I used to do this weekly. But now that the diary page is flying by so fast that you actually see it move without refreshing the page, with Iraq about to blow up, with the election season heading into the second to the last turn, and with the RNC and the protests next week, I have decided to make this a daily morning venture for us East Coasters.
So the Top 10 stories we saw yesterday are:
10. Arnold Holds a Sale.
Arnold wants to dispose of excess property the State of California has in its attic, basement and garage. Stuff like jewelry. Why does the State of California own jewelry?
9. Abu Ghraib
Resign now Don Rumsfeld.
It is known that you suck, it is unknown how much you knew about this, but it is known you should have known. So get out and take your boss with you.
8. GOP Scuffle on Social Issues
Hehehehehe.
Floor fight!!! Floor fight!!! How dare those stupid immoral moderates demand compromising language recognizing a difference in opinion in the platform? They have all of their speakers up there in primetime while we good and noble Christian Crusaders must hide in the shadows. Can't they just let us have the platform?
Couldn't happen to a nicer party.
7. L.A. Times Poll Gives Bush a 3 point lead, 49-46.
The Poll.
And panic ensues on Daily Kos. Resident pessimists emerge to announce that the sky has indeed fallen. Rumors of a large scale Republican sweep in November begin to circulate.
Chris Bowers of MyDD summed it up best: Listen up you soup-spined, knee-knocking numbnuts: no matter how much you seem to enjoy panicking, Bush's poll numbers suck, and it is time for you to learn to deal with it.
Listen to Chris. It is his fucking job to pour over these poll numbers day in and day out, analyze them, and then write about them over at MyDD. He knows what he is talking about. I will add my two cents. National polls are meaningless. A national poll and $5.00 will cup you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. A national poll and $2.00 will get up a gallon of gas.
If Daily Kos is to be filled with the sky is falling pessimists who declare how horrible Kerry's campaign is going everytime a bad poll comes out, this will not be a fun place to be around for the next 65 days. Chill out. Enjoy the ride.
6. The Republican Dominated and Controlled United States Navy confirms Kerry's Side of the Story.
Case Closed.
Next?
5. Sistani and his Followers Return to Najaf While 27 are Killed in a Nearby City in a Mosque Attack.
The formerly ill Ayatollah Sistani returns to the action to broker peace. Yeah right. It was all the nurses could do to keep him in his sick bed this long while Sadr grabbed all the attention of the Great Satan.
So we are either on the cusp of a huge outreak of violence, and a possible ceasefire. All just in time for the Republican National Convention
Ya reap what you sow
4. Bush Lawyer Quits due to his connection to SBVFT.
My biggest annoyance is hypocrisy. It is one of the main reasons that I hate the Bush Administration, because they have raised hypocrisy to an art form, and see no shame in it. Therefore, when I recognize hypocrisy on our side, I cannot in good conscience ignore it.
Benjamin Ginsberg quits the Bush-Cheney campaign because it is revealed that he also represents SBVFT. Ok. And? So what? A lawyer represents many different clients, and he only gets into trouble if he divulges confidential information or if he represents two clients whose interests are divergent. Unless there is information that reveals that Ginsberg acted as a middleman, or a conduit, there is nothing here folks. Plus, us harping on this makes us look like hypocrites, since there are lawyers who work for both the Kerry Campaign and Moveon.
3.Two Russian Plane Crashes
How can this not be terrorism? Remember when the first plane hit the WTC? Our thoughts: what a horrible accident. Second plane. Our thoughts: terrorism. The odds of two planes leaving from the same airport crashing due to mechanical or other non terrorism related failures within 40 minutes of each other must be astronomical. But so far, no evidence has been found of terrorism
2. Man Torches Himself in Anger and Grief over His Son's Death in Iraq.
Sweet Jesus. Carlos Arredondo, 44, doused himself and a Navy van with gasoline and lit a match, all after finding out about his 20 year old's death in combat in Iraq. Everyone remembers when a man went the the River wall of the Pentagon and stood atop it holding a baby and a gasoline in the late 1960's. The man doused himself in gasoline, handed the baby to a stranger trying to get him down off the wall, and lit the match. Secretary of Defense McNamara saw the whole incident from his office window. That was a protest against the Vietnam War. Was this? Or was it simply overwhelming grief and anger over the death of a beloved son? Will we ever know?
1. Showdown at the Bush Corral
This was great political theater that could have really backfired on us if we were not careful. I believe Kos pointed out that Bush could have handled the situation wonderfully if he had a representative invite only Cleland inside to his ranch house for a death matc...er...talk over iced tea. Bush would have appeared magnanimous and graceful. Willing to talk to his opposition. And if Cleland refused that invitation, it could have backfired. Instead, he was a coward. And as always, Bush's cowardice in everything he does is why this election is ours to win. Yes, it is still ours to win. Good day all.