I guess it takes a lot of that stuff to actually make a statement like this:
Obama said: "John McCain has been in Congress 25 years, no doubt about that. If this is a longevity measure, then John McCain wins. On the other hand, before we went into Iraq, I knew the difference between Shia and Sunni."
Well that’s all true Senator Obama, but you’re making a fundamental mistake. Basic truth is too much to handle for our media and because they say so, it must therefore be too much for us. As anyone reading the rest of the Associated Press narrative of the story containing that quote can tell you. After all, they titled it:
Obama mourns US troop deaths, swipes at McCain
So you see, according to the AP even when you’re mourning, they think it’s all a political trick.
Because, the media in this country long ago decided that the "truth" is less important than the "narrative". And it is not at all important whether the narrative is true. Ah, journalism.
For example, it was the media who so gladly absorbed and pushed the idea that American’s want to vote for the "guy they want to have a beer with". So naturally, in two straight elections the winner (once on actual votes) was George W. Bush, the guy Americans cannot have a beer with because he’s an alcoholic. You see, the narrative was right even though it was so very wrong.
And this must be, from the prospective of those intrepid wise ones true yet again. Because it matters not whether there are Sunni and there are Shia. What matters is that there is easily available file footage of brown people who are angry and they must be bombed, because we have been told they are ALL the types who will bomb us. Role the crazy ass video tape…NO, not the edited portions of the gay pride parade, the edited portions of Muslims chanting stuff! Ah, that hits the spot.
We must bomb the nameless, brown yet faceless, enemy before they bomb us. And it’s all in the name of peace. They’re in Eurasia aren’t they? We’ve always been at war with them! To do less means you hate American too much and also quite uncivilized.
Now that we have this clarified, we can move on to browbeat Obama over this New Yorker cover that is supposed to be a parody of such stupidity but will be covered like a real indictment. You see, they will say, when EVEN the liberal New Yorker has this on the cover blah blah blah. Mark Halperin has already declared McCain the winner of the week that has not even started yet!
Bombs away!



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Richard Bove at Ladenburg Thalmann has a different take on who may be next. In a report, he looks at all the FDIC-backed institutions, comparing each bank’s bad loans to its overall assets through two ratios. First, he divides the “non-performing assets” of an institution–bad loans, late loans, foreclosed assets–by all of its outstanding loans. “A radio above 5 percent suggests danger.” The overall industry ratio is below 2 percent. That’s good news. But it’s not so good for individual names like Downey Financial [DSL 1.69 -0.37 (-17.96%) ], with a 13.86 percent ratio (on Sunday, Downey Financial reported its non-performing assets were over 14 percent, up from 1 percent a year ago). Other names in the “danger zone” are Corus Bankshares [CORS 3.50 -0.06 (-1.69%) ] at 13.18 percent, Doral Financial [DRL 13.32 0.48 (+3.74%) ] at 12.82 percent, FirstFed Financial [FED 4.91 -0.63 (-11.37%) ] at 6.73 percent, Oriental Financial [BFG 1.055 -0.05 (-4.52%) ] at 6.12 percent, and BankUnited Financial [BKUNA 0.77 -0.02 (-2.53%) ] at 5.36 percent.
Then Bove ran a second set of numbers dividing a bank’s non-performing assets by its reserves plus common equity. “A ratio about 40 percent is the danger zone.” This is where it gets interesting. You have all the same names as listed before, PLUS WASHINGTON MUTUAL [WM 4.95 -0.30 (-5.71%) ], which comes in with a ratio at 40.6 percent. Bove calls this being “on the edge” of danger but not quite there yet.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/25664376
OT but given that Freddie and Fannie might spark a crisis I suggest people follow the link if their bank or S & L is mentioned.
For example, it was the media who so gladly absorbed and pushed the idea that American’s want to vote for the “guy they want to have a beer with”. So naturally, in two straight elections the winner (once on actual votes) was George W. Bush, the guy Americans cannot have a beer with because he’s an alcoholic. You see, the narrative was right even though it was so very wrong.
I have drunk lots of beer with college folk, blue collar types and/or felons Bush would be the dumber than anybody I have ever drunk with easy. Now then is the press drinking with the kids on the
small busStraight Talk Express.Because Given McCain’s numerous mistakes on everything I think that its time for the Main Stream Media to acknowledge the possibility that John McCain is Dumber than Bush.
Yes you have heard me right! I am swiping at John McCain! I want credit for this one! I think that John McCain might be dumber than Bush! Does anyone care to argue that point?
Bwahahaha!
Mark Halperin has already declared McCain the winner of the week that has not even started yet!’
Does Mark do stock predictions? I want to bet against everything the GOP says is doing fine! I swear I heard on Friday that Bush was not going to bailout Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae but I guess someone showed the White House their real accounting books and the choice of making Bush look bad was not as dangerous as doing nothing.
Lets remember that Bush still can’t admit that the war in Iraq was a mistake because it would make him look bad.
or example, it was the media who so gladly absorbed and pushed the idea that American’s want to vote for the “guy they want to have a beer with
Voters were not paying attention the first election and for the second they were scared out of their minds by 9/11.
Today people are asking why are we in Iraq if Ossama is in Pakistan?
Mornin’, TCU -
Holdin’ the fort by yourself today? This should be an *interesting* one $$-wise. :-(
Every weekend I think, “Surely something will go left this week”…….but it never seems to happen. The finance aspect is surely gonna be horrendous and then that daymn forkin’ New Yorker cover just put the icing on the proverbial cake.
Can I go back to bed now?
Pakistan is saying that they won’t let us hunt Ossama in their country I wonder if Bush is still giving them aid money and weapons? I hope Obama beats Bush to the punch and says that Pakistan is Persona Non Gratia no money, weapons or trade until we get Ossama.
That and we should think about freezing all of the Pakistani government’s Public assets and any assets Privately held by Pakistani citizens until they comply.
Which is what we should have done to the Saudi’s after 9/11. I bet they would have found Ossama for us real quick then.
Instead we invaded Iraq because of Imaginary Weapons of Mass Destruction ( IWMD ) and whats worse is that we are still in Iraq, while Ossama walks Freakin Free!
Go back to bed I’m going to sleep too bye!
Hope a dope!
I don’t know, Mr. Attaturk. I think that story is fine. It seems very fair and well-written for a wire piece. **Especially** for an AP piece. I don’t really get your issue with the headline. How would you rewrite it? It’s kind of standard wire headline, pithily previewing what’s in the piece.
Mark Halperin has already declared McSaim the ”winner” of every week between now and November. But he should have taken the dry rub — the barbeque sauce has ruined his tie and sport coat.
Gotta love these bushies
Morning all. Great morning huh.
So with Iran finding a “new” oil field isn’t it about time we attacked those buggers for sitting on our oil. Well maybe we could find a surrogate warmongering state to attack for us.
Interesting the timing on the publication of *that* little tidbit of news…….like bushco needed another excuse, NOT. :-(
Good morning, pups. It’s [groan] Kristol, Cohen and Krugman today. Wrong Way Billy extruded a thing called “The Character of Optimism,” in which he says he will remember Tony Snow more for his character than his career. Mr. Cohen wrote about “Scandinavia’s Scarred Mr. Dialogue,” and says Norway, a NATO ally, insists on engagement with enemies and has kept channels open to Hamas and Syria. It believes the United States and the West have lost opportunities by shunning them. Mr. Krugman gives us “Fannie, Freddie and You,” and says that while Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are problematic institutions, they aren’t responsible for the mess we’re in.
http://mgpaquin.wordpress.com/
The coffee and tea are ready, and the biscuits are out of the oven. I’m not really happy with the fact that it’s Monday morning, but there doesn’t seem to be much that I can do about it. 190 days and counting — I hope your day is a good one.
So how come there is a “banking crisis” whenever a bush is in the white house. Is it coincidence? Incompetence? or just another way of stealing money from the poor to give to the rich?
As a retiree I expect to get a big $300 dollars back from the gummint but I have to wonder what the hell it will be worth when I get it. Wow three hundred bucks, I can hardly wait. Maybe I’ll go out and those prescription meds I’ve always wanted. WTF its only monday and already I am feeling miserable.
Now there is one column I feel I can miss but I do have a wonderful up of tea, thanks Marion.
Also in the NYT today is an op ed by Sen. Obama titled “My Plan For Iraq.”
Ah! A fellow tea drinker! Krugman is worth a look — he’s taking a somewhat contrarian position on the Fannie/Freddie situation.
WTF its only monday and already I am feeling miserable.
And it ain’t even 7 a.m. on the east coast. Sounds like you and I are reading off the same page today; brings to mind the book title, Been down so long, it looks like up to me.
From Kruggers
A hefty slice of investors are large pension plans such as General Motors and many state pension plans so to allow them to collapse would zap the pension plans of thousands of people creating an even bigger, and longer, crisis than there is now. It is good to know that I will have to find a part time job, while retired, to help bail out retirement plans for others. Shit.
Sounds like bush 3.0 has anointed himself “Scheduler-in-chief” for Obama’s travel plans:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200….._mccain_dc
Monday just brings the beginning of another round of bad news from all fronts. If only we had a candidate to lift our spirits. Where is Edwards when I need him.
Morning!
Boy it rained all night here
Here’s what’s on Washington Journal
7:00-7:30 Question/Newspaper Articles/Phones/Roll Call
7:30-8:00 JOHN BANCROFT
Inside Mortgage Finance (Newsletter)
Executive Editor http://www.imfpubs.com
Topic: Guest will discuss proposed mortgage rules from the Federal Reserve, which is holding a meeting on the topic later today. According to the guest, the rules will drastically change the mortgage industry.
8:00-8:30 Roll Call/Newspaper Articles/Phones
8:30-9:00 MARK REY
Undersecretary for Natural Resources & the Environment http://www.fs.fed.us
FLAME Act: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.go…..eh.txt.pdf
Topic: Discuss federal response to recent wildfires, the upcoming wildfire season, federal funding and resources to fight wildfires, as well as the impact of the passage of the House FLAME Act. Undersecretary Rey is in charge of the U.S. Forestry Service that employs approximately 14,000 federal firefighters to fight wildfires on National Forest land.
8:50 Rep. Raul Grijalva D-Arizona, 7th District
Nat’l Parks & Forests Subcmte. Chair
Topic: Rep. Grijalva was a co-sponsor of H.R. 5541: Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act or FLAME Act that passed the House last week. The FLAME Act provides extra funding for catastrophic emergency wildland fire suppression and development of a management strategy.
9:00-9:30 CASEY JUDD
Federal Wildland Fire Services Association Business Manager http://www.fwfsa.org
Topic: Discuss federal response to recent wildfires, the upcoming wildfire season, federal funding and resources to fight wildfires and impact of the passage of the House FLAME Act. Mr. Judd, who is critical of current policies, testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on June 18, 2008, stating that the nation’s federal wildland firefighters were not as prepared as the federal agencies were claiming they were. He will discuss the role of firefighters and his proposals to make federal fire fighting more efficient.
9:30 Live NGA Coverage National Governors Association
It would seem that that Iraq would not be a good place to “accidently” zap obama but maybe a FARC attack could be engineered by bushco in SA.
Memo to obama…. stay away from small planes
thanks for lineup…… Taxpayers bailout of corporations and banks…
Jefferson Quote:
“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people.”
No truth here???
How about getting all those National Guard and reservists back from the illegal occupation(s) so that they can help fight fires rather than have to get firefighters from Australia, New Zealand and other countries. What a FU
C-Span WJ listen folks “we the people” are being screwed by corporations and banks………….
JJ just like to point out that, for an irishman, your writing is hard to read. Please remove all punctuation. Thanks
lol!
C-Span caller asks here has all the money gone?? Debt, The Iraq oil Plot, insurance and energy costs!!! Systemic rape of America by corporations???
I don’t think Obama should go anywhere..(various reasons)
The American people are the ones he needs to convince..
He can at least put two sentences together, so the rest of the world already knows he’s better than Bush…Leave the overseas trips for after the election…
A little snark from teh wapo this morning wrt titling:
Editorial: McCain’s Math Doesn’t Add Up
immediately followed by
Ann Telnaes: And He’s Got a Speech Problem, Too *G
jackie @ 32 -
Wrt to travel – like everything else about his campaign, it’ll be daymned if he do and daymned if he don’t. :-(
Yep. Corporate execs tho, not corporations. Corporations are not people. It is greedy execs with their overcompensated mediocre self-important selves telling themselves and the feckless BODs that they are worth gazillion-dollar compensation packages.
Where has all the Budweiser gone….
Completely OT, but may be interesting to our gay friends…
Hmmmm, I wonder what the ‘disturbing information ‘ is?
‘ In a startling turn of events, writer David Benkof – formerly David Bianco – has closed down his blog, Gays Defend Marriage, and vowed to stay out of the fight in California.
‘I have made a tentative decision not to publicize the disturbing information that caused me to end my promotion of man-woman marriage in the United States.’
http://www.waynebesen.com/2008…..fight.html
‘Wrt to travel – like everything else about his campaign, it’ll be daymned if he do and daymned if he don’t. :-(’
That is sadly very true..:(
Here is a petition against James Dobson’s nomination, if interested
‘The Museum of Broadcast Communications has nominated James Dobson, one of America’s most intolerant voices, to its Radio Hall of Fame.’
http://www.truthwinsout.org/dobson-petition.php
‘Another one bites the dust’ …sing with me!!!..lol
‘Alabama Attorney General Troy King, a conservative Republican Christian who has called homosexuality the ‘downfall of society,’ has been caught with his pants down—literally—in a gay sex scandal. King was reportedly nabbed having sex with a male assistant by his wife, Paige King, in the couple’s own bed.’
http://www.gaywired.com/Article.cfm?ID=19568
hellooooooooo…..
hmmm,
wonder if somebody was going to out him
It does seem that between the catholic priests and the born again doodads there is a whole lot of shagging going on.
Good Morning Attaturk and Firedogs,
Q: and just who was in charge when Willy Pete was used on civilians in Fallujah ?
A: It was recently promoted Raymond Odierno, now brandishing a 4th star and in charge of all military operations in Iraq
I think barak is taming his message far too much.
“if John mccain knew the FIRST thing about Iraq, he would have KNOWN there is going to be a conflict between the sects, he would have KNOWN there were NO terrorists in Iraq, he would have KNOWN attacking Iraq would INSPIRE the enemies against our cause, he would have KNOWN the action would make our fight against terrorist almost impossible to win, he would have KNOWN the BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS NOT TO DIVERT OUR FORCES FROM THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM WHICH WAS IN AFGHANISTAN NOT IRAQ
he would have KNOWN the attack would actually net LESS OIL and CAUSE THE 5 DOLLAR A GALLON GAS WE ARE SEEING
and the man. based on his predictions, his own words, and the results of the REDICULOUS war HE ENDORSED would be MORE ENEMIES AGAINST OUR BELOVED LAND, it would mean the DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS and it would mean America would become HATED among the international community, MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to recruit alies committed to our cause.
this man, based on his “strategy”, the programs he himself endorsed, the predictions he himself has made is a far from a military “strategist” and realistically, if someone wants to place a man with that kind of insight as the commander in chief, you are going to get exactly what you have bargained for, a military “strategist” who does NOT know WINNING IS LEAVING NOT STAYING, a military strategist that actually did not even know the differance between suni and shia, a military “strategist” who thinks theorcracy is the same thing as democracy.”
there, barak needs to now go on the attack agtainst mccains alleged brand
there
LMAO…..
I think we need to make some kind of saying for republicans, maybe someone can come up with something more eloquent then this;
“if a republican is against it, they usually are guilty of it”
wow, their heads will explode
I believe celebacy was first thought a good idea by either a unik or someone who was too old to have an erection or a man who couldn’t perform with women
this is the only way the first person thought it was a good idea
and I have always wondered who was the very first person to look at a cow and think “man, that white stuff that comes out of the sack that looks like a bunch of penises is going to taste GREAT
here’s emptywheel on Freddie and Fannie
in and out, off to work, see all later
Spewing coffee through nose is not good. Ouch!! Imao…
Well, the saying *you* came up with ain’t half bad. *g*
Wrt #46, double spew alert!
Mornin’, pups.
A nice cup of Oolong and couple pieces of toast. Great conversation with Mohammed and Mark last night. I look forward to more.
The capitalists will take another step in the destruction of our economy this week. A few will accumulate more wealth and many will lose all they have worked for.
Budweiser gets a new owner and will still taste like shit.
Now This: Brolin who will play W in the Stone movie…arrested over the weekend in a bar brawl. How great. Staying right in character I guess; wonder if dad will come bail him out. How like W can one be?
But you’re awake now, aren’t you?
I think Stone must be going senile. How many of the 28%ers will pay to see this? You couldn’t pay me to watch the trailer.
The American corporate media would be laughable if it were not so dangerous. No wonder the voting electorate is so malleable. They have contributed to the dumbing down of the citizenry. People want this administration held accountable and rightfully so. When, however, is the American corporate media going to be held accountable?
LOL, yep!!!!
Scarecrow’s up!
—-
Because, the media in this country long ago decided that the “truth” is less important than the “narrative”. And it is not at all important whether the narrative is true. Ah, journalism.
—-
According to Dr. George Lakoff, “politics is about the narratives our culture and our circumstances make available to all of us to live.” A person identifies and connects with his/her candidate through narratives common to both. Narratives in and of themselves are not bad. They are simply there, existing in all of our brains. But, they can be used deceptively or truthfully. For example, take the “support our troops” narrative. Watch how Dr. Drew Westen takes on the Republican framing in this 3-minute clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1RsR5HmCmE
We just need to learn how to use them to bring Americans’ perception of reality closer to the truth. Karl Rove has used them to distort Americans’ perception of reality away from the truth.
Dr. Westen has pointed out that voters care about the following.
1) How they feel about a political party and its principles.
2) How they feel about a candidate.
3) How they feel about issues.
Dr. Westen says issues are a distant 3rd for voters when choosing their candidate. Maybe finding a narrative about the judgement of an ill-informed person could be used. Find the narrative and then include the facts to back it up. Facts alone are not enough. This may not seem logical or rational, but understand that this is about how the unconscious mind affects the choices a voter makes. Narratives are used to connect to the frames already in a person’s unconscious mind. According to Dr. Lakoff, reason is 98% unconscious and requires emotion. Narratives and frames contain integrated intellectual-emotional content. This is just how we’re all wired.
I highly recommend watching this 3 minute clip with Dr. Westen to understand where progressives go wrong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNJEq4URCYE
- Tom
Thinking about journamalism and the grand narrative. I think part of it comes from the increasing role of marketing in all areas of American life. It’s the way we sell cars, hamburgers, homes; everything we see on electronic media is infomercial. Now, cut back to the producers who determine what’s said (the talking heads just read the lines, that’s why they are blond and beautiful); you see the news as ’selling’ and you analyze the public’s response to the news accordingly. Nobody believes that a truck is ‘Like a Rock’, but it sells trucks. Ditto, now, Presidents. Our public discourse is irretrievably contaminated by ’selling’. It’s what we’re good at. We sold each other houses at prices inflated by Chinese money for a decade. It was good (for some) while it lasted.
Hey you are being just as stupid as the Bushies were on Iraq. Actually the approach to the Pakistani Govt.is about right. By all means keep up the pressure but don’t fail to understand that beating up on the present Government will only get you a new and much worse one. Damn complicated, geopolitics, ain’t it?
Bush has given Pakistan Billions in cash and weapons but he has gotten nothing from them on Ossama I think Mr 10% Benny’s husband the leader of Pakistans ruling party although not the countries leader might be willing to listen to pressure from the money front.
After all he got his nickname for supposedly wanting 10% of every government contract. Knowing an other culture and knowing who you are dealing with is important in diplomacy, just being the high and mighty United States and demanding stuff from other countries has not worked.
But we know Mr 10% is in charge, we think that Pakistan’s generals have been skimming from the military aid cash now then if they both have invested the money in America or one of our allies…then we have leverage.
As far as replacing Pakistan’s government well there have been lot of negative stories about Pakistan lately but when the former government was in charge they never got a negative story despite taking our biilions of money for years and never letting us go after Ossama.
I think Bush might be preparing the way to overthrow the current government.