Martin Luther King Day Open Thread

Obamania can go to far.  And since you asked, yes, I look this good.  But it's not about me - in what I fervently hope will be my last-ever defense of George Bush let me note that a guy who could bench press 185 five times and run three miles at a 6:45 pace probably would look good at the beach.  However, he is heavy enough (5' 11'', 190-ish) that he probably doesn't have Obama's cut.

TO MUCH MORE:  Runner's World has a 2002 photo of Bush in a wet t-shirt and we learn this:

I make time to run or exercise every day. There's never a question in my mind that I'll exercise. Even when I travel, there's always a treadmill in my room. I have a treadmill on Air Force One. On long trips-for example, when I went to Europe recently-I ran for 90 minutes on the flight over there. When I came back from China, I ran on the flight.

Usually I run 6 days a week. When I don't run, I use an elliptical trainer, lift weights, and stretch. But when I run, I run hard. On Sundays, if I'm at Camp David, I'll go for a hard, morning run-these days about 20:30 to 20:45 for 3 miles on a tough course-and then I'll go walk 2 to 4 miles with Laura [the First Lady] afterward.

Comments

[Neo]

They say that DC is "hot as Hell" in the summer. I see the high tomorrow is 30F.

Has Hell frozen over ?

[bunky]

C-Span is unwatchable.

[JJ]

I like George Bush. Perfection, no. But beware the approaching tsunami of PC at him. I forecast nauseous but hope it fizzles.

[Dave]

Yeah, because Dubya was famous for his lack of physical fitness.

[clarice]

I'm reliably informed that helping wives with the yard and housework is really the best way to stay toned. Want a six pack? Haul in the groceries.

[Neo]

The Dalai Lama, a lifelong champion of non-violence on Saturday candidly stated that terrorism cannot be tackled by applying the principle of ahimsa because the minds of terrorists are closed.

This may point to a real problem for "The One"

[bunky]

Yeah right Clarice. I do all of that plus the trash. Maybe it's the donuts.

[Jane]

I was hoping we had been saved from the dreaded preview problem - but it looks like not.

[Captain Hate]

I'm reliably informed that helping wives with the yard and housework is really the best way to stay toned.

Is Mrs Hate your source?

btw, I really hate to give Slick credit for anything positive but, maybe because of the heart attack, he's gone from being a tubbo to looking pretty slim. Although when he was in office the shots in jogging shorts of those pasty fat-woman legs were truly vomit-inspiring.

[sbw]

Captain! Stop it! People don't deserve to have to deal with such mental images.

[bad]

Captain, don't tell Mrs. Hate, but you provide a great deal of pleasure.

[jean]

When did it become popular for men to be hair free on their chest?It has to be painful to get that way.I thought only women did painful things in the name of beauty

[Neo]

In an interview with ESPN, Robinson described Obama's floor game like this: Barack is a left-handed player who can only go to his left. He's got a long frame. He'd rather drive than shoot. He isn't much of a passer.

[Captain Hate]

Thanks bad; I was beginning to think that I was getting no responses to some of my comments because I was being overly offensive, which I can be at times.

[sbw]

Neo, we didn't need Robinson to tell us O can only go to his left and would rather drive than shoot. Left is his nature and shooting exposes one to failure.

[bad]

Captain, your posts are a thing of beauty. My children (15 and up) are known to roll on the floor from some of the more inspirational passages.

[Jane]

I was beginning to think that I was getting no responses to some of my comments because I was being overly offensive, which I can be at times.

There are a bunch of people here who often say it all, so no comment is required. Rick Ballard is one, and PUK, and you often fit that bill as well - with a completely different style I might add.

[clarice]

Confecting a threat of white supremacists.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/01/empty_coffers_rising_threats.html>Make Believe

[Soylent Red]

Uh oh...

More expectations management from the Leftist illuminati. This, from the distinctly left-leaning Foreign Policy Magazine, on why the ain't-gonna-study-war-no-more crowd is going to be sad on the inside.

Go get him Medea! Obama is a war criminal!

[Rick Ballard]

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREVIOUS/NEXT HELL

1. Open comment thread

2. When Previous/Next is encountered, scroll beyond to the COMMENT BOX

3. Without entering any text in the box, click PREVIEW

When the page reloads the entire comment thread will be available - scroll to bottom for latest comments. Opening the comment thread in a new tab allows you to keep track of new comments by clicking to the home page and reloading.

This is what is known as a "kludge fix" - used to deal with situations when the person in charge lacks the ???? to respond to a problem.

[narciso]

Yikes, this thread has already taken a strange turn indeed, but it's all in good fun. So Glenn Beck's on, and well I'll have to watch for obvious reason; the Herald's only conservative tv commentator, Glenn Garvin, who wrote the only good book on the Contras in the 80s "Everybody had his Own Gringo; the CIA and the Contras"(the title is quite misleading)does a profile of him, with the lead guest on the second to last paragraph, on his turn to libertarianism; that seems to be the orientation here, at least on economic grounds. The crisis atmosphere behind the TARP was the final straw, of course, back on the farm, the cows aren't finished chewing their cud; or some other apt Ratherism. Wonder if he'll push on that angle in the interview with her. Of course, glorious coverage of the Obamapalooza yesterday, including in the Post. Well Murdoch lived under Wilson and Gough Whitlam, so it's not surprising, although a little disappointing. So Liz Smith has kind of half retracted her claws, on the subject, as a postscript on the new America; basically saying I told you so
many months back, in her original commentary
on the Mayer piece

[gonk]

George Bush defenses will continue for at least four years and very likely four decades because everything that goes wrong (or fails to go right) will continue to be blamed on him.

[Jane]

everything that goes wrong (or fails to go right) will continue to be blamed on him.

Only by the ignorant

[Rick Ballard]

Clarice,

Interesting comment over at Sweetness & Light:

While I do appreciate that someone is keeping tabs on these loser Nazi-wannabes, shouldn’t the SPLC be far more concerned with the group that is the true threat to black America? The group that rapes, robs, shoots, stabs, murders and addicts more innocent black men, women and children every single day in these United States of America than the Klan could have ever dreamed of doing: Black street gangs.

As we ponder the truly great words of a rather mediocre man (plagiary and adultery notwithstanding) today, it is of interest to note that black men killed 50% more other black men in the US in 2007 than were lynched by whites in the entire 'racist' period. The true evidence of a person's character is provided by the acts in which they engage rather than the sound in the wind which they emit.

Take Timothy Geithner for example....

[Soylent Red]

Clarice:

I hate make-believe Illinois Nazis.

[jean]

Law & Order should have this problem cleared up by now.They are always arresting KKK types and crazy Christians.

[sbw]

I hate make-believe Illinois Nazis.

With the exception of those from the Blues Brothers movies.

[bgates]

Jane - since the ignorant constitute an overwhelming majority of the population, that's a problem.

TM - having manboobs that cast a shadow is not 'cut'.

[Captain Hate]

Law & Order should have this problem cleared up by now.They are always arresting KKK types and crazy Christians.

And gun-nuts; I used to watch it regularly until the eye-rolling at their obvious agendas removed any entertainment value.

[Porchlight]

Captain Hate, I love your posts. Don't ever change. :)

Beautiful day here in central Texas. I hope the dopes in DC are freezing their Obama-style manboobs off. I hope Zero's jugears are bright red with frostbite when he takes the oath tomorrow. I won't ever know if that's the case, though, since I won't be watching.

[Soylent Red]

bgates:

Who knew that man-boobs would become the new "ripped"? Psst...not where I workout.

Zero is a typical gym rat type. Makes a big showy production out of how he goes to the gym every day, but you can look at him and see there's no level of fitness there.

He's all pecs, abs and shoulder work. Skinny little girl forearms and Steve Urkel legs. Doing three or four very heavy reps to build bulk and impress press groupies, but nothing for strength or endurance. I'll bet he can't run a mile at an 8:00 pace.

Have another coffin nail Barry.

[jimmyk]

I used to watch it regularly until the eye-rolling at their obvious agendas removed any entertainment value.

Not only because of the annoying agenda, but because it took the suspense out of the whodunit. Any time there was an anti-abortion activist, a minister associated with the Christian right, an anti-gay rights politician, etc., you could safely assume he was the perp. If a Muslim or gay man was a suspect you could also bet the house that he would be exonerated.

[Captain Hate]

Any time there was an anti-abortion activist, a minister associated with the Christian right, an anti-gay rights politician, etc., you could safely assume he was the perp. If a Muslim or gay man was a suspect you could also bet the house that he would be exonerated.

Bingo

Yes Soylent, the MSM getting the vapors about the "physical fitness" of a nicotine addict reveals their clueless agenda quite openly.

btw, any JOMers live in Philly? After yesterday's game I'm wondering how many women are wearing shades because they "walked into a door".

[Jane]

The 2 border agents have been pardoned.

[bunky]

But not Libby

[bad]

Pardoned or sentences commuted?

[bad]

...several unhappy contenders for the job have told friends and associates in recent days.... that Paterson, after nearly two months of indecision, would "greatly embarrass" and "entirely humiliate" Kennedy, anger her prominent political family and even offend President-elect Barack Obama by picking someone other than President John F. Kennedy's daughter.

Hopefully this will evolve into very nasty infighting as implied in the article. For the children... LUN

[Depressed Atlas]

"Any time there was an anti-abortion activist, a minister associated with the Christian right, an anti-gay rights politician, etc., you could safely assume he was the perp."

Those you can take to the bank. But with L&O you can also add "or any businessman" to the list.

[bad]

Bill Ayers was turned back at the Canadian Border last night:

Dr. William Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois-Chicago and a leader in educational reform, was scheduled to speak at the Centre for Urban Schooling at University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. But that appearance has now been temporarily cancelled.

"I don't know why I was turned back," Ayers said in an interview this morning from Chicago. "I got off the plane like everyone else and I was asked to come over to the other side. The border guards reviewed some stuff and said I wasn't going to be allowed into Canada. To me it seems quite bureaucratic and not at all interesting ... If it were me I would have let me in. I couldn't possibly be a threat to Canada."

The pansy-ass deserters in Toronto must be sooooo disappointed. LUN

[narciso]

Fine let the Princess descended from saloon keepers, bootleggers and yes one President, in; it's like Paterson himself was elected; well he wasn't, And satisfy Kat Parker's aristocratic mien. She picked Biden, "the cigar store indian" so it's only fair that they return the favor. Moynihan is doing cartwheels at was has become of his former
seat.

The Harper regime, is having a little fun, keeping Ayers out of Ontario; so as not to
have him lecture on King's radicalism, Con
Ed boy's arrogance is truly astounding.

[Captain Hate]

Dr. William Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois-Chicago and a leader in educational reform,

Oh really; name me one thing he's done to "reform" anything in education, as in "make better"? The utter banality of evil.

[bad]

Byron York:

“His explanation was kind of, ‘I don’t know — it was stupid, obviously it was a mistake, and I don’t know why I did it,’” recalls a senator who was present during Geithner’s surprise appearance before a members-only meeting of the Senate Finance Committee last week. “What do you say to that?”

…Since their meeting with Geithner was the first time that most senators had heard of the problem, their questions were not terribly detailed; several of the queries were along the lines of “What were you thinking?” And Geithner’s answers were not terribly satisfying. “He can’t offer a specific reason,” says another source familiar with what went on at the meeting. “He doesn’t really have an answer. He just didn’t know.”

That is sooooooo reassuring....but what's he gonna say... stupid or crooked? LUN

[Pagar]

Bush's decision to commute the sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean,

These should have been pardons, IMO. In addition, I believe some of the people who caused these two agents to be jailed should be in jail themselves, because of the actions taken against the two border guards.

[bad]

Here's the longer version of York on Geithner. LUN

[Neo]

Canada scores one in case of enemy identification ...

An American education professor, one of the founders of a radical 1960s group known as the Weather Underground, which was responsible for a number of bombings in the United States in the early 1970s, was turned back at the Canadian border last night.

Dr. William Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois-Chicago and a leader in educational reform, was scheduled to speak at the Centre for Urban Schooling at University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. But that appearance has now been temporarily cancelled.

[centralcal]

Per AP:

"Bush technically has until noon on Tuesday when President-elect Barack Obama is sworn into office to exercise his executive pardon authority, but presidential advisers said no more were forthcoming."

[Pagar]

If only Americans had shown the intelligence (years ago) that the Canadians showed concerning Ayers, I believe there is a very good chance we would have never heard of Obama. William Ayers has poisoned the entire US education system to the point, I do not believe it can be made usable. My guess that every single person who supports Obama has be corrupted by William Ayers and/or those who believe like he does.

[Rick Ballard]

Bad,

Why? is easy - he had an in at the IRS. Probably someone from an elite school, installed by RW during her reign of terror within that organ of forced submission.

If I were given the opportunity to question Treasury Secretary designate Geithner, I would (after ascertaining that the battery cable clamps had been appropriately attached - his word in other circumstances is valueless) ask him for the name[s] of the IRS official[s] who had marked his file as being unsuitable for audit. I have no doubt that it was done while he worked for Rubin as an Undersecretary but the mechanism by which Clinton elite slugs were granted universal exemption from audit could stand some exposure, given that many of the same slugs will be leaving slime trails all over DC in the near future.

[Fithian]

While y'all were ogling the photo, I was reading the revoltin' caption:

"President-Elect Barack Obama has altered our view of what a middle-aged man can look like."

Phys Ed was Not Cool when G. Bush was jogging, so we've got no bare chested shots with which to test the "altered view" theory. On the domestic front, Obama wins The View by default (quelle surprise). V. Putin is clearly international Old Cool -- although TM will want to weigh in with an opinion here, I'm sure. Back before the paradigm shift, our own GWB definitely trumped Putin in the Mission Impossible department.

So, how long do we think it will be before PEBO appoints a personal Obama photographer? He'll certainly want to trump that John-John-in-the-Oval-Office photo, but the girls are a little old to play under the furniture. I'm looking for one or both of the Adorables in the President's chair. Since Obama is constitutionally unable to resist exploiting them for political symbolism, I suspect it will be either baby sista' earnestly signing executive orders at the First Desk, or skipping rope while big sista' does the feminist honors. The Age of Obama will give us our first female president! Dynasties are Cool again.

I expect Axelrod will recommend waiting a decent interval before doing the Kennedy-silhouette-at-the-window. They'll be using a digital photographer, so adding the halo won't be a problem. Fortunately, he'll have plenty of time to snap the vast number of 1st Family Photo Album shots that Obama will need to fill those point of purchase glossies for the grass roots in grocery store check out lines. Y'all do know that Obama plans to go over the heads of the White House press pool, and speak directly to the American people (giving the "people" in People Magazine whole new meaning), don't you? That's the New Cool. Cutting out media middlemen in DC was So Not Cool when Bush did it.

[RW]

BMI is useless. Completely.
Each year Arnold won the Olympia, each year Michael Jordan won the MVP, each year Emmitt Smith won a Super Bowl, their BMI levels were considered overweight. In Arnold's case, it was considered "obese".

Useless. Anyone who brings it up deserves to be ignored. BMI doesn't take into account muscle mass. Obama is fit. Bush is muscular.

[bad]

I blame DoT for making me read Slate:

Carter... probably has a lot to teach Bush about how to rebuild a reputation and build a fortune. At the recent gathering of ex-presidents in the Oval Office, Bush couldn't stand far away enough from Carter. That might have been his final strategic mistake.

This is a serious article but will supply you with a great deal of hilarity 'cause ya keep waiting for the whoopi cushion to explode. LUN

[Fithian]

I'm developing a strange new respect for Canada.

[bad]

I agree Rick.

[MayBee]

I wonder if Ayers has been allowed into Canada before? It isn't easy. I have a friend that had a drunk driving conviction on his record and it takes him hours to cross into Canada. There also used to be a Detroit Red Wing who couldn't play in Canada for the same reason.

[Jane]

Pardoned or sentences commuted?

Commuted,(which I'm sure someone has clarified by now. Sorry)

Bill Ayers was turned back at the Canadian Border last night:

I was on a conference call with Katie last night for "Anystreet" and she said a bunch of people have been working on the Ayers issue - he's had a number of speaking appearances canceled as a result. Good on them.

[centralcal]

A poster (Academic Elephant) at RedState has a great observation . . .

She says she has never heard Obama mention where he was on 9/11.

[bad]

TM's link:

“I have always said that Hamas is a very rational political movement,” he said. “When they use suicide bombings, for example, it is done very consciously, based on calculations of the effectiveness of these means. You see, both sides understand the value of calculated madness. That is one reason I don’t see an early end to this ongoing war.”

NYT gives props to Hamas, point out its madness, then makes sure you know Isreal is mad too.

Hamas may may have calculated madness but it is madness nonetheless.

[bad]

It cracks me up that Ayers' buddies are screaming "academic freedom is at risk" over the incident. Bill Ayers is a walking advertisement for academic freedom, unfortunately.

[C.R.]

I wonder what the other option for Hillary was.

LUN

WASHINGTON (AP) - The wife of Vice President-elect Joe Biden let it slip that her husband had a pick of two jobs in the Obama administration.
Jill Biden said President-elect Barack Obama gave Biden the choice of being secretary of state or vice president.

Her comment came when the Bidens made a surprise appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show, recorded at the Kennedy Center.

The vice president-elect tried to hush his wife as soon as the words came out of her mouth, with a loud "shhh!"

Jill Biden said the job of vice president was better for the family, because as secretary of state he would travel too often.

[Stephanie]

Sit down before you read this Narciso...

LUN

[bad]

...as secretary of state he would travel too often.

Which is exactly why Bill knows Hillary will be perfect for the job.

[Stephanie]

Think that $20 donation to MoveOn.org means you’re a die-hard Obama supporter? Think again. True Barack fans carry the new Prez not only in their hearts, but on their skin.

The crew at Fatty’s Custom Tattooz in Washington, D.C., is gearing up for the new administration with “Obamathon.” Starting Friday and running through Inauguration Day, patrons can get a free Obama ’08 tattoo with the purchase of another tat costing $200 or more. And if a chest piece featuring the First Family isn’t fanatical enough, Fatty’s is also offering an “Obama piercing.”

My son knows that any piercings will result in the confiscation of his clothes to be replaced with women's clothes... and pink bikini underwear...

LUN

[matt]

please do Rick..take Geithner as far away from Washington as possible.

[bgates]

Obama is fit.
Yes, but for what purpose?

Soylent, I wouldn't even call him a gym rat. He's in better physical condition than Taft. Congratulations.

[bgates]

Stephanie, I haven't been so hopeful a guy would succumb to a skin infection since watching Henry Waxman as Robert the Bruce, Sr in "Braveheart".

[Captain Hate]

Which is exactly why Bill knows Hillary will be perfect for the job.

I always thought that Slick devoted far more time and effort to getting the Glacier in Pantsuits elected to the Senate instead of bothering with Weird Al so she'd be busy when he was overseas chasing cooch.

[Fithian]

Stephanie:

I'll do the honors till narciso weighs in. What annoys the hell out of me is that the Daily News simply asserts that the new prominence of Palin's 1984 (!) rival -- at the Obama inauguration -- will really tick Palin off. They don't even bother to dig up an anonymous source for a supporting quote. Shoot, they didn't even bother to suggest that "some people" think she won't be pleased. It's almost as annoying to see them putting this absurdity in their Politics section!

[bad]

Glacier in Pantsuits

Good thing "The Gipper" is already taken....

[bad]

What JMH said...

[Captain Hate]

the new prominence of Palin's 1984 (!) rival -- at the Obama inauguration

I'm absolutely flabbergasted at the depths of pettiness that Obastard et al have descended to; and my expectations were just about as low as could be reasonably assumed. They really can't get SP out of their heads.

[bad]

In all probability, Palin's former rival wouldn't have been invited if she weren't black.

[Soylent Red]

He's in better physical condition than Taft.

He's all barbell, no bodybuilder.

And RW...

Zero is not fit. Man-boobies, smoking and piss poor diet aside, just look at him. He looks like a skinny punk.

Hell, he can't even bowl.

[Stephanie]

Snort...

Don't let em get away with the "we supported Bush until"... bullshit. Or the "we were all together on 9/11, can't we all get together and support O now?"... they weren't together with us then, and they never supported Bush. They were just silent til it was safe to come out into the sunshine, again. They just had enough sense to know that we'd likely shoot em.. kinda like how they don't protest terrorists cause they know they would get their necks slit.

LUN

[Jane]

I'm getting pretty sanguine about the proceedings. I have to think there is not one bone in Sarah's body that longs to perform at Obama's inauguration.

[Stephanie]

As to the Palin stuff.. yeah, Quasi. That gets me too.. it's an

"I don't know anyone who voted for Nixon..."

cluelessness... with a healthy dose of assumptive guilt by projection thing...

and I say guilt cause they are damning her for their projections, which is just doubly weird. And reaffirms the little bubble they live in that she is the "other" and not in on the cool parties going on and they are justified in casting aspersions in her name...

[Neo]

ABC News is reporting that the $170 million Inauguration of Obama is being partially financed by "Bailed-Out Wall Street Executives".

Talk about hutzpa.

[Porchlight]

C.R.,

Thanks for the link to Jill Biden's comment. The article doesn't say exactly when the remark was made - I wonder if this was deliberately released today for maximum depth of burial in the coronation hullabaloo.

I still don't understand why Biden was offered either position.

LOL from the comments on the Breitbart site:

"His wife probably plagiarized the comment from some British politician’s wife."

[Rick Ballard]

"please do Rick..take Geithner as far away from Washington as possible."

Matt,

Wouldn't be prudent. Geithner is perfectly emblematic of an administration which must be measured solely on the content of the character of its members. There is no question about Timothy Geithner's character. He has none.

That leaves an opportunity to speculate as to the reason that the man (also without discernible character) who appointed him continues in pushing him into an office for which he is obviously unfit. What is being hidden? I would submit that FDIC chair Sheila Bair's rescue of Wachovia shareholders from the depredations of Clinton Treasury Secretary "Big Thief" Rubin's Citigroup contain a seed of understanding which will grow and blossom if given a modicum of sunlight and water.

The New York Fed, under Geithner's guidance has compiled a very detailed dataset wrt subprime mortgages. It is not searchable at the Zipcode level by the public but it is by personnel employed by the Fed. It would be child's play to pinpoint mortgage fraud within any Congressional district by tracing the originator/appraiser combo back to the realtor (hi, Uncle Tony) and thence to ACORN and/or to the banks (hi, Penny - how's Secretary Rubin?) which bundled for the investment bankers (look - there's Goldman Sachs) who rent politicians on a daily basis.

Very good blackmail data for one who knows how to use it and lacks anything anything resembling character, ethics, morals or scruples (is that Tim Geitner over there?).

We must all remember always - Barry Barack Hussein Dunham Davis? Soetero Obama? entrusted the job which appears to be the most important within his cabinet to a very poor liar and a tax cheat and then stood behind him through the sham of the Senate approval process.

He's just that kind of man.

[Stephanie]

ABC News is reporting that the $170 million Inauguration of Obama is being partially financed by "Bailed-Out Wall Street Executives".

Talk about hutzpa.

Not hutzpa.. pay to play... they are investment bankers and are hoping for good returns....

the joke is on them though - Skittles won't buy you anything...

[Stephanie]

Ace on Mrs. Biden's comments...

"God love her... she hails from has heard of Scranton."

We are all in such a cynical, evilly wicked mood today aren't we? Gallows humor, as it were.

[glasater]

I have a friend that had a drunk driving conviction on his record and it takes him hours to cross into Canada

They drink like fish up there. The basic beer is about 8% and can get up to 11%.
One Canadian photographer I met said after 5 PM is was "mandatory" to drink and drive!:-) in British Columbia.

[bad]

Said Obama, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for Sunday’s extraordinary concert: “As I stand here tonight, what gives me the greatest hope of all is not the stone and marble that surrounds us today, but what fills the spaces in between.

Who the hell ever got great hope from stone and marble (unless hunkered down to shoot from behind it) and what does fill the space in between? air? empty rhetoric? what....

Of course, The Note is orgasmic over these words.... LUN

[Soylent Red]

Zero gets his hope from mortar and rebar?

[Sue]

but what fills the spaces in between.

Hot air?

[bgates]

As I stand here tonight, what gives me the greatest hope of all is not the stone and marble that surrounds us today, but what fills the spaces in between.
He continued, "I decided...long ago, never to walk. In anyone's shadow....If I fail. If I succeed, at least I live as I believe."

"No matter what they take from me-they can't take away....My dignity."

"Because...the greatest hope of all. Is happening to me. I found-the...greatest...hope of all...inside of me. The greatest hope...of all...
Is easy to achieve-learning to hope... yourself...is...the greatest hope of all."

(Obamoratorifier (c)2009 1 AO)

[Porchlight]

“As I stand here TONIGHT, what gives me the greatest hope of all is not the stone and marble that surrounds us TODAY, but what fills the spaces in between."

That is just awful.

If you notice, the "what" of "what gives me the greatest hope" is revealed at the end of the sentence to be "not the stone and marble" but the "what" of "what fills the spaces." So the formulation is: not X, but X. Unimpressive.

I wish Matt Taibbi would take a whack at this dreck. Or Kingsley Amis, if he were still with us.

[Jane]

Zero gets his hope from mortar and rebar?

LOL

[C.R.]

Porchlight,

It looks like Mrs. Biden made that comment on a taping of Oprah (ugh) today.

Jack Tapper now has a blurb about it up as well. LUN

As to why he was offered either position, I think Karl Rove put it best (I think the original source is the NY Times Magazine): "I think he has an odd combination of longevity and long-windedness that passes for wisdom in Washington."

[clarice]

Rick, I suspect that dataset is subject to a FOIA demand.

[bad]

Just talked to Mr. Bad who says work associates have been delayed and forced to purchase temporary work Visas at the Canadian border even though their company has offices there.

[bad]

BTW, the work visas are $150 a pop...

[Daddy]

Is it "Morning in America" yet, or do we still got to wait till Tuesday?

[bad]

lol bgates

Will Whitney be at the festivities?

[bad]

More from The Note: LUN

The four days of choreographed events -- with echoes of Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, and JFK -- point to Obama’s mastery of the moments that can make politics sublime. It’s that ability that may be his most formidable power when he assumes the presidency at last on Tuesday.

You can't make this stuff up. I wouldn't be this ridiculous were I writing a parody yet this is carp is called "journalism."

[E. Nigma]

Well, if you have a big enough credit limit on your Citi Mastercard, you pretty much master any moment.
Throw enough money around, and get people with PR skilz, and shure enuf! It looks GREAT! It's a job stimulus for out of work Hollywood producers. Better than those Thomason persons the Wee Willy Clinton had around.

[C.R.]

Once again we have Republican acting honorably - fighting fire with ... I can't think of a suitable metaphor because we don't seem to fight at all.

"No Pardon For Libby" by Isikoff

[bad]

via Hot Air: LUN

All schools in the Bloomington School District will be closed today after state-required biodiesel fuel clogged in school buses Thursday morning and left dozens of students stranded in frigid weather, the district said late Thursday.

What a stupid requirement in Minnesota. Biodiesal has issues at 10 degrees. The school district tried to be exempted but were not allowed.

[Extraneus]

I'm absolutely flabbergasted at the depths of pettiness that Obastard et al have descended to; and my expectations were just about as low as could be reasonably assumed. They really can't get SP out of their heads.

I'd be money it was the shot about community organizers from her convention speech. He can't take ridicule, and it's a weakness that should be exploited.

[Elliott]

...work associates have been delayed and forced to purchase temporary work Visas at the Canadian border even though their company has offices there.

M.I.A. can help with that.

[NCC]

He works out 6 days a week? Does he take Sundays off to make sure he doesn't listen to Rev. Wright?