Newscoma

Great quote regarding MSM in the couple of weeks since the election.

When politics becomes entertainment, we get addicted to the gossip. The prospect of governing seems difficult and deliberative, definitively un-sexy. We’ve fast-forwarded from instant nostalgia to instant projection.

I was talking to a couple of journalists last week about this very thing. Everyone was so caught up in the election that we were drowning in it with every nuance of what might happen being dissected by our overloaded brains.

Now that it’s over, we are finding ourselves sort of readjusting our jock straps (I don’t have one but my buddies might. I don’t know.)

The economy still sucks. Most folks ideology hasn’t changed. I still like cheese. The moon is still in the sky. Lou Dobbs is still being paid and I’ve decided that his mere presence still annoys me. Thanksgiving is still inconvenient for me as it is every year. Christmas will be present-lite this year.

You see, the world has a new president-elect, but not a lot has changed. Now we are being bombarded by what kind of puppy the Obama family will get. I just know that Mabel is not available but would be a fine presidential dog. I don’t know what’s going to happen, life just keeps moving forward yet somehow stays in place at the same time.

I have no ideas about projecting what’s going to happen, but I realized I have been pulling an Anderson Cooper. And that is that this weekend was filled with mindless watching of bad reality television, French films, slothlike behavior on my part and burned chili.

No, I didn’t watch the Obama interview on 60 minutes. I think my cranium demanded that I take a break from it all.

You can only do so much before you become a political zombie.  So I pondered yesterday why Tyra Banks is called a diva and Donald Trump isn’t because I think they are basically the same in many ways.

Deep thoughts? Not so much. Political overload?

You betcha.

Life, my friends, is not always fair.

Rest well, Toot.

This weekend, I’ve been prepping for Tuesday’s General Election. I’ve been getting some sleep, writing about something or another that’s not political, and taking vitamins (if you call beer vitamins. It is liquid bread, so there.)

I’ve already early voted so on Tuesday, there are a few things I’m going to have to pack up in my knapsack for survival purposes and a few rules you might want to follow. I report on these things so you don’t have to. I’m decent that way.

• A four-pack of Monster. The green kind, of course, to make sure I can go from one poll to the next one.
• Three packs of cigarettes. Not only for myself, but to give voters who need a quick smoke break after getting that ecstatic voters’ high. Nothing like a quick smoke when one feels all passionate and American.
• My cellphone and my laptop because I have no doubt where ever I end up, people will want to know results first. Of course, they will turn to the Internet.
• Remember, no campaign buttons, shirts, backpacks, signs, Dogs painted red, white and blue in voting precincts. This is important to remember as you don’t want precinct bouncers to toss you out, thus losing your right to vote.
• A stick. One never knows if you will need it.
• Turn off Twitter if you don’t want to hear about the election. I suggest this as it will be overflowing with either cheers or jeers, depending on whom your candidate may be.
• Whiskey. I don’t drink whiskey as it makes me vomit but it is good to be prepared for voters who aren’t too happy with the results, no matter what side of the political aisle may be.
• Suggestion: Do not yell ANARCHY at the voting booth. It upsets people.
• Suggestion: Do not yell TERRORIST at the voting booth. It upsets people.
• Showing up drunk to vote is never a good idea. Get drunk later every time you hear John King say “battleground state.” You’ll be plastered within about 20 minutes, I assure you.
• If someone cancels your vote out, just smile pleasantly and move on. If they get testy, find the stick.
• Bring food. No one knows what the lines are going to be like.

These are just a few helpful hints from me. I could be wrong. I could be right.

I just know I have a busy week ahead of us, but on the upside. This damned election is almost over.

Thank goodness.

UPDATE: Joe Lance also has a list of survival skills that adds necessities like food, books and other vital needs. In Hoots, the lines won’t be too bad but in metropolitan areas, you might be in for a long wait.

Southern Beale hits it out of the park with her post Fun With Photoshop.

Taking the picture from last week’s debate, here are some examples of a photoshop contest which is hysterical.

Total Diatribe also get in on the fun.

There are a few things in my life that I never, ever want to happen

1. I do not want Crabs. (I like Crab to eat in a lovely basil butter sauce, I’m talking about the other kind.)

2.  I do not ever want to be in a train wreck.

3. I do not want to ever have to say the words: President Lou Dobbs.

Just saying.

Folks are talking about the political primaries right now and what the presidential candidates are doing and saying which, of course, is always a bit different than their actions. Right now, everyone is on their best behavior. And, I can honestly say, I’ve never seen a presidential campaign anything like this. Ever.

GoldnI says she’s not voting for John Edwards in the primary and gives a detailed, very reasonable analysis of why she doesn’t think he’s the right man for the job:

The decision to accept public financing says a lot about where they are right now. Sure, it’s really easy to say “Well we’ve always supported public financing, so this is about taking a principled stand, it’s not a money calculation, and we hope the rest of the field will be as PRINCIPLED as we are!”

Only problem is, what happens if the “rest of the field” doesn’t take the bait? Then they’re raising as much money as they can (for both the primary AND the general) while you’re constrained by limits that you wouldn’t otherwise have.

Jon at Mushin No Shin has given his first political donation. Here’s why:

I just made my first financial contribution EVER to a major party candidate. Yeah, it creeped me out a little. But Bill Richardson is the first major party candidate I ever thought was actually right for the job. I use the phrase “right for the job” quite precisely. It doesn’t mean I think he’s my ideological soulmate. It means I think he has the right combination of experience, leadership, and “good enough” positions on every major issue to actually do the job we’re hiring someone to do …

Aunt B and I are on the same page I believe here. She discusses a Hillary Clinton presidency:

I just don’t believe it’s good for us to have power pass back and forth between two families.

Bill tried to convince America that it’s not a dynasty, but it feels like that to me.

Finally, Sean Braisted wrote about Barack Obama last Thursday and Iowa.

The Quad City Times is reporting that Michelle Obama, wife of Barack, said that “[i]f Barack doesn’t win Iowa it is over.”

That is certainly what Edwards and Hillary want people to believe, but is it really that true? Iowa is one of the whitest (about 96% white) states in the Union with about 3 Million people overall, the country as a whole is about 77% white. They have a large farming base, which is not true of a majority of electoral votes. Also, in order to win Iowa, you have to be very good at retail politics…but what the hell does retail politics have to do with the Presidential election in this day and age?

In political circles where I live, a lot of folks are talking about who has the capacity to win the election on the democratic ticket.  I’m hearing Edwards name a lot, but I also think that has to do with him being a Southern Democrat. Another name I’m hearing, as you would guess I think, Al Gore, but I don’t think he gives a damn about being president. Energy Czar under a democratic president, yes. Prez, no. I don’t really buy that too much but I’ve been trying to listen to some of the college students that live in the area.

Two names I keep hearing from them is: Ron Paul and Bill Richardson. This, of course, is completely unscientific.

I find that very interesting. These are kids that are not tied up in the politics, just randomly talking about politics at large. I tend to believe that Bill Richardson was initially running for vice-president as much as anything, but I’ve noticed in social networking systems and in my email that Richardson is making a subtle, yet deliberate push right now.

I honestly don’t think we need to dismiss him as a middle-of-the- packer anymore.

With that said, I’m still undecided. I know I’m expected, probably, to jump on someone’s wagon, but I haven’t.

I just haven’t been reached yet by a candidate. Isn’t that what they are supposed to do, reach us with their message. We’ll see if that happens anytime soon.

After the last seven years, I’m having trouble believing anybody.

I’m surprised actually. I have no idea why.

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton was endorsed Saturday by retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who sought the party’s nomination in 2004 and whose sterling military credentials could bolster her bid to be the first female commander in chief.

I wonder if this makes a difference or not.

We will have to wait and see, I’m guessing.

I’ve been watching CNN for the last couple of hours and my eyes are bleeding.

Man, there is too much going on in the political world today.

And, Jack Cafferty, you are the man. Agreed, agreed. I hope you sell a bunch of books.

And the headline mentions Afghanistan, but not Iraq. Rummy, verrrry interesting.

It’s September. I told you it would be an interesting month in Washington.

And I think we just got started.

Washington in September sounds like a movie title. I could always copyright it. Yeah, it’s hot.

Finally, Rob Briley was held at gunpoint by cops after apparently being a complete idiot and still finished his drink. I give points for style as R. Neal said, but I do hope the man gets some help and thank goodness he didn’t hurt anyone because he could have. This is not a movie and the anti-hero thing doesn’t work here. Even Jimmy Naifeh said this in a story in the Knoxville News Sentinel:

Republican leaders are calling for state Rep. Rob Briley to resign after his arrest for drunken driving over the weekend, a partisan move House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh called “pretty lowlife.”

A heavily intoxicated Briley, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, fled the scene of an accident in DeKalb County on Saturday afternoon, then led police in Wilson County on a 100-mile-an-hour chase before finally stopping, according to police reports and court documents.

The Nashville Democrat was arrested at gunpoint after stopping his SUV in the middle of the road and is alleged to have kicked the window of a patrol car while in custody.

Cabs, people. CABS!

In Hooterville we don’t have that luxury.  We just find a tractor or a nice friend and catch a ride home. Rep. Briley, a note to you, people are trying to help you. Take their help, regardless of your political life. Do it.

And, on a final note, just go visit Frank today because he made me laugh out loud twice within a two-hour period and he’s cool. Just do it.

Two things happened yesterday that I think have great significance.

1. The Republican Party cannot really talk about the Hollywoodization (is that a word?) of the Democrats anymore when Fred Thompson announces on Jay Leno’s show that he’s running for president.

2. I agree with Sharon Cobb about the clip she has over at her house on the web. The exchange between Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee during Fox’s GOP debate was truly amazing. And, as I watched it twice, I swear I felt like something very important was happening. That there was an honest dialogue between the candidates on the war who both had valid points and who didn’t back away from them (although I lean toward what Paul said, of course.) I almost feel that I was witnessing something that will carry some weight in the coming days.

Now, the presidential race is going to get interesting.

On a blog on Tumblr that I love called Random Man, there is a link to where the presidential candidates stand that I thought I’d share with you.

It’s very comprehensive and lays out where each of the candidates stand on the issues on an easy to read chart.

Give it a look.

It’s pretty good.