McCain, Palin and the 31-Day Presidency

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Tuesday September 02, 2008 · 5:09 AM PDT

2008/09/02 · 05:09

McCain and his advisors are poo-pooing the idea that Governor Palin lacks the experience to be Vice President, or is unqualified to step into the role of commander-in-chief at a moments notice, praising her as "exceptionally talented and intelligent and that he felt she would be able to be educated quickly." Moreover, they point out that she will have plenty of time to learn the ropes, and under the tutelage of the experienced and sage President McCain:

“She’s going to learn national security at the foot of the master for the next four years, and most doctors think that he’ll be around at least that long,” said Charlie Black, one of Mr. McCain’s top advisers, making light of concerns about Mr. McCain’s health, which Mr. McCain’s doctors reported as excellent in May.

If you want to put some real-world perspective on this "4 years at the knee of the master" argument, consider: President William Henry Harrison, who's presidency lasted a grand total of 30 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes before he expired tragically at the age of 68.

Poll

61 votes Show Results

President William Henry Harrison was Killed by

61 votes Vote Now!

President William Henry Harrison was Killed by

Pneumonia

15 votes

Going out in the Rain. Mama warned you!

8 votes

Injuns

1 vote

Agents of the British, still sore over that whole Revolution thing

3 votes

The Democrat Party

1 vote

Dick Cheney shot him in the face

33 votes

Gustav the perfect cover for a lackluster convention?

brooklynmatt

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Monday September 01, 2008 · 7:03 AM PDT

2008/09/01 · 07:03

For months now, we've been hearing about how a surprisingly large number of Republican politicians would be avoiding the GOP Convention altogether.

Enthusiasm gap plagues GOP convention

Poll

78 votes Show Results

Do you think Gustav will Help or Hurt the GOP

78 votes Vote Now!

Do you think Gustav will Help or Hurt the GOP

Help

38 votes

Hurt

13 votes

Neither Help Nor Hurt

14 votes

This Diary is too Cynical

2 votes

This Diary isnt Cynical Enough

11 votes

CNN calls it the "Democrat" party

brooklynmatt

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Monday August 11, 2008 · 2:36 PM PDT

2008/08/11 · 14:36

So I was watching CNN International, and there was a promo for their election coverage, but what made me do a double-take was when they said "CNN takes you to the biggest events of the election, the Democrat and Republican Conventions!" No "ic" on the end of that, they used the favored terminology of the Wingnuts. I thought I might have misheard so I replayed it multiple times and confirmed it. I wish I had a link to the promo, but stay tuned to CNN/CNN International as I'm sure it will be replayed ad nauseum.

Who Here has worked on a Campaign TV Ad?

brooklynmatt

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Friday August 01, 2008 · 6:17 AM PDT

2008/08/01 · 06:17

This is not a diary, so much as it is a request for a diary. As I am — like most of us — just an armchair media analyst, I'd love to hear from somebody who has experience with and knowledge about the process of creating TV ads for major political campaigns.

brooklynmatt

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Friday April 25, 2008 · 6:37 AM PDT

2008/04/25 · 06:37

I'm sorry, I don't have a long diary to write, so as soon as someone else does I'll remove this. But this is a big story. Apparently its now legal for cops to behave as though they're in the wild west, emptying their guns into unarmed citizens and placing bystanders at risk, for no good reason other than a vague hunch that someone MIGHT be armed. Truly a sad day for New York City.

The most shocking, for me, is that they weren't even found guilty of reckless endangerment, despite the barrage of bullets fired by supposedly well-trained officers, or the bullets ricocheting off nearby subway stops as they emptied their guns, reloaded, and emptied their guns again as NO ONE FIRED BACK EVEN ONCE.

excuse my French, but WTF.

brooklynmatt

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Wednesday October 24, 2007 · 10:29 AM PDT

2007/10/24 · 10:29

I dont have a long diary to write, but thought this was odd. While looking at Amazon, I noticed a banner ad in the corner, loudly proclaiming "HYBRIDS ARE EVIL: FIND OUT WHY". So I clicked through, and saw this:

You heard it here first, and here’s why: They cost more money, don’t deliver an equal value for all that cash and will keep the filthy little foreign oil rats in business for another 30 years. Hybrids do nothing well but everything okay. That makes about as much sense as diet soda, fat-free ice cream or low-tar cigarettes.

brooklynmatt

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Wednesday August 15, 2007 · 7:14 AM PDT

2007/08/15 · 07:14

As Noted By Joshua Holland On Alternet:

Things are going gang-busters for Blackwater, the world's premiere private army. They've got a nice chunk of the booming security business in Iraq -- the estimated 180,000 private contractors now exceeds the number of troops in the country and, as Jeremy Scahill points out on the front page, firms like Blackwater are "flush with profits."

But that's only a tiny slice of the pie: Blackwater recently introduced its own armored vehicle, the Grizzly Armored Personnel Carrier; Blackwater Airships is building a remotely-piloted vehicle; the company's global air service, Presidential Airways, holds a secret facility clearance from the DoD -- I'm sure they have nothing to do with any extraordinary rendition -- and the mercenary outfitrecently announced that it was starting a private intelligence firm to rival the CIA.

Thus one of the greatest dreams of Rumsfeld, Cheney et al continues to evolve, namely, the privatization of all military operations.

brooklynmatt

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Tuesday August 14, 2007 · 7:20 AM PDT

2007/08/14 · 07:20

From the LA Times:

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is putting the final touches on regulations that could give Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales important new sway over death penalty cases in California and other states, including the power to shorten the time that death row inmates have to appeal convictions to federal courts.

The rules implement a little-noticed provision in last year's reauthorization of the Patriot Act that gives the attorney general the power to decide whether individual states are providing adequate counsel for defendants in death penalty cases. The authority has been held by federal judges.

Under the rules now being prepared, if a state requested it and Gonzales agreed, prosecutors could use "fast track" procedures that could shave years off the time that a death row inmate has to appeal to the federal courts after conviction in a state court.

Because our nation will be imperiled if they don't die fast enough?

brooklynmatt

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Thursday August 02, 2007 · 10:26 AM PDT

2007/08/02 · 10:26

Looks like the president who tried to "change the tone" in Washington by, among other things, insulting blind people, is at it again. Only this time, his victims are the BALD:

Poll

69 votes Show Results

Who do you think Bush picked on in High School?

69 votes Vote Now!

Who do you think Bush picked on in High School?

Mathletes

2 votes

Drama Club Members

2 votes

Orchestra

1 vote

Kids From Poor Families

23 votes

Special Ed Kids

19 votes

Hippies

4 votes

He didnt pick on anyone - his toadies did all the dirty work

18 votes

The Canary (literally) in the coal mine?

brooklynmatt

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday January 09, 2007 · 12:32 PM PST

2007/01/09 · 12:32

Birds are falling from sky. Literally. Perhaps its just one of those natural cycles, right? Avian Flu seems to be ruled out, and one can't help but wonder what man-made toxin or pesticide or industrial byproduct is causing birds to die around the planet, and one can only pray it doesn't accelerate...

brooklynmatt

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday November 08, 2006 · 7:09 AM PST

2006/11/08 · 07:09

Here we go again: Parker, the Green candidate in Va, got around 25,000 votes, and its safe to assume a solid chunk of those would have gone to Webb. Had Webb gotten even 15k of those votes it could have well pushed the margin of victory above the line where Allen would have considered a recount worth the fight, and even if he had, would have made success in that recount that much more difficult. The Greens better put on their armor (made from 100% recycled kevlar), because if Webb loses, in Virginia at least they will be in for some acrimony. Read More

RSS

McCain, Palin and the 31-Day Presidency

Gustav the perfect cover for a lackluster convention?

CNN calls it the "Democrat" party

Who Here has worked on a Campaign TV Ad?

Sean Bell Cops: Acquitted on ALL Charges

AutoByTel Launches Anti-Hybrid Campaign?

Blackwater & The Privatisation of The Military and Intel

Fast Track Executions & "Little Noticed Provisions"

Frat Boy In Chief

The Canary (literally) in the coal mine?

The Green Party and the Virginia race