Two months left. We can lose. Don't let bogus branding win.

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Thursday September 04, 2008 · 12:56 AM PDT

2008/09/04 · 00:56

There are a lot of great diaries that are taking Sarah Palin apart. There is almost a celebration going on, because to the balanced eye, Palin is a disaster. Inexperienced. Rash. A book burner. A zealot who believes Iraq is a mission from God.

If you're like me, you can easily lapse into thinking McCain has gone completely over the edge, and the chance of his being elected has fallen to zero. Think again. America is responding positively to the Palin pick. The right is getting energized. The Republicans are trying to anesthetize America against press inquiry into their ticket. We are on our way to disaster - if we don't act.

mattw

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Friday August 29, 2008 · 12:13 PM PDT

2008/08/29 · 12:13

I'll apologize now for the dramatic title. The 30% estimate is based on a number of assumptions, including the assumption he serves two terms, and that his risk is that of a typical white male of age 72. Although as I'll argue, his risk is probably marginally higher.

A debate is coming about whether Sarah Palin is qualified to be President. Before that debate even begins, however, we need to ask: how likely is it that Sarah Palin will have to succeed John McCain as President of the United States?

And so I'm diving into Age-Specific Mortality Rates, as provided by the CDC, to try to quantify the chances.

mattw

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Thursday July 17, 2008 · 3:46 PM PDT

2008/07/17 · 15:46

It's been making the rounds: Sean Tevis is a net geek, running to replace a Republican in Kansas State Legislature. What caught my eye was his xkcd-styled request for donations. After making the rounds on BoingBoing and Reddit, I think he's going to hit his goal and more. I was glad to kick him $10, partially because the amusement value is so high. But if I were running for State Legislature, I wish I could come up with a plea for donations half that cool.

The thing that really strikes me is - this guy is speaking my language. Everything from xkcd, to Rickrolls, to "downmodding" the politician, the liger, to the "THIS IS THE INTERNET!" is, if I can get past a bit of cynical skepticism, one of the first times I really felt like someone like me was running for office.

mattw

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Wednesday March 26, 2008 · 10:17 AM PDT

2008/03/26 · 10:17

Experience has been the watchword of Hillary's campaign. As she fights to explain the Bosnian story, I'm struck by the way that both popular explanations for her behavior are inadequate. Lying is damning, certainly, but seems to strain credulity. Once, perhaps, but Hillary was confronted and only retracted half her story. She's too skilled to not know the second half would come back to bite her. Misstatements? Not three times over the course of over three months.

I propose a third possibility: Hillary has had a decade - and perhaps several decades - with her eye on the prize: she wants to be President. Faced with the need to present a narrative for her selection as a superior candidate, cognitive dissonance has literally changed her memories.

mattw

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Wednesday March 12, 2008 · 3:45 PM PDT

2008/03/12 · 15:45

Among the proposed methods for handling Michigan and Florida without alienating their valued voters are an even delegate split and a mail-in vote. At this point, it looks to be a long shot, as the Florida House has unanimously rejected Bill Nelson's mail-in vote plan. That may be for the better, because the plan for the mail-in vote had fraud danger written all over it.

mattw

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Wednesday March 05, 2008 · 8:40 AM PST

2008/03/05 · 08:40

I think it's safe to say that the turmoil surrounding the so-called "NAFTAgate" played into Hillary's strong performance tonight. On the heels of "Super Tuesday II", CBC, Canada's Public Broadcaster, has done a piece on the NAFTA scandal.

The CBC piece details the involvement of the conservative Harper government in creating a sensationalized leak, which itself had almost no resemblance to the actual memo, which itself is now being disclaimed as perhaps not accurate at all. We peel off layers of deception, and there is nothing left at all, except a successful attempt to promote bloodletting among Democrats.

Originally written and posted to myDD; I was encouraged to put it here, so I am. Hat Tip to csquared for posting the first link I saw to the CBC broadcast. I hope this diary adds something to our understanding of what happened, how, and why.

mattw

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Saturday February 02, 2008 · 11:10 AM PST

2008/02/02 · 11:10

A bit of MLP here, but interesting. In Sunday's NYT is an article on Joel Benenson and his work for Obama.

"I’ve worked for Barack for 12 months, and in 12 months, he’s asked me twice about poll numbers," said Mr. Benenson [...] "I’ve never worked for a candidate who asked less about polls."

mattw

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Thursday January 24, 2008 · 4:26 PM PST

2008/01/24 · 16:26

Lawrence Lessig, noted intellectual property expert, crusader against corporatized copyright, and founder of Creative Commons, likened Clinton's attacks on Obama to Karl Rove's moves as a Republican operative. (Disclosure: Lessig taught at Harvard and has endorsed Obama)

We've heard this about the Clintons from the start: they would do anything. But watching her utter words she knows are false, or words which even if technically true, create a plainly false impression, was, again, disgusting. Just how small is this person now apparently leading the Democrats? Just how small have we become?

mattw

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Tuesday September 18, 2007 · 10:31 PM PDT

2007/09/18 · 22:31

If they can charge Andrew Meyer, they can certainly charge the police involved. I think everyone - especially Florida residents - should ask Florida AG Bill McCollum to file charges against the officer with the taser. Details on the law and contact info below.

mattw

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Monday November 13, 2006 · 1:01 PM PST

2006/11/13 · 13:01

TPM has some stories up about Murtha's long relationship with sleazy dealmaking, and Harry Reid involved in a serious conflict of interest by earmarking a bridge that will boost his property value.

Not acceptable.
Read More

FRC Blames Foley on Pro-Homosexual "Political Correctness"

mattw

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Monday October 02, 2006 · 4:13 PM PDT

2006/10/02 · 16:13

I've seen a couple blogs I follow comments on Foley and ask: where is the Christian Right now? In one of those, "You have to be kidding" moments, the FRC has blamed the lack of attention to Foley's behavior on "tolerance" for homosexuality.
Read More

Bush Administration has a pattern of supporting spying and deceiving Americans about it

mattw

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Friday December 16, 2005 · 11:04 AM PST

2005/12/16 · 11:04

Today we've encountered two stories both related to the Bush Administration's reckless disregard for American civil liberties. On one hand, there's the NSA incident. On the other hand, there is the fight over the Patriot Act. It is interesting to juxtapose the unfolding NSA incident against Bush's line on the Patriot Act, especially looking back at his disingenuous comments during the second debate and the current vehement fight over the Patriot Act renewal. Read More

RSS

Two months left. We can lose. Don't let bogus branding win.

There's a 30% chance McCain dies as President if elected

Generations

Bosnia and Cognitive Dissonance

How to Steal an Election

CBC Exonerates Obama: A Post-Mortem

NYT: Obama doesn't care about polls

Lawrence Lessig invokes Rove with respect to Clinton attacks on Obama

Action for Andrew Meyer

Cleaning the Corruption out of the Democratic Party

FRC Blames Foley on Pro-Homosexual "Political Correctness"

Bush Administration has a pattern of supporting spying and deceiving Americans about it