table? Instead of running around the world threatening people who already have nuclear capabilities, Condi should be working on the diplomatic front to find Sunni and Shiite sponsors for each faction. We may still be able to fulfill that role for the Kurds.

These sponsors could exert some pressure for a political solution and offer guidance. Russia and China served that role in Korea and Vietnam.

I just can't see any military solution to this. Unless those fighting want to stop, it won't happen. Right now they have no other recourse.

Posted by SandyH on October 26, 2006 at 06:52 PM

Cheney endorses simulated drowning

Says use of water boarding to get terrorist intelligence is ‘no brainer’.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15433467/

And I have no doubt Cheney endorses this also.

Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Child Rape Photos

Who Wants to Start a Pool?

Who wants to start a pool which wingnut will be the first to chime in on this latest tectonic upheaval for the GOP in the final two weeks of the election by calling it "playful hazing like we see in high school locker rooms"?

My money's on Brit Hume. Who else is in?

Welcome to Pottersville

Iraqi PM sees peace in 6 months - if U.S. cooperates

...so all along we were the ones getting in the way of the love....who knew?

I guess Cheney never played Uncle. Remember that childrens game in which one child would force another to say uncle or to make some statement that they would not otherwise have said? Any person with knowledge of that game knows that torture can lead men and women to say just about anything, true or not.

We've also lost the ability to prosecute the 20th hijacker as a result of these tactics. Prosecuters apparently feel that the tactics used in extracting information from him have made the case unprosecutable.

That's why Cheney wants to do it. To force them to say what he wants them to say. He's not after the truth.

What is the new Democratic Party 1 liner? I thought it was "It's Time for a Change" but someone said it's not it. Does anyone know? I just read it - something that Nacy P said the other day but I can't remember it...

We want to use it in a newspaper ad...

I found it - "A New Direction for America"

Kathy,

Having someone give any direction would be a nice change.

Marine,

Oh, I think Cheney has played Uncle before.

Janitor’s secret past: a death squad

A former Salvadoran army officer convicted of killing priests is arrested in L.A.

Gonzalo Guevara Cerritos was a decorated, American-trained officer in the Salvadoran army.

But for the last year, the 43-year-old toiled as a janitor at a West Los Angeles-area motel, a man with a secret who was always looking over his shoulder, his girlfriend said.

His clandestine existence came to an end Wednesday, when federal authorities announced that they had arrested him as an illegal immigrant who was a human rights violator.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said Guevara Cerritos was one of nine Salvadoran officers and soldiers implicated in one of the most notorious massacres in El Salvador's history: the 1989 death squad murders of six Jesuit priests whom some in the army viewed as subversives.

LA Times

Here's my suggestion for a Dem ad on Gay marriage:

Scene opens with men in full combat gear breaking into a suburban bedroom shouting, "FBI! FBI! FBI!"

One of the agents steps forward and barks at the husband: "Sir, we've had a report that you are engaged in a homosexual marriage."

The husband looks thunderstruck.

Another highly macho officer of indeterminate sex steps forward and grabs the the very petite and very feminine wife, then yanks her out of bed. The officer snarls, "Come with me honey we need to check."

Cut away from the scene to the words, "DON"T LET IT COME TO THIS!"

The next frame says, "Last year Republicans voted for Federal authority over YOUR marriage, Democrats opposed it."

The ad closes by saying, "For hundreds of years in America marriage has been the prerogative of churches and the states. Do we really want to stop that now and let people like this make the decisions on the institution of marriage?"

Cut to pictures of Mark Foley and Dennis Hastert.

Finally, "Vote Democratic on November 7. The stakes may be close to home."

I'm tired of people talking about the Gay Marriage ban as if it was only about Gays. It was also about marriage and we need to remind to the voters.

PS: If you think the above scenario is a stretch, look what happened when the Federal Government was given the authority to enforce anti-polygamy laws, also an aspect of marriage.

will you take the red pill or the blue pill...

Watch this-
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198&q=freedomtofascism

wearenotstupid, betcha you had to post that here because the RNC makes it next to impossible to post on their blog...much like getting into a RNC fundraiser.

Posted by Kristen on October 26, 2006 at 06:47 PM

Good evening

Have you ever tried to post on the RNC blog? You're just as soon as be trying to catch the wind in your hand to hold. More like an endurance test with all the steps involved.

Posted by AmericanPericles on October 26, 2006 at 07:50 PM

So how does ths story come out? Is the very petite and very feminine wife a woman or a really cute fairy?

get ready...it's coming...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198&q=freedomtofascism

Here are the people! This thread has/had more activity - Sound Science, Stem Cell Research and 2006. Found a couple of trolls but alas they are gone now - wrote a great response #43 that no one saw. Sigh. These are trolls: Wteach / jonhn

This is going to be BIG news - mainly because it is easily digestible. The MSNBC blog on Rush/Fox exchange has 65 pages of entries - almost all Dem friendly. The new turncoat, David Kuo, was interviewed his afternoon. http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??f=00&g=4fecf79a-bfd2-4999-a83a-11ee21c1c691&p=hotvideo_m_edpicks&t=m5&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15408508/&fg=He is asking Republician PASTORS to denounce Rush. WE COULDN'T BUY THIS KIND OF PUBLICITY. Excellent video!!!!

This is even better than Foley - and Mahoney is leading in polls and newspapers.

"Cheney endorses simulated drowning

Says use of water boarding to get terrorist intelligence is ‘no brainer’.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15433467/

Posted by Domingo on October 26, 2006 at 07:01 PM"

Simulated? You mean it is stopped short of being fatal? You mean the fear and resulting high blood pressure doesn't cause a stroke? Provide the true details and even a fool will know that it is torture.

The Lord knows them by their works. And so should we.

The NAACP has officially asked that the tasteless ignorant ads by the RNC be pulled from the airwaves in the TN Ford/Corker race.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061026/ap_on_el_se/tennessee_senate_race_3

Posted by FrostyMacCowpie on October 26, 2006 at 07:59 PM

Do you guys have a gay alarm on the computer? No matter what you are doing...taking a shower, eating tacos, or writing out a check to the Santorum campaign, just on word mentioned about gays and here you are.

I want one of those alarms that works everytime Cheney tells another lie somewhere in the country.

Denimblue, this article explains how 'water-boarding' works.

Cheney confirms that detainees were subjected to water-boarding.

SandyH, he always wants to talk about that subject, doesn't he?

As I stated last night our own legislature is having it's own trials and tribulations with a member that is being asked to resign because of racial slurs he has made.

Funny thing, when folks in the political arena are caught in a wrongdoing effort the first thing they run and blame for their behavior is "alcohol". The accused state legislator left racial slurs and threats on the answering machine of another state legislator (Hispanic) and while in the process also called the Superientendent of Dade County schools the "n" word. This guy decided to do it up with a bang! So now he states that he is in anger management and alcohol counseling and in the meantime the DEMS in the state legislature have stated that they will refuse to seat in the next session if this man does not resign or is not expelled.

It's hot here. Stay tuned for the next development.

Oh yeah here's the link to that last post. Keep forgetting.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-carza26oct26,0,4731436.story?coll=sfla-news-miami

I continue to be appalled at what this misadministration stands for. I can't imagine how water boarding is not considered torture. Fear has been used to change this country into quivering cowards who think the government taking away rights will protect us.

Everyone in the US has a much better chance of being killed or injured by a car accident or a local red-neck than being harmed by a terrorist.

waterboarding is a crime of war- japanese who engaged in this tactic were prosecuted for this form of torture after world war II

evening dems

palme case just keeps giving...drip, drip,drip:

Memory expert taken to task in Libby hearing
Special counsel causes witness to question her own research

By Joel Seidman
Producer
NBC News
Updated: 4:55 p.m. ET Oct 26, 2006
WASHINGTON - A key to the defense strategy for Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I Lewis "Scooter" Libby - that the pressure of his job at the White House caused Libby to "misremember" conversations about Valerie Plame to reporters - was put in question today during a pre-trial hearing on whether a memory expert would be admitted to testify on Libby's behalf.

Libby's lawyers contend that issues of memory, including how memory works and why it fails, will be crucial to the jury's determination of Libby's guilt or innocence.

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald vigorously cross-examined Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, a memory expert and defense witness at the procedural hearing...

...Perception of guilt or innocence
Fitzgerald's blistering, nearly three-hour, questioning of Loftus caused her to admit that some of her own findings about what juries know about memory were faulty and that some of her own research may have been flawed...

...Quoting from her own book "Witness for the Defense," Fitzgerald also confronted Loftus about how she might sway a jury if called to testify at trial. She had written that, "using my arsenal of subtle psychological tools" Loftus could make an impression on a jury about her perception about guilt or innocence...

...Fitzgerald says a memory expert would be, "confusing, misleading and prejudicial," and would unnecessarily delay the proceedings. Today's witness also admitted that there have been no studies conducted on how memory effects past conversations.

Libby's trial is scheduled to begin on January 15, 2007.

...after the elections libby is going down, and when his time comes to look at federal time and bush doesn't use any of his remaining political capital in pardoning him he might flip on karl and dick....

front page story in the enquirer today- this isn't the first time that this woman from the mason school board has been in the news- seems she spends more time stirring up phony controversies about how the poor christians are so put upon than actually doing her job- or so it would seem:

Sharon Poe and Mason School Board Member Jennifer Miller said public schools like Mason High School are forcing Christianity out of the hallways.

Examples they give include the fact that Easter break is now called Spring break.

And nativity scenes are also not allowed on school grounds.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/10/25/mason.html

"Black sounding" name. Posted by Domingo on October 25, 2006 at 11:08 PM

You would probably be surprised to know that many, many blacks stay away from ethnic sounding names for that very reason. Makes it more difficult to peg out just who and what the person is. I myself was not pleased when my daughter named my new grandson "Malik". Rates right up there with Jamal and Jaquan. He will have to fight the preconceived ideas of others from pre-k onward. Posted by J on October 26, 2006 at 09:05 AM

J, about a month ago I watched this 20/20 show they did on this study about White and Black names. They took a bunch of little kids and asked them questions like, "Who do you think is smarter, Susan or Suana?" and they all answered Susan! And they asked, "If your lunch money was missing, who do you think stole it, John, or Jamal?" and in a flash the kids answered "Jamal!", and the questions went on and on like that. Every good trait was matched with the White name, and every bad trait was matched with the Black one. Now that's just with little kids. To give an example of how this works later in life, I saw this other show a few years ago that showed how if a company receives a job resume with a "Black name" on it, it goes straight on the trash can. But if it has a name like Mary or Debbie, they will keep it. The prejudice is out there, and it's taught at a very young age.

Please see 8:08 post - with video link. Does anyone else think this is as big a thing as I think it is?

The new Repub turncoat, David Kuo, was interviewed this afternoon. He is asking Republician PASTORS to denounce Rush, as well as telling the Evangelicals how the Admin laughs at them in his new book promo tour. This is great stuff because the guy is so credible.

I think it's much bigger than water torture news. If we had secret prisons for years, sure we tortured them. Does it really matter how? Torture is torture. Of course, Cheney approved. No surprise there. He shoots people, remember?

Also, Jefro - according to new BBC documentaries about Auschwitz - OVER 90% OF THE GUARDS THERE WERE NEVER PUNISHED AT ALL. That really surprised me. One is now a judge. A very few are ever prosecuted for war crimes - almost none of the German Army and SS were. Easier to stop the war crimes in progres than prosecute later.

If your lunch money was missing, who do you think stole it, John, or Jamal?" and in a flash the kids answered "Jamal!", and the questions went on and on like that. Every good trait was matched with the White name, and every bad trait was matched with the Black one.

Posted by Domingo on October 26, 2006 at 09:04 PM

Perhaps their answers reflected their real life experiences.

Hey Frosty, Look out the bogeyman gonn'a getcha

What is shown on the photographs and videos from Abu Ghraib prison that the Pentagon has blocked from release? One clue: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress last year, after viewing a large cache of unreleased images, "I mean, I looked at them last night, and they're hard to believe." They show acts "that can only be described as blatantly sadistic, cruel and inhumane," he added.

Just the way those two torture lov'in freaks, Bush and Cheney like it.

to FrostyMacCowpie - do you ever say anything constructive or informative, or is it against your religion? My lunch money was stolen by John, not Jamal...

Some Irish I know are peed off that you're using the Mac part of their name

US preparing to try 60 to 80 detainees at Gitmo: official by Jim Mannion Thu Oct 26, 4:27 AM ET

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA (AFP) - The United States is laying plans to try 60 to 80 Al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects for war crimes at this remote naval base starting as early as mid 2007, senior US defense officials said....

pl_afp/usattacksguantanamojustice_061026081457">
//news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061026/pl_afp/usattacks
guantanamojustice_061026081457

Some Irish I know are peed off that you're using the Mac part of their name

Posted by Piesmasher on October 26, 2006 at 09:18 PM

Mac is Scottish.

What Cowshyt says is never constructive, informs wrongly and insults everyone. Cowshyt is something less than nothing.

Sandy H -
Why is it taking so long to prosecute? Next summer - 2007 - won't affect the election cycle. It's the only time they can do it and not have to pay for it with votes.

If I was O'Cowpie, that would be Irish. I'll try that next time.

Good evening, everyone.
I have my cystal ball out.
Election troubles foreseen

but I forgot the preview button. ;p

Cowshyt is something less than nothing.

Posted by Piesmasher on October 26, 2006 at 09:22 PM

Cowpies are a very valuable commodity. That is what you get when you order "black dirt".

and I can tell you that the vendors are pushing boards to "lease for the big day" as many optical scanners that they want...for $750 each, that is. HAVA less budget, all the time.

Blackwell Rules Out Scanning Absentee Ballots Early

County election boards facing a surge in absentee ballots from voters concerned about polling-place lines and problems were warned by the state Wednesday against counting or even computer-scanning absentee votes before Election Day.

that asshole pitcher from st. louis who is gonna go on the tube against stem cell research is getting hit pretty good tonite...detroit is up 3-0...hope they rock his republican ass all night long.

That is what you get when you order "black dirt".

Posted by FrostyMacCowpie on October 26, 2006 at 09:26 PM

manure...gardners gold.

I rarely post but read the regulars all the time like Gregg / SandyH and all the great bloggers here. I really would like their opinion on this video. 8:08 post repeated. FrostyCowshyt, please be quiet for awhile - go watch this - even you'll like it.

This is going to be BIG news - mainly because it is easily digestible. The MSNBC blog on Rush/Fox exchange has 65 pages of entries - almost all Dem friendly. The new turncoat, David Kuo, was interviewed his afternoon. http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??f=00&g=4fecf79a-bfd2-4999-a83a-11ee21c1c691&p=hotvideo_m_edpicks&t=m5&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15408508/&fg=He

He is asking Republician PASTORS to denounce Rush. WE COULDN'T BUY THIS KIND OF PUBLICITY. Excellent video!!!!

Libby's lawyers contend that issues of memory, including how memory works and why it fails, will be crucial to the jury's determination of Libby's guilt or innocence.

gregg,

Maybe Fitzgerald should bring in an expert on lying, mind games, and just plain BSing?

You can see that Libby's lawyers are going to try to wear down the jury with a bunch of stuff that has nothing to do with the actual case.

So this is one of the tricks that rich folks' attorneys like to use to manipulate the system? If I tried this ploy in a typical automobile accident case, the judge would nail me to the wall and throw darts at me.

Yeah, just call me FrostyMacGardnersGold.

I loved the "error" in the headline. snicker

Reistered voter list errors might impede some

One of the biggest changes wrought by the Help America Vote Act is the mandate that every state must have a voter registration database up and working by the Nov. 7 general election. But a dozen states missed the Jan. 1 deadline for finishing their databases, which produce lists of registered voters for every precinct. And four states have been sued by the Justice Department.

That leaves a confusing array of systems that may or may not work come Election Day, voting rights groups say. And it creates a growing anxiety that registered voters with every right to cast a ballot will be turned away because their names are not on the list for a variety of reasons, including something as innocuous as a typo.

"No issue is more important on Election Day than the quality of the list,"

"Those databases are the final say on whether a person gets to vote."

Posted by FrostyMacCowpie on October 26, 2006 at 09:21 PM

It was Mc the other day. Not sure of your paternity?

sandy, but this is not in front of a jury. this is an argument about whether libby's memory issues will ever get in front of a jury and it looks like they won't in which case he is looking at a felony conviction in which case he may be flipable....

Essy,

I'll be thinking of you and your daughter tomorrow. I'm sure everything will go well.

Wish you didn't have all this last minute election stuff hanging over you...but hey, when things get tought, the tough get going.

I usually want to puke when I read from here, but what the hey! I've got a headache to go with it, so here goes.

Will Ken Blackwell find the ways to steal Ohio 2006 as he did in 2004?

Memory issues? Maybe we should get out the old waterboard and see if that helps jog his memory. We are after all talking about treason.

Thank you, Sandy. Cervical cancer at 21. She's scared, I'm stressed, but not showing it for her sake. At least she will be staying with me for a couple of days. She's so independent, living on her own for 2 years. I think she'll appreciate being taken care of until she's ready to go back to her home. My sister is going out of state this weekend, so I'm to take care of our parents as well.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Thank you for your kindness.

Time to wash the blonde right into my hair. Enjoy the evening, everyone.

To give an example of how this works later in life, I saw this other show a few years ago that showed how if a company receives a job resume with a "Black name" on it, it goes straight on the trash can. But if it has a name like Mary or Debbie, they will keep it. The prejudice is out there, and it's taught at a very young age.

Posted by Domingo on October 26, 2006 at 09:04 PM

Happens every day in the working world. In private industry those apps can go straight in the trash. Now in government of any kind the app stays in the pile those applying for a particular position, (public record) BUT that doesn't say you get a call to come in for a chat. I know as many others of varying skins shades - built your resume of skills (to expert levels) and experience along with a ton of paper (degrees, certificates, training etc.) behind you. Extracurricular activites such as volunteer service will round out your app so that maybe even if your name is "Quanisha", you just might get a call though not likely.

Sharon Poe and Mason School Board Member Jennifer Miller said public schools like Mason High School are forcing Christianity out of the hallways.

jefro,

Why do I get the feeling Mason Schools will never do too well on the No Child Left Behind scores?

Thank you, Sandy. Cervical cancer at 21. She's scared, I'm stressed, but not showing it for her sake. At least she will be staying with me for a couple of days. She's so independent, living on her own for 2 years. I think she'll appreciate being taken care of until she's ready to go back to her home. My sister is going out of state this weekend, so I'm to take care of our parents as well.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

She'll be alright. I'm a 16 year cancer survivor. As her mother I know you're shedding your tears in private because you are her mother.

It will be alright.

My prayers are with you all. Take care.

Difference between Religious Conservatives and Bush Political Conservatives: Two extreme one of a religious love and another of political hate finger intimidating fear relationship

With the Republican Party being of such high Religious morals, how low can it go to defame a Tennessee Democrat named Ford? This is the same dirty Texas politics that Bush used on McCain in the Carolinas to defame him. Misinformation, lies, and instilling fear in a hate campaign reministent of the Sixties against black politicians. What kind of Religious Conservatism allow this trashy Political Conservative filth.

Posted by SandyH on October 26, 2006 at 08:14 PM

Sandy, your computer would never stop screeching if you had an alarm on it for every time Cheney lied.

"I don't care if I vote for Happy the Clown, just so it's not who's there now," said Mary Nyilas, 51, an independent voter from Cologne, N.J., who said she would do everything she could to "vote against the powers that put us in this situation" in Iraq.

This might be a big opportunity for Frostie. Is it too late to get on the ballot?

What is wrong with these people? I thought they were the champions of the moral majority?

Wyoming congresswoman issues apology

By Associated Press
October 25, 2006

CHEYENNE - Seeking to put an end to an incident that pundits say could tighten an already-close U.S. House race, Rep. Barbara Cubin issued a public apology Tuesday for a comment she made to a disabled Libertarian candidate following a testy debate.

"It was person-to-person and it was not an attack on the disabled," Cubin said in a telephone interview. "In retrospect, I was wrong in what I said, and I apologize."

But Libertarian Thomas Rankin said Cubin hadn't apologized to him personally, and he still considered it an "open issue" until she did.

"Barbara has been a loose cannon too long; she needs to be reined in," he said.

Rankin, who has multiple sclerosis and uses an electric wheelchair, said that after the debate Sunday night Cubin "walked over to me and said, 'If you weren't sitting in that chair, I'd slap you across the face.' "

Rankin, who has multiple sclerosis and uses an electric wheelchair, said that after the debate Sunday night Cubin "walked over to me and said, 'If you weren't sitting in that chair, I'd slap you across the face.' "

Posted by SandyH on October 26, 2006 at 10:29 PM

Well why should she have to apologize for that? Just because someone is in a wheel chair that doesn't make them a wonderful person. Maybe he is a butthole. Maybe he needs slapping.

Mark Foley must have given George Allen a copy of Lost Soldiers.

excellent, that asshole suppon can only get the loss in tonites game, he can't get the win...

Cubin didn't have to apologize, but she did and said that she was wrong. Perhaps Mr. Rankin is, after all, a wonderful person who just happen to take issue with Cubin's opinions. The pugs hate people who disagree with them. Tough s***, I say.

My dear DNC bloggers -
I often come here to read stuff - and know you all by name. This site is not too active anymore, not like after Katrina, so that isn't hard to do. That surprises me, given there's an important election coming and we are actually gaining.

I spent the day on political sites, then came "home" here. I started at 7 pm. Missed the active discussion of Dem issues on the Stem Cell thread, then saw some activity here at 8 pm. I read everyone's entry, and posted some current news I thought was really important. That's why I came - to share new important news relevant to the election now, and to get moral support.

I have been here on this thread for over 3 hours. I responded intelligently to other people's entries, and asked specific bloggers by name for their opinions on my "new news link". Three times I asked. Not one of you responded.

The Cowshyt guy gets overwhelming responses to his 5 year old "gross out" jokes. There are a bunch of personal emails that should be just that, extremely personal and private. It makes a newcomer feel like a voyeur, and very very uncomfortable.

This is the Democratic National Committee site, not a private blog club. This is where we should be building support for the elections. I get much friendlier treatment from MoveOn mass emails than I have by asking MY PARTY for feedback on relevant and current politcal events. At least MoveOn seems to want my support.

And I am a lifelong Democrat who knows the party, the issues, and details of the people who post here. Just think how a newcomer would feel - even more excluded than I do.

I am not surprised that we lost control of the government. We deserved it. The DNC is the INCLUSIVE party, remember? It is time that you all started acting that way again.

DON'T YOU THINK THAT INDEPENDENTS ARE COMING HERE TO MAKE DECISIONS HOW TO VOTE - and these entries are what they find. Here I am begging for feedback and we have cowdung jokes! The Repugs are laughing at us. Thank God for MoveOn - who does the DNC job better than the DNC!

THIS DOES NOT SERVE THE PARTY! You obviously have no interest in real sharing of true democratic values. I found more supporters on MSNBC today than here, and every single Democrat should be embarrassed by that!

Take the private stuff private guys. The old hands (Sandy H, + others) have a responsibilty to respond to the newcomers and keep the discussion at least remotely related to the Democratics. You used to be open to others here - I read the posts. Why are you all acting in your own best self interests 2 weeks before an election, with private jokes, and references that no one else understands, and worse of all medical histories!? Libby's future trial is more important? That's months away Gregg - I have admired your writing for years, and I have to say it is insulting to know you don't bother to read others.

You used to do that. Not anymore. And that is truly sad.

After the election, I will make a point to the DNC bigwigs that this blog stuff isn't working too well. THE ISSUE I RAISED GOT 11,000 COMMENTS IN 2 DAYS AND YOU GUYS WANT TO MAKE JOKES ABOUT COW DUNG AND BLACK NAMES? Yes! That helps the cause!

I won't post any more and will stay off this site until after the elections (way too depressing = cow dung gets the attention here) - so feel free to attack at will if it makes you feel better. You do know what I say is true. Just read the thread above.

And Micjagger - this does not apply to you - you were the only only who bothered to reply - on the other thread. You are one true Democrat! Read my thread there - I make as valuable a contribution, if not more so, than ANY of the stuff posted in this entire thread.

Thank you for your time.

Time to wash the blonde right into my hair. Enjoy the evening, everyone.

Posted by Esmeralda on October 26, 2006 at 09:48 PM

If his eyes get dull and fishy,
When you look for glints and gleams,
Waste no time,
Make a switch,
Drop him in the nearest ditch!
Rub him out of the roll call,
And drum him out of your dreams
Oho! Oho!

thanks for the "south pacific" reference, essie, seems very appropriate to the upcoming pug washing. he he...or as dr. dean would put it...YEE HAA!!

sandy- i don't know about mason schools- it is a northern suburb of cincy- exurb might be more accurate- lower middle class infiltrated by more wealthy who are gobbling up the land to build gated communities- i recall some other articles mentioning this woman where they indicated that others on the school board were not happy with the fact that she is stuck on repeat with her desire to turn the school into some kind of christian camp

Marine pleads guilty in shooting of Iraqi man
By Linda Deutsch
The Associated Press

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-marine1026,0,283059.story?coll=bal-iraq-headlines&?track=sto-relcon

Maybe he is a butthole. Maybe he needs slapping. Cowpie eater

A lot of "maybes". You always want to convict people on "maybes", doncha? Maybe they have WMDs. Kill 'em! Maybe they're terrass, Torture 'em! They're Black! Maybe they're "lunch money" thieves. Thow 'em in jail without a trail! Yeah. We know your style.

Esme - Prayer to you and your family. Will be thinking of you.

Posted by SharpElbows on October 26, 2006 at 10:57 PM

Your contribution is appreciated and your participation here is valued. This blog is an outlet for all of us to post our opinions. You can rest assured that your post is being read. A majority of posts do not receive a response but it doesn't mean that one is being ignored. Keep posting and expressing your opinions. If someone disagrees with you, you will hear about it, for sure. Glad to have you aboard.

sharpe- i checked out the msnbc twice tonight- the first time the video didn't work for me, the second time i was able to watch it (not long ago)- williams did story on michael fox which i thought was a good piece- i was a little confused, though, because i thought there was going to be video of david kuo regarding the story (based on your comments) and unless i am missed something, there was no video of david kuo- was especially interested because i read his book this past weekend

Posted by gregg on October 26, 2006 at 10:53 PM

gregg,

Locally they ran that rebuttal ad to Michael J. Fox's stem cell ad featuring celebrities/Suppan followed by the ad featuring Sen. Talent giving his expert scientific opinion on clonning.

They just ran a new stem cell ad with former Republican Senator Jack Danforth saying he supports the Cardinals and stem cell research and has high hopes for both of them....how much joy baseball and medical resarch can bring to the lives of our loved ones.

But Danforth seemed very frail...I wonder if he's not in good health? He didn't look that way in the earlier ad with the former State Chief Justice and pediatric doctors that has been running the last week or two.

I hope Limbaugh doesn't jump on this and say he's faking it, too.

Hell, I put links to those Abu Ghraib gang rape photos, and no one said a word about that, not even Cowpie calling it a "good thing". That's the way it goes sometimes.

Yeah. We know your style.

Posted by Domingo on October 26, 2006 at 11:03 PM

Yeah, I know your style to Domingo/Mary - dopey style.

elbows, i made sixty calls phone banking tonite for my candidate. how about you? i think the ongoing plame investigation is relevant to where the republicans find themselves on the eve of a big fall from power, you don't. i am rooting against the guy who is rooting against michael jackson. and if folks want to use this as a venue to discuss private matters so what? i don't think you are anymore aware of what is going on than i am. what the hell do you want? sally is an asshole but the administrators can't get rid of it so it is a sort of off pitch voice in the background. this is what it is.

Matt Lauer should be ashamed of himself.

Posted by SharpElbows on October 26, 2006 at 09:32 PM

Sorry, Sharp. I can't get your link to load. Where did you find it? Maybe I can go directly to the site.

good nite friends. see you in the morning:

By LIZ SIDOTI
Thu Oct 26, 4:01 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Middle-class voters who deserted the Democratic Party a dozen years ago are now giving the party its best chance to reclaim the House since the GOP swept Democrats from power in 1994.

Motivated by anger at President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress, 56 percent of likely voters said they would vote on Nov. 7 to send a Democrat to the House and 37 percent said they would vote Republican. Voters in the latest Associated Press-AOL News poll rated Iraq and the economy as their top issues.

"I don't care if I vote for Happy the Clown, just so it's not who's there now," said Mary Nyilas, 51, an independent voter from Cologne, N.J., who said she would do everything she could to "vote against the powers that put us in this situation" in Iraq.

Less than two weeks before voters elect a new Congress, the poll showed Republicans are in jeopardy of losing their grip on the House after a dozen years in power. The survey found voters leaning considerably more toward Democrats in the final weeks of the campaign.

In early October, Democrats had a 10 percentage-point advantage when voters were asked whether they would vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate in their congressional district. The Democratic edge is now 19 percentage points.

Sharpelbows,

I don't know if you are still reading or not, but I have two things to say to you, that I have learned here myself.

1) This blog is not going to change the world, as a matter of fact, it is not going to change anything. If you want to make a difference, do what many of the bloggers here are doing: go out and volunteer your time canvassing, making phone calls, and working for your local candidates. Nothing that anyone posts here is going to make that much of a difference. I am sorry that no one responded to your posts, and I am more sorry that they feel obliged to respond to that oozing slime. However, there are times when no one responds to me either--get used to it. Not everyone in the world is always going to be interested in everything you have to say. It is not an insult, just a fact.

2) Many bloggers here spend a great deal of time working for candidates, and they come here to share stories with like minded bloggers. Sometimes conversations are personal, so what? These people have posted for a long time and have gotten to know eachother. It is not a matter of inclusion or exclusion, no one conspires to ignore certain posts. It just so happens that others were caught up in other things besides your topic, and didn't respond. It won't always be like that, but it was tonight.

Here is a tip, if you want to have people talk about your post, try to include a link to a reputable source that supports your topic. That always gets people talking.

"I feel like the Republicans have forgotten the middle class," says Joseph Altland, 73, a retired teacher in York, Pa., who is a registered Republican but says he's considering becoming an independent. He bemoans rising insurance costs and utility bills. "The guys I golf with, we're in the middle class. We're getting hurt."

It seems like a lot of people feel betrayed tonight.

domingo- those photos evinced the expected reaction in me which is utter shock and disgust- so much so, that one has to stop and process for a while-maybe because we've seen so many of them that it is hard to put it all together and yet that is exactly what they demand of us, namely, that we put them together with all of the other sickness that has come out of this administration and party in power

i remember talking with a good friend at the bluegrass festival i attend in the hills of virginia just after the abu ghraib photos started coming out (a stone's throw from breaks interstate park where allen made his macaca remarks)- this friend grew up there- after a few remarks about this latest recognition of how low this administration/party had sunk into depravity and some shared remarks about the other things we had seen over the last year (it was 2004 i seem to recall when those photos first appeared), we both just had to stand there in silence with stone-cold stares of disbelief at what was/is happening to this country under this party and its leaders

Sharpelbows,
I know how you feel. For a while I posted here and it almost seemed that when I posted, everyone left. It seemed no one responded to me. I got over it. It is sort of a personal thing putting your ideas and perspectives out there for all to see. And when you post, you want a response. That's natural. But this is a free flowing forum for ideas. And I think, in general, when people see a new name, they take a "wait-and-see" attitude. You know, to see if it is cow dung using a new name. But we are all reading what you post. Stay with us. Diversity of perspective is valued here. You obviously have passion behind your convictions. That is a good thing.

Hi Sandy, Jefro, Gregg,

What's goin' on? The news was pretty slow today. What do you all think about the "military maneuvers in the gulf thing"

I doubt we are going to see any other October/November surprises, I think we have had enough. This has been a very tough month for our country. 96 dead and counting, the Taleban taking over towns in Afghanistan, North Korea testing a nuke, a plethora of scandals, etc...

I have to admit that I am sort of burned out at this point. I just want this election to be over. I've got a little more canvassing to do and then the GOTV effort. Then, finally a break from politics. I am so glad that I will never have to run for office, what a nightmare!!

See what I mean, Sharpelbows, I come on here and everyone is gone.

Chicago,
What the heck is goin' on with the weather here this year? I live on the north side, and it feels like Christmas here lately not Halloween.
We have also been seeing some crazy rain this year--maybe the apacolypse is coming!

I am concerned about the voting machines and the republican tactics. Call me paranoid, but it seems the only way this election can not result in a huge land-slide for the Democrats is if the republicans steal it. And I think it is important that the Democrats come out and tell EVERYONE early and often that we will be investigating all the polling places, win or lose. We are not going to roll over on this one. When this vote is done, we need to investigate every Republican hack involved in vote stealing and send their sorry butts to prison even if we win. Voters rights are important. Even more important than wether we win or not. Lets make the point now. We do not trust these corrupt republicans. We will investigate the vote.

hey ranger- still here, just doing my usual disappearing act for a bit there- i don't know what to make of the maneuvers- heard a guy (forgetting who- a retired officer from one of the branches of the service) on ed schultz at least a week or so ago saying that he thought this was just a routine exercise, but then today i read several articles talking about more than one carrier group heading for the gulf- have you heard that? there is obviously a great deal of speculation, but then can you blame anyone for that? when it is brought up, of course, the standard response is "they can't do that- they don't have permission to do that"- you know the tune, the problem is, i don't think this crowd cares whether someone might think they are overstepping their bounds by starting another war- i have no reason to believe anything other than they believe they have carte blanche to widen this thing wherever they want and their bloviators in the punditocracy have been egging them on for a while now

Correction: It was Jack Danforth's brother, William Danforth, in that new stem cell ad. I couldn't understand why he looked so much older and frail. William Danforth is Chairman of Washington University. The just played the ad again. Funny how brothers can look so much alike.

jefro and rash - THANKS FOR TELLING ME ABOUT THE LINK. Just spent the last hour researching it again. Hard as hell to find. sorry BUT this IS MSNBC, okay? the url showing when you play the video is not the link to the video itself - it took me forever to find it and I have now checked it 3 times - and emailed it to myself = still wrong. IT IS NOT ME, BUT THEM. SORRY!!! they play in rotation and don't give the actual url. You can't find it on their own search and it is not listed on the websites lists - I have looked. I found it after hours of searching the Rush fiasco.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET YOU TO THE LINK - CHECK THIS LINK (SAME AS POSTED ABOVE).
http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??f=00&g=4fecf79a-bfd2-4999-a83a-11ee21c1c691&p=hotvideo_m_edpicks&t=m5&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15408508/&fg=He

Choose the MSNBC TV TAB (second from right) - it is the third video down on the right hand side.

the formal title is:
Faith-based fake out?
Oct. 26: Author David Kuo talks to MSNBC-TV's Norah O'Donnell about his new book "Tempting Faith" and weighs in on the controversy surrounding Rush Limbaugh and Michael J. Fox.

No, it does not appear anywhere else on the site if you enter a different way. YOU KNOW THAT THE CHIMP HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS - VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND!!!

IT IS THE BEST THING I HAVE HEARD IN MONTHS AND WAS VERY ENCOURAGING TO HEAR A REPUBLICAN TALK LIKE THIS. Worth the effort to find this sucker, really.

MAYBE SOMEONE MORE TECHIE THAN ME CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS - A DOWNLOAD WOULD BE GREAT

Posted by Chicago on October 27, 2006 at 12:08 AM

Good thinking Chicago, it is always best to set up your excuses ahead of time.

ranger,
I don't know what is going on with this weather.
It did get cold fast. I think it is supposed to warm up a little next week. I live West and we still have almost all the leaves on the trees but sub freezing tempuratures. The funny part is watching the uninformed use this as evidence that global warming doesn't exist. Fools are fun to watch.

ranger, you write good stuff. the right wing are all hoping for some sort of disaster to bail them out of the reality that the american people are on to their mindless bullshit. reminds me of when i was in junior high on long island and another shitty report card was coming and i was hoping for some sort of russian invasion force landing in coney island to take my parents minds off the fact that I STILL WAS NOT LIVING UP TO MY POTENTIAL!!

but of course these are adults who are hoping kim will set off another nuke or the fleet will be used to invade iran or the tetonic plates will subduct off the california coast or whatever...today they are all running around screaming about gay marriage like when you wake up in the morning same sex couples will have replaced all your neighbors ( well unless you're in the west village where this happened long ago ) putting little chinese adopted kids on school buses who have super brains and will push your kids out of all the good advanced classes in the local elementary school...but it may just not work out for the wackos and they may actually have to PAY THE GODDAM PIPER..we shall see.

Posted by ranger995 on October 26, 2006 at 11:55 PM

Ranger,

I'm getting pretty burned out, too. Seems like I've been volunteering for months...I guess we all have.

Son, is taking over the computer again.

Good night.

Good thinking Chicago, it is always best to set up your excuses ahead of time.

Posted by FrostyMacCowpie on October 27, 2006 at 12:15 AM

Cow-dung,
Obviously you know nothing about "good thinking".

chicago- ohioans are rightly concerned about attempts to steal this next election- the tactics that have already been implemented are too numerous to mention- speaking of being burned out, i can't keep track of them all- attempting to keep strickland from voting and even off the ballot which was nonsense, the national smear campaign of strickland with the help of hannity and the slime-merchant moron corsi, attempts to keep exit pollers away from the polling sites, story today that blackwell has already thrown out numbers of absentee ballots because there is apparently confusion over which number on the driver's license has to be written on the ballot, just the fact that blackwell is the official in charge of all the charades in his own election for governor- it's enough to make anyone sick especially when you realize that he is at least 20 points in the whole at this point- yes, if the dems lose this one, there really ought to be a national day of protest that doesn't stop until we get to the bottom of the shenanigans

Well, if it is too cold in your area that is probably on account of global warming.

20 points in the hole- maybe what he really needs is 30 days in the hole for deliberate disenfranchisement of ohio voters

Jefro,
Absolutely. And I think it should not matter who wins. We should state now that we are going to investigate this election from A to Z after it is done to find the flaws in the system and determine who is using those flaws to cheat. It is well worth the investment. Let's force the Rethugs to agree to that before they lose. Any of their tactics we can expose this time will reap benefits next time. Votes are important.

Well, if it is too cold in your area that is probably on account of global warming.

Posted by FrostyMacCowpie on October 27, 2006 at 12:22 AM

Thanks for providing evidence to support what I said about fools and global warming.

sharpelbows, it took me a long time to link stuff. this place is my neighborhood bar. the beer is cold the vodka is in the ice box, the crowd in the parking lot is burning some weird smelling shit and its not ok to be a right winger though the occassional one handcuffs itself to the jukebox and gets to stay and if your clean and sober that is ok too as long as you come with some humor or some info...

dnc club house

good nite now, see you all in the morning.

Posted by SandyH on October 26, 2006 at 11:48 PM It seems like a lot of people feel betrayed tonight.

The President thinks real wages have gone up.

"One of the interesting things about our economy that's also important is that as the economy has grown, the real wages for American workers has increased," he said Monday during a meeting with small-business owners. "Last year, it increased by 2.2 percent. That's the largest increase in recent years.

But even Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, while cheerleading for cheap labor economics, acknowledges that real wages are performing about as well as the President's "strategy" in Iraq

Wages and salaries, however, have not performed as well; real wages of production workers, for example, have been essentially flat in the past couple of years. Rapid increases in energy prices are one reason for slow growth in real wages; another is the increasing cost of employer-provided health insurance, which has reduced the share of total compensation taken in the form of take-home pay.

The GOP has lived in an ideological bubble for so long now that it's forgotten that Wall Street is not Main Street, AnyTown USA.

Posted by gregg on October 27, 2006 at 12:27 AM good nite now, see you all in the morning.

Goodnight, Greg

voters in ohio's second district are hoping to send vic wulsin to congress this year- the bad news just keeps piling up for the lackluster, bad-mouthing mean jean- don't let the nasty demanor fool ya, there doesn't appear to be much going on upstairs with this schmidt- she and her campaign tried to suggest that wulsin had broken house rules by airing schmidt's foul tirade against john murtha in a campaign ad, only thing is, vic wulsin is not a member of the house:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061026/NEWS01/610260378/1056/COL02

oh this happened today. so if you had a 500k house on 8/31/06, on average on 9/30/06 you have a 450k house. but not to worry realtors are saying it will only make it easier to buy! ahhh the willie lomans are everywhere all the time in america aren't they...nite.

U.S. home prices take a tumble
By Jesus Sanchez | 11 a.m.
Median price of new homes in September falls 9.7%, the worst decline in 35 years.

we need a better baton handoff than that dors, triple practices starting next week.

This is great, no one could possibly vote against one of your candidates becuase you are the enlightened ones. So if the other side wins it can only be because they cheated. This of course ignores the evidence that all of the cheaters in the last two elections have been Democrats.

But it is good to atart setting up your excuses ahead of time because it is beginning to look like the Republicans are going to win this election too.

Chicago,

Yes, of course, the cold weather means there is no global warming. Whatever... Just like there were no hurricanes this season, oh wait, there were a lot in the pacific, and China had a category five come ashore...never happened before. Well, thank god New Orleans was spared this year, that place is a disaster zone as it is. The crime rate there is worse than before the storm, and it was pretty bad then.

Jefro,
About the Ohio elections, our very own Esmerelda is always trying to calm our nerves about the problems. She works for the election comission and argues pretty convincingly that it is not as bad as it seems to us. However, I keep reading articles, like Kennedy's, about how screwed up it is.

I am afraid that if the elections are stolen that nobody really cares enough to do anything about it, the ultimate measure of apathy for Americans. We have already stood by and watched habius corpus, and the fourth amendment thrown out the window, so why not proper elections too? As long as the have walmart and fast food no ones cares about democracy. Maybe we should bring these things to Iraq so that they can become fat, lazy, and complacent too. Then the war will end and our military personnel can come home.

oh and fuck you and your ever changing predictions sally.

We should all really thank George Bush for proving once again that Trickle-down Economics DOES NOT WORK. Can we stop playing with the "voodoo economics" deck and get back to what works...fiscal discipline.

Va. Independent Might Drop Senate Bid

An independent candidate for U.S. Senate said Thursday that she is negotiating with Democrat Jim Webb and Republican Sen. George Allen about withdrawing from the race and backing one of them.

Gail Parker, running a lightly funded campaign focused on a vast expansion of passenger rail systems, is drawing about 2 percent support in recent polls.

But in the close race between Allen and Webb, her withdrawal could determine whether Republicans retain their Senate majority.

Posted by gregg on October 27, 2006 at 12:34 AM we need a better baton handoff than that dors, triple practices starting next week.

Yea right. That's what you say now. When it comes time to practice, you'll say that you're busy with Mary Lou Parsons just like you always do.

ranger- i don't know everyone here as well as i should by now- i am forgetting where she hails from here in this state- i am thinking it might be more rural? there were problems here in cincy too numerous to mention just on the ground in terms of there not being enough voting booths/machines at inner city precincts- a friend that i worked with for several years when i first moved here- african-american living in one of this city's venerable neighborhoods that has seen better days in the home where her family has lived since the '40's- had to wait in line to vote (in the rain, mind you) for over three hours- she was one of the lucky ones who had an employer who understood and permitted her to be late to work in order to perform this important civic duty- many others were ultimately disenfranchised that day in 2004 here in ohio, and with the exception of kenyon college in rural knox county, the bulk of the problems with too few booths were in urban areas that vote overwhelmingly democratic

not only that but i think i have shin splints...got any percoset coach?