Crossposted on
My Left Wing
From Sarasota, Florida.....
NOTE TO DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES: This is the kind of fighting spirit we expect from you:
Listen, sir, somebody wants to nitpick a man's tragic loss of a mother because she was abandoned in a nursing home? Are you kidding? What kind of sick mind, what kind of black-hearted people want to nitpick a man's mother's death? They just buried Eva last week. I was there at the wake. Are you kidding me? That wasn't a box of Cheerios they buried last week. That was a man's mother whose story, if it is entirely broadcast, will be the epitome of abandonment. [....]
You want to come and live in this community and see the tragedy we're living in? Are you sitting there having your coffee, you're in a place where toilets flush and lights go on and everything's a dream and you pick up your paper and you want to battle ideology and political chess games? Man, get out of my face. [...]
--Aaron Broussard, Jefferson Parish President, on Meet the Press yesterday.
Cheers and Jeers Monday starts in the extended entry section........(Swoosh!)........Right NOW! (GONG!)
DISCLAIMER: AAbshier's Cheers and Jeers are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form, with Bill in Portland Maine's Cheers and Jeers. The use of the words JEERS and CHEERS , the swoosh/gong device, pie references, lusty wenches, turd blossoms, insults to Armando, and flicked peas are all used with permission of Bill in Portland Maine and the members of the C&J Café community. Any further resemblances to BiPM`s Cheers and Jeers are deliberately coincidental. So there.
NOTE: Please peel back foil to expose tater tots.
DOC'S BAD JOKE OF THE WEEK:
(In the yellow box so you can avoid it and not miss anything else)
An infant rabbit was orphaned. Fortunately though, a family of squirrels took it in and raised it as one of their own. This adoption led to some peculiar behaviors on the part of the rabbit. It had a tendency to scurry up trees like its step-siblings instead of hopping along the ground. And it ate acorns and nuts instead of carrots. By the time it was half grown, the rabbit realized that it was different, so it went to its step-parents to discuss the problem.
He said he was unsure of his place in the universe and was generally forlorn.
His step-parents advised, "Don't scurry. Be hoppy."
Cheers to Aaron Broussard. When, on yesterday's MTP, host Tim Russert tried to float a right-wing talking point about how he had his chronology mixed up regarding the abandoned nursing home Mr. Broussard mentioned on his previous MTP appearance, Mr. Broussard fired back, guns blazing, and exposed the moral bankruptcy of the Right--and the complicit media as well. Broussard was clear-eyed, tough, and absolutely on target. Truly, it was a thing of beauty. (Crooks and Liars has the game tape. Watch--and learn.)
BTW, Senator Mary Landrieu (D, sort of-LA) is up for re-election in `08. You think we might have a primary challenger here? If not, let's get this man elected to the House!
Cheers to another worthy bit of smack down goodness. On Real Time with Bill Maher, NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell (Mrs. Alan Greenspan) tried the usual RWCM "on the other hand tack" when answering a question from Bill about which President had left the biggest mess:
And some people ignored Osama bin Laden after the first World Trade Center bombing.
Maher then reminded Mitchell that Clinton's staff held frequent meetings over Osama bin Laden, whereas Shrub couldn't be bothered until after 9/11. Note Mitchell`s use of the Faux News-esque "some people" device. (Thanks to Suburban Guerilla, via several other blogs, for the tip.)
Cheers to television's original gym rat, Jack LaLanne, celebrating his 91st (!) birthday today. He opened the first modern health spa in 1936, had a television show that ran for 33 years, and is credited with inventing many of the machines now common in gyms around the world. OK, put down your coffee and donuts and give me 30 jumping jacks! Now!
Jeers to more penguin madness. At the Central Park Zoo in New York City, the same-sex pair of male chinstrap penguins, Silo and Roy, have broken up, and Silo has now taken up with a female penguin. Of course a commentator, Warren Throckmorton, at Focus on the Fundraising Family has bit on this one:
For those who have pointed to Roy and Silo as models for us all, these developments must be disappointing. Some gay activists might actually be angry.
Let's review. These are penguins, not humans. "Gay" means nothing to a penguin. Ultimately they will choose a strategy that furthers the survival of their species.
So, FOTF, STFU.
Jeers to dumb dogs. In Plantation, Florida, a six-month old St. Bernard Puppy named Elsie swallowed a 13-inch long serrated knife--and lived with it in her esophagus for 4 days. The knife was removed surgically, after being spotted on x-ray by the pet's suitably astonished vet.
Jeers to Shrub shilling gone mad. Over on Redstate, Nick Danger opines that China and Japan holding the notes on our national debt is actually good for the United States and bad for China and Japan! Of all the contorted reaches I've seen for the pro-Bush crowd, Danger's article may exceed them all. Bonddad, here's some red meat (nyuk, nyuk) for ya.
BTW, the Redstaters think Russert did a job on Aaron Broussard, citing his calling Broussard out on his "lie", but didn`t finish him off as he should have. Heh.
Jeers to Scout's dishonor. The Southwest (Florida) Council of the Boy Scouts of America are contemplating selling one of their camps to developers. Of course the camp, Camp Eagle in nearby Manatee County, sits on environmentally sensitive land that just happens to be highly prized by the subdivision builders. I guess the Council missed the part about Scouts being trustworthy and loyal.
Cheers to West Side Story, a musical that premiered this date in 1957. It's dark tone and embracing of social themes of the day marked a new direction in musical theatre. Incredibly, the first reviews of the show were mixed, which just goes to show that New York theatre critics were just as tough back in the day.
Jeers to sights nobody should see. From Jeremy Wallace's Sarasota Herald-Tribune politics column:
Harris was invited on stage at the Christian Coalition of Florida's annual banquet dinner. Harris shared a laugh with conservative talk show host Ann Coulter....
My eyes! My eyes!
BTW, the Princess has a perfect voting record on the Christian Coalition's scorecard, according to the column. Guess the CC missed the part about "thou shalt not steal".
Cheers to PastorDan and MrsPastor, showing us all what true marital bliss really looks like:
Pastor must have been caught spending too much time on C&J again--and don't they look like they hate each other? While we're talking about him, be sure to visit his new blog, Street Prophets.
The floor is open! What does everyone have to Cheer and Jeer about today?
