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“The big winner of the first Republican presidential debate was the man who wasn’t there: Fred Thompson. Although I admire Giuliani and agree with him on most issues, the presidential look and feel of the absent Fred loomed over this boring event with only Ron Paul for comic relief.” — Roger Simon
Amidst the noxious vapors of Ronald Reagan hagiography that were almost intolerable at last night's GOP debate, one thing became clear — wingnuts love being lied to. Their world view, their orthodoxy, their articles of faith are so convoluted and so disingenuous the average person can no longer deliver them with the kind of sincerity and zeal that makes the lizard brains feel good about themselves. Their "lower taxes" mantra may be code for the thinly-veiled racism of "don't give my money to brown people" and their unseemly fetus love may just be a good excuse to tell modern women that they really ought to be baking more pies, but they want someone to sell it to them with style. Someone who can simplify the complexities that hurt their pointy little heads because, well, their gibberish make absolutely no sense and it needs to be boiled down into short sound bites more appropriate to a sit-com than running a country. And this deep longing for well-packaged propaganda may just give professional actor Fred Thompson the momentum he needs.
Substance isn't important, policy and experience are not important, it's the "presidential look and feel" that are critical to the GOP at this point in time. The base wants someone to sell them bullshit, someone whose eyes sparkle when they say "a thousand points of light" when what they really mean is "screw the poor" because the mouth breathers don't quite feel good about that and they really, really want to. Ronald Reagan gave them that, and those who remember him as "The Great Communicator" (*cough*) were only to happy to let him unlock the gate and let all his rich buddies in to loot the place in return.
It's a small price to pay for being able to sleep at night and not think you're a complete asshole, after all.
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zed-o
Zed? Jane, you’ve been on fire as a writer this week. Thanks.
Jane!
zed?
corry342 @ 3
he who hesitates is lunch
I hope Fred runs, we need a face AND a suit to for the crash of the Republican party.
Hi, Jane! How you doin’ today?
” . . . it’s the “presidential look and feel” that are critical to the GOP at this point in time.”
Yes, true, Jane. But have you seen any pics of Thompson’s bombshell wife?
Bil @ 6
and he’ll have to be replaced on Law and Order, so there will be an immediate benefit.
I can not imagine someone with a Southern accent being elected in Manhattan–its always struck a wrong note (as well as suggesting he isn’t much of an actor)
Bil @ 6
Amen Bro! Someone with “gravitas” so their SPLAT will be all the more satisfying.
{{{{{{{{{{Jane!}}}}}}}}}} Hope the day is finding you in good spirits and rested.
I did not watch the “debate” but did follow on FDL. Ron Paul, as devout libertarian, came across as the sanest of the lot, which isn’t saying much. And since he isn’t enough of a war monger for the base, he stands no chance of winning the nomination.
But ol’ Fred can deliver his lines with a look of gravitas, so will prol’ly wind up with the nomination if he wants it. After all, he at least had some accomplishments prior to being an actor which is more than St Ronnie could say.
Picture of Fred Thompson’s wife:
http://www.redkingpix.com/cgi-…..earch=Jeri Kehn&cat=all&tt=&bool=phrase
In a word . . . . Yowsuh!
Ron Paul Wins MSNBC Debate Poll
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/2…..ebate_poll
FREEP! LOL
My job of 7 years was just “eliminated” My former company is owned by Bain Capital…Thats the private equity co started by Mitt Romney Thats how he made his fortune.Money made off the backs of real working folks…
Looking at the audience I was reminded of the two Americas.
I did not see the debate but I’m getting a real clear picture of the place, the space, and the atmosphere.
Thank you, Jane ♦ you’re a gem!
billyjoe @ 12
And if he doesn’t win, she can pose for the Freeper edition of M*xim or somethin’.
billyjoe @ 8
I just love the Google…
http://guerillawomentn.blogspo…..share.html
According to what Fineman said on MSNBC last night, Fred Thompson is definitely getting into the race in July. Probably hasnt learned his lines yet.
Also, Gingrich is still supposed to be thinking of announcing in September.
So reinforcements are on the way.
“It’s a small price to pay for being able to sleep at night and not think you’re a complete asshole, after all.”
LOL! And how true, unfortunately.
billyjoe @ 8
to show what a true pig i am, might i ask for a link?
corry342 @ 9
[my bold]
Yes, immediate relief on L&O
It’s funny that the right pimps Ronnie Reagan like he was such a great leader. Well if he was, why did half of his personally selected cabinet commit so much treason without him knowing? With judgment like this, you are either an idiot, or willfully ignorant. Great post, Jane. It seems that some elements of the right enjoy being lied to.
Furthermore, it’s unfortunate that previous republican presidents like Eisenhower or Roosevelt are rarely used to inspire the conservative movement. Instead, they have to resort to snakes like Reagan or W.
mc @ 7
Doing good. Hunting for a house online in DC. Hanging out with the dogs and my friend Dave. Took Katie to the vet, she is a lard-o. Fifty one pounds! How did that happen?
mc @ 17
ewwww! The Comblicker! And he has clearly been licking….
jinny @ 18
Family values ticket. Heh.
billyjoe @ 12
are thoseis that his wife?Can I split my vote for president and first lady?
You nailed it, Jane.
Gosh, if Fred was the “winner,” I guess those other 10 were all losers, even though they spent the night all trying to sound like the Gipper. I never would have guessed.
Did everyone see who the CEO of Politico is? Glenn G caught it last night.
i have to say, ms. thompson is NOT my style.
i know america was waiting for that.
or behind door no. 2 you can fund blackwater for another two years and pretend that $124B way out of iraq is a good thing. isn’t barry bonds amazing?
Maybe Fred is their only hope.
The rest of them need to start in with the mud flinging so we can see just how low they are going to go this time around.
For me, all I see is a bunch of also rans.
Scary SOB’s the whole lot of ‘em.
I did find it satisfying that Shrub only got mentioned once.
Rats, ship, stern first ride to the bottom.
OfT (sorry)
Queen Elizabeth to attend White House dinner Monday.
I wonder how she takes her cheeseburgers?
I’m going out on a limb here, but Thompson (#2) will flame out as will Newtie. (Thompson’s wife won’t help him. Sorry, but true.)
Watch out for Hagel or some other lurker most of us haven’t considered yet. Repugs are in that bad of shape.
jinny @ 18
but he looks so presidential!
as in president of the Country Club Sidewalk Waivers Committee.
“Took Katie to the vet, she is a lard-o. Fifty one pounds! How did that happen?”
Our shepherd-huskie-chou mix is pushing thirteen, has gained 15 pounds (a lot for him), and can barely go up/down stairs. But he still recognizes us, gives us kisses, and barks like crazy at the mail carrier. I’m going to miss that dog when he’s gone.
For some reason the spectacle of the GOP tired white men last night and the clamoring for a savior candidate by the right wing made me think of Goldfrapp’s Ride A White Horse (YouTube video).
Elliott @ 21
Law & Order series is supposedly finishing this Fall.
i’m not unhappy with the idea of thomspon as the gop candidate. because it’ll just clarify what jane said, about the suit.
the fact is the reps have got nuthin — of course, they had nuthin in 2000 also.
Mitt Romney fills the bill, Jane. They made a big deal about Reagan last night because Mitt bears the closest physical resemblence to him. You’re right about GOP voters not being deep thinkers. They are concrete, visual people. You put a guy like Mitt in the Reagan library and make reference to optimism and “Morning in America” and all that nonsense and they make the connection without too much effort.
Mitt has been annointed. He’s their guy. The wingers may think they *want* Fred Thompson like some of us want Clark but the powers that be have gotten behind Mitt. If all the wingers aren’t on board yet, well the marketing campaign has only just started. They’ll be selling Mitt the Product zealously before long.
Very well said Jane.
Jeez, if they want a wignutz b-movie actor again (why does this make me think of Ira Levin, for some reason?), why not just draft Thompson’s foil from Die Hard 2 – Bruce Willis? Ain’t he a big time Holly-rightie?
McCain really seems to have taken a whipping according to the exit polls.
But I wonder if all the bulldada taxes that they’d cut for the rich still offers any appeal to the right-wing? Or are they all just in the “fundraising stage”? Cutting all taxes on “manufacturers”? Getting rid of the tax differentials between rich, middle class and poor? These guys used more code words for the taxes they’d cut than are in the ENIGMA codebook!
And if these guys tripped while trying to get any further to the “right” of each other they’d fall off the edge of the Flat Earth (which half would likely raise their opposable thumbs and profess to believe in cause ‘its in the Bible’). But Tancredo would have to wait to see what the others were raisin’ their hominoid arms to assert!
scarecrow @ 27
from Scarecrow’s link:
that explains last night. So Politico starts up just in time for the 2008 election season, how conveeenient.
Politico to help right the wronged ship of state, and return the republican party to the reaganites?
Interesting Jane,
From the beach in Oregon to Connecticut to DC.
Am I seeing a strategy here?
Look out DC, here she comes!
I’m pretty busy this week, so I don’t know how much this has come out in the comments. Murray Waas’s latest National Journal article, about the calls Michael Elston made to the fired USAs before their congressional appearance, is being covered in terms of violations of Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Part 1, Chapter 73, Section 1512 in a Kos diary, by Jbearlaw. The comments are looking into this fairly deeply. Is fdl going to cover the Waas article?
In less troubled times I could see a character like Fred making some waves. But push has been at shove in national crisis for and I’m not so sure his political legs are conditioned for a shock of saddle soreness when the parade trot turns into the inevitable long drive.
Battle hardened with an exit plan is what I think Americans will gravitate to. Fred ain’t that.
This is old, but still funny: Fred Thompson’s Presidential Hopes Could Put ‘Law’ Reruns in Lockup
puppethead @ 34
PPH It’s a leap but I can make it, box lunch works for me! I think you may have ALSO been influenced by MRS. Fred?
Fred Dalton Thompson is Reagan redux. And they’re going to run him. And he’s going to be tuff.
lost_nacf_gop @ 40
Don’t forget, ol’ Fred got his start by being a Nixon defender as Howard Baker’s lead counsel on the Senate Select H2Ogate committee. So that gives him even more of an in with the money boys than Willis. That’s what I meant by his having done something before the acting gig. That just came about cuz the TV/movie folks thought he looked photogenic on the tube. I.E, he LOOKED like a lawyer so they thought it was easy for him to play one on TV. As well as a CIA agent, FBI agent, KKK leader, air traffic controller, school preznit and all his other roles.
people without values are easy to spot. they give off so many clues. most of them only need speak.
Bustednuckles @ 43
Somebody has to keep Stoller in check.
twolf1 @ 46
They’ve got enough shows from the other “DAs” to not have to worry TOO much.
Did I actually see a post from “OK Kiddo” that said he’d actually vote for Hillary if she was the Democratic nominee after he watched these buffoons last night!!!!
THAT’s just how BAD these guys were! Oklahoma kiddo despises Hillary!
Looks like the “debate” may have actually sorted out some decision-making regarding the elections ;-)
I wonder how much the Democrats registration figures will go up!
I’m not worried about just any old Republican beating Hillary or Obama. I’m worried about Fred Thompson. Hurry up Mr. Gore. You can do the job on Freddy. And we all know it.
cinnamonape @ 53
He said that after watching the Dem debate last week that he would hold his nose and vote for her if necessary. Not happily but he would do so.
I just heard Perlstein say on Air America that Fred Thompson was largly responsible for the Savings and Loan debacle we had to bail out.
Superb, splendid, proactive, targeted, and ‘we-mean-business’ letter from Representative Henry “Big Hank” Waxman issued today to Secretary of State Ms. C. Rice re the fraudulent Niger uranium intelligence (he’s got himself an INR truth-teller), here:
http://oversight.house.gov/doc…..103823.pdf
P.S. I think the spot-on summaries by Jane and Scarecrow today pretty well say it all, about last evening’s propaganda production, which was carried over our national airwaves bearing the corporate raider ethic seal-of-approval.
dakine01 @ 49
Fred has also been a close friend of Wolf’s for years and the show is a good way of getting money to him. Wolf is far right – y’know, law and order.
Once again, Jane runs the table and nails it.
My husband wonders why I don’t watch the evening news. I tell him that I have Jane Hamsher.
Loo Hoo @ 56
Whoa!
Loo Hoo @ 56
Republics 08: Fred Thompson / Neil Bush
Am waiting with baited breath (OK, I’ll go brush) for Freddy’s speech.
Of all the candidates(?) last night, Tommy the Tank seemed incoherent, basically a vacant suit.
Romney is one scary bastardo!
Phoenix Woman @ 59
You must have to set him straight if he’s only relying on TV news for “information.” Although, assuming he watches something other than Faux Noise, he is a little better informed than the true believers.
OT.
So, I’m reading this story over at Raw Story, where Harlan Ullman says he’ll testify that he had sex with one of Palfrey’s workers. (Good for him! Not in the hiring a prostitute sense, but for being willing to stand up to what is effectively blackmail and testify about it.)
But that isn’t what caught my eye. What caught my eye was this –
Umm, seems to me we have a perfectly good word to mean exactly those things. That word is ‘blitzkrieg’. I wonder why BushCo didn’t want to use it …
Jane
Check your email!
jinny @ 58
Kinda like the way Reagan was paid off with Death Valley Days?
Hi Jane,
Hope you’re feeling well. While all of our candidates have more “Substance . . ., policy and experience” than the Republican hacks, I sometimes wish we had more to choose from — someone of intelligence and achievement who hasn’t been tainted by the cesspool of DC politics. I guess it’s a longing for a “best and brightest” — of course we all know how that turned out the last time. I’m not necessarily looking for a knight on a white charger, just a real leader who doesn’t speak in focus-grouped soundbites. Y’know?
Ed*ard Teller @ 44
The Lioness is already on it at The Next Hurrah.
I see it as Romney vs. Fred Thompson for the R nomination. Winner = Fred
I see HRC being the Dem nominee.
HRC vs. Fred for the presidency. Winner = (don’t ask)
and I’m usually such an optimist….
Tom in AZ @ 65
Didn’t get anything, Tom. Did you send it to the gmail?
I see OK Kiddo is here! I imagine after the Asylum Inmates had their say last night, you’re still willing to hold your nose?
It’s a long way to February primaries so which Democrat I’m going to have available to vote for is still a ways off. Lots can happen between now and then re. the War, the DOJ, and Congressional activity…but there is no way that any of these guys up last night (even Ron Paul) have a chance for my vote!
Wait a minute.
If Fred Thommpson were to enter the race, wouldn’t that be injecting (gasp!)Hollywood Values into the race?
To run against Massachussetts values?
And New York City values?
Golly, we in heartland America couldn’t take that. Give us some god ol’ fashioned North Carolina/Kansas/Illinois/Arkansas/New Mexico/(Tennessee?) values any day!
Besides, the last thing the Republicans need are three more boobs in the race.
My goodness Jane,
This post of yours actually made me want to respond…fantastic analysis, Reagan this reagan that..my ass
Thanks you Jane, keep up the good fight and now, back to the sea…
VERY well said Jane! Your post encapsulates much of what’s wrong with the conservative ideology, to the extent there is one underneath the agenda.
I wish I had half your flair for language.
Lee @ 14
Yikes, Lee.
I’m sorry to hear that very bad news.
Hope a new opportunity opens for you pronto –
and for the rest of the “Second America”.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 48
Bring him on !!! Lots of fluff waiting to trip him up.
Quick drive-by here since I’m at work–
Don’t miss
DOJ Witness Tampering and USAgate: Murray Waas Must-Read, by Jbearlaw
Fri May 04, 2007 at 11:01:36 AM PDT
There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, and the screws are tightening on a number of folks.
Bob in HI
Jane!!!
glad to hear you will be in the neighborhood. any idea where Joe Lie lives? can you imagine the look on his face if you bought the house next door????? hahaha.
Hope you are feeling as good as your writing looks!
cancer_cures @ 22
Yeah, well, there’s a saying that Nixon wouldn’t be elected today because he would be too liberal for the republicans, and I think Eisenhower and Roosevelt were even more so.
[Actually, while typing this, it just struck me: the saying is that ‘he wouldn’t be elected because he’d be too liberal’. They don’t say he wouldn’t be elected because he was insanely paranoid or proven crook, just that he’d be too liberal.]
scarecrow @ 68
Wow, Marcy! Go read it, pups.
and {{{{WOW, Jane!!}}}} though house-hunting in DC sounds like some form of torture to me.
TiredFed @ 78
Particularly if Jane used the Kiss Float for a moving van.
Loo Hoo @ 56
those ba$tard$
jayt @ 26
Sure you can. Who would you vote for for first lady?
Jane Hamsher @ 66
Didn’t know about Reagan, but am not surprised!
Hello all.
This is weird. This is a quote by Cummins in his Q&A’s released by the Judiciary Committee. He is quoting Elston in a telephone call. Doesn’t the language sound just like Comey’s description of the two USA’s he said he had to fire?
“Elston agreed
with me that I had been fired simply to allow Tim Griffin to have the job.
He assured me that the other cases were different and that if I knew the
reasons behind those firings I would agree that “they had to go.”
Just a drive-by comment…
Just been reminded by AirAmerica that ABC 20/20 tonight wil be running their story on the DC Madam and releasing her list of clients.
Calling them lizard brains is an insult to lizards.
Petrocelli @ 76
Who’s for betting Freddie Thompson’s a guy, like St. Ronnie, w/a lot of lovely brown sludge buried (not-so-deeply) in his background. Only these days it’s not that easy to keep it in the background, as in days of yore…
Most Republicans are concerned with perception, not reality.
Jane, I just babysat my dad’s beagle for a month while they were gone to Croatia. He was a fat boy too. I fed him dry food with low salt broth, just under a cup in the morning and afternoon. If I gave him chicken jerky, that substituted for the dry food. Toward the end, he would even leave for morning food for later. When they got back, they couldn’t believe how sleek he looked. They said he was ready for Westminster!
Marie Roget @ 90
Shhh … let’s save it for next spring, when he’s their ‘chosen one’.
haven’t read the comments yet but isn’t “Law and Order” a republican brand?
Speaking of the debate last night, I had to catch the rerun after work and posted my snarky responses to their remarks in the comments section.
I also created a new campaign ad for Giuliani and his vision of “optimistic leadership.” (Complete with a YouTube video.)
The teaser:
pow wow @ 57
This could be VERY interesting. Dodge was also aware that the “Centrifuge” tubes were likely unsuitable for use as centrifuges. He noted to WINPAC that this was a long known INR and DOE position that was excluded from the National Intelligence Estimate.
He was also the one that brought the surreal “WORLD” conspiracy involving Iran-Iraq-Syria-Libya-Malaysia and China – a claim in the same Rome document pool as the Niger forgeries (which he said were also obvious fakes)- to the attention of the Administration. And was ignored.
Here’s some more on Simon Dodge
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003156.php
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01114.html
http://www.cooperativeresearch…..on_dodge_1
Oklahoma kiddo @ 90
Very true OKK, and if we can get the Dems to stop hitting each other and focus their energies on the Reps, the perception will be shattered.
I still say the dark horse is Huckabee. He is glib, personable and doesn’t have the inconsistencies or baggage that the top three bring. He’s crafty enough to call out Romney for running away from his faith , but in a way that underlines Mutt’s Mormonism (not trusted by evangelicals in the South.)
As a bonus, he raised his hand against evolution (and made himself unelectable in the general election). Looking to his left and right, I’m sure he saw little evidence of it.
RUCerious @ 62
Romney is not your normal alien, he’s a doppelganging, shape-shifting, opportunistic parasite!
jinny @ 89
two more names, so I hear around blogoworld, prolly Grover Norquist for one. Has he been a hypocrite on pornography, other people’s sex behavior? I can’t think of anything. And he’s not married.
billyjoe @ 12
I’m back in and still catching up. Mrs. Thompson looks like one of the Real Housewives of the OC. Is that our next first lady??? Hmmmph.
Well we know the GOP has a plan. They “don’t take a dump without a plan, son” to lift one of Thompson’s lines from The Hunt for Red October.
Jane
I sent it to you and Christy, yours to the gmail, hers to the firedoglake address. It has four photos attached, is that a problem?
Elliott @ 100
Read about Norquist over at DailyKos earlier – lots of speculation as to his sexuality.
Elliott @ 100
Actually he got married fairly recently to a Muslim – has made some folks uncomfortable
Given gooper desire to resurrect Raygun I’m surprised they oppose stem cell research
Looking at Thompson’s wife is giving me the urge to paraphrase Luis from Resident Evil 4…
“I see that Thompson has equipped his trophy wife with her own … ballistics.”
Elliott @ 99
Actually, according to Wikipedia, he was married two years ago. Read it all and weep the good tears!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G…..ous_allies
Late to the party here, but have to say: Jane, you have hit the nail on the head. That post pretty much summarizes my view of the Republicans.
As for Law&Order: it’s worse than right-wing. I watch it (mostly in reruns), but its politics are appalling. The view of women on that show is unbelievable—it’s one of the most misogynist TV shows ever.
If Grover is one of them, holy Toledo!!
lemma @ 105
ohhh, I did not know that. thanks.
but I’ll assume his visits to the madame’s team stopped before the marriage. timing and all.
I’m saying more than I should, I suppose, but I didn’t think he was sexual. maybe because I’d rather he didn’t reproduce.
Has anyone thought it possible Fred’s dating service for Mrs. Fred mighta been Palfrey’s?
Just a thought. Maybe they been married since she was 16 or something.
Man in the Mists @ 105
“Collagen, take me away!”
Blank Kludge @ 112
I thought of that! it’d be pretty funny
froggermarch @ 113
I’m gonna remember that gem
Why does everybody focus on Law & Order?
Don’t you all realize that Thompson has all the experience the GOP needs?
He gets the Air Force, having appeared in “Aces: Iron Eagle III.”
He is a Navy man, as he proved in the “Hunt for Red October.”
He learned to fight terror in “Die Hard 2.”
He understands children, as he demonstrated in “Curly Sue.”
He knows how to take risks and survive, having appeared in “Evil Knievel.”
He understands espionage, as he proved in “No Way Out.”
He can work across the aisle, having worked in “Thunderheart” with Bill Richardson’s look-alike.
Elliott @ 15
unfortunately, I saw enough to see a series of clones espoousing bombing anyone who looks at us crosseyed. I had to get out my Abreeva to sooth the sore that broke out immediately afterward (I’m not kidding!). I wonder if they have to gargle with Listerine afterwards?
When will the Koolaid drinkers realize we as a country are being Enron’d??
GOPers, please hear me now: stop buying shares in your bankrupt party while they enrich themselves and move to dubai.
If Gore chooses not for president. I’ll take Edwards. I will vote for my party’s nominee.
Via HuffPo:
“WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association is urging the Bush administration to withdraw its support of a bill that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying firearms.”
So maybe in the next GOP debate Tweety will ask them if they support firearms for terrorists.
And then we can just sit back and watch the heads explode (figuratively speaking, of course!)
do-si-do @ 117
or escape Paraguay Way!
-love that “being Enron’d”
mc @ 119
my head exploded
corry342 @ 81
roflmao
As the media constantly tells us, the most important attribute to voters is “authenticity.” If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.
(This is particularly galling when they use it endlessly to describe people like George W. Bush and George Allen, whose entire public personas are completely manufactured.)
Elliott @ 110
He is an odd duck and strikes me the same way. I once read an article about him which described his father taking an ice cream cone from him and biting off parts of it to illustrate the goverments “take” in taxes. Really really strange
new thread.
Funny but right after the Democratic Debate, I thought to myself that the winner of that debate was Al Gore.
Go figure!
OT: Two indictments against Alaskan Representatives (Kott and Weyrauch)just issued wrt to Corrupt Bastard Club. Nothing on Ben Stevens yet.
Brief ThinkProgress post:
Monica Goodling needs a tissue
Additional link (Bloomberg):
http://quote.bloomberg.com/app…..E0Xyb65axc
Brilliantly said, Jane. I’m in a lab full of college students winding toward finals week, and they are applauding you.
lemma @ 124
well, I guess the study of him could start with that!
I wonder if it was an IRS investigation of Grover Norquist, and I have to believe the IRS is always watching the no-taxers, but maybe they found about the DC Madame through him.
It started with the IRS and the USPS. And we know the USPS is because of the money orders her girls sent to Martin/Palfrey in CA.
Hey, I love pie. What this country needs is more pie and if more women baked more pies we would be better for it. I’m sure Fafnir would agree with me. Don’t tell me Jane that your against pie! Oh no, it just occurred to me, your against apple pie probably to boot.
It’s all becoming clear to me now how right the right is.
Elliott @ 118
Hi Elliott!
If you haven’t read any books about Enron, read The Smartest Guys in the Room. All the earmarks of the Enron playbook are in this administration, including selling their own people down the river. Greed sells.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 126
Sheesh, while I’m on an Enron roll…Mrs. Lay cried a whole bunch too. Poor things.
Thirty three is old enough to know what’s what.
Oh! Troll call!
“~}
Elliott @ 119
Poof went mine.
For all the reasons Jane highlights in this wonderful post, I’ve been tellin’ ya for weeks now the 2008 race will be Gore/Thompson.
They’ve got nothin’, and as crazy as it sounds Thompson will prove to be their best hope precisely because he hasn’t been around this stink bomb of an administration the last 6 years and will have face and name recognition the others can’t match.
I read that 25 million people watch each episode of “Law and Order”, while there won’t be 25 million votes cast in all the primaries put together.
And, if anyone cares to drag the word “substance” into this discussion as a requirement for the job, I say look no further than the gathering last night that was termed a “Ronniepalooza” by someone in the comments downstairs that had the stomach to watch (I couldn’t-there was paint that had to be watched as it dried).
Gore will run because he should. If you won the popular vote in 2000 against Pres. McFlightsuit before most people knew what an unmitigated disaster he and Darth would be, why would you have any less of a desire to run now? And for all the talk otherwise, if you are serious about changing the world re: global warming there is no bullier pulpit to do it from than the White House.
lemma 103
color me shocked and speechless…….grover??????????? married a muslim??????
for so many reasons i am speechless; for so many reasons, I BET people in his circles are uncomfortable………whaaaaaaaaa??????
without abramoff’s guidance he went to other side. i’ve heard everything now.
froggermarch @ 98
agreed, not to mention that he proclaimed himself to be a “true” conservative.
Bravo Jane!
Elliott @ 119
This piece of legislation needs more scrutiny. I am all for responsible Gun Control, but giving the Attorney General sole discretion on determining who is a terrorist/terrorist suspect and removing/prohibiting gun ownership is dangerous ground to be pursuing. IMHO.
Thompson is a goddam reThug lawyer – one of the ones who helped with Hoffa Jr’s effort to extend the unholy Teamster-Nixon deal. At least Reagan didn’t name names to McCarthy before his crown crapped out. Fuck, the French thought Jerry Lewis was a genius, but they haven’t yet elected him to anything that can hurt you or your kids.
Thanks, cinnamonape @ 95 – found this in a TPM comment via one of your links, FYI:
and i hafta say- out loud-
i used to looooooooooove fred thompson, red october, watched it a kazillion times………when i was laid up from back surgeries………
until-i learned his politics…….i feel like a woman scorned and will go outta my way, and have since i learned his politics, to inform anyone who listens what a misogynist he really is………i hope i used that word right, i just learned it a few months ago, here, at fdl. and i know my dictionary……..just was sheltered i guess.
i was so disappointed, reaallly. and then i learned he has a trophy wife……man, it just doesn’t end……bring him on…….
Americans need brandname candidates. Therefore Reagan/Bush08. Ron Reagan,jr. and JebBush. Ron will have to agree to let Jeb run the country but he gets to be a legacy Pres. Sort of like what we have now.
do-si-do @ 131
33 AND a Sunday School teacher too…worldly!
All i can say is that i am with you my Sisters. I would think that this discussion plays no part in a males life. I do see that more than myself is involved. It is a fundamental liberty that we, as males take for granted, are our own and rule over our selves.
How many actors need be president or govoner before we are laughed off the world stage.
We have a deficit of leadership perhaps as big as our fiscal deficit.
Fred Thompson, manager of Wellman Plastics, as Roseanne’s unctious boss. Pure GOP evil.
And Jesus, Jane, most nights I’m not sure I’m not a complete asshole when I go to sleep.
Am I a fucking Republican? There are no 12 step programs for that.
Fucking brilliant.
Dr.D
Fred Thompson, presidential? He reminds me of a farting, bad-tempered old dog sleeping on the porch.
What is it with Rethugs and their transparently phony cardboard-cutout ‘heroes’?
The one that really gets me is the man-crush on Reagan for declaring, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”. Was opposing the Berlin Wall somehow controversial? This was somehow a brave stance of principle no-one ever dared speak before?
Removal of the Berlin Wall was US/NATO policy ever since it was built. This was about as politically adventurous as opposing cancer. A puerile political stunt designed to appeal to the Rethug mouth-breathers and the overexciteable, easily-duped image-hungry US media.
Unlike JFK’s speech at the wall in 1962, the wall was a well-established fact of West Berlin life and the city was not under any credible threat of Soviet invasion. And when the wall came down, it had nothing to do with Reagan’s bombastic speech.
They bought John Wayne as a war hero — a man who spent less time in the military (i.e. none) than Jimi Hendrix. Tell me pretty lies and I won’t call you on it, seems to be the deal.
Americans need brandname candidates. Therefore Reagan/Bush08
The Dems should run Ron Reagan Jr. for president. I’ll bet 20% of the Rethug base would vote for him by mistake or on name recognition alone.
The Republican debate was disastrous! The only candidate I think has any merit whatsoever is Mike Huckabee, Arkansas. Fred Thompson would be another actor acting as president. We don’t need that again (Reagan). Chris Matthews should never be allowed to moderate another debate! He was terrible. Whoever made up the line of questions has at least a 4th grade education. What the heck does evolution have to do with the presidency?
No, it’s not that “wingnuts love being lied to,” but that the truth portion of their brains has atrophied, making it impossible for them to tell the truth, whether when someone is speaking to them or they’re speaking.