Get well soon, Mr. Olbermann! Let those who love you take care of you and know a lot of people are sending thoughts of strength & compassion to you and your family.
I'm changing up diary SOP tonight because there won't be a Countdown diary tomorrow night because I'm the head dharma teacher at the weekend retreat at the Zen Center where I practice. And, tomorrow is September 11. I know Keith will probably have some great words for the day that I won't see until Sunday, but I'm going to be so bold to also share some images & thoughts of that day.
If you've read my diaries here, you already know why September 11, 2001 was such a horribly gut - wrenching day for me & still continues to be so. It's actually very appropriate that I be at the Indianapolis Zen Center tomorrow & this weekend because it was my feelings, questions, & thoughts about those attacks that brought me to Buddhist practice. I can now look at the worst & best of humanity shown on that day with some clarity that brings me some comfort, but the pain is still there & will always be there. Being Buddhist does not mean being stoic. :) So, tomorrow & this weekend, I will meditate on & remember the lives lost that day & as a result of that day and also remember the tremendous heroism, unity, and love enjoyed for an oh - so - brief period of time in our country.
Now, prepare yourself for a whip - lashian (just made up that term) change of subject for some words about the guy who REALLY knows how to talk dirty & influence people (props to Lenny Bruce)!
This "honorable" Rep. from South Carolina brought the bat$hit of the August town halls to the halls on Congress last night. During GWB's reign of terror, I sat through nearly every speech he ever made in front of both houses of Congress. Not once - ONCE - did I hear anyone from "the other side" do what Rep. Joe Wilson did last night. On national & probably international TV, he admirably demonstrated the TRUE modus operandi of today's GOP - to make President Obama look bad by any means necessary. They could give a tinkers' damn about improving the lives of the citizens of this nation. So, with that demonstration last night, I say the GOPers have "You lied!"ed themselves out of any consideration or thought concerning ANY LAW coming out of Congress & going to President Obama's desk. Too tough? TOUGH $HIT!
Let's Countdown.
#5 "Party of Lies" AKA "Elephant in the Room" - I made quite a number of comments about Rep. Joe Wilson above. These comments were before this segment on this afternoon’s All Things Considered on NPR. Some residents of Rep. Wilson’s district were asked for their reactions to their Rep’s little tantrum. Listen carefullyto what the last "gentleman" says; please PLEASE listen to this guy. He said, and I’m paraphrasing a little here, Rep. Joe Wilson called a spade a spade. This resident of Columbia, SC actually used the word spade! So, I now hereby & officially make this request & offer to the states of Texas, Alaska, & South Carolina. Please, for the love of all that’s holy, SECEED FROM THE UNITED STATES! To residents of those states still with half a brain in their heads & would like to remain United States citizens, you have a futon, a couch, and a love seat waiting for you in Indianapolis as long as you don’t mind 5 cats, will help cook & clean a little, & buy a pizza or 2 a week. Is that a deal or what? Rep. Wilson was forced to apologize because someone wanted him to. THERE ARE NO BENEFITS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN ANY HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL ON THE TABLE! Sorry for all caps, but for the love of *&^%$#@! And Keith, Rep. Wilson won’t resign. "Small Price to Pay" Boehner still thinks illegal immigrants will be covered. Senator Graham said President Obama was undignified last night. What state does Lindsey Graham represent again? And, Boss Limbaugh, as leader of the RNC, expected to be consulted before any wimpy – a$$ apologies from Rep. Wilson! Boss Limbaugh accused this administration of trying to tear down all the traditions & ideas that have made this country great. Huh...really? Like not torturing? Like not lying to go to a war that wasn’t needed? Like not politicizing the office for the senior law enforcement official of the land? Those kinds of traditions & ideas? Okee – dokee... The Mannity had Rep. Wilson on his show & claimed "the liberal side" never apologized to GWB for calling him names; for sparks’ sake, GWB was never called names IN THE HOUSE OF CONGRESS! DICK was the one to drop the "f bomb" to Senator Leahy there! Rep. Wilson’s challenger has raised over $500K since last night. President Obama’s in a forgiving mood. Lawrence O’Donnell talked about the reaction from DC area African – American radio about last night’s little outburst. And, he nailed the reaction to if a Dem Congress critter HAD screamed, "You lie!" to GWB during a speech to the full Congress; s(he) would’ve had a cell at Gitmo. Some IL GOP Rep. walked out on the speech last night. Classy! No Keith, what happened last night isn’t the worst it can get. Sometime somewhere, someone (possibly even a Congress critter) will say the "n word" about President Obama, and it’ll be caught on camera. Oh, and Rep. Wilson was an intern for Strom Thurmond; I learned that on NPR today, too.
#4 "Game Changers & Players" AKA "House Call" - Rep. Eric Cantor wants the Dems to make more concessions. He still thinks the American people are afraid of the public option. Before last night’s speech, 53% of the American people supported President Obama’s health care plan, according to CNN; after the speech, 67% are in favor of it. That’s still a majority, yes? Before the speech, 36% opposed President Obama’s plan; how they could opposed something President Obama hadn’t even said is beyond me. But now, 29% oppose it. Those 29%ers are probably in Rep. Wilson’s district. Nurses were at the White House today. There’s Rep. Anthony Weiner! Get HIM & Rep. Wilson in a room together – HA! GOP Congress critters haven’t budged an inch in the health care reform debate; and, they won’t. SPARK THEM! Oh Keith, amen to your pre – existing condition comment as being "manna from heaven"; this is coming from someone with a spouse with a pre – existing condition!
#3 "Pretzel Logic" AKA "Beyond the Palin" - Grandma ExGov. TurkeyLover accused President Obama of demonizing 9/11 victims by mentioning the monetary cost of the war in Iraq:
Finally, President Obama delivered an offhand applause line tonight about the cost of the war on terror. As we approach the anniversary of the September 11th attacks and honor those who died that day and those who have died since in the war on terror, in order to secure our freedoms, we need to remember their sacrifices and not demonize them as having too high a price tag.
WHAT THE F*CK????!!!! Oh honey, you OBVIOUSLY don’t remember this.
OK, cancel my dinner with her & the former First Dude. If I saw her, I’d kill her or at least beat her up, and she ain’t worth going to jail for. She still thinks Iraq had something to do with 9/11. DICK’s secret undisclosed location must be in Wasilla!
WPITW – Lou Dobbs is a Beckerhead! Keith, your Lou Dobbs turned a bit into Yoda again. ;D The morning FAUX group brought up the Speaker Pelosi/CIA lie thing to defend Rep. Wilson. The Mannity thinks President Obama demonized the health insurance industry & is fully under the influence of the TurdBlossom syntax.
#1 "Special Comment" - What’s with the special comment special lighting? Are these going to be fireside chats now? Okee – dokee...just don’t promise a chicken in every pot or something like that. ;D I wonder what the other Joe Wilson & his wife, Valerie, are thinking today. Rep. Wilson gets some healthy campaign coin from the health insurance industry. Gee, what a shocker. Keith, that "no benefit for illegal immigrants" thing may have been in all caps, but it contained multi – syllabic words. That doomed him. Are Rep. Wilson & St. Sarah from Wasilla BFFs now? Another gruesome twosome. Rep. Wilson has had anger management "issues" for awhile now.