Barack Obama has reached rarified political air and the precipice of greatness by standing for something. For his staunch and uncompromising ethical commitment to progressive ideals, his promise to pursue them with integrity and his raison d'être of bringing substantive change to a broken country and a political system on life support. That is what inspired an almost hysterical adulation, motivated legions of fervent progressive supporters and enabled him to defeat the Clinton machine in the primaries. It was not pandering to moderate conservatives. Yet this is what Obama, Plouffe and Axelrod have inexplicably decided to do.
As we all know, Sen. Obama addressed the VFW this am. Dansac's diary has more than covered that address, and it, fittingly, soared to the top of the recc list. While I noted my approval of that speech, there's one aspect to it, that, fitting into the bigger picture of the campaign, concerns me a little.
Yesterday, Senator McCain came before you. He is a man who has served this nation honorably, and he correctly stated that one of the chief criteria for the American people in this election is going to be who can exercise the best judgment as Commander in Chief.
And
And no matter how heated it gets or what kind of campaign he chooses to run, I will honor Senator McCain’s service.
On Monday during "Countdown" (see transcript), TV host Keith Olbermann marveled at the presence of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the now famous "celeb" ad released by John McCain's campaign.
According to Olbermann's (and Bob Herbert's) theory, the tower, being stiff and long and all, represented a "phallic" figure-- in other words, a penis, which was intended to tell us how badly Obama wants to screw Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.
The problem: The object to which Olbermann refers was NOT the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but a structure located at the site of Obama's Berlin speech, called the "Victory Column", which is seen 8, 11 and 16 seconds into the video:
Honestly, I didn't plan this. But once again, a powerful NY Times op-ed by Bob Herbert, Running While Black, takes on the hot button issue of the week with more eloquence than I could have.
Why have so few had the kahunas to call out the fact that the only connection between Brittney, Paris Hilton & Obama is the blatant racism seen in the movie, "Reefer Madness"? Many have credited its thesis, that smoking weed makes white women want to have sex with black jazz musicians, for causing a medicinal herb used by doctors to be made illegal without consulting the AMA.
Now we see these tactics from the 1930s not-so-subtly used by a man born right between the release of the film and the "Marijuana Tax Act".
The two highly sexualized women (both notorious for displaying themselves to the paparazzi while not wearing underwear) are shown briefly and incongruously at the beginning of a commercial critical of Mr.Obama.
I have become increasingly frustrated with the Obama campaign. IMO they have been treating McCain too nicely lately and they have yet to have gone on OFFENSE effectively against McCain.
Right after Obama got the nomination in the month of June, the Obama campaign was bashing McCain almost every day saying that he would be Bush's third term but around 4th of July week they have lost their edge. They stopped playing offense and instead tried to to define themselves that week as a patriotic, Christian including with faith-based initiatives, "centrist". Then while on the overseas trip (which was successful), they kept politics from going past the water's edge and didn't attack McCain. I can understand that but it's time to BLAST McCain out of the water.
Well Bob Herbert in the NYT has written an OpEd that talks about what many of us feel. It's titled: CAN OBAMA RUN THE OFFENSE?
Before Obama headed on his international trip the MSM concluded that while the journey offered some opportunities for Obama it also contained many chances for disaster to strike...especially in the form of a cringe-worthy gaffe.
The international stage can be treacherous for a politician: mastering a campaign message in foreign lands can prove difficult, dealing with uncooperative politicians and heads-of-state can be challenging, and simply remembering the relevant historical facts from country to country can prove daunting. Many in the chattering class thought that it likely that Obama would make a gaffe that would demonstrate his lack of mastery on the international stage.
Of course, instead of Obama tripping over his own tongue and making a serious gaffe it was John McCain who made gaffe after gaffe. Obama did misspeak here and there but both the quality and quantity of McCain's gaffes far outpaced Obama's missteps.
~ Join me after the flip for my assessment of the Gaffe Score ~
Maybe it will be dismissed as yet another "in the tank" piece by the "librul media." Maybe it will be ignored by "hard-working Americans" because it was written by a black guy. But today's NY Times column, "Getting to Know You", by Bob Herbert feels like a long overdue breath of fresh air from the MSM to me.
But what we’ve learned over the years is that Mr. McCain is one of those guys who never has to pay much of a price for his missteps and foul-ups and bad behavior. Can you imagine the firestorm of outrage and criticism that would have descended on Senator Obama if he had made the kind of factual mistakes that John McCain has repeatedly made in this campaign?
Despite McCain's frantic attempts to swim -- sans PFD -- from the sinking ship of Phil Gramm's recent comments ("nation of whiners"; "mental recession") the Republican economics mouthpieces can't contain themselves. McCain must be kept on a short leash and Gramm must be defended!
I'm not sure what to make of Bob Herbert's column today in the NYTs. He's clearly been monitoring the blog world, particularly, the Daily Kos, and he uncritically accepts the view that Obama is lurching to the right and pandering to evangelicals and gun nuts. He uncritically accepts the view that Obama has forsaken his base while seeking the embrace of the right by caving on FISA and 'refining' his views on troop withdrawals from Iraq.
He is an example of how the MSM now sees events in the blog world as news - not just opinion. This means that there is a pretty good chance the Daily Kos (in particular) will play a role in this campaign that the Swift Boaters played in the 2004 campaign. Except in 2004 the Swift Boaters were interested in taking down their opponent. The Daily Kos stands to become a key means for taking down the candidate it claims to support.
"When a distinguished American military commander accuses the United States of committing war crimes in its handling of detainees, you know that we need a new way forward," writes op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof in the Sunday edition of The New York Times.
Specifically, Kristof argues that "we need a national Truth Commission to lead a process of soul searching and national cleansing."
Bob Herbert has a really terrific column in today's NY Times. I've quoted some of his central points but I would urge you to follow the link and read the whole piece.
How convenient that the peculiar perspective of the oil-obsessed Bush administration can now be put to use advising the Iraqi government on its contracts with big oil.
The contracts themselves are not huge. They are like the keys on a coveted ring that will begin opening the doors to Iraq’s vast oil reserves. As The Times reported Monday, "At a time of spiraling oil prices, the no-bid contracts, in a country with some of the world’s largest untapped fields and potential for vast profits, are a rare prize to the industry."
A prize, yes. But at what cost?
Bob Herbert asks us that question in his column today, entitled ‘Oh Happy Day’ because he tells us that is what one would here sung in the executive suites of oil companies after the deals they just made in Iraq. The question is what achieving the happy day for the oil companies has cost the rest of us.
I have borrowed my title today from the last line of Bob Herbert's magnificent column on torture, entitled All Too Human. I will explore his column, and also that of Derrick Jackson, entitled Holding Muslims at arm's length. My remarks will also include reflections on FISA, and perhaps references to popular culture and other things as well. This will be a personal reaction, and as such, not thoroughly planned or organized. Consider it a bit of a cri de coeur, an appeal to what Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature." I invite you to read, and to respond as you deem appropriate.
It is Tuesday morning. Part of my routine on this day of the week is to glance at the work of three op ed writers to see what they have to offer. Often this leads to my doing a diary on one of the columns. Today that will and will not happen. It will in the sense that I will, in passing, refer to the work of all three, offering a quote from each. And I will also find it necessary to refer to the work of a fourth, someone who far too often annoys with his obtuseness.
But this morning? I realize that the words penned by others may help me focus my own thinking, but cannot substitute for it, any more than the words I or others may offer here may perform that service for those who choose to read us. And that realization, however obvious it may seem now, is something that has not been part of my consciousness. It has implications, the responsibilities we each have to take the time to reflect, to think, to own our words. And to speak or write the perceptions we think we have reached, not because they are unique or so valuable, but because only in dialog can we hone our understanding and help to heal the nation and the world.
Yes, we all know that unemployment figures are really high right now. And, that's given the fact that unemployment figures only account for those seeking work, and many young people are left out of that figure.
That doesn't mean young people stopped eating, or buying gas, or spending money. Just that making it is harder than ever. So what do we do to survive in an economy that is KILLING folks twice our age, with much more padding on their resumes?
One word: hustle.
[in more than one word: we can't afford health insurance,etc.. and we don't even know the meaning of the word 'savings']
