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I had tons of fun in Connecticut, but with no one moreso than Ed & Keith (ctkeith and deanfan84), the two guys who started DumpJoe.com. They partnered up in an attempt to organize striking workers for Dean at Yale in ’03 and have been at it together ever since. I travelled all over the state with Ed & Keith and the Kiss Float. They know every local politician, every staffer, every township in the state. They are inspirationl citizen activists who discovered how to use blogs to spread their message and organize with others of like mind. They were both indefatigable and unfailingly polite to Lieberman and his staff members wherever they went.
Their most famous piece of political theater, however, was the dissemination of the "kiss" image via buttons (which grew to gargantuan size in the form of the Kiss Float). It may well be the iconic image of the ’06 election. Truck-driver-turned-activist ctkeith raided his family’s vacation fund in order to make them, and he’s now in the process of restocking it by selling the buttons on ebay. His truly fabulous kids Cody (11) Michaella (9) have been really generous in sharing their dad and all his free time during the race, so if you were thinking that you might like a souvenir of this amazing grass roots triumph you can order one (or many!) here on on ebay.
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Fitz!
Kissez!
NED
FITZ
JANE
REDD
PACH
TRex
Ned!
And
CT KEITH for the buttons
Jane,
OT: I just started reading your book about making Natural Born Killers and saw that one of your “dream” projects was to produce a movie based on Tapping the Source, the surf-noir novel. Did this ever go anywhere? Do you know if anyone else is still actively trying to develop this project.
The kiss float needs to go to the Smithsonian — after it is no longer needed that is.
That button will be a big seller. Bigger still, relevant to races throughout the nation, would be a plain old “Irate moderate” backed by an American flag. No charge for the concept.
Keith is a great guy. NoMoJoe doesn’t realize it but Keith was playing nice nice with him before the primary.
If Joe doesn’t drop out, Keith told me he will make sure that Joe’s campaign will be stomped into the ground never to get up again. The gloves will come off.
Frankly, I would never want to be on Keith’s bad side.
kobe !
RevDeb @ 9
heh heh heh. I like this guy.
RevDeb @ 9
almost makes me want to see Joey run just to see what happens ;)
…almost, but not quite.
feral1 @
6
feral1, FDL is where Jane does her politix. The movie stuff is kinda yesterday, and we respect her privacy in that regard.
That was a fantastic book and I always thought it would make an incredible film. WOW.
oops. Never mind. :)
Off topic but related to the airport thing, and terribly amusing “I want to see some outside-the-box ideas here, okay?”
Not necessarily OT, but, I think with this song choice I can confidently declare VICTORY (which as we know, is very important to the EPU)
Out of Time
And those button’s should play Kiss On My List (although I doubt that is an original thought).
Early Rolling Stones btw, in case you were going to ask.
Shouldn’t the button now read:
“Bush’s Favorite ‘Connecticut For Lieberman’”
We shouldn’t give Lieberman the word “Democrat” ever again, even when it is mockingly put in quotes.
It would be great if ctkeith and deanfan84 could be cajoled into posting something on the State Roots Project about the technical details on The Kiss Float. Its impact in this CLOSE race cannot be underestimated; as a Best Practice, it would be nice to see it disseminated under a How-To and Lessons Learned Q&A, at the least….
Others at FDL who oppose GOP Incumbency Festivalists have already discussed using a Kiss Float knockoff in Virginia and Ohio.
Evil Parallel Universe @ 18
I was going to, but then I realized you were omniscient.
Media Matters: “NY Times’ Healy, Medina ignored own reporting, uncritically repeated Lieberman’s hypocritical attacks on Lamont over foiled UK terror plot”
jeez, I gotta admire those Media Matters folks, every day they get up and do it all over again, and maintain their sanity.
Best. Political. Button. Ever.
And yes, Ed and Keith, as I’m sure Indiana Jones would say of your work, “It belongs in a museum.”
HoJo’s political future. . .SWAK!!
Pay attention any other Dems out there thinking about cozying up to Buscho. Bossman is just waiting all too happily in the West Wing to lay a little lovin’ on you.
xyz @ 19
The newest version has the word
Democratcrossed out. The message is pretty clear.Or, the button could now read:
“Bush’s Best Friend”
I just don’t want to see the word “Democrat” anywhere near Lieberman ever again.
RevDeb -
That’s awesome! Crossing out the word Democrat is perfect. As usual, those guys are way ahead of me!
hiya rev
if one has movie-related questions for Jane, she can receive them privately via Email (is Kevin Kline really gay or what?, etc …)
With regards to the upcoming vote: I would like to suggest to everyone here that they visit: http://awbansunset.com/ and that they fight for the repeal of the assault weapons ban.
In fact, strategically, I think that this would be a huge winner (vote-wise) for our Democratic representatives to adopt as a centerpiece of their campaigns! I urge all of you to learn as much as you can about these firearms and to purchase as many of them as you can. You should also join the NRA (and be certain to inform them that you’re a staunch Democrat) and begin visiting your local gun ranges along with taking courses in the use and maintenance of firearms.
Hopefully, after we overturn this ban we can begin working on the ban on automatic weapons (also referred to as “machine guns”) so that the average citizen can be appropriately prepared to fight “terrorism” wherever we find it. Help me make this a major liberal cause!
Breaking news from MSNBC: Israeli media says PM will recommend his government OK cease-fire deal
much better said, *, than my rude smackdown.
EPU’d from the last thread but I have to reply:
As one of the reputable students of libertarianism in this country I have rejected Carlson and the other so-called “libertarians” of the last few years who dishonor the philosophy. Libertarianism is far more liberal than these jackasses like Carlson, Bill Maher, Dennis Miller, Glenn Reynolds, Glenn Beck, Mike Savage and other authoritarians like them realize. These jackals are against the very principles of libertarianism. It is intellectual dishonesty on a pathological level.
For anyone interested in the real libertarianism in this country I urge you to ignore the Republican Dope Smokers at CATO and pay more attention to the Independent Institute or the folks at AntiWar.com. There are also great things to learn from the folks at the Future of Freedom Foundation and others whose links can be found at the Independent Institute website at http://www.independent.org.
xyz.
Got it on with my Ned t-shirt and on my way to volunteer for the dems at the local concert on the common. It should start a few interesting conversations.
BTW, the words on the button are in white (see above) and the heavy line cross out is in black. It is quite obvious.
*ilson46201 @ 29
and if you have any idea what Jane’s email box looks like, please take pity.
I’ve always liked this part of a verse from a Robert Burns poem:
“O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us”
Too bad our friend Lieberman wouldn’t contemplate it.
The name of the poem, To a Louse, is also apropos.
hey Teddy,
Miss ya. Any chance you might be in the lower half of the state next week? I’m gonna be there with my mom (and not on line much, dial up only)
I don’t see how the use of *democrat* is not illegal, actually. Aren’t there laws against Joe doing this?
It’s a powerful word and has a great association for many voters. The election authorities have got to nail him on that. Unless it’s legal to just call your party-of-one anything you want.
EPU’d and respectfully submitted:
who wants yesterdays papers
who wants yesterdays girl
who wants yesterdays papers
nobody in the world
after this time I finally learned
after the pain and hurt
after all this what have I achieved
I’ve realized it’s time to leave
cause
who wants yesterdays papers
who wants yesterdays girl
who wants yesterdays papers
nobody in the world
Living a life of constant change
every day means the turn of a page
yesterdays papers are such bad news
same thing applies to me and you
who wants yesterdays papers
who wants yesterdays girl
who wants yesterdays papers
nobody in the world
seems very hard to have just one girl
when there’s a million in the world
all of these people just can’t wait
to fall right into their big mistake
who wants yesterdays papers
who wants yesterdays girl
who wants yesterdays papers
nobody in the world
(Early Stones song)
TPM Cafe:
Kucinich on Randi Rhodes
Hey EPU, got a cup of STFU yet?
part of the “franchise agreements” to a Democratic state party is the requirement to ‘protect the trademark Democratic‘ — I’m sure the CT Democrats will do their best …
On CNN, now, an eyewitness account from Michael Ware that Israel just attacked the evacuation convoy he was following. Ware is talking as he runs because a drone just appeared over head. The convoy had 1500 vehicles full of civilians. Safe corridors for humanitarian purposes, my aunt fanny. And the Security Council is meeting as this happened. I am beyond angry. This is appalling. There are no words.
Not yet.
The Kiss Float was absolutely BRILLIANT political theatre!
When I saw the TV footage from the Willimantic Boom Box Parade (mostly, I admit, to see several relatives of mine who were there), I knew Joe was in trouble. That float was just a television camera MAGNET.
The idea of drving the damn thing all over the state, following Joe’s hapless bus tour–priceless! Whoever thought of that was a genius.
And thanks RevDeb, for letting us know that those guys are not going to let up the pressure on HoJo if he insists on humiliating himself further in this election.
I’m afraid that Joe Lieberman has not yet realized the psychic hurting that is coming his way if he runs as an Independent. The poor schmuck thinks there are a lot of people in CT who still like him.
Sad.
xyz @ 18
Now, now, ‘Connecticut for Lieberman’ is the name of the party. I believe the proper name for a member of the party is ‘Connecticut for Liebermaniac’.
Redshift – I like that too.
If you are looking for simplicity, you could simply say:
“Bush’s Favorite”
*ilson46201 @ 29
Appreciate the tip.
xyz @ 48
Or “Bush’s Best Boy”
How xyz @ 48
How about ‘Bush’s (2nd) Favorite Dick’?
Jeffery Feldman who many met at Yearlykos, has a great post about the Kiss and how other candidates can use the same process.
The Kiss
I sent this to every Democrat running in AZ, they need to find “their” Kiss and push it hard!
Lets see, Shaddock… is less tainted?
Rubber Stamp Kyl & Hayworth?
Thanks for giving us a winning strategy!
Fitz You!!! @
51
so you aren’t forgetting Poland after all ! (actually an US Ambassador to Poland)
punaise, your 2:10 just confirms how much damage Joe does to CT and the nation does every day he stays in.
Fitz You!!!
Holy Shit – you win. Hands down.
Liebermania (Lee burr MAY nee ya) – v. A psychiataric condition that generally afflicts members of the Lieberman family and supporters of the same. Symptoms include paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, wishful thinking, myopia, light headedness and disingenuousness.
Charlie Rangel is on Hardball right now. I like him so much!
BUT — he’s using that “we” phraseology again when he means “the Republicans.” Someone needs to tell these people to watch their phraseology!!! Gah!!!
This “we” business drives me kookoo.
Gilliard gives HoJoe a few parting shots. Man those must hurt.
http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/
Bustednuckles @ 11
Yowza!! Let the stompin’ begin!!
Fini FiniTOOBZ! @ 33
Thank you for that. I know that Carlson, Miller and their ilk are not considered true Libertarians by the real deal, like you. It just grates on me to hear him refer to himself as such over and over again without ever getting smacked down in a highly-visible way.
I didn’t mean to disparage you. I guess I just really want to see that smack down on C&L one night.
O/T, breaking -
JERUSALEM (AP)- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has accepted an emerging Mideast cease-fire deal and informed the United States of his decision, Israeli officials said Friday…
_
LindaR @ 57
yes yes yes. Kerry and HillDog do it too. It’s stooooopit.
*ilson46201 @ 53:
“so you aren’t forgetting Poland after all ! (actually an US Ambassador to Poland)”
Add Jeff Gannon and Tony Blair to the mix and you got Joe in another three way tie for third place…
“In Connecticut, Schlesinger Isn’t Dropping Out”
pw
FWIW, “The Kiss” was a symbol of rare political genius in the CT race. I hope a lot of Democratic campaigns explore the possibility of photoshopping the face of the Republican they are running aginst in place of Joe’s.
The more politically correct, “rubber stamp” metaphor, however may become a more realistic alternative.
“… Rahm Emanuel (D) had the courage to already admit: “Being a rubber stamp for George Bush is politically dangerous to life threatening.”
Huffington Post, NY – Aug 7, 2006
BarbaraB @
44
It pissed me off when Wolf described it in his intro as an “alleged” attack, as if he couldn’t believe that the Israelis would do such a thing.
moeman 58 -
That Gillard piece is great. I like this bit:
***
I now have Keith’s buttons saved in My Ebay. It turns out you can buy just one, or a package of three or five. I got one free at ykos, but this is a wonderful way to help Keith continue his good work and get something for your collection as well. Now all I have to do is figure out what I would do with five of them. Holiday tree ornaments, perhaps?
Thanks aReader at 2:27, I remember Schlessinger telling Tweety that on primary night, but I didn’t have a link.
BarbaraB – BBC:
I guess John Bolton wasn’t kidding yesterday when he said, in dismissing the latest proposed 3-day truce, “we aren’t playing games here.” Bloodthirsty prick.
Joe got his marching orders sometime before the Primary. If he won the primary, great – business as usual. If he lost then he was to run as an independant. Look at how fast and ready he was with the signatures for the independant run. He probably wouldn’t be able to win the general election as an independant, but that was never the point. He was to generate as much havok as possible to split the vote and create a drawdown on the Lamont campaign fund.
This would serve two purposes. 1)A diversionary tactic to muddle the issues and split Lamont’s focus, and 2)allow whatever Republican candidate the RNC could put up a wedge shot at the Senate seat.
At this point Joe doesn’t care. He probably feels pretty bitter and wants to take down the Democratic party on Conn. as best he can before he is totally out of it.
He’s probably been doing the opposition bidding for so long he doesn’t remember when he wasn’t.
While over at ebay I saw a bumpersticker that said
Lieberman ( I )diot.
Dover Bitch @ 60
I didn’t take that as disparagement from you, I get just as frustrated as you whenever these clowns say shit then say “cuz I’m a libertarian”. I go off whenever I hear that shit knowing what I know about libertarian philosophy. Its like being Christian and having to deal with Pat Robertson.
OT ALERT
Just got this in a email from Dr. Turtle:
http://www.notinourname.net/tr…..7sep04.htm
He say’s,”This is pretty informative, especially read the part about Col. Earl Hecker (my new hero). One of the guys I’m working with worked with him at Michigan State.”
http://www.Sore-Loserman.com
*Ilson. That is excellent use of the hyphen. Bravo!
“The Kiss” was an outstanding thousand-words-in-a-picture. A progressive version of Dukakis-in-a-tank, The Blue Dress, The-Wolves-Are-Out (ad). Our side needs to learn how to do this in every race. Pithy, memorable, evocative images and phrases.
That, for better or worse, is how you sell Coke, troglodyte politicians… or progressives.
or as a Catholic having to deal with Hutton Gibson…
Josh Marshall explains why HoJoe should go fcuk himself.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
Has anyone besides Richardson, any elected official I mean, called for JoMo to retire?
I bought this button on ebay, paid on Aug 2, and still have not received it. Same seller. Maybe this is normal but I don’t know.
BobbyG @ 61
“You ain’t gittin’ no more missiles Oh-murt, til you cut this shit out with them Lesbians”
-Dubya, on the cease-fire agreement
Hutton Gibson = Mel’s Dad.
“You ain’t gittin’ no more missiles Oh-mutrt, til you cut this shit out with them Lesbians”
LMAO
the owner of SoreLoserman.com domain wants $1,000,000 for that name — I aint no Ned Lamont so I added the hyphen and got it for $9.20 …
ccmask: the sellers of the button have been kinda busy until after August 8th … give them a few more days, mmkay?
PS: I am sure my ebay button was just overlooked. I know it wasn’t intentional! I just can’t wait to get it.
HopeSpringsATurtle @ 82
707
Yeah sure Wilson.
busy doing what? buying internet domain names?
mmkay…
*ilson-
You seem to have some inside info on the buttons. Could it possibly be that you are the seller?
Condi on CNN looks like she has a new makeup artist …
condi goes through makeup artists like the pharoahs went through pyramid building slaves. they have to be killed after seeing her in her natural state.
and don’t get me started on her hair….
HopeSpringsATurtle @ 82
Woot!
I’d let her play my piano but I’m afraid her claws would scratch my keyboard.
DEPU’d
egregious @ 244
Drive by …
Ya know about all the IED’s blowin’ the sh*t out’a our guys in Iraq?
Well — never fear Sen. Conrad Burns is on the job
http://www.govexec.com/story_p…..;dcn=e_ndw
Boy, that clears that up doesn’t it?
Maybe we can train some hamsters to run power plants for the Army bases that can’t pay their electric bills?
CT Keith and DeanFan84 not only rock heavily, but they’re really cool guys, too!
Keith is a Fred Flintstoney looking guy, who you’d expect to find sitting on a bar stool at the local pub, instead of fueling the insurgency. And Ed is a laser-focused, no-nonsense sort of fellow who can decimate you with his logic, and finds nothing funnier than embarrassing the members of the opposition.
I’m honored to know these two guys, and I am proud to call them my friends.
Whatever happened to those terrorist guys in Miami they caught not too long ago. Remember the neighbors who were interviewed said stupid things like they were trying to get kids in the neighborhood to join. What happened to that BIG NEWS STORY! This press is amazing. Bunch of Gop typists.
JWR @ 70
Ware spoke of “carnage.” Rescuers were trying to get the dead and injured out of the damaged cars when the Lebanese army personnel accompanying the convoy ordered everyone to take cover because another drone had appeared. If there are only four dead it will be a miracle. These were civilians. More dead children. Another CNN reporter, not on the scene, suggested that Israel “must” have thought some Hezbollah militia were escaping in the convoy. “Must”? And that justifies shelling civilians, when you know you are about to accept a ceasefire? And now Condi’s on, spinning the UN resolution as fast as she can to say it means what it doesn’t say. And justifying a continued delay in implementing it while Israel’s tanks apparently keep rolling. Guess that makes her a bloodthirsty prickless.
just curious @
92
as explained in the main post, the buttons were created and sold by creative CT bloggers. It stands to reason that packing and shipping buttons all over the world was not quite as high a priority as winning the crucial election in CT. Now that the election is won, EBay commerce can recommence…
Tim Grieve’s War Room on salon.com sources major Israeli journalists heaping “blame on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for the grave harm that the war in Lebanon has imposed on Israel” and concludes with this:
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/
CT Bob @ 99
Bob, you and all the other CT bloggers have been inspirational, and I hope you guys know what you’ve started. The work you guys have been doing there is a model for how to do netroots organizing everywhere.
CTKeith and DeanFan84, yourself, Spazeboy, Maura and all the others who have fueled the Lamont campaign insurgency deserve credit for formulating the winning gameplan for how to use blogs to reach regular voters and drive a lesser known candidate into the mainstream. And the Kiss Float will go down in history as the funniest float ever designed since the “Eat Me” float in the movie Animal House.
I wonder if I could get a Kiss Button directly from CT Bob. Ebay confuses me.
what i loved about the kiss float was its everyman appeal. it was in plopped in a pick up truck, one of the right’s favorite vehicles, and, its construction and execution were folk art crude but recognizable and thus charming.
it looked like regular folk made it and the regular guy with his arm propped out the window driving it around made it even more accessible.
after we’ve all bought kiss buttons think about the “fdl action figures”. i want a set of those posed around my laptop.
Wilson said “Now that the election is won, EBay commerce can recommence”…
Just want to add that I was not criticizing the delivery. I was merely whining because I can’t wait to get it. Thanks for the update Wilson.
fdl action figures, can’t you just picture them all…
Thanks JftB, great link.
Jenny from the Blog @ 103
(psssstttt, Jenny: that’s Glenn Greenwald subbing for Tim Grieve, through August 15 I believe)
I can’t believe I didn’t see more coverage of that float on the various traditional media covering this primary. I think it is the coolest grass roots idea I have ever seen. I think that float is a better story than anything else I have seen, I guess that is why they all refused to cover it. I assume they knew about it and chose not to cover it. How could they miss the giant kiss float stalking Lieberman? Yeah Not so much.
I think showing the float and interviewing the two guys mentioned in your post would have been a great human interest story and it would give an example of two regular guys that are fed up with Lieberman. Probably why they didn’t cover it.
Oh well thanks to Jane, we got it covered!
squirrel: I would buy me a set of them action figures.
punaise!
I just checked and you are correct. Glenn’s name is in the tiny print on the bottom, filling in for Grieve. Thanks for keeping me honest (it’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it).
John Casper, you’re very welcome.
ccmask @ 112
oh, i want them so bad. i could take them to wifi paneras and they could sit on the table and make it look like i wasn’t some weirdo all alone blogger. ha.
I loved the pic of it parked behind Joe’s bus. That was hysterical. Make a nice poster for my office. My republican co-worker would just love it. He is all upset. He says today, I don’t know why you guys didn’t want Joe anymore because he seemed like such a nice guy. After all, Gore picked him to run for VP….I said if he was such a nice guy, did you vote for him and Gore? He said hell no.
Began with a kiss, and ended with freakin’ “liquid explosives” … The way Lieberman cozied up to the exploitation of the terror alert just adds one more sad chapter to the nail in his coffin — to mix and mangle a couple metaphors. :-)
Maybe you missed this. It’s sort of fun — if you can call it that. Agence France Press ran two different stories about Buschco and the new airline terror alert. One was a scathing critique of Bush, Cheney, et al. The second, later story made it seem both parties were equally guilty of exploiting the foiled plot for partisan political gain. The headlines were as different as the stories:
Bush seeks political gains from foiled plot
Bush, foes seek political gains from foiled plot
What a difference a word makes! Play the game of Compare and Contrast by checking out the two different versions of AFP story for yourself. And speculate on what the significance is, if any.
wanted to recommend folks order a copy of Robert Fisk’s Pity the Nation for essential background on Lebanon – Israel’s actions are simply repeats of earlier exploits.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br…..words=pity the nation
Michael Ware’s reporting is consistently good and that report was devastating
Salon probably wants to adjust their templates, it’s very confusing. Grieve’s name is under the title.
I had no idea Glenn wrote it until punaise’s comment.
Jenny from the Blog @ 113
well, since I’ve been plastering this place with Glenn’s War Room guest-posts, it’s the least I could do….:~)
John Casper @ 118
It’s Tim Grieve’s “place”, so his name is always in the banner. Glenn and others have been filling in during the first half of August.
punaise @ 119
No wonder my borders have been looking so sqeezed.And we seriously need to do something about all these thumbtack holes in the walls. *g*
squirrel hiller @ 114
yeah, and we could have a Saturday morning toon series where the team saved the world from bushbots. Jane, Christy, Pach, *ilson, TRex, Spazeboy, Suin, RevDeb, M, Punaise, Sharkbabe, HSAT and everybody. Zen could keep everybody centered…John Casper could keep everyone polite. Our CT friends could make guest appearances… Endless opportunities!
Jeff Gannon for $200 bucks, please Alex.
Anybody see Larry King interview Kathy Griffin the other night and say to her incredulously: “Lesbians like children???”
Asshat.
Shez @ 123
I saw him with Randi Rhodes and Neal Boortz, when he shushed Randi. I’ve never seen him tell a guest to stop talking before.
ember @ 122
Saturday cartoons on top of too much blogging, i’ll never clean the house again! hmmm, well, i really didn’t clean it before. can we have comic books too.
Bustednuckles @ 121
that’s what the Late Nite spackle crew takes care of :~)
ROFL Jim, missed that one. I can’t see Randi ‘obeying’ or shutting up. What did she do?
xyz @ 48
Would that be baked beans?
TeddySanFran @
20
How about a man on dog float for Pennsylvania?
squirrel, we certainly have plenty of ‘characters’.
Sorry if this was already posted:
Shame CNN headline news
Shez @ 127
Actually, she kind of folded. I was surprised. She was wandering off topic, but why anyone would even go on a show with that despicable Boortz. But then i can’t think of one conservative who’s honest, lucid and rational. I just caught a few minutes of one on Hardball explaining that Islam is a dirty religion, and Tweety was agreeing with her. These people can never remember that we’re there as the allies of the great peace and freedom loving Iraqi majority who are wishing they could pelt us with candy and rose petals.
happy monkey @ 129
i have a house for a santorum truck. working on getting the truck. sure would like to know how those guys did it.
hope they are winterizing it since they will have to contend with nasty new england autumn weather.
I was wondering if Jane’s return trip goes through St. Louis. I’d love to offer some hospitality to one of the heroes of the War on Error.
ember @ 131
that’s what’s great about it. it’s a series and collectors love a series. remember the beanie babies?
JFTB @103 – Glenn has some good posts up at Salon and also “back home” at his place, and Anonymous Liberal has a post up at Glenn’s that is excellent too.
The health, and I do think it is healthy, of Israel’s democracy (can you imagine what most countries would become in the setting in which Israel exists?) is that it is all coalition – lots and lots of parties. It is what we have lost in the BUsh rubber stamp years. Some of what we have lost, I just don’t see us getting back fully. I have a lot of bitterness to the people who drove the bus that got us here.
Loserman Into the Warm Embrace of the BUSH/COULTER Republican Party:
http://nedlamont.com/blog/1038…..ican-party
*I’m OLD…and there’s wolves after me*
Evil Parallel Universe @ 18
EPU-Great song. I never really thought about it in the politcal context.
The three-disc set “The Rolling Stones: The London Years” is my road trip bible. Five hours worth of music to get me to all my favorite haunts out here in the west.
We are at the end stage of the initial shooting phase of Israel’s war against Lebanon. A final draft of a UN resolution has been agreed upon. Meanwhile there has been a lot of toing and froing in Israel. Prime Minister Olmert ordered the IDF to begin its much threatened expanded operation. This was seen as a way to pressure Lebanese Prime Minister into accepting the UN resolution without further changes. Since it looks like the UN resolution is a go, the Israeli offensive may stop before it really starts. Olmert’s decision can also be seen as a PR move to give a last minute positive spin on what has been a dismal exercise (sort of the like the drunk who gets into a fight at the bar knowing his friends (the US) are going to restrain him) and, of course, there is the desire to pick up a few more bargaining chips. It is stupid, dangerous, and typical.
Domestically, the recriminations and second guessing are already well underway. Ministers with defense backgrounds like Mofaz have slammed PM Olmert and Defense Minister Peretz’s handling of the war. They have fired back that if these guys were so smart why didn’t they address the problem years ago instead of leaving it to Olmert and Peretz to clean up. Olmert who leads Kadima and Peretz of Labor are also natural rivals but yoked together by Israel’s poor performance on all levels in the conflict. Olmert also has it in for Foreign Minister Livni who favored a greater emphasis on diplomacy. She was ultimately proved right and saved Olmert’s chestnuts in the process for which Olmert is unlikely to forgive her. In recognition of her efforts, he just pulled the plug on her going to New York to be present at the finalizing of the UN resolution. The civilians have also been unhappy with the military’s overpromising about the speed and ease with it would eliminate Hezbollah. The military has not been immune from this circular firing squad either. Israel’s Northern commander Udi Adam, for example, was sacked for lack of results even though it is unclear how responsible he was for the failed strategy he was saddled with.
The Israeli public also has their opinion about all this.
Haaretz has a poll out that shows that in the last week there has been a major drop off in support for the war and those who have been directing it.
Israel winning 20%
Israel losing 30%
Neither side winning 44%
Approve to widen war 39%
Continue as is 26%
Immediate ceasefire 28%
Approve Prime Minister Olmert:
Early in war 75%
Now 48%
Disapprove now: 40%
Approve Defense Minister Peretz:
Early in war 65%
Now 37%
Disapprove now: 51%
Approve Foreign Minister Livni:
Early in war –
Now 61%
Disapprove now: 23%
Approve opposition Likud’s Netanyahu:
Early in war –
Now 58%
Disapprove now: 29%
Approve IDF Chief of Staff Halutz:
Now: 47%
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749604.html
I’m wondering how much that kiss float had to do with Ned’s victory. Surely it was tenfold what one tv ad could do. It was a brilliant manuever. I think it should be seen all over the country. Imagine going cross country with it. I for one would gladly pay for the first tank full of gas for it.
Saturday morning cartoons….blanket forts with the furniture, and too many bowls of Sugar Bomb cereal….
“Think Progress” has up a piece on a CNN reporter who stated today that some could say that Lamont is the Al Qaida candidate. Question, when is the time for people to go to the streets to counter to the continuing involvement of troops in the Iraq war and our lack of committment to the real terrorist fight in Afghanistan? Walking a few days ago, I overheard someone say- Why aren’t the students demonstrating. Well we know why (no draft, issues vis Israel, gen-X issues). But, when will there be demonstrations?
Yikes! I’m in moderation at #140.
All your posts are belong to us.
Bush PAR down to 33% again. His support level has been hovering at this number for some time. Every time he gets a bounce he eventually falls back down to about 33%. In technical analysis, if he falls below this to a new support level, any future bounce he gets might only go as high as his prior support level. So he would be hovering in a channel somewhere between 33% and lower.
In a supreme irony, Bush and Co. know that right now, based on their entire performance the past six years, the threat of terrorism is the only rationale they can use to justify their record. So Cheney gets up in front of the country and tells us the Democrats want terrorism. Trust me, nobody loves the threat of terrorism right now more than Bush and Company. It is what keeps them going.
A warning, however. This poll was most likely taken before the Scotland Yard bust. Remains to be seen what kind of bounce he gets out of that. But any bounce he gets from the bust, I am sad to say, will be partly counterbalanced by the spike in the price of oil. Spoiled as they are most Americans worry more about the price at the pump than about the killing in the Middle East.
Couldn’t resist.
Bustednuckles. @ 146
how base of you
Hope we can learn more about this:
I got an email from NAMI confirming the hotline will disappear within a couple of days.
Thanks Bush administration. Family values! Good thing no returning vets are in need of psychiatric care.
LETTING US BLEED TO DEATH. THEY JUST DON’T CARE. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Hey Jane,
Thanks! CTKeith is out with his kids for the night, but I’m sure he says thanks too!
What a helluva trip we’ve enjoyed. So glad CT was able to win one for the blogosphere.
ok. that’s it. i’m crawling out of my blanket fort and knocking the cereal box to the side. LAMONT, The al Qaida candidate!
I don’t think so.
How about the NEOCONS are the al Qaida’s best friends. At every step they played into their hands.
Now the world thinks we are bums and we have no money to protect ourselves.
Dems and Ned need to punch back loud and quick.
DeanFan84 ,
My hat is off to you.
( and it’s a rare thing when my bald spot sees daylight)
CCMask–
Who knows what happened to your button. My friend Sven who is running the eBay store is ultra-reliable. I’d guess it got lost in the mail.
Send me an e-mail, and I’ll send you out 1 2=3 extra buttons in return for your patience.
deanfan84@yahoo.com
Richmond @
142
_____
Well, they’re already calling CT Dems “the Kymer Rouge Wing of the Democratic Party.”
.
Oh, and YET ANOTHER laptop with personal info on over 100,000 Americans was stolen. snl. This is a DELIBERATE POLICY to obtain personal info on citizens for the total information awareness program. The undead who couldn’t be killed. It’s done through non-government contractors who have no interest in following laws or Constitutional guidelines. Too wimpy ya know. There’s bad guys out there! Ooh scary! And money to be made! Look there’s a shiny thing/airline terrorism DON’T LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE IN LEBANON or at least don’t look at continuing killing of civilians in Iraq. War crimes/Hague lalalalalalala we don’t hear you!
OT, the US Government is in worse financial shape than they are leading us to believe. American kids are going to have a tough time in the future.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/w…..usat_x.htm
ember @ 108
LOL!
busted, thanks!
But really it was a statewide effort, with most of the credit going to campaign manager Tom Swan and his CCAG. (CT Citizen’s Action Group.)
Wish you could have seen the victory party. Just an incredible collection of people and energy.
Mary for now 137:
Before 2000 I thought our democracy (and the world community) could withstand one corrupt U.S. administration. I really did. Never did I imagine its fragility.
There have been many shocks over the past few years, but this is probably the most devastating. I don’t think there will be another generation of Americans who will enjoy the lifestyle we have. You know, I watched the youtube linked by T-Rex last night, “Cover of the Rolling Stone” by Dr. Hook. And they were so messed up, drunk or stoned or whatever, but I flashed back to such a different time. I’m not romanticising the past because I lived through the Vietnam war and the demonstrations and the villification of longhairs and all the rest. But there was an air of freedom and innocence, still.
After living through the 60’s and Watergate and all the rest, there was some kind of resolution and redemption and we set our republic straight again (more or less).
I agree with you. We’ve suffered irreparable damage and we’ll have to make the adjustment. I know the democrats will regain power again, it’s just a matter of time, but what we’ll have to deal with for decades is unimaginable. And the cleanup of this nightmare will fall to us.
Honestly, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, I would never, ever consider bringing a child into this world at the moment. Glad I don’t have to make the choice.
to Joe Lieberman
oh, its gonna be a long lonely summer
but joey I promise you this
we’ll send you all our love
every day in a letter
SEALED WITH A KISS
your good friend Dubya
great one Knot.
CCMask–
Who knows what happened to your button. My friend Sven who is running the eBay store is ultra-reliable. I’d guess it got lost in the mail.
–no problem, really! Had I read the entire post before posting, I never would have mentioned it. But I looked up my ebay page and it was the same seller. One is more than enough for the price. I’ll email you.
As I am still in moderation, let me try it this way,
We are at the end stage of the initial shooting phase of Israel’s war against Lebanon. A final draft of a UN resolution has been agreed upon. Meanwhile there has been a lot of toing and froing in Israel. Prime Minister Olmert ordered the IDF to begin its much threatened expanded operation. This was seen as a way to pressure Lebanese Prime Minister into accepting the UN resolution without further changes. Since it looks like the UN resolution is a go, the Israeli offensive may stop before it really starts. Olmert’s decision can also be seen as a PR move to give a last minute positive spin on what has been a dismal exercise (sort of the like the drunk who gets into a fight at the bar knowing his friends (the US) are going to restrain him) and, of course, there is the desire to pick up a few more bargaining chips. It is stupid, dangerous, and typical.
Domestically, the recriminations and second guessing are already well underway. Ministers with defense backgrounds like Mofaz have slammed PM Olmert and Defense Minister Peretz’s handling of the war. They have fired back that if these guys were so smart why didn’t they address the problem years ago instead of leaving it to Olmert and Peretz to clean up. Olmert who leads Kadima and Peretz of Labor are also natural rivals but yoked together by Israel’s poor performance on all levels in the conflict. Olmert also has it in for Foreign Minister Livni who favored a greater emphasis on diplomacy. She was ultimately proved right and saved Olmert’s chestnuts in the process for which Olmert is unlikely to forgive her. In recognition of her efforts, he just pulled the plug on her going to New York to be present at the finalizing of the UN resolution. The civilians have also been unhappy with the military’s overpromising about the speed and ease with it would eliminate Hezbollah. The military has not been immune from this circular firing squad either. Israel’s Northern commander Udi Adam, for example, was sacked for lack of results even though it is unclear how responsible he was for the failed strategy he was saddled with.
The Israeli public also has an opinion about all this. (next comment)
Haaretz has a poll out that shows that in the last week there has been a major drop off in support for the war and those who have been directing it.
Israel winning 20%
Israel losing 30%
Neither side winning 44%
Approve to widen war 39%
Continue as is 26%
Immediate ceasefire 28%
Approve Prime Minister Olmert:
Early in war 75%
Now 48%
Disapprove now: 40%
Approve Defense Minister Peretz:
Early in war 65%
Now 37%
Disapprove now: 51%
Approve Foreign Minister Livni:
Early in war –
Now 61%
Disapprove now: 23%
Approve opposition Likud’s Netanyahu:
Early in war –
Now 58%
Disapprove now: 29%
Approve IDF Chief of Staff Halutz:
Now: 47%
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749604.html
BobbyG @ 153
At what point does a person have grounds for a defamation lawsuit?
The right wing mainstream media needs to shut their lying mouths and put away their poison pens. Who believes these whack-jobs any more?
Ned Lamont’s victory has brought a chorus of lunatic fringe facsist right wing manipulators out of the closet and exposed themselves for the anti-American terrorists that they are. The whining babies from Coulter to Mathews to the three major networks are giving twice as much air time, according to Media Matters, to the loser than they are to the winner. None of them are commenting on the victory for reason that Ned Lamont’s victory represents.
Race baiting religious bigots are wailing bizarre comments about the imaginary Taliban wing of the Democratic Party and other truly insane statements. The mainstream media and the so-called right wing pundits are pompous ignorant fools heading our nation on a suicidal course. Their reign must end before it is too late.
In my fifty-eight years I have never read or heard such assinine propaganda spewing from the once proud Fourth Estate, and the right wing. Fortunately Americans are proving themselves to be smarter than the cheap manipulations vomiting from the minds of these seriously disturbed individuals.
It is insulting to the dignity and integrity of Americans that the right wing maniacs try to sell such garbage to the people of this country. It cannot be said often enough that the right wing in America hates democracy, hates freedom, hates truth, hates honesty, hates peace, and hates life.
What gives these sociopaths and psychopaths the idea that they know how to run a nation. All that they have done is ruin our international reputation, destroy our economy, degrade the lifestyles of the middle-class, steal money from the nation, mismanage a war that shouldn’t have taken place to begin with, and they have the gall to think of themselves as leaders. They are such a terrible tragic joke from hell, that I am shocked that anyone gives their words any broadcast or publishing time at all.
ccmask @
140
Oooh, roadtrip for the Kiss Float! Imagine all the free media coverage it could get. It could make appearances at political events everywhere hehe. Especially at the events of those politicians who stood up and offered Neocon Joe support.
Aha, WordPress doesn’t like poll results because that’s what threw my comment into moderation, who knew?
WHAT GC WALL SAID.
He got the memo.
Santorum: Intel leakers are ‘traitors’
Says leakers of info on secret programs hurt fight against ‘Islamic fascists.’
http://rawstory.com/
BobbyG @ 153
Who is?
. . . and your little dog, too @ 169
I believe that one was John Gibson at Fox.
Hugh, thanks for the great comments, can you link to the polls?
What WordPress’ troll software “likes and doesn’t like” is a closely guarded (and probably changing) secret, because if we know, then the trolls would too.
I got a request from a Kossack to share these with the great FDL crew. A present for you!!
Update: Crap…i can’t get the images to link.
Here’s a link to the Kosthread.
Jpegs free to good home.
John Casper,
This is the link:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749604.html
I tried to post a summary of it twice but it kept going into moderation.
Bob Kerrey to support Lieberman (via TPM)
What is wrong with these people?
Dem strategist on Lou Dobbs…
We’re not antiwar, we’re about fighting terrorism intelligently.
Thank you, finally!
Thanks Hugh.
From the article Haaretz link at 4:00
“….The poll, conducted Wednesday and yesterday among 570 Israelis, also revealed a marked decline in support for the government, and particularly for Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz.
Only 20 percent of respondents said that if the war ended today, it would be possible to declare Israel the winner. Some 30 percent said that Israel is losing, while 44 percent said that neither side is winning.
However, many people said that they had trouble answering this question, as they lacked relevant data.
Only 39 percent of the respondents backed the cabinet’s decision to expand the ground operation. Another 26 percent favored continuing the fighting in its current form, but stepping up diplomatic efforts, while 28 percent advocated an immediate cease-fire and a diplomatic agreement…..”
Cozumel @ 177
Completely agree.
This is where the TM is still
killingseriously injuring Democrats.DEPU’d = double EPU’d
TEPU’d = triple EPU’d
QEPU’d = quadruple EPU’d
QnEPU’d = quintuple EPU’d
SxEPU’d = sex for anyone EPU’d
:)
I made up these higher level epu
acronyms but would rather be remembered
for my
enraged and hotheadedcalm and reasoned diatribes against totalitarianism.Did I happen to mention that $20,000,000 in
offshore accounts would buy a lot of medicine for infants? !!!!!!!!!! and I say again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Out of moderation limbo, my summary is at #140 or #164.
gc wall @ 164
Taliban? I thought we were Godless
And !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
karnak12 @
71
It’s worse than just the Democratic party in CT. Joey Two-Timer is hurting any Democrat trying to win a Senate seat in a Red state or a seat in a Red congressional district. Why should Harold Ford have to put up with questions about backing Lamont or Lieberman, and the same is true for Tester, Brown, etc.
Lieberman’s comments yesterday against Lamont pave the way for today’s “Is Lamont the Al Qaeda candidate” swift-boat attack by the fascist Neo-Cons. Yes, we can all get down in the mud with name-calling our opponents thanks to Lieberman. It’s good Lieberman has revealed his true-colors early enough for Lamont to nail him, in Lamont’s perfectly gracious way, on the Face the Nation program this Sunday.
Help!
Why is my 180 all underlined?
I agree Thread Theorist.
If Joe pulled out tomorrow, it would put a lot more money into other races. As it stands, Ned needs that money.
Tweety said, “if you look Islamic, they’re obviously going to be tougher on you,” speaking of airport security.
How does one “look Islamic”?
Bob Kerrey, who thinks McCain and Lieberman — two of the biggest warhawks in the country — represent the “center.”
I’d like to see them all get stamped with “UNITY” the same way Rick James branded Charlie Murphy.
Re: John Gibson..
John Casper @ 179
That antiwar tag is getting real freaking old.
AIPAC’s attempt to have the Rosen/Weissman spying case dismissed has failed.
from antiwar.com
Worth reading, I especially liked this part, referring to measures that MAY be brought to bear against the defendants, et al.
If it comes to this, it could go a long way toward derailing the neo-con machinery.
Are there any plans to have the resident legal commentators follow the developments of the AIPAC spying trial ?
Where would Dante assign people who steal money that was supposed to buy medicine for dying babies?
Just a hypothetical I’m sure. :o
It may take me a while to process this new information. It MAKES ME ANGRY when resources that could do so -much- good are missing in action.
U.S. government equivalent?
“and your little dog too”, you probably unintentionally entered the underlining HTML tag without a closing tag.
gcwall, 164: “An Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted this week found the president’s approval rating has dropped to 33 percent, matching his low in May.”
The mainstream media is no longer a ‘free press’ because by and large they are owned by giant corporations, who being business behemoths, will nearly always adopt the conservative point of view. NBC is owned by General Electric, Fox News by media giant Murdoch, ABC by Disney, and Clear Channel, which owns perhaps 40% of the radio stations in the country was spearheading the Swiftboating of Kerry, who knows what all media outlets Time owns, and so on. Your complaint is a cry in the wind, they could not care a flying fuck about what you think about the power of the media. Their driving interest is maintaining a stranglehold on profitable markets, and they ensure that by buying politicians through lobbying efforts. Democrats are not immune from the blandishments of big media, only they are not quite as proficient at it as Republicans, who are by and large, shameless. This may be because some Democratic politicians still have a twinge of conscience, and some still believe in the quaint notions of a free press.
The people who work for them, the alleged journalists, are by and large merely mouthpieces who are paid handsomely to spout the party line. None of this should be surprising, on the contrary, it is what one would expect when the laws are written to allow giant corporations to garner ownership of a disproportionate share of the media market. Thank Ronald Reagan for deregulation.
Oh yes, the big media still serves a purpose, and they still publish useful information and news. But that does not come to us without a huge price…we are not getting a balanced view of the body politic.
John Casper @ 192
I really, really looked hard. Previewed and everything.
I can’t figure it out.
It was 182, not 180 of course.
Somehow my most recent post carried over some text from my previous post. No idea how that happened, my apologies. I probably goofed in cutting and pasting. Hope it is not too confusing.
new thread.
Apparently my previous comment got lost. I was watching Tweety, and he said, something like “of course, if you look Islamic, they are going to give you a harder time,” speaking of airport security.
My question is, how does one “look Islamic”?
Hmm. Comment disappeared for a second time. Could it be that WordPress doesn’t like “the commonly used term for the people who look inside your bags at airports”?
OT: Bush Staff Wanted Bomb-Detect Cash Moved
Yep…that’s our Deciderer.
Oh, I think I know why my comments are disappearing. Does WordPress not like the word I*l*m*c?
Redshift @
47
Oh, I think that the proper name for a member of the CFL is “Lieberman.”
Cozumel @
177
I hope that Democtratic Party strategist and campaign managers everywhere will pay attention to the concept that the war on terror & the war in Iraq are not the same thing.
There isn’t a candidate out there who isn’t willing to be very tough on terror. And very simply, the money and lives we save by drawing down and pulling out of Iraq can be better spent by beefing up CIA & covert activities, securing our borders, protecting our ports and organizing a strong rapid emergency response so we never have to see another New Orleans.
These are all areas in which the Bush administration has failed us. And they’ve failed us over and over.
Finally here’s the big question. The one we need to ask everyone:
Do you really feel safer today than you did on 9/12?
The button that launched a thousand Republican defeats. Well, one can hope, can’t one?
This is the way I envision it: every Republican who is shying away from any campaign appearances with chimp-in-chief Bush before the November elections should have their face photoshopped in place of Joe Lieberman’s on the button, and the Democratic Party should hand these campaign buttons out in the contested state or district, just to remind all voters about how all Republicans are tied to the failures and rampant corruption of the Bush administration.
Of course, Republicans will call “foul,” but after all the nefarious (and lying) swiftboating by Karl Rove and his political proxies, they really don’t have a chance of making it stick.
And if Democrats use the slogan “Do you feel more safe now than five years ago,” encircling the two Republicans kissing (Bush and whatever Republican candidate), then people will get the picture.
Plus, when Rove and the “culture of corruption” Republicans try any terrorist-related propaganda ploy just before the November elections, these buttons will just remind voters who the real danger to our national security are.