Welcome to the post-election edition of Saturday Morning Maher. Something happened while I was waiting around for the clips to show up in the wee hours of the morning...I went to sleep. That hasn't happened in the last several weeks. So I'm a bit late with the SMM, and I apologize for my tardiness.
Last night's panel was comprised of, rightly or wrongly, Howie Mandel, Irish stick-in-the-mud author Joe Queenan, and NPR News and Notes host, Farai Chideya. The amazing pre-panel interview is with Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and our mouthpiece Paul Begala.
Now the rules of the road: This is a community diary.Open discussion and debate is encouraged in the comment thread. Participants are asked to view one of the clips, comment, then come back after you comment and watch the rest in case the diary gets buried by "I think Palin might run in 2012" or "I blame the Taliban for Prop 8" diaries. I'm not knocking you for having an opinion on Prop 8, I'm just using it as an example because it's 8:00am and there are currently 12 of 20 on the recent list that focus on it.
But enough of that, lets get to the show.
Opening monologue: A Farewell To Douchebags (or, when a moose gets shot in Alaska, its last thought must be: I can't believe I'm losing to these assholes).
Bill comes out in an obviously good mood, because in case you forgot, we elected Barack Obama on Tuesday!
"You deserve your new puppy. America has sent a clear message: Joe the Plumber needs to shut the hell up!
Bush came out the other day and had a tearful farewell to his staff in the Rose Garden, and it turns out he's shopping his memoirs...it's called "The Audacity of Huh?. He apparently isn't being offered enough money for them either. They asked him to write an autobiography and he said he didn't know that much about cars.
Barack Obama had his first press conference today, and let me just say that it's nice to finally see adults back in charge of government. So different, the WH Press Corps were ecstatic, it was the first time in years they'd heard a complete sentence."
Interview w/Cory Booker
Wow. All I can really say is wow. This man has a wonderful career ahead of him. He passionately expresses Obama's message of hope and change in America. I look forward to watching his path through politics.
Panel Discussion Part I: Damn, Joe Queenan is a tool.
The genius that is Howie Mandel (yawn) talks about being a Canadian, and how this was his first election, and manages to call himself an "Ice back". It never ceases to amaze me how much Joe Quennan sounds like Chris Matthews, or how easily both fall victim to asshattery. Although he does point out that more or less every President we've had before now could be called a cracker. Except for W., who counts as a faux cracker. And Palin gets kicked around a bit for having the IQ of an empty lighter.
Panel Discussion Part II: The Know-Nothing Party & Enter The Begala
John McCain has done a number of dishonorable things, and this was so dishonorable, to pick this woman. We made a list of things Sarah Palin doesn't know, and it just keeps growing. We could make a show called "Things Sarah Palin Dosen't Know".
As he had Exit Strategy for Democrats in case McCain won, he's turned it around for the Republicans. This weeks Republican Exit Strategy: Iraq!
"Yes,you'll be greeted as liberators when you turn your vacation into an occupation. Enjoy Green Zone comfort at War Zone prices. And bring your trunks...there's waterboarding. Did you know Americans can't be prosecuted for crimes no matter what they do in Iraq? Suck on that, Vegas. Don't think of it as abandoning your country, think of it as reuniting with your tax dollars. Travel everywhere in a hulking, gas guzzling armored vehicle-just like you do back home. Iraq! You broke it, you bought it."
Begala makes a great point in saying that while any Democrat would have most likely won, only Barack Obama could have carried Virginia, and Indiana, and North Carolina, and it was because of his message of change.
Panel Discussion Part III: Is Alaska Like Chinatown?
The video won't embed from the host site for the wrap up, which tackles Prop 8, and the regular YouTube isn't available, but you can click the link and view it on Tully's Page
And finally, New Rules:
Thanks for playin' everyone.
Cheers, and Happy Saturday
Oh, and in case the vids aren't loading for you, the links are posted in order here. H/T to MissInformation for suggesting I post the links.