January 8, 2010

The White House, Washington... White House, Washington... WHITEHOUSE.

What's going on here?

DSC06772
(Photo by Stephen Crowley.)

The commenter EDH noticed this craziness in the photograph on the previous post:
As a photographer, maybe Althouse can explain why the NYT photo editor didn't crop that front-page, above-the-fold photo of Napolitano, but instead shared the frame to included a widescreen video monitor next to her displaying the single word "WHITEHOUSE" while she's standing behind a podium that says "The White House - Washington" and in front of a sign with a picture of the White House that says "White House - Washington"?

Is this supposed to symbolize the new "belt and suspenders" approach in action?
Here's the article the photo appears to illustrate:
Obama Details New Policies in Response to Terror Threat

By JEFF ZELENY and HELENE COOPER
WASHINGTON — President Obama on Thursday ordered intelligence agencies to take a series of steps to streamline how terrorism threats are pursued and analyzed, saying the government had to respond aggressively to the failures that allowed a Nigerian man to ignite an explosive mixture on a commercial jetliner on Christmas Day.
Obama, eh? Well, he's not in the picture. Is all that "White House" business supposed to equal Obama?
The president also directed the Homeland Security Department to speed the installation of $1 billion in advanced-technology equipment for the screening of passengers, including body scanners at American airports and to work with international airports to see that they upgrade their own equipment to protect passengers on flights headed to the United States.
Janet Napolitano is the head of that Department, of course. Oddly, her name doesn't even come up in the article. What is the NYT doing here? The text seems to hide her inside of the name of the department, and the photograph shunts her to the side, with an unnamed man (Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan) backing her up, and White House signs buffeting her all around.

Compare Drudge's treatment of Napolitano, today (and yesterday):


Ah, poor Janet!

IN THE COMMENTS: Jim wrote:

I think the photograph is a not-so-subtle statement:

Janet Napolitano IS the White House.

Obama's game has been to let Obama appear to be "the adult in the room" by correcting and re-correcting Napolitano's repeated stupidity.

The editor here is saying: Hey Obama, we're not THAT stupid. She speaks for you, and we're a little sick of the game of you're playing. Napolitano speaks for you even when she says something stupid. We're not playing along any more.

When even the NYT editors make a point of telling Obama "You can no more disown Napolitano than you can disown your grandmother," you know you're in deep trouble...
Barack Nobamatano.

192 comments:

rhhardin said...

There's only one flag.

Obama always gets at least seven.

kentuckyliz said...

No Greek pillars made of styrofoam?

former law student said...

The "White House" oval hanging has always been there. The President gets his own lectern with the Presidential seal on it - lesser folks make do with the White House labelled lectern. The flat screen is new -- instead of "Whitehouse" should it have a screensaver of some kind? Presidential pix?

former law student said...

The flatscreen says "whitehouse.gov" -- everyone point your browsers there.

The Ghost said...

Its starting to look like the set of a news broadcast ... What's the TV for ? some sort of PowerPoint display ? Who's that for ? the flacks get hard copies don't they ?

Jim said...

I think the photograph is a not-so-subtle statement:

Janet Napolitano IS the White House.

Obama's game has been to let Obama appear to be "the adult in the room" by correcting and re-correcting Napolitano's repeated stupidity.

The editor here is saying: Hey Obama, we're not THAT stupid. She speaks for you, and we're a little sick of the game of you're playing. Napolitano speaks for you even when she says something stupid. We're not playing along any more.

When even the NYT editors make a point of telling Obama "You can no more disown Napolitano than you can disown your grandmother," you know you're in deep trouble...

Henry said...

The only thing missing is Sheldon Whitehouse (D, RI).

LouisAntoine said...

Why do conservatives think any woman in any kind of position of power is a lesbian? Is it because they are trollish meatheads, regressive traditionalists, or just idiots?

Drudge, closeted homosexual that he is, is clearly just pandering to the lowest common denominator among his readership. Though, just how low the denominator is a big question mark in my mind. I think it may be a big chunk.

LouisAntoine said...

Rather, even if Janet Napolitano is a lesbian, why do conservatives seem to be like third graders tittering about it?

I get the joke, but find it idiotic.

AllenS said...

Why do liberals think any man in any kind of position of power is a homo?

Matt Eckert said...

It's the hair cut Monty, the hair cut,

AllenS said...

Rather, even if Drudge is a homo, why do liberals seem to be like third graders tittering about it?

LouisAntoine said...

Because Drudge is widely known to be homosexual, yet makes a living in part posting homophobic material for a conservative homophobic audience? Making him a greedy hypocrite? I dunno, seems clear to me.

vbspurs said...

Compare Drudge's treatment of Napolitano, today (and yesterday):

No wonder these poor slobs want free health care. Janet and her boss both suffer from a debilitating neck spasm which involuntarily makes them arch it, looking both awkward and snobbish, as if they were JFK being struck by the magic bullet.

Cheers,
Victoria

Matt said...

I like how Drudge ignores the fact that the right wing is the one who want to take security to absurd levels. They are the ones who are incensed that security is not strip searching every Muslim in America. They are the ones who blame Obama for not being tough enough on security. So the idea that JN wants to see you naked? Ridiculous. The Republicans in congress would completely be on board with any kind of invasion of privacy.

Arturius said...

Why do conservatives think any woman in any kind of position of power is a lesbian? Is it because they are trollish meatheads, regressive traditionalists, or just idiots?

Why do liberals refer to the Tea Party protestors as 'teabaggers' which, as I am sure you're well aware, a perjorative homosexual slur. Is it as you say because they are trollish meatheads, regressive traditionalists, or just idiots?

I vote all of the above.

Meade said...

Jim said...
When even the NYT editors make a point of telling Obama "You can no more disown Napolitano than you can disown your grandmother," you know you're in deep trouble...

Well observed.

traditionalguy said...

The message in your face here is that the Marxist organizer is President and you are stuck with him running your government, so deal with it succors. Janet the sock puppet's time is being spent making her list and checking it twice to see if the tea partiers and the veterans need to be arrested yet. The very idea that AlQaeda is buzzing around in airplanes again is so unfair to her and the puppet master at The White House. I said, at the White House where tea partiers and veterans are unwelcome enemies at the White House. Did I mention that we are ruled by the White House?

Anonymous said...

Janet Napalitano wants to take a nice long look inside your 11-year-old daughter's panties going through these airport screening monitors - you know, in case she's joined up with al Queda.

That's what Drudge is pointing out.

vbspurs said...

WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE WHITEHOUSE

The omniscience of place transformed into slogan...

A slogan is a memorable phrase used in a political, commercial, religious, and other contexts as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose.

Slogans vary from the written and the visual to the chanted and the vulgar. Often their simple rhetorical nature leaves little room for detail, and as such they serve perhaps more as a social expression of unified purpose, rather than a projection for an intended audience.

The word "slogan" comes from sluagh-ghairm (pronounced slogorm), which is Scottish Gaelic for "battle-cry".


Slogan becomes battle cry of the republic. Obama protects all!

LouisAntoine said...

Arturius, I believe the Tea Party-goers started referring to THEMSELVES as "Teabaggers." This was picked up across the cultural divide... slowly, it dawned on them that the word had another meaning. Why did "liberals" do this? Because it was hilarious. If liberals started a group called "People Eradicating Economic Deficiency" and went around calling themselves "PEEDophiles" without knowing what the word meant I bet you would make fun of them.

Teabaggers are dumb.

vbspurs said...

I vote all of the above.

I vote Arturius for best comment of the thread.

Anonymous said...

The buck stops ... hey, where'd Barack Obama get off to?

That's what the editor is saying.

And you know what Barack Obama's response is:

"I've got a tee time. See you libtards later. How do you like the taste of my ass."

LouisAntoine said...

Florida, it seems to be YOU that has 11-year old girls panties on the brain. You are the first person to bring up the subject.

Big surprise.

Anonymous said...

"Why do conservatives think any woman in any kind of position of power is a lesbian?"

Janet Napalitano is an out lesbian. Nobody is guessing about her sexuality. She's openly a lesbian.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Arturius, I believe the Tea Party-goers started referring to THEMSELVES as "Teabaggers."

You are completely wrong. The Tea Party is named after a patriotic and historical movement.

Teabagging was used and tittered at by morons like Rachel Maddow and Chris Matthews who know full well that it is a homosexual sexual practice and is a deliberate (tee hee) slur.

As to Napolitano coming across as a lesbian. I have zero idea if she is or isn't and it doesn't really matter as long as she can do her job. She can't and she isn't.

Also....if you don't want to be called a duck....don't dress like one. OR else just be up front about it. People will have more respect for you for being honest.

Freeman Hunt said...

I believe the Tea Party-goers started referring to THEMSELVES as "Teabaggers."

Never once heard a Tea Partier refer to himself this way.

Matt Eckert said...

On the other hand we like to refer to Monty as a "Douche Bagger."

vbspurs said...

There is nothing wrong with being a lesbian, but Janet Napolitano isn't one, has repeatedly said so (via Queerty) and it's disgraceful for Drudge to be suggesting that she is leering at little girls.

Yes, kids. Even a guy on your side of the political aisle can make a joke, but it doesn't mean you have to find it funny or right. So stop please laughing at Kathy Griffin's jokes.

Anonymous said...

it seems to be YOU that has 11-year old girls panties on the brain.

That's because I have an 11-year-old daughter. And I don't want you fucking lesbian perverts in the Democrat Party trying to get a full frontal body shot of her just because she's flying to see her grandmother for Christmas.

Keep your lesbo security agents away from my kid.

LouisAntoine said...

So, conservatives started it: started with this terminology.

Teabaggers are dumb.

kjbe said...

Regardless of who called who what first, the 'teabag' was, and still is, the prominent symbol. The association is there - and, anyway, we're all 8 year olds at heart.

Anonymous said...

Democrats are lesbian child porn addicts.

veni vidi vici said...

"Why do conservatives think any woman in any kind of position of power is a lesbian? Is it because they are trollish meatheads, regressive traditionalists, or just idiots?"

Monty, why are you calling lesbians all those names, ya bigoted homophobe!



wv: "fersnes" -- sounds like something kinky and Swedish.

vbspurs said...

Teabagging was used and tittered at by morons like Rachel Maddow and Chris Matthews who know full well that it is a homosexual sexual practice and is a deliberate (tee hee) slur.

There is a blurry line with the naming though.

I have never heard a Tea Party goer referred to him or herself as a teabagger, but I have seen a few (in the very beginning) suggest that sending teabags to their reps in Congress might be a good idea. I know one lady online who claimed she was hanging teabags on cars with Obama stickers. I consider this stupid. But conservatives are new to the protesting in public biz. It's to be expect that their enthusiasm will translate into awkward gestures, certainly at first.

We should really take lessons from liberals, who are much more sophisticated about protesting.

Cheers,
Victoria

Arturius said...

So, conservatives started it: started with this terminology.

And as the article goes on to say, the Rachel Madow's and Anderson Coopers ran with it. I suppose they completely miss the irony.

Or are just plain dumb

LouisAntoine said...

Photographic evidence.

Matt Eckert said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Nothing says, "I won", or, in this case, "He won", like putting it up as many times as possible.

And those swabs on the Lincoln only put up, "Mission Accomplished", once.

Montagne Montaigne said...

Arturius, I believe the Tea Party-goers started referring to THEMSELVES as "Teabaggers." This was picked up across the cultural divide

Wrong, as usual, both of you - and I think you both know it; Montagne certainly does. Anderson Cooper started the use of the phrase as a slander against these people, and only Leftist creeps use it today.

I've never heard of a Tea Partier refer to him/herself as a "Teabagger".

veni vidi vici said...

The whole theme of "why are _____ such bigoted homophobes?" is really dumb. Like teabaggers, apparently.

Funny thing about it, though; in my experience, it's those gay folks whose identity is most vocally defined by their sexuality that have the least sense of humor about it when someone makes a joke about it. Cf. culture/humor from the 50's, etc., with caddish dudes like the Rat Pack ogling big-titted hourglass women all over tv and film, which was basically not much more than a shared chuckle about human nature when it comes to sex and attraction.

That Napoleono pic on Drudge is amusing, but not in an offensive way (it's a clever aesthetic statement if nothing else), unless you're one of those tediously oversensitive losers who cries "homophobia!" "racism!" "small-mindedness!1!!!1" at every instance of someone else having a chuckle at a joke you're too stupid or have too tightly clenched a sphincter to appreciate.

veni vidi vici said...

wv: "trugesso" -- soup for truthers.

veni vidi vici said...

to complete my thought above, most run-of-the-mill ordinary gays & lesbians, who are as normal as anyone, don't obsess about these kinds of things. Only the more asshole-ish types.

I wouldnt' be surprised if the same percentage of the general LGBT population afflicted with that condition were reflected in the percentage of the hetero population that has unhealthy obsessions about "queers" and such. Seems to be part of the general human condition, after all; no one's got a monopoly on purity.


wv: "realit" -- "EEEEEEEE!!!!!"

vbspurs said...

LOL. First gluelube now trugresso.

Original Mike said...

We should really take lessons from liberals, who are much more sophisticated about protesting.

Victoria, I've always liked this one, myself.

Matt Eckert said...

I always knew that Janet was gay. It's the haircut I tell you.

LouisAntoine said...

Ok so, to review: Matt Drudge, a guy who many people allege is gay but who furiously denies it, puts up a photo of Napolitano, another person who denies being gay, that insinuates that she's gay and a lecher to boot.

First, ha ha ha; if you think that is funny, you have the sense of humor of a small boy, which, good for you and all, but I can mock you for it.

Second, Matt Drudge is a hypocrite and a scumbag.

veni vidi vici said...

Incidentally, a few years ago a nightclub a few blocks from my house began a night called "Teabag"; at the time, the DMV had available (and didnt' reject outright) the license plate "TEABAGR" (I checked it for a laugh one night with my ex-wife). The right kind of small-government conservative would've had a field day with that on his/her car!



wv: "fozolla" -- a species of unshaved Italian teabagging.

vbspurs said...

That Napoleono

Not that "Dammit" Janet Napolitano isn't like a mini-me version of Napoleon, only much much less talented obviously, but it was another Eyetie who did the jut-back jaw thing.

Mussolini.

vbspurs said...

It's the haircut I tell you.

Someone is a fan of Vince Vaughn in "Four Christmasses".

Haircuts don't lie.

veni vidi vici said...

Third, Monty Monty needs to get uncorked. Stat. Titus, where are you? Do the man a favor and loosen him up.


p.s. that's not an attack, just pointing out the uptightness around certain parts. Who cares whether or not Janet Napoleono or Matt Drudge is gay? She's a bigtime government secretary with a high-profile portfolio, and he's making fun of her using pics of her and subjects coming under her portfolio.

Step back from your trouser-obsession and join the rest of us. Or, alternatively, go get plumbed so you can relax a little. Friday night's all right for that sort of thing... in fact, there's a club around here called "Teabag" you might be interested in checking out. I say that as a friend!

veni vidi vici said...

Isnt' that a version of the "thousand mile stare"?

Chip Ahoy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LouisAntoine said...

Just perusing the CV of the "untalented" Napolitano, who appears to be a fine person with many accomplishments. I wonder if her detractors are more accomplished, envious, or if they simply hate women.

vbspurs said...

Victoria, I've always liked this one, myself.

Ooh, I remember seeing that for the first time. I was literally GOBSMACKED. Only the faint sounds of frustration and incomprehension were released from my mouth.

How can they be so complicitly STUPID? AGAIN?

former law student said...

Hard to predict sexual orientation from hairstyle. Janet has the same sort of haircut I've seen on many new moms -- with a baby to take care of they have little time to fuss with their hair. Many women over 40 decide to switch to shorter hair because it's easier to manage.

AllenS said...

Good point, fls. It's also easier to color to remove the graying process.

Anonymous said...

It's to illustrate the concentration of power, and to show that the I-am-the-Decider mentality that W was infamous for carries on strong in the Obama administration.

Do you ever read something about the administration that says someone other than the President made a decision?

Nope! It's always Obama this, Obama that, even if (as you can see visually here) Obama is not involved.

It's for precisely this reason that Napolitano made so many mistakes and looked so stupid on TV after the Christmas Day bomber incident. She couldn't look at the situation as an executive administrator with any power... instead, everything had to go through Obama. Anything that was done-- and even anything of substance that was said-- had to have his seal on it.

The process of making department heads into political eunchs has been going on since Clinton. W refined it, and now Obama is pushing it even further.

That's the point of the photo-- to show that we have turned the executive branch into essentially an Emperorship. Would it really be any different if the word "WHITEHOUSE" were replaced with "IMPERIAL HOUSE"?

This is how we begin the new 21st-century-style Princeps. Not exactly like the one of old, but rather a new version for the modern world. It's Princeps 2.0-- alpha release!

Original Mike said...

How can they be so complicitly STUPID? AGAIN?

Don't know much about history,...

vbspurs said...

Is it the haircuts?

Men who look like Lesbians

Cheers,
Victoria

Arturius said...

They are the ones who are incensed that security is not strip searching every Muslim in America.

Considering that every major act of airline terrorism over the last three decades has been by Muslims, specifically Arab males between the ages of 17 and 40 I’ve yet to hear a logical reason as to why the left doesn’t think they should be subjected to a higher level of scrutiny.

Freeman Hunt said...

Monty, none of your links shows anyone calling himself a "teabagger." You linked to evidence of individual protesters making jokes about teabagging, but nothing about anyone unwittingly calling himself a "teabagger."

Also, there is nothing wrong with people sending tea bags to their Congress people in protest. Tea bag does not = "teabagging." There is nothing awkward about referencing the Tea Party of the past using tea.

Arturius said...

Hard to predict sexual orientation from hairstyle. Janet has the same sort of haircut I've seen on many new moms -- with a baby to take care of they have little time to fuss with their hair.

Except for the fact that Janet isn't a new mom with a baby to take care of. That we know of I should add.

vbspurs said...

There is nothing awkward about referencing the Tea Party of the past using tea.

WHAT! SACRILEGE! I am still British enough not to like the continued waste of tea.

Freeman Hunt said...

As for the Drudge image, there is no implication at all that she is looking at a little girl. That is not the body of a little girl.

As for implying that Napolitano is a lesbian, that's tasteless.

In fact, I don't want to be confronted with the reality that these bureaucrats have any sort of sex at all. Le gag.

Freeman Hunt said...

Except for the fact that Janet isn't a new mom with a baby to take care of. That we know of I should add.

Call Andrew!

Arturius said...

I wonder if her detractors are more accomplished, envious, or if they simply hate women.

It is my understand that she was quite an accomplished governor and perhaps that was her particular calling and not heading up Homeland Security. I know this is difficult for some people to grasp but being 'accomplished' at one thing does not make you an expert on everything. Michael Jordan was a legendary basketball player yet his career in baseball was nothing short of dismal.

To think that someone who is highly successful in one area can simply transfer that to any other area of expertise is folly of the highest order. It has nothing to do with hating women.

Anonymous said...

"I wonder if her detractors are more accomplished, envious, or if they simply hate women."

No, we just don't want pervert lesbians looking into our 11-year-old daughters' panties at the airport.

The system worked.

vbspurs said...

To think that someone who is highly successful in one area can simply transfer that to any other area of expertise is folly of the highest order.

Watch out, this could be used for any politician seeking the White House. Like Palin. The Presidency is sui generis -- no amount of preparation will really determine your proficiency for it.

I've heard of loads of deficit-hating Arizonites who hated Napolitano for that and her border control issues, but on paper, she has the skills and experience to be assigned a national government job. An ex-Attorney General who had been involved in the Oklahoma City bombing investigation. An ex-governor.

People are chosen because they have faith in your leadership abilities. She showed them she had them, at least on paper. It's not working out, spectacularly so, but that doesn't mean she should've been derailed previously.

traditionalguy said...

Wondering if we are seeing "The White House" word logo replacing the Obama sun symbolism rune from the campaign and coronation. I recall that the swaztika/hagencruz symbol was everywhere all over everything the last time a personal ruler took over the German democracy. Hmmm.

garage mahal said...

Why do liberals refer to the Tea Party protestors as 'teabaggers' which, as I am sure you're well aware, a perjorative homosexual slur.

I'll say this again, "tea-bagging" was never the pejorative of strictly a homosexual act. Look it up.

But of course the tea partiers understandably don't like to be associated with the term, homosexual or not. Like they wouldn't like to be coined "The Dirty Sanchez's", either .

Penny said...

Back to EDH's original question:

"As a photographer, maybe Althouse can explain why the NYT photo editor didn't crop that front-page, above-the-fold photo of Napolitano, but instead shared the frame to included a widescreen video monitor next to her..."

Perhaps because the photographer or editor was well entrenched in the "rule of thirds" for photo composition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds

Methadras said...

Interesting juxtaposition on Drudge of showing another Janet (who is clearly a homosexual) positioned right next to a scan of a female showing the naughty bits. Janet's pose is one of blissful satisfaction and then you have nudie girl right next to it.

veni vidi vici said...

"Hard to predict sexual orientation from hairstyle."

True dat. To whit, one of the hottest women ever, modeling many a style but sporting for herself under the wigs one that would make a burly prison guard proud (and wearing it as sexily as anything):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6f593X6rv8

vbspurs said...

I just checked Memeorandum, and I KNEW the liberals would try to get payback for "The System Worked".

Rudy Giuliani just said we had no domestic attacks under Bush, which obviously sounds weird, but I've used the phrase myself. I suspect he means, as I do that we had none after 2002, since 2001 is tied to 9/11 and Richard Reid.

vbspurs said...

wv: clitser! That's for you, Janet.

Penny said...

"In fact, I don't want to be confronted with the reality that these bureaucrats have any sort of sex at all. Le gag."

You made me laugh with that one, Freeman. Not so much imagining bureaucrats having sex, because we know they do, but laughing at just how BAD that sex must be, given the enthusiasm, or lack thereof, they apply to their jobs.

veni vidi vici said...

'spurs, that last wv is simply unbelievable!

vbspurs said...

I've failed to type really racist seeming word verifications, VVV, because they embarrassed me. But I wonder...who is behind these?

vbspurs said...

OT: Rush Limbaugh is reading an email where the correspondent inquired if the new body scanners can determine the length of his penis.

LOL.

Arturius said...

Watch out, this could be used for any politician seeking the White House. Like Palin. The Presidency is sui generis -- no amount of preparation will really determine your proficiency for it.

Well in all honesty, I don’t believe Palin was cut out for the job either. In fact, on the GOP ticket, probably the only one who had the best qualifications was Romney with Guliani a distant second. You don’t have to be the brightest bulb in the room but rather just smart enough to surround yourself with the brightest bulbs which is something the last several Presidents didn’t do IMO.

Roger J. said...

I dont see what Ms Napolitano's sexual orientation has to do with anything--or for that matter Mr. Drudges.

That said, our good friend Monty was taken with Ms Napolitano's CV--Me? less so--I was more taken with her abject performance on the news circuit after xmas--that was genuinely classic bullshit.

I was also taken by her earlier assessment that the threats to this country's security come from ex military, and gun loving supremacists--

I was also taken by what seems to be her personal vendetta against the Arizona sheriff who is the bete noir for liberals

In short--Ms Napolitano does not appear to me, given her demonstrated performance, to be able to find her ass with both hands in the dark.

It isnt about sexuality--its about competence--and Ms Napolitano continues to demonstrate her lack of competence.

Of course thats just my .02

Anonymous said...

"Hard to predict sexual orientation from hairstyle."

No, it's not difficult at all.

People are remarkably good at accurately identifying the sexual orientation of a person based solely on their looks. And people do it extremely fast - most times in less than 50 miliseconds.

http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2009/12/people_identify_the_sexual_ori.php

Everybody in the know knows.

If you don't know, you aren't in the know.

Hoosier Daddy said...

I'll say this again, "tea-bagging" was never the pejorative of strictly a homosexual act. Look it up.

I wouldn’t question garage on this. He’s an expert on this sort of thing ;-)

vbspurs said...

Hey! Guess which website Rush is reading? No, not Althouse, though that would be kewl.

Chip Ahoy said...

Er, hakenkreuz.

garage mahal said...

Rudy Giuliani just said we had no domestic attacks under Bush, which obviously sounds weird, but I've used the phrase myself. I suspect he means, as I do that we had none after 2002, since 2001 is tied to 9/11 and Richard Reid.

Pretty soon, according to Giuliani and the Right, it will be a given that Obama was solely responsible for 9/11.

Hoosier Daddy said...

My next tattoo might be the image of a teabag with "GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME LIPTON!!" wrapped around it.

Or I'd use Twinings if vsburs approved.

Anonymous said...

I dont see what Ms Napolitano's sexual orientation has to do with anything ..."

It goes to the heart of why Naplitano might want to get a peek under pre-pubescent girls' clothing at public airport security kiosks.

We know that type of security check isn't keeping terrorists off airplanes. Hell, the State Department is issuing terrorists visas to come here for Christ sakes. Even when warned by the terrorists parents. Of course they're going to waltz onto airplanes.

So the motive of why Napalitano wants to institute full naked scans of children at airports it is now under discussion.

Some are reasonably questioning their motives.

I myself believe it's only because she's a sick pervert - based solely on Montagne Montaigne's protestations to the contrary.

Matt Eckert said...

Of course not all Janet's who like sports and have a mullet are gay. So you shouldn't profile.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Montagne:

When it panders, who would you say is the NYT's lowest common denominator?

Anonymous said...

Why do conservatives think any woman in any kind of position of power is a lesbian? Is it because they are trollish meatheads, regressive traditionalists, or just idiots?

When I was younger, I was liberal, and even then (35 years), the very essence of being liberal was being so very very concerned about homosexuals. Why this is so, I simply cannot understand, now that I am entering my dotage. But, being righteously concerned and protective of homosexuals is part of the liberal religion.

MM hasn't outgrown this fixation. You've got to wonder why. I could guess that lifelong adolescence is the foundation of liberalism.

MM is so, so concerned about and protective of homosexuals. Nobody should ever make fun of homosexuals, because homosexuals are, you know, sacred. Of course, nobody ever makes fun of heterosexuals. Especially, we know, gays are saints who would never even think about ridiculing heteros. Nor would gays ever do something so terrible as to contrive conspiracy theories to blame hetero men for all the ills of humanity (i.e., the cursed patriarchy).

The idiot here, of course, is the ever posturing MM. Displaying one's halo (odd given the apparent rejection of religion by liberals) is the standard posture of the liberal. MM is a pro at this. Ann Coulter is right on the mark here. Liberalism is the secular religion of idiots.

Liberals have their pantheon of saints... black, gays and women. How dare anybody make jokes about these sainted, oppressed, suffering martyrs? MM, I promise never to make fun of homos. They're being tortured, strung up and oppressed all over Kansas right now. Impossible to even count the bodies.

Must be tens of thousands of victims. Oh, no! I forgot, tens of thousands of gay men killed themselves by causing the AIDS epidemic.

Of course, the AIDS epidemic is the fault of hetero men. Right? Those poor homos killed themselves because hetero men made them feel bad about themselves.

vbspurs said...

Or I'd use Twinings if vsburs approved.

The Queen likes Twinings (Earl Grey, eww), but I prefer PG Tips. Strong builders tea, that's the ticket! Up the workers!

Fred4Pres said...

Off topic but it does involve the opposition to the White House so indulge me:

Sarah Palin is ditching CPAC because the Birchers are a co-host. Smart move, dumb? My guess it is the smart move, given that the Birchers, while I sympathize with their little "l" libertarianism, are a bit odd. Plus, it is usually wise for a conservative to quitely ask themselves before an important decision: "What would WFB, Jr. do?" (Christopher Buckley might consider that). I mean, I may have disagreements about Ike, but I do not think he was a Communist.

Ralph L said...

A former boss of mine tried to beg, borrow, or steal an image of the WH in the oval for use in vugraphs. IIRC, it's owned by the WH press association, not the government, and they didn't release it.

Matt Eckert said...

Now some Janet's would make anybody a lesbian.

Synova said...

"Why do conservatives think any woman in any kind of position of power is a lesbian? Is it because they are trollish meatheads, regressive traditionalists, or just idiots?"

What is this about? I mean, I know I've heard people wonder if she is, but I don't care and the people wondering really didn't care either and was only presented as idle speculation, not vital importance. It's certainly irrelevant.

But what brought it up just now? The picture of the "see under your clothes" thing?

I didn't see an implication of lesbian there. Not even!

What I saw, and what I see every time, is that the "full body scan" is ALWAYS a female image. It is always a female image, not because Janet Napolitano would rather oggle women than men. She may, in fact, far prefer to oggle men's dangly bits... BUT THEY CAN'T PRINT THOSE IN NEWSPAPERS. The "full body scan" images are always female images, every single last time, because women don't have penises and the viewing public can be safely shown naked barbie, even with slight nipples showing, while naked anatomically correct ken would violate decency standards.

(Child pornography laws prohibit the scanning of underage persons in Briton... and most certainly would also do so in the US.)

Now, perhaps, the picture could have shown Obama who wants to see us naked alongside the female image, but apparently it's Napolitano's job so she gets the picture.

Is it a sexual suggestion because of the detail shown that approximates nakedness? Yes.

Is it a lesbian suggestion? No.

Anonymous said...

@shoutingthomas- Everybody needs a hero, don't they? Someone to believe in, someone to fight for, someone to give fodder for the political knee-jerk circle-jerk?

I think you are correct. But those on the Right also bring the same sort of stupid saint-worship mentality to politics. Jesus might be their guiding saint because it's convenient for them. Or it might be worshiping Sarah Palin The Great, who (in a Madonna-esque triumph of postmodernism) can be whatever you want to her to be! Or extending sainthood to traditional families "persecuted" by the terrifying gay mafia.

I think this all began with the idea that the personal is political. Or at least that notion catapulted Americans toward this insatiable thirst for political domination over the "other"-- whatever that other is. It started on the Left in the way you describe, but the Right has picked up the technique and will continue to use it as much as they can.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I'll say this again, "tea-bagging" was never the pejorative of strictly a homosexual act. Look it up.


Ok. Not strictly homosexual, but still.....a pejorative and sexual term intended as a slur.

Re: sending tea bags as a protest. That is because Americans rarely use loose leaf tea and make abominable tea with tea bags.

To make Victoria proud: I use a silver tea ball with loose leaf tea in a ceramic tea pot, with a tea cosy using boiling boiling boiling hot water, and make only 2 to 4 cups at a time. No dunking up and down stupid stale bags of tea.

Although, instead of tea bags, it would be fun to send a bunch of messy loose leaf tea that falls out of the envelopes and makes a big mess.

Matt Eckert said...

Now Monty likes some Janet's because she stayed at his motel. He even wanted to introduce her to his mother. But it didn't work out.

garage mahal said...

It goes to the heart of why Naplitano might want to get a peek under pre-pubescent girls' clothing at public airport security kiosks.

Yet, Napolitano isn't the one talking about pre-pubescent girls' and lesbians, you are. It's okay, I always believed almost every woman at one time or another in their life thought about doing another woman. Give us your story Florida. What super hot chick's pussy did you see that you wanted to go all down on, real bad? What's your type? And sorry, men are wired differently, I don't have any stories to share. Otherwise I would.

master cylinder said...

is Florida kidding?

Irene said...

Hard to predict sexual orientation from hairstyle. Janet has the same sort of haircut I've seen on many new moms. . .

It's alos the same sort of haircut that people who've completed chemotherapy sport about eight months after the end of treatment.

rhhardin said...

The oustanding question is: whose hands are those?

Synova said...

"It started on the Left in the way you describe, but the Right has picked up the technique and will continue to use it as much as they can."

It only seems fair.

I think that you vastly overstate the extent to which people apply worship to one concept or person or another, however. It seems to me that conservatives were accused of doing that with Bush but the proof of it wasn't if a person took everything he said as gospel, but whether or not they outright hated him.

I saw something similar recently in relation to Michael Yon - some "moderate" woman blogger was saying he was a dishonest journalist because he didn't report correctly and trying to figure out what she held as a standard for this (Yon reports quite narrowly from what he directly observes and reserves his analysis for what is going on in front of him) was an exercise in futility. She apparently, without ever being there, knew what he was leaving out of his reports. To be honest he was supposed to include some important subtext or context or *something*, but she wouldn't say what it was.

It's very hard not to conclude that she viewed him as dishonestly and blatantly pro-war (while people like myself don't feel he *promotes* war at all, and certainly has been freely critical from the very start) simply because he is not blatantly anti-war. He doesn't *choose* the stories that will be sure to engender anti-war sentiment. He writes about the soldiers and the waging of the war. He isn't there trying to convince anyone that it shouldn't be waged. That isn't his call to make.

Is the failure to promote the proper thinking what leads to a charge of dishonesty?

It was the same with Bush. "Worship" was defined as not hating his very existence. Is it the same with Palin? If someone doesn't deride her presumption then they worship her? Is it the same with anything else?

It's just another way to say "shut up" in the end.

They aren't *thinking*, they just worship Sarah Palin. They aren't *thinking* they just latch onto this convenient symbol because it's simple. Either yay or nay, it's just a blanket reaction without nuance or understanding or a shading of opinion or mix of agreement and disagreement.

So it's okay to ignore. Just ignore it because it's not actually *real* thought about anything. If it was *real* thought there would be disagreement as well as agreement. People would (as an example) support Bush on the war and disagree about Social Security or illegal immigration or fuss about big spending or think "no child left behind" was a mistake.

Oh wait... they did that. But the *story*, the *spin*, was that people who supported Bush on the war supported him with lock-step obedience. It wasn't true, was never ever true. But that was still the story.

And it's a story you're telling when you talk about saint worship.

Matt Eckert said...

You do have to think that Janet has long been a popular name for women who appreciate other women. Why does it bother you so much Monty?

Synova said...

"What super hot chick's pussy did you see that you wanted to go all down on, real bad? What's your type? And sorry, men are wired differently, I don't have any stories to share."

You can assert that men are wired differently and not catch the vital error in the phrase "what... did you see..?"

Off your game, garage. Sharpen up!

Cedarford said...

Montagne Montaigne said...
Just perusing the CV of the "untalented" Napolitano, who appears to be a fine person with many accomplishments. I wonder if her detractors are more accomplished, envious, or if they simply hate women.



All I see on her CV is lawyering. Now, I know there is a conceit that as generalists, lawyers can be readily inserted into any position as "ace administrators" - even if they are completely clueless of the nuts and bolts mission and expertise of the agency they head.
But this is not really true.
We do not place lawyers with absolutely no economic experience as head of NASA, make them the nextSurgeon General, or head of Treasury.
When we put a lawyer in charge of Labor, we at least want a lawyer that has specialized in aspects of labor relations.
DOD? It kinda helps if the person has had deep national security experience, especially if like Cheney, they did not serve in uniform.
Janet Napolitano had absolutely no national security experience or military background. I don't care if she had good grades in law school or was a fine attorney.

Like her mentors Obama and Jamie Gorelick and Reno - she appears outmatched for the actual duties of her job.
At least Obama, as unqualified as he is, ran for the office and the Repubs had a poor candidate and 7 straight years of Bush bungling to run against.

holdfast said...

Folks - please remember that "Florida" is a Moby.

As to Janet - he incompetence can speak for itself quite nicely, there's no need to dwell on her apparent choice to make her appearance as dude-like as possible. Anyway, my experience with lesbians, especially of the butch variety, is that they tend to be tough as nails - so that would seem to exclude dear Janet.

I would also point out, just for the record, that Sikh terrorists blew up two airliners in 1985, killing all on board Air India 182, and a couple of Japanese baggage handlers unloading CP Air 003.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_India_Bombing

vbspurs said...

Is it a sexual suggestion because of the detail shown that approximates nakedness? Yes.

Is it a lesbian suggestion? No.


Synova, you know I respect your opinions, but this one, I totally disagree with.

It's EVIDENT that Drudge is making a lesbian allusion in posting a photo of Napolitano raising her eyes at the nubile body of a woman (you can see the shadow of her low-riders, her belt buckle, and thong). The juxtaposition makes it seem that she's leering at the woman. Not only that, but there can be no doubt of what Drudge intends to say by the headline! "Big Sis wants to see under your clothes". I really find that very unprofessional on his part. He has a filtered sense of humour about politics, but there are limits even when ribbing the other side.

Incidentally, I happen to think that Napolitano IS a lesbian. There are too many tell-tale signs, which a spinster like Maureen Dowd just doesn't give off, for example. But she has denied it repeatedly, and really, that should be good enough for anyone.

Cheers,
Victoria

garage mahal said...

Off your game, garage. Sharpen up!

I noticed you didn't challenge my assertion about women appreciating other women ;)

Anonymous said...

"is Florida kidding?"

No ... Florida is pointing out how stupid it is when Montainge starts his Teabagging name-calling.

Name-calling works both ways.

If liberals insist on calling conservatives tea-baggers, then I'm going to respond by pointing out that the liberals currently in charge are perverted child porn addicts.

Tossing word bombs will not go unchallenged.

Liberals want conservatives to sit back and takt it. It's how they've succeeded in getting the power they've gotten. Because conservatives were too nice to get in the gutter and give them as much as they get from them.

That shit is over with.

If you call us tea-baggers, then we're going to question why it is that lesbian power types want to look under kids clothing, but not revoke visitor visas.

It seems creepy.

vbspurs said...

To make Victoria proud: I use a silver tea ball with loose leaf tea in a ceramic tea pot, with a tea cosy using boiling boiling boiling hot water, and make only 2 to 4 cups at a time. No dunking up and down stupid stale bags of tea.

Nice, very nice, DBQ. That's the way to do it! Is the ceramic pot a Brown Betty? I have a collection of very fine bone china ones, but the simple 4-cup Brown Betty is my favourite.

Although, instead of tea bags, it would be fun to send a bunch of messy loose leaf tea that falls out of the envelopes and makes a big mess.

That would be the liberal way. Make it gross and such.

vbspurs said...

wv: temptris!!! JANET? No way.

vbspurs said...

OT: Watching the Obama news conference at the moment, and he just said he receives "10 letters per night" from regular folks. Maybe he reads 10 letters a night -- I'm sure he receives many more than just 10.

Michael said...

But wait..."teabaggers" is so very funny and the lefties use it so unsparingly that my sides ache from laughing at their sophisticated cruelty. And don't forget that their insults also include the ever mean, always hurtful, "wingnuts". So watch what you say or one of these hateful zingers could be coming your way.

In the meantime the alleged Detroit bomber suspect has, you guessed it, pleaded not guilty. Guess all we wingnut teabaggers will be up in arms that this guy is trying to defend himself.

Michael said...

10 letters per night!! We only get day deliveries. Not even bills come at night where I reside.

I suspect he is making this up. There probably aren't 10 letters sent by regular mail in the entire U.S. on any given day. People tweet their regards.

Alex said...

Matt... what about the Joooos?

Alex said...

garage, Monty - do you honestly believe that every time you utter "teabaggers" you win over undecided voters to the Dems? Please tell me that you really believe that.

Alex said...

I suspect the Democrats plunging poll ratings have something to do with their incessant use of "teabaggers" reference. The American people are fundamentally against such verbal cruelty and are punishing the Democrats for it.

Fred4Pres said...

Teabagging as a reference to those attending Tea Parties, is intended as a slur. Those who engage in it should be called on it, every time.

So when Anderson Cooper or Chris Matthews say it, someone should ask: "Excuse me, why did you say teabagger? You know that to be a sexual term (for placing one's scrotum in another's mouth). Why is that appropriate for people protesting higher taxes and government spending?"

At a minimum you would get them to shut up for a second. You might even get them to blush.

Unknown said...

I know a lot of Arizonans who rejoiced the day Miss Janet accepted a post in DC. One reason it's not safe to live south of Tucson is "Open Borders" Napolitano.

OT: Don't know if Ann's gonna do a post, but joblessness is way up, like 10%.

But we're gonna have government health care of the same high caliber as the security of our airports.

Matt Eckert said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matt Eckert said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael said...

Fred4Pres

I agree. Vulgarity should not be a substitute for spirited argument or a shorthand, insider code, for the opposition. Most on the left take it for granted that they are smarter, more articulate, better educated, more worldly and more widely read than than those with more conservative views. When they find this not to be true they retreat to their "biting wit."

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile, back in the halls of justice the wheels of unflinching accommodation turn: Jihadist bomber Abdulmutallab pleads not guilty.

And it won't be the last time we all rise to praise Allah.

Matt Eckert said...

Alex said...
Matt... what about the Joooos?

What about them?

(For all of us lesbians)

Alex said...

A number of random observations:

* Althouse likes transparency so she allows all viewpoints free reign on this site, she's loathes an echo chamber

* hard-left liberals are basically cruel people at heart, thus they use pejoratives against conservatives

* I believe hard left liberals also want to bring down people they perceive as having benefited from the Reagan/Bush pro-capitalists regimes. Basically the are class warfare types.

Unknown said...

Michael, unfortunately, you're right. There are people who use vulgarity as a substitute for logic and facts in the hope they can intimidate the people who disagree with them.

Good to see there are people who recognize it for what it is and take a stand.

I realize there are people who get mad enough that they see it as the only way they make the point - at the time. It's not a standard practice, just a sign of frustration.

There are several ladies on this blog I admire who've done that and, while it was disheartening to see it coming from them, I understood what motivated them. They did it rarely. Some people, however, run their mouths like a sewer and it devalues any argument they try to make.

vbspurs said...

10 letters per night!! We only get day deliveries. Not even bills come at night where I reside.

Michael! Don't be so literal, baby. This is what probably happens. Rahm separates a stack of emails and correspondence that were pre-screened by staffers. If past presidential correspondence received by JFK and Nixon are anything to go by (which are available in archives) they contain petitions, gripes and greetings. Rahm then places that on the president's desk, which is probably read later at night, when he has more time to concentrate on each letter.

If this is what happens, I think that's perfect. It's the least a president could do, to read his fellow citizen's personal thoughts.

Cheers,
Victoria

David said...

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!

(opps...sorry for the shouting, but this has to be worst comment thread ever.)

Think I'll go back to the kitchen and finish my tomato sauce.

(And no, that does not mean I'm gay.)

vbspurs said...

We're all reeling under the 50 below weather, David. Not thinking straight or pithily. Tomorrow, it'll be in the 20sF in SOUTH FLORIDA. I hope you guys aren't fond of orange juice this year.

David said...

Yeah. Here in South Carolina there is a lot more fear of snow than terrorists.

Kirk Parker said...

Victoria,

Apparently I'm exceptionally dense today. In the select "Peace" photo, I see a fisheye shot of a lot of presumably deluded folks, but nothing comes close to gobsmacking me. What am I missing?

master cylinder said...

I'm here for the creepy.

master cylinder said...

I'm here for the creepy.

Matt Eckert said...

Hang on Jeremy should be here soon.

former law student said...

I remember that the Office of Presidential Correspondence takes up a lot of space in the Old Executive Office Building. Obama must get thousands of letters every day.

vbspurs said...

Kirk, the moment I reveal it you'll have the V8 moment.

Remember back in 1938, when Neville Chamberlain came back from Munich waving a little piece of paper from Hitler promising he wouldn't continue his Lebensraum initiatives? He said it guaranteed "Peace in our time", which became a rallying cry of the appeasers of the day. Later, when Hitler was shown to be not just a liar but a madman too, it was used against this crowd to beat them over the head. How could you have appeased this monster????

Well, it's easy to give in to those who would destroy you, when you're a pacifist.

Cheers,
Victoria

nrn312 said...

If liberals insist on calling conservatives tea-baggers, then I'm going to respond by pointing out that the liberals currently in charge are perverted child porn addicts.

Good luck with that.

Matt Eckert said...

All of this sex talk has reconfirmed my thoughts about abstinence. I mean I have tried it, but I just can't get into chastity.

Alex said...

Good luck with that.

How is calling people "teabaggers" workin' for ya? Check the Gallup polls lately for Obama, generic Congressional ballot, etc.? Your side is so childish, but keep it up!

Anonymous said...

National Public Radio executives say there will be "no apology" for an animated cartoon on the network's website that has angered thousands of conservatives.

The cartoon, entitled "How to Speak Tea Bag," by satirist Mark Fiore, will remain on the NPR site, executives tell NPR ombudsman Alicia Shepard.

Alex said...

Even Jon Stewart has had enough of Obama's lies:

Jon Stewart calls out Obama's breaking of campaign promises

Anonymous said...

"Good luck with that."

Good luck spending your advertising dollars batting down those rumours.

Penny said...

Just back from Starbucks. I didn't have a book with me so I picked up "What's On", which is an overview of events of interest for the next two weeks in my area.

This caught my eye:

"Meeting 411

On Wed, Jan 20, the monthly meeting of PDA/DFA Progressive Democracy will include a presentation by a counter-recruitment expert. The presentation will address the military's recruitment practices and the dangers inherent in military service."

It goes on to say that Progressive Democracy is a local branch of two national groups, PDA and DFA, that work INSIDE the Democratic Party, as well as independently to promote peace and justice. They say DFA is the country's largest progressive political action community, which has more than 725,000 members.

How sad is this when we have young men and women risking their lives for our freedom. I'm thinking about going to the public library to be a fly on the wall. Who buys into this crap?

Kirk Parker said...

Victoria,

Um, ok. Hopefully your experience of surprise at seeing this was long, long ago. As for me after 8 solid years of Bushitler and Bush Lied, People Died, and the like, I'd only be surprised if such a photo didn't have an amazingly inappropriate slogan on a poster.

In fact, on further reflection, where are they hiding the papier-mâché turtles?

traditionalguy said...

The coming elections are a GOP landslide, unless the smoke filled room strategists pump up a Third party movement to split the anti-Democrat waive into two smaller vote totals. The strong minded need to exercise some staying power inside a renewed GOP. Let's hope that Palin takes that stance, and takes it soon.

vbspurs said...

Um, ok. Hopefully your experience of surprise at seeing this was long, long ago.

Early 2002, IIRC, Kirk. I had grown up in the protest-happy 1980s (in Europe, against NATO/Reagan/the USA/Thatcher/Tories), but I never recall one single person reviving that incredibly stupid slogan. I guess the generation holding up that sign were asleep during history class that day.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

OT: Scott Brown's latest ad, using JFK's words and image -- something which has outraged the Kennedy family. As Brown said, though, "JFK transcends Parties", and I totally agree.

Contribute to Hottie McAwesome here. I already did (a pittance, but hey).

Cheers,
Victoria

Penny said...

OK, I'm venting now.

Last night I watched Chris Matthews show, and he had Cynthia Tucker on as one of his analysts. The topic was Obama's speech about where the buck stops on matters of national security. For those who may not know her, Tucker is a Pulitzer Prize winning, left wing political commenter for the Atlantic Journal Constitution, and also a Harvard, Nieman Fellow, for those who like that Haawvard thing.

Matthews points out that the President said, and now I will paraphrase from memory, that national security is the job of ALL Americans. He asks Tucker what he meant by that.

Again, I paraphase, but her response was something akin to, if you know of a terrorist, call someone who can do something about it.

My mouth dropped open.

Here is a seemingly accomplished woman, and this was her "best guess" as to what Obama meant?

Do we not ALL know that our collective eyes and ears AND MOUTHS can make a difference?

What if someone who saw that guy slip under the rope at the Newark airport had cried loud and clear in that moment?

What if the couple that saw the well-dressed man assisting the attempted bomber onto the airplane without a visa had stood up to question how ANYONE could fly without a visa?

Not trying to rag too hard on Tucker, who seems to be admired, at least in her leftist circle, but WTF? Call someone if you see someone walking around with a sign saying "I am a terrorist"?

Do we really need Obama to give us an itemized list before we take more personal responsibility for our own safety, if not the safety of our nation?

Kirk Parker said...

"I guess the generation holding up that sign were asleep during history class that day."

What makes you think they even teach that stuff at all, any more?

Anonymous said...

Penny said...
Last night I watched Chris Matthews show, and he had Cynthia Tucker on as one of his analysts...

From Tucker's own lips: "I think 45 to 65% of the people who appear at these groups [town halls] are people who will never be comfortable with the idea of a black president."

Penny said...

"The coming elections are a GOP landslide, unless the smoke filled room strategists pump up a Third party movement to split the anti-Democrat waive into two smaller vote totals."

This happened in NJ's governor's race, tg. Early polls showed Republican candidate Chris Christie with a very large lead over incumbent Democrat, and Obama supported, John Corzine. I point that out because Obama visited NJ almost as much as he visited Europe during the run-up to this election.

Out of nowhere, an Independent candidate appears in this mix, and begins to take momentum away from Christie. The night before the election, I am hoping that the Independent sees his way clear to DROP OUT!

My mind races ahead! I am sure that those registered Independent, PLUS those folks who are getting in sync with the teabag movement, although registered democrats, PLUS those who just want to vote out the incumbents, will see this whatshisname third party candidate as their personal Jesus, or at least a "savior" of some sort. As this played out in real time, I even got to worrying that the democrats had purposely put this third candidate out there to split the Republican/Independent vote. Hey, it's NJ after all. No one who lives here, regardless of party affiliation, would see this as meeting the test of "conspiracy theory". It's the NJ politics we've come to accept.

Thank goodness! It didn't happen!

All in all, people are well aware that you need to WIN to directly influence the next "x" years, and they went with the candidate, Christie, who was FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, plus, had the backing of one of the two major parties, plus, was NOT AN INCUMBENT.

Red people, republicans, purple people, independents, and pissed off blue people in a VERY blue state, said, ENOUGH!

Personally, I'm very grateful to each and every teabagger for all their actions. It made this result possible, even in a very politically corrupt blue state.

Deborah M. said...

Tucker is a Pulitzer Prize winning, left wing political commenter for the Atlantic Journal Constitution, and also a Harvard, Nieman Fellow, for those who like that Haawvard thing.

I know that's a typo but it's the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. Not that I'm proud of the fact.

Penny said...

Whew!

Sorry for spewing, but I had a few things I needed to get off my chest.

Now that I've done that, I think I will head on over to Trooper York's, where "getting things off my chest" takes a very different turn. At Troop's place, "blue" is a color of respect.

Penny said...

Thanks for the correction, Deborah. A typo, but now that it's been pointed out, I can rag my fellow Althousian for his usual "measured response"

Tg, she's from Atlanta!

Palladian said...

Florida is Jeremy, Alex is Titus, Montagne Montaigne is a silly twat and I'm out of here!

Goodnight everybody, enjoy the buffet!

Palladian said...

shoutingthomas said:
Must be tens of thousands of victims. Oh, no! I forgot, tens of thousands of gay men killed themselves by causing the AIDS epidemic.


Fuck you.

That you divide "homos" and "heteros" as if they're two different species, one human the other something lesser, is telling. Gay people make this same divisive, binary mistake just as much as non-gay people.

There is no "us and them" regarding human sexuality. There is only us, humanity.

And I can say, I'm not very proud that you're one of us.

Palladian said...

master cylinder said...

"is Florida kidding?"

Florida is playing a game. From the tone of the writing I do believe it's someone we've all seen here before as my joke comment above suggests. Notice how Florida stresses words by typing them in all caps, especially the word YOU used in an accusatory manner.

Now who else do we know who does that?

JAL said...

From Tucker's own lips: "I think 45 to 65% of the people who appear at these groups [town halls] are people who will never be comfortable with the idea of a black president."

I AM SO DAMNED TIRED OF THIS CLAP TRAP.

Matt Eckert said...

I AM SO DAMNED TIRED OF THIS CLAP TRAP.

vbspurs said...

To followup on Neville Chamberlain's famous line: Peace in our Time.

I just bought this Kindle book, Munich, 1938: Appeasement and World War II, which is said to be the most comprehensive study to date of the infamous conference.

On checkout, I was redirected to this book which Amazon helpfully thought I might like (I do!):

Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime.

The only reason I mention this, is that my attention was caught by the Book Description on the official Amazon page. It contains a rather startling quote by Barack Obama. Maybe you had heard it, but I hadn't.

Editorial Reviews
Book Description

"This shit would be really interesting if we weren't in the middle of it."
—Barack Obama, September 2008


LOL! Is this true? Or has the page been "Wikijacked"? (My coinage for when a Wiki page has been hijacked, altered with false info). I screencapped it just in case.

Oh that Barry. If he said more things like that, I might start to like him better.

Cheers,
Victoria

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
traditionalguy said...

JRH...Ron Paul is not a serious conservative anymore than Adolph Hitler was a serious anti-communist. Paul can say some right things, but he has a lifetime agenda of being a paranoid "only I am the knowledgeable one" cult leader. Therefore he is a Moby within the GOP. Think it over. Then admit that we Rightists are not the fools falling for that after all. Sorry about that.Better luck next time.

JAL said...

After I posted I saw Palladian's third departure note ( Notice how Florida stresses words by typing them in all caps, posted at the same time (snap!) as mine and I went off laughing, determined I was done for the evening.

But no, I had to come back and find Matt seemingly has been imbibing and Victoria's claiming fabricated quotes.

(I don't think BO said it, Victoria, as I don; think he could be bothered to be interested in that stuff ... except as how it could be played.)

traditionalguy said...

Penney...Cynthia Tucker had a regular column in the AJC for 20 years. In that time she has never ever saw a single issue in the political world that was not really about whites somehow secretly victimizing blacks.That was an easy column to write since no one wanted to challege her views and be seen as defending "rascism". And her reasoning was usually so blatantly wrong anyway that she was a harmless joke. Therefore Cynthia has never had to think critically about any subject and seems to expect to always be applauded for being a black woman who can express an opinion, whether it makes any sense or not.

Anonymous said...

@traditionalguy wrote:

Paul... has a lifetime agenda of being a paranoid "only I am the knowledgeable one" cult leader.

No, I don't see that. He is a libertarian and he seemed to promote the small-government position without being egotistical about it. Palin seems much more like a cult leader to me, especially in her concern about her image.

My "Rightist fools" comment was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but perhaps that wasn't so wise in such a heated thread; hence it is gone now.

traditionalguy said...

JRH... You may be new to knowing any nut jobs that infest the outer limits of the right wing. Ron Paul is a lifer in the John Birch mind control cult. He is also a good actor with a Texas crusty personality that can draw some support from younger folks that admire him for his boldness. But he is a deadly wolf in a libertarian sheeps clothing. As to Palin, we are watching her moves and see no flaw in her for being a charismatic leader. Would you rather a leader like Romney who makes AlGore look lively? If she can run the floor defended by liberals and MSM folks in fear of her, as well as the country club Republcans embarrased by her Andy Jackson like life history and real religious faith, then she will have proven that she is a savy point guard and not an actress. Stay tuned.

James said...

So what was the tip off? The fact that Big Sis was vacationing in San Francisco when the bombing occurred?


http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20091227/pl_cq_politics/politics3273705

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CROWLEY: President Obama remains on Christmas vacation in Hawaii, but has been getting frequent briefings on the investigation into that attempted airplane bombing. International airline passengers, as well as those traveling here in the United States, now face even tighter security checkpoints, and the Obama administration is reviewing security measures that are already in place to address the terrorists threat.

Joining us now from San Francisco is homeland security secretary, Janet Napolitano.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LonewackoDotCom said...

Could Althouse stop playing games for once? I realize the circus draws a crowd, but if she wants to actually do something effective she could discuss Jeff Zeleny or Janet Napolitano in a way that would actually improve things in the U.S.

Write her and suggest she cover important things in an effective way for a change.

Penny said...

"Therefore Cynthia has never had to think critically about any subject and seems to expect to always be applauded for being a black woman who can express an opinion, whether it makes any sense or not."

Well, we all "expect", tg, and maybe that is the real rub.

I honestly wasn't trying to bring down Cynthia Tucker as much as I was trying to show "the great unwashed masses" that someone who gets paid for their analyses, can sometimes be`totally blind to common sense.

If I had gone out and interviewed people on the street about what Obama meant by "we are all responsible for our national security", most of us, who, oh by the way, have no Pulitzer Prizes, nor Harvard, Nieman fellowships, would say SOMETHING,... ANYTHING, that made more sense than "If you see a terrorist, call someone."

vbspurs said...

JAL wrote:

Victoria's claiming fabricated quotes.

(I don't think BO said it, Victoria, as I don; think he could be bothered to be interested in that stuff ... except as how it could be played.)


I would normally agree if it had been a Wikipedia entry. But we're talking of the OFFICIAL Amazon Books entry for "Game Change". TTBOMK, average joes do not have a way of altering Amazon webpages, so I must conclude that if Amazon are quoting that as part of the book description, then Senator Barack Obama did say that.

JC said...

One stands upon a podium. It's the riser on which one can place a lectern, the obelisk upon which one can place one's notes, books, bible, or cheatsheet.
One rehearses one's performance of an artistic or intellectual work, one practices for feats of strength.
Sheesh, what do folks learn in elementry schools nowadays anyway.

traditionalguy said...

Penney...Cynthia Tucker is a nice person who tries to say something that sounds intelligent about whatever is in the news. That's fine. But she has not ever used analysis tools to get her readers any closer to answers to the conundrums she talks confidently about, except to point out that the white society is to blame for everything missing in life. That's fine. She is just not the go to person for solutions, like you pointed out. But she is a nice person with some color in her skin tone that has been abundantly promoted for those reasons alone. Welcome to Atlanta society's polite way of relating among our nice cousins.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I want to play something, con el permiso de todos.

John Lennon - nesesitamos dejar de comer mierda.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Tu Me Acostumbraste (Chavela Vargas)

garage mahal said...

Lem!
you have mail. Actually, no you don't, su perfil del blogger necesita la atención.

AST said...

That Drudge photo is probably about as prurient as it gets. Most of the actual images would quickly turn looking under people's clothing a new form of torture. Besides, I don't think anybody gets any jollies from looking at negatives.

What that photo makes me wonder is whether that guy's "bomb" would show up if he had been carrying it in a body cavity.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Penny said...

"Goodnight everybody, enjoy the buffet!"

*applauds*

Gotta LOVE, Palladian.

Now that's a REAL queer I can stand behind.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Palladian said...

"Gotta LOVE, Palladian.

Now that's a REAL queer I can stand behind."

Um, stand in front, honey. I'm a top.

Palladian said...

MADISON AUDIENCES ARE THE GREATEST AUDIENCES IN THE WORLD!

GOODNIGHT!

Synova said...

You know that I'm not opposed in a knee-jerk way to the idea that Cynthia Tucker might be promoted past her ability to analyze events because she presented a desirable face to appear on television "And now, lets see what black woman thinks..."

I'm sure that does happen.

HOWEVER...

It really does not explain Maureen Dowd. *Therefore* I must conclude that we should not make assumptions.

garage mahal said...

MADISON AUDIENCES ARE THE GREATEST AUDIENCES IN THE WORLD!

Uh yea. Bossa Dorado! C'mon! You won't hear much of that in bum fuck NY. Do try to keep up.

Penny said...

"Um, stand in front, honey.".

I love it!

It seems Palladian has assumed a directorial position.

Of course my eyes are on how well this plays out with our leading lady?

Palladian said...

"It seems Palladian has assumed a directorial position.

Of course my eyes are on how well this plays out with our leading lady?"

Actors should be treated like cattle.

Derve Swanson said...

Um, stand in front, honey. I'm a top.

LOL! And that my friends, is the line of the night.

Go to bed -- you're 5 minutes of fame are up on all threads. You and Lem, still up churning copy on the Althouse blog for some odd reason. You'd think you name was up there on the masthead to be following so closely...

But playing a top, huh? Sure had me fooled.

Palladian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Palladian said...

Eh, it's not worth it.

I'm not currently in the US. Will you Amuricans wake up already? It's getting really boring around here.

vbspurs said...

Synova wrote:

Is the failure to promote the proper thinking what leads to a charge of dishonesty?

THAT'S IT IN A NUTSHELL. Without the censuring editorial voice around an article or person, they then become enablers in the eyes of the progressives of the world.

If you talk about Bush in a neutral tone, that is WRONG and dangerous. You are clearly a liar, to boot, because it's evident that he's a damnable monster. For you to avoid a sneering tone when speaking of him, is in effect, to enable his evil, and to lie to protect him.

This is a plug-and-play philosophy, Synova, as you know.

It's not just Bush, it can be anything which the elite chattering classes perceive as egregious.

Cheers,
Victoria

Trochilus said...

You can almost sense the ghost of Alexander Haig, lurking in the background, and then suddenly grabbing for the microphone and declaring, in error, " ... I am are in control here ..." (It has very frequently been misquoted as, I'm in charge here.)

Whatever . . . the point is that they were crawling all over one another, all week long, to counter the idiotic and frightening impressions, initially given by Janet Napolitano, that the system had worked.

But the truth was that they were ALL in denial . . . skiing, golfing, surfing, not coming back to town . . . and now that the opinion polls are rolling in, they have to overcompensate by pretending they are doing something.

But all that anyone with any common sense can think is, "Oh, Lordy! Hillary was right about that damn telephone call! Now what do we do?"