It's always great when Fox News calls for civility. After excluding Ron Paul (who is, per some polls, in a statistical tie for third in the GOP New Hampshire primary) from the debate last night, Fox's official pollster Frank Luntz's feathers were ruffled because a Paul supporter got into his focus group and taped the proceedings.

The man claims that Luntz was slamming Paul to focus group members, and according to Melissa Bailey of the New Haven Independent, threatened to publish the video on his web site:

Luntz charged the man with breaking the rules by recording the proceedings.

“I’m not part of the media. I have a Web site,” said the Paul supporter, who slipped away before the Independent could ask his name.

“You have a Web site,” echoed Luntz.

“Yeah, that’s not the media!” said the man. Others chimed in — “The Internet doesn’t count.”

Luntz charged the participant with subverting the poll. “Don’t you think you have a responsibility” to answer honestly to the questions? Luntz asked - or tried to, before he got cut off by raging Paulites.

Oh that's rich.

Last night's Fox event wasn't a debate, it was a public fluffing of John McCain (who taunted Paul the night before on his exclusion). Chris Wallace launched an open, bare knuckles attack on Huckabee, and the chiron ran a quote from Romney praising McCain's immigration plan when McCain was speaking. The GOP doesn't want Ron Paul messing up their private party with an anti-war message that is connecting with its few remaining members so they fixed the show and excluded him. How quaint that Luntz should start lecturing people on what's fair.

Why don't they just stick a crown on McCain and be done with it?


219 Responses to “Ron Paul Supporters Confront Frank Luntz”

bgrothus January 7th, 2008 at 8:36 am

Jane!!

ReneND January 7th, 2008 at 8:37 am

Morning, Jane.

Biodun January 7th, 2008 at 8:38 am

Morning, Jane:

You in NH?

View this users Facebook profile Bustednuckles January 7th, 2008 at 8:39 am

If they want the Maverick, I say BRING IT!

Thats an ass beatin for the record books, waiting to happen.

ReneND January 7th, 2008 at 8:40 am

McCain seems relaxed. I think he knows he has been Chosen.

View this users Facebook profile Redshift January 7th, 2008 at 8:41 am

Oh, I hope the guy puts the video up and it gets some traction. If it’s on YouTube, I bet Keith would run it. Luntz is such a creep, a “pollster” who was kicked out of the professional society of pollsters. Has a long history of running “focus groups” designed to produce a particular result.

CTBob January 7th, 2008 at 8:41 am

Boy, I love those Paul supporters. “Fuck you Frank!” They are very protective of their boy, that’s for sure!

And if McCain wins big tomorrow, we’re going to have to listen to Lieberman squawking endlessly about how he delivered the votes for his old pal. Even Chris Shays is trying to butt in on the action.

View this users Facebook profile Redshift January 7th, 2008 at 8:42 am

OT: Jessica Hagy (of “Indexed”) has some great graphics up at McClatchy. I think this one is my favorite.

View this users Facebook profile Gnome de Plume January 7th, 2008 at 8:43 am

Seems like Edwards gets treated somewhat similarly by big media.

perris January 7th, 2008 at 8:44 am

Fox News isn’t a news channel they’re opinion media, and I’m not quite sure what the Democrats are thinking letting Fox run the pool coverage for the convention next summer. They might as well hand the keys over to Brent Bozzell.

this should be a project for the tubes, we should exclude fox from any political debate or discussion unless they plan on getting in their face.

the only time a democrat should have anything to do with fox is to slam them for being a corporate owned tool

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:44 am

It will be REAL fun to see how the fundi-neocons (here Wallace; in print MSM Cristal) go after the Rethug increasingly popular candidate Huckabee. This is goina rub the cristo-gelicals very much the WRONG WAY. And, it could indeed push them to go against (stop watching/supporting) Fox. Interesting here, as with the NYT, how the MSM is caught in a bind between its owners’ neo-con agendas and the needs to keep its readers/viewers to an OK level. Also interesting in this light is where the NYT have positioned Cristal: Mondays opp Krugman. Clearly Krugman is seen as the biggest threat to the Rethug policies — all those facts and expert analysis doesn’t cut it for them. Alas, Cristol is not smart enough to tie Krugman’s shoe laces, and based on this morning’s column (and Cristal’s citation of key scholar/official, the ”conservative writer Michelle Malkin”) it looks as if he won’t bring anything but platitudes and vitriol to the pages of the NYT either.

dov12348 January 7th, 2008 at 8:45 am

Heh. I still get a kick out of John ”I went to the Mall of Baghdad with only ten armored Humvees, dozens of soldiers with rifles, and two Apache attack helicopters, and I swear everything was back to normal again” McCain.

lisadawn82 January 7th, 2008 at 8:45 am

Gotta love it when you are screwed by you own rules. The MSM keeps on saying that blogs and individual web sites aren’t media. Ha, ha, ha.

moondancer January 7th, 2008 at 8:46 am

For all the protest from gooper insiders, Paul is the essence of the GOP. Belligerent soft sell fascism.

bgrothus January 7th, 2008 at 8:46 am

Why don’t they just stick a crown on McnovaCain and be done with it?

BoxTurtle January 7th, 2008 at 8:46 am

Am I the only one who thinks the Fox news should be required to register as a lobbyist? Or at least post a disclaimer on their News shows about the difference between facts and opinions?

So Fox has decided they want McCain, eh? Well, of the GOP flock he’s the least noxious and would probably be the GOP’s best chance for the White House.

I like that Obama is rolling over Clinton. Of all the Dem’s, she’s the one I’d have the most trouble supporting. But given a choice, I’d rather Edwards.

Boxturtle (If Clinton gets the nod, I may have to write in ”Goofy”)

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:47 am

I think, too, that as the MSM (and American public) thinks back on the debates, the fact that the Rethugs had to dis-attach themselves from FOX because they left out Paul will prove problematic for Fox as a so-called news station isn’t the only problem. The format of the ABC debate for both parties was a clear winner, not only in getting candidates engaged, but also in allowing us to see the Rethugs and Dems in close proximity. I found the whole thing very insightful.

hackworth January 7th, 2008 at 8:47 am

The kid said Paul is the Savior of America. They’ve got passion. Is anyone gonna raise hell for Edwards?

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 8:48 am

Fuck you Frank. Sounds like the mantra of the week.

-G

P.S. I just got back from the Chuck and Huck Free Pancake Breakfast. I gots ta say, Huckabee is a charmer and does a pretty good campaign stump speech.

No wonder the establishment is shitting their pants.

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:49 am

They are damned if they do that too. It is unlikely that the evangels will get out the vote for him and will simply stay home. Remember Iowa!!!

Beerfart Liberal January 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am

Jane- o/t - really like the Book Salon yesterday. Your intro seemed a little doubtful if people would be interested. I, for one was - very.

back on: I was really perturbed that FOX gave Giuliani the free air time - much of which he could use trashing Democrtas because he’s irrelevant to this nominating process.

SonomaRus January 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am

Headline (You heard it here first) ”FOX projects McCain the winner in Florida putting him over the top in electoral votes”

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am

My nephew (a Democrat) is a fervent Paul supporter, having us send campaign contributions instead of a present. Before that he supported Hilly, and before that Kucinich. Basically he is an idiot, but then there are alot of them.

WarOnWarOff January 7th, 2008 at 8:51 am

Paul’s supporters had been yelling in the window and marching around the block during the taping of the show. Luntz called them “mean.”

Heh. The master of political language framing at work, kids.

Jane Hamsher January 7th, 2008 at 8:51 am

Nope, back in DC with the dogs.

Helluva lot warmer here, but I did pick up the Des Moines cold that took out just about everyone.

I got through chemo last year without getting sick, fer chrissake. This thing is nasty.

hackworth January 7th, 2008 at 8:51 am

Big crowd? Good pancakes? Sausage or bacon? Was there a decent place to sit and eat?

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 8:51 am

I think McNuts and Romney-Bot 2008 will end up almost even.

Look for a 5th place finish for Rudy.

-G

wigwam January 7th, 2008 at 8:51 am

Hmmmmm. When I click on [READ MORE], I actually get less in that the partial sentence, “Fox News isn’t a news channel they’re opinion media, and I’m not quite sure what the Democrats are”, disappears. Not a problem, but the tech staff ought to know.

Jane Hamsher January 7th, 2008 at 8:52 am
In response to WarOnWarOff @ 24

You funny.

(*sniff*)

JohnJ January 7th, 2008 at 8:52 am

Why don’t we start campaigning for Huck? At least we can get a laugh out of THIS election! Jilly has already been outed too soon or we could’a had fun with him instead!

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:53 am

Interesting, and because of demographics (older women, many emigrees from NYC area) I bet Hilly will do pretty well there. Alas (and happily from my vantage) Fla will not count this year in the Dem primaries. I bet Hilly and Bill they didn’t do something to get the Fla dems to back down. (Then again, maybe they wanted Fla to be moved up because they were sure of a victory there). If true, I bet they are REALLY pissed now at Dean for calling them out on this!!!

oldgold January 7th, 2008 at 8:54 am

Has anyone else noticed that the medias narrative of this election is at cross purposes with itself as it relates to the McCain and Clinton?

Mccain [AKA the St.] is praised for his experience. In these trying times we are informed that we need a man who has been there and done that.

Clinton [AKA the Bitch] is pilloried for trying to run on experience. We are informed that leadership is about the future. That change is the coin of the realm.

The Fourth Estate has lost its way.

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:55 am

I swear by sucking zinc lozenges until the conditions dissipate. It has worked for me lots.

Biodun January 7th, 2008 at 8:55 am

Jane @ 25:

Hang in there. Drink lotsa green tea and watch teevee…

Methinks toobz acting up again. The Facebook thingy is not aligned properly with the handles…

WarOnWarOff January 7th, 2008 at 8:56 am

;)

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:56 am

Sorry Jane, meant that for you. Get well soon. My reply button doesn’t seem to be working right now.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 8:57 am
In response to hackworth @ 26

Parkers Maple Barn is about 2 miles into the sticks of Mason NH, population under 2K.

Known for a deep fried French toast about 4 inches thick. They served only blueberry pancakes, scrambles and sausage.

Chuck and Huck paid for the place to be opened.

My buddy, the local cop estimated around 500. 2 shifts of folks about 250 a pop.

Chuck Norris spoke briefly and was also a crowd pleaser. He has a martial arts camp that helps inner city kids get out of gangs…Go Chuck!

Sam Seder was spotted and also comic Eugene Mirman(A Boston act).

All told, good turnout, good event for Huckster….He also brought in the few local pols with burnished evangelical creds.

-G

hackworth January 7th, 2008 at 8:58 am

Reply buttons are down. I was asking GregB about St Alphonso’s Pancake Breakfast.

NelsonAlgren January 7th, 2008 at 9:01 am
In response to GregB @ 19

Why do you think guys like Kristol and Kudlow(and Faux) are apoplectic? I’ve been saying it for a while but the Rethug I most fear is Huckabee. The fundies love him. He is a good speaker(while he’s as stupid as Bush, he is a much better speaker than Schrub) and the press doesn’t say anything really bad about them because he charms them as much as McCain seems to(which makes it hard for them to obey their corporate masters and bury him).

hackworth January 7th, 2008 at 9:01 am

Were you bumping elbows tryin ta eat? Or did ya have some room?

Beerfart Liberal January 7th, 2008 at 9:01 am

Richmond @ 23:
My nephew (a Democrat) is a fervent Paul supporter, having us send campaign contributions instead of a present. Before that he supported Hilly, and before that Kucinich. Basically he is an idiot, but then there are alot of them.

He is what is known as a ”Paultard.”

puravida January 7th, 2008 at 9:02 am

Jane @25: Springtime here in DC. Weird. My 11 year old has had a hacking cough for the last two weeks. Took him to the doctor-everything’s fine, no bronchitis, just have to wait it out. Doctor prescribed honey. My kid loves that scrip!

Biodun January 7th, 2008 at 9:02 am

Richmond @ 36:

See my 34. Toobz acting up…

Katherine Graham Cracker January 7th, 2008 at 9:02 am

FrankLuntz fuk news partisan hackery

View this users Facebook profile Redshift January 7th, 2008 at 9:03 am

Ms. Redshift is in NH, and was mildly freaking out because she saw a poll from one of the local media outlets that had Huckabee leading in NH. Nobody else seems to be showing that, and who knows, it might have been an online poll or something.

NelsonAlgren January 7th, 2008 at 9:04 am
In response to SonomaRus @ 22

Which is funny because Murdoch must be smarting that Rudy is going down in flames.

dov12348 January 7th, 2008 at 9:04 am

As a candidate these days, the LAST thing you should be running on is ”experience” in a government that has overall become little more than an excuse for ignoring the people, abuses of power, criminality and corruption.

The very IDEA of running on experience shows naievete.

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:04 am

Biodun. On the toobz -and how! Also I was waiting for your correction for CristAl. I had an a, all set to put in, asshole! :-)

yellowsnapdragon January 7th, 2008 at 9:06 am

Ron Paul has a pretty good grasp on the history of US foreign policy and its role in creating terrorism.

Being a repug, he must be 51/50 nuts. Anyone know where he’s gone wrong?

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:07 am
In response to NelsonAlgren @ 39

Because the money wing of the party is very aristocratic. They see Huckabee as a shitkicker from the sticks not worthy of their piss.

Honestly. That was what was one of the driving forces behind the destruction of Bill Clinton.

Think of David Broder’s “they were outsiders” shtick.

The blue-bloods don’t want to be reigned over by the rabble.

-G

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:07 am

Dov12348 - you are absolutely! The Congress has even worse poll numbers than the shrub. They are in large part responsible for the mess we are in. Think about the impact on this housing mess when coupled with the new bankrupcy laws that in essence don’t allow one to declare bankrupcy evenin cases of medical debt. Those folks are stuck with that debt forever. That is going to impact in a major way many many people.

bluejeansntshirt January 7th, 2008 at 9:07 am

Ads and blog roll are under my comment box.
Commenters name not lining up with blue bar.
Maybe my puter caught my cold.
Feel better Jane!

Beerfart Liberal January 7th, 2008 at 9:07 am

puravida @ 42:
Jane @25: Springtime here in DC. Weird. My 11 year old has had a hacking cough for the last two weeks. Took him to the doctor-everything’s fine, no bronchitis, just have to wait it out. Doctor prescribed honey. My kid loves that scrip!

My kid had the same thingh and dr. said the same thing before xmas. itw as a few days before it got any better at all and a few more before it went away completely. Over a week.

BobbyG January 7th, 2008 at 9:08 am

O/T breaking news -

Cheney gets a chubbie:

(CNN) — The U.S. military reported Monday on a “significant” confrontation involving five Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats that “harassed and provoked” three U.S. naval ships in international waters over the weekend.

U.S. military officials said the incident occurred early Sunday morning in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping channel leading in and out of the Persian Gulf.

The five Iranian ships made “threatening” moves — in one case coming within 200 yards of a U.S. ship, the U.S. officials said.

In one radio transmission, the Iranians told the U.S. Navy: “I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes,” the U.S. military officials told CNN…

hackworth January 7th, 2008 at 9:09 am

Waht was up with that premature Pat Robertson ejaculation? Seems Pat wasn’t getting enough attention so he had to blurt something out. Giuliani ain’t his peoples’ type. Giules is his type - no doubt - Ol Diamond Mines Robertson.

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:09 am

yellowsnapdrago: Paul is a characteristic libertarian, meaning NO government at all. Though - he would allow a bit of a breathing period to allow people to get used to the idea. That is pretty nuts in and of itself, back to the laissez faire capitalism that brought us the robber barrons and child labor.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:09 am
In response to Redshift @ 45

He’ll probably end-up with more votes than expected, but I can’t see him winning.

Most of the polls for today have shown a real cat fight between the Romney-Bot and Crazy Train McCain.

Rudy’s gonna come in 5th……Fed-up Fred is going to be lucky to beat Dunkin Hunter.

-G

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am
In response to hackworth @ 40

I just stood and watched….my ass was two feet from a pellet stove and is still red!

I wasn’t able to eat any Hucka-snacks or Norris-noshes.:(

-G

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am

Hackworth: On Ol Diamond Mines Robertson. Absolutely right, I would love someone to do a real expose on this. Congo civil war in part laid at the feet of the all life-loving American pentecostals.

Jane Hamsher January 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am
In response to GregB @ 19

That was my experience.

No pancakes, though.

JoFish January 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am

Why don’t they just stick a crown on McCain and be done with it?

Uh, because they can’t find a crown that will fit that swollen head of his? This is not the John McCain I met years ago while on active duty down in Florida. He was a pretty normal guy then, “normal” for someone who was tortured in a North Vietnamese prison camp, but a funny, easy-going guy who did not seem to have the ego and meanness he’s exhibited since 2000.

Oh, well. Obama (or Edwards) will still beat him like a rented mule. That “we’ll be there for 100 years” quote is gonna hurt him with everyone but the “22 percenters”. Despite what his ego tells him, most Americans are fully cognizant of the fact that the war has gone on longer than WWII now, and it’s killing our economy, our military (literally) and our standing in the world.

Sorry John, go retire or something. Again.

Biodun January 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am

Repug prez candidates: death merchants:

The closer the New Hampshire primary gets, it seems, the more terrified the Republican presidential candidates want you to be. That way, you’ll vote for the guy who scared you the worst, and not that guy who’s going to preside over your death at the hands of jihadists. McCain, who wants to shift the conversation away from immigration and onto foreign policy and security issues, has Web ads like ”Experience.” Rudy Giuliani — who never misses a chance to remind voters about 9/11 — is airing a TV commercial in New Hampshire called ”Ready” that is even more alarming than McCain’s ”Experience.” Released just days after Bhutto’s murder, it features footage of the late Pakistani leader, accompanied by a soundtrack of Middle Eastern music. ”Hate without boundaries,” intones a narrator. ”A people perverted … A nuclear power in chaos.” Mike Huckabee — no foreign policy maven — answered a press conference question about immigration by invoking the specter of Pakistanis with ”shoulder-fired missiles” sneaking across the U.S.-Mexico border. Fred Thompson got into the act at Saturday night’s ABC News/Facebook/WMUR debate, proving that even campaigns that don’t have the money to scare people with ads can still try other methods. ”We could be attacked with a biological weapon and not even know it for a long period of time,” Thompson told viewers matter-of-factly.

Linky: http://salon.com/news/feature/2008/01/07/terror/

BobbyG January 7th, 2008 at 9:14 am
dov12348 January 7th, 2008 at 9:15 am

So…I honestly believe Hillary must actively distance herself from the experience meme or she’s dead meat.

But, alas — I think it’s too late.

Biodun January 7th, 2008 at 9:16 am

The quotes are now all getting italicized. Toobz really actin’ up…

View this users Facebook profile Gnome de Plume January 7th, 2008 at 9:17 am

Jane, I am on the tail end of that nasty cold. Watching TV does not help. It just makes your head hurt. What makes me feel better is getting in a steamy shower (alone - no dogs - the nasal stuff I am about to describe gets in their fur . . .) and do a nasal wash with salt water (1/2 tsp per quart of warm water) and one of those nasal bulbs you use on babies. Lots of icky stuff will run out and help clear you. You yoga people know it as a neti pot wash, but this is a little more extensive. I learned it from my ENT after sinus surgery years ago.

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:17 am

GregB the latest Rasmussen has Huckabee at 11% and the thinking is that if Obama pulls an especially large number of independents, then it will go to Romney.

yellowsnapdragon January 7th, 2008 at 9:17 am

That’s kind of what I thought. It’s so rare to hear a repug with any understanding of history, I was floored. Maybe his support will lead the R’S away from the American Taliban. I’d rather live in anarchy than under Christian sharia.

MarilynSanAntone January 7th, 2008 at 9:18 am

Good point. If the Democratic campaigns weren’t so criticially important, it would be fun to watch the Republican implosion.

But we’re all lost. I just read all the comments on the earlier posting about the atrocities of war and whose responsibility it is (ours; our hands are bloody). And we’re going to continue. Dems are rushing headlong into Obama. Guess who his fp advisor is? Zbig Brezinski - Carter’s disastrous advisor, who manipulated the US into financing the mujadhin’s guerilla win over Russia (not that we’d want Russia to win) but that was the birth of Al Quaida (read all the reviews of Charlie Wilson’s War - where gullible American audiences laugh and cheer but are not let in on the nasty truth). Then read the serious history of that involvement. Juan Cole has a link to Chalmers Johnson’s review…excellent.

(By the way, it was eerie watching that movie a few days after Bhutto’s assasination).

Electing Obama may not be change…it may be same old same old.

yellowdogD January 7th, 2008 at 9:19 am

But he’s not going down in flames.
Steve Forbes just said on MSNBC that Rudy is well positioned to win the nomination. No trouble here, folks, just move along.

Coop January 7th, 2008 at 9:19 am

Ya gotta admit, as cosmic justice goes, frank’s gettin’ off pretty cheap.

AndyZ January 7th, 2008 at 9:20 am

And Luntz was the guy CNN used to critique one of the Democratic debates. The last guy on the tape said it best. Fuck you, Frank.

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:21 am

Yellowdog: yup, and we know how well Forbed did in the last election. The evangels will NOT vote for either Romney or Rudy, and McCain is real IFFY for them too!

mack January 7th, 2008 at 9:21 am

And the link button don’t work for me
So
I’ll just provide the raw link to a semi on topic cartoon
http://xkcd.com/367/

twolf1 January 7th, 2008 at 9:22 am
In response to Gnome de Plume @ 66
yellowsnapdragon January 7th, 2008 at 9:23 am

Oh, to have Carter’s foreign policy again. He really did some amazing things at Camp David.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:23 am
In response to yellowdogD @ 70

Steven Forbes, another shrunken-apple-head who invested 50 million dollars to win a caucus in Wyoming.

Are they going to get Harold Stassen’s feedback too?

-G

View this users Facebook profile Gnome de Plume January 7th, 2008 at 9:24 am
In response to twolf1 @ 75

yes. But that is for sissies . . .

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:25 am

OT/and not: Drudge has up that Huckabee said at a NH church meeting ”You have signed up to be part of God’s army, soldiers of Christ.” That HAS got to put the fear of G_D in lots of Rethug Corporate and Neocon types who fund this party, ditto their MSM prettified spokespeople.

Biodun January 7th, 2008 at 9:27 am

OT–

Oh, not to worry:

Filed at 12:10 p.m. ET

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that a confrontation between Iranian boats and U.S. Navy ships in Gulf over the weekend was ’’something normal’’ and was resolved. It suggested the Iranian boats had not recognized the U.S. vessels.

Linky: http://www.nytimes.com/aponlin.....-Navy.html

orcatjf January 7th, 2008 at 9:28 am

it seems the repubs are looking for another puppet for the handlers to use. Maybe Paul is no puppet for them

PLovering January 7th, 2008 at 9:29 am

Luntz is for sale.

View this users Facebook profile Bustednuckles January 7th, 2008 at 9:31 am

Kinda fun to watch the fundies get their undies in a twist and get their jihad in overdrive.
Didn’t learn a damn thing from getting used like a drunk pledge at a Phi Kappa Delta party.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:31 am

Andrew Sullivan has a Youtube video of a pack of Romneybots descending on a snow bank to pluck all of the McCain signs off and replacing them with Romney signs.

WWJSD? What Would Joseph Smith Do?

-G

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:31 am
In response to PLovering @ 82

Luntz gives whores a bad name.

-G

fahrender January 7th, 2008 at 9:32 am

Gnome de Plume January 7th, 2008 at 8:43 am
9
Seems like Edwards gets treated somewhat similarly by big media.

—————-

teh Greenwald has a post up about that this morning

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:34 am

And, of course, as per RawStory, Isr*el is to advise Bush on Nuke bomb strike options in Iran. Terrific, now there is an unbiased sources, with a great record for accuracy in such issues. Wait until tomorrow, I bet Michael Gordon will have a follow up piece to the NYT article today by the new? neocon on the staff Isabel Kershner who points to tougher responses here to long-range fire power. She also notes that Palestin*ans picked up for various reasons have in only 23 or 8,854 cases been let go without charges. Most of the rest plea bargained. While citing as a source an advocacy group in Isra*l supporting Palest*nian rights, the main point here seems to be to suggest that they the latter group are all, to one degree or another, criminals, hence the need to plea bargain. Good going Kershner.

redX January 7th, 2008 at 9:35 am

Hope Ron Paul goes Indy on them and runs.

The McCain fluff job was sad. As noted they came up with the Mitt quite while he was talking - but did not come up with the McCain quotes where he was calling his bill amnesty or whatever.

Fox looked silly after the nice wide open ABC debate with nice chairs and all that. They just stuffed them at a table. At least they asked each about their weakness even if it was stuff like ”looks, age, Mormanm, etc).

dosido January 7th, 2008 at 9:35 am

If there is a silver lining to be had in the malpractice of journalism, leaving Paul out of the debates will show every citizen just how ”owned” our media is.

Loved the above comment about Fox should register as a lobbyist! Spot on!

View this users Facebook profile chisholm1 January 7th, 2008 at 9:35 am

Frank Luntz wears a giant mega hardcore TOUPEE. How come we never talk about that? Jane can you start a thread devoted to it? Wait–a “toupee thread”–I think there’s a pun(tz) in there………

dosido January 7th, 2008 at 9:36 am

Saw a great bumper sticker yesterday:

Who would Jesus bomb?

View this users Facebook profile Raven January 7th, 2008 at 9:38 am
In response to PLovering @ 82

Everybody is for sale, watch “The Magic Christian”.

redX January 7th, 2008 at 9:38 am

Must be really getting McCain in a pisser when he was not winning (he will win NH). I mean the guy went down on Bush soon after they had raped him in SC so McCain essentially sold his manhood to keep his spot in line.

Now they are trying to give it back but it might be to late.

He is the only R that has a chance at all if he can stay alert long enough. Yea go for a second term… when you are 80.

Anyway the Change theme will take him down no matter how diluted. Mitt got one good slash in … I dont think people are going to vote for you because you know more about the Senate cloak room.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:38 am
In response to chisholm1 @ 90

Frank Putz has the worst toupee ever. It probably covers the sphincter on his head.

-G

rwcole January 7th, 2008 at 9:39 am

McCain is persona non grata to many of the gooper leaders.

They hate him for campaign finance reform which they view as unilateral disarmament- and they hate him for those times he was honest about Clustefuck’s ineptness.

They’d take him rather than the Huckster- but they don’t like him much. Romney’s their guy I think. Romney gave his religion speech at the side of 41.

egregious January 7th, 2008 at 9:39 am
In response to chisholm1 @ 90

Frank Luntz wears a giant mega hardcore TOUPEE. How come we never talk about that?

Uh, because we don’t pick on people for their physical appearance? We’re better than that I hope.

dosido January 7th, 2008 at 9:40 am

based on what? did forbes make a donation or something?

Hugh January 7th, 2008 at 9:40 am

Has anyone else noticed that the medias narrative of this election is at cross purposes with itself as it relates to the McCain and Clinton?

Mccain [AKA the St.] is praised for his experience. In these trying times we are informed that we need a man who has been there and done that.

Clinton [AKA the Bitch] is pilloried for trying to run on experience. We are informed that leadership is about the future. That change is the coin of the realm.

That’s a good point. It reflects the meme that it (experience) is always good for the Republicans and bad for the Democrats.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:41 am
In response to egregious @ 96

Egregious, there is a Frank Lutz ridicule disclaimer in the FDL charter.

He has enough money to buy better products. It is a sign of his lack of taste.

-G

dosido January 7th, 2008 at 9:41 am

oops my comment was for yellowdog at 70

for some reason my fdl interface is a little hinky today.

fahrender January 7th, 2008 at 9:41 am

“Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am
23
My nephew (a Democrat) is a fervent Paul supporter, having us send campaign contributions instead of a present. Before that he supported Hilly, and before that Kucinich. Basically he is an idiot, but then there are alot of them.”

“Nobody ever lost money underestimating the intelligence of the American people.”

- H.L. Menken

View this users Facebook profile marymccurnin January 7th, 2008 at 9:41 am

I just have one thing to say.

The electricity just came back on and we have heat and lights!!!!!

I haven’t been on my puter since Thursday night. Withdrawal was awful.

View this users Facebook profile Raven January 7th, 2008 at 9:42 am

Vegetarians beware
Ringo and Peter Sellers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ybQpfr2-1M

View this users Facebook profile chisholm1 January 7th, 2008 at 9:42 am

Egregious–I think Luntz makes fun of his own physical appearance–baldness–by wearing an intelligence-insulting, credibility-destroying Orlon weave-mop.

hackworth January 7th, 2008 at 9:42 am

Small town mayors race - our mayor was using city maintenance workers to pluck and replace opponent’s signs with his. They went to a particular hotel and plucked some signs, told the lady they were bringing her the signs ”she ordered” - the correct ones. She said - no you are not! Give me back my other signs and take off hosers.

Our mayor lost.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:44 am
In response to marymccurnin @ 102

Let there be heat and light!

-G

rwcole January 7th, 2008 at 9:44 am

Oops

Forgot the WORST thing McCain did- he was against the Clusterfuck tax cuts. That’s reason enough to have one’s gooper card cancelled.

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am

Egregious - toupees are not physical appearance/condition!! Wearing a toupee is a choice (and usually a bad one) based on vanity and worse. I feel the same about face lifts etc etc. Ditto, Biden’s ”plugs.”

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:46 am

One of the severe side effects of imperialism in its advanced stages seems to be that it rots the brains of the imperialists. They start believing that they are the bearers of civilization, the bringers of light to “primitives” and “savages” (largely so identified because of their resistance to being “liberated” by us), the carriers of science and modernity to backward peoples, beacons and guides for citizens of the “underdeveloped world.”

-Chalmers Johnson reviews Charlie Wilson’s War

-G

redX January 7th, 2008 at 9:47 am

Parkers Maple Sugar Barn:

Pumpkin pancakes,
also sides of ** Maple Sugar glazed RIBS ** with breakfast - no need for sausage and ham!

View this users Facebook profile marymccurnin January 7th, 2008 at 9:47 am
In response to GregB @ 94

covers the sphincter on his head.

Oh Lordie.

GregB January 7th, 2008 at 9:47 am
In response to redX @ 110

Yippee!

-G

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:48 am

rwcole - Interesting, I had forgotten that. No wonder they were gung ho on Romney then Richardson.

Hugh January 7th, 2008 at 9:49 am

McCain is old
He is a big supporter of an unpopular war which remains unpopular.
He doesn’t back the racist immigration attitudes of most of his party
He isn’t backed by the religious Right. (They have Huckabee.)
He doesn’t appeal to the libertarian wing of the party either. (They have Paul.)

So basically he has the neocons, Wall Street, and the media outlets that Wall Street owns.

hackworth January 7th, 2008 at 9:49 am

Us regular folks sure have paid dearly for Bushco ”Tax Cuts”. Our taxes are higher than ever. Then they let the insurance companies, oil companies, utilities, etc have carte blanche with us. Not to mention everything is in the shitter economically. We really couldn’t afford that extra four years of Dubya, but we got it.

View this users Facebook profile Raven January 7th, 2008 at 9:50 am

This is great:

Iran and the United States do not have diplomatic relations. Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Tehran, while Pakistan represents Iranian interests in Washington

redX January 7th, 2008 at 9:50 am

Same thing here, but my kid got a better script:

- antibiotics for bronchitis (3days and gone)
- tyl type stuff if fever
- honey (as efective as Robit for cough), but only use if its not a productive cough.

Keep an eye out for any temperature on your child, if not you are set with honey. (The twin had the cough w/o bronchitis so that was good as well).

Richmond January 7th, 2008 at 9:51 am

Hugh - yup, except as RWCole notes, with the opposition to tax cuts and support of campaign finance reform (i.e opposition to lobbying power) he is not so much a Corporatist guy either.

fahrender January 7th, 2008 at 9:51 am

NelsonAlgren January 7th, 2008 at 9:01 am
39
In response to GregB @ 19
Why do you think guys like Kristol and Kudlow(and Faux) are apoplectic? I’ve been saying it for a while but the Rethug I most fear is Huckabee. The fundies love him. He is a good speaker(while he’s as stupid as Bush, he is a much better speaker than Schrub) and the press doesn’t say anything really bad about them because he charms them as much as McCain seems to(which makes it hard for them to obey their corporate masters and bury him).

i disagree. Huckabee is a hell of a lot smarter than Bush. in fact, i would say that he is fairly intelligent. just because we don’t like someone’s ideas does not mean he’s an idiot. Huckabee didn’t get as far as he’s gotten with help from the kewl kids, teh Village, a rich