I Will Be Stealing This Idea

It may be in a few years, it may be later this afternoon, but the time is coming when I steal this headline from Steve Benen of the Washington Monthly:

WILL PUTS ON LEATHER JACKET, DONS SKIS, EYES SHARK....

Let's consider this a pre-footnote.

As an utterly unrelated thought, what was the lesson of the Clinton train wreck and Republican wave of 1994?  Was it "Don't run as a moderate and govern as a lefty", with gays in the military, the assault weapons bans, the vanishing middle class tax cut and the health care debacle as evidence? 

Or was it "Don't promise health care reform and then fail to deliver"?

Although it is rare to have a controlled experiment on this scale in the social sciences, it seems that Obama, Pelosi and Reid are poised to help answer that question.

FWIW, I think it was running center and veering left that scuttled the Dems in 1994, so they have positioned themselves nicely on the "Fool myself twice, shame on me" track.

Comments

[steve sturm]

It wasn't because voters were upset Clinton didn't come through with health care reform; if voters really wanted health care reform, why didn't they reject the GOP in the next election when the GOP also failed to push reform?

But neither was it a full-on embrace of the GOP, their Contract with America and all things conservative.

[He didn't take long, either.]

Benen banned me for climate comments. Another Stalinist.
==================================

[Porchlight]

Andrew Busch at Ashbrook has a good piece on this very subject:

Are Democrats Deluding Themselves about 1994?

He agrees with our host. The Dems have misread the reasons for 1994 and are positioning themselves to make the same mistake all over again.

[Alessandro Machi]

I think you've spun the Republican wins in 1994. They gained back seats in congress in 1994 because they can't stand to lose and they began spinning everything the democratic president did as being either socialistic, anti american, or free handouts to the lazy. Has anybody noticed that whenever the republicans lose the white house they basically go nuts?

When Bill Clinton finally stood up to the bully republicans, then he started to shine, and Bill Clinton most definitely led from the center with a slight amount of liberalism mixed in.

Unfortunately, the republicans actually have more of a gripe this time because the guy who won cheated in the democratic caucus contests and accepted 10's of millions of dollars in fake campaign contributions to grease the pockets of his political machine.

Barack Obama could actually pay people in his campaign to do nothing but deride Hillary Clinton and get the next prominent supporter ready so Hillary Clinton victories in the primaries could be shunted aside with news that John Edwards was coming out for Barack Obama. (no, that was not a big deal, but it was purported to be a big deal back when it happened).

Since Barack Obama owes his entire career to gaining an edge by challenging the way someone signed their name on an opponents petition to run, or be backed by money from the establishment, he is not prepared to actually lead with wisdom and a spiritual core, even though at times he tries to.

[Brian]

As I recall, the democrats in control of congress in 93-94 couldn't agree on anything, so not only didn't they pass healthcare, they pretty much did nothing. With the Republicans in power, Bill Clinton could actual get things done. So how does the current team shape up to the 93-94 dems? Probably a little better led in congress, but Obama is no Bill Clinton.

[sbw]

I may be way off base, but in my Pollyannaesque world where bad ideas are eventually discovered and laughed at, 1994's election drubbing might be blamed on a glimmer of thought.

--

As far as the shark metaphor is concerned, what is one to do when you can't say that Pelosi, Reid, Frank, or Obama have "jumped the shark" because, when history begins at dawn, no one remembers Fonzi much less his "To be continued next week" cliffhanger?

[Porchlight]

Brian,

They did pass tax increases in 1993. That didn't help a whole lot. And a gun control bill in 1994.

The current crop of Dems is far to the left of the Dems in 93-94. Clinton couldn't even get his quaint little 16 billion stimulus bill passed thanks to Dem opposition.

[Strawman Cometh]

Who killed Vince Foster?

[Extraneus]

I think the Dems will be lucky if they fail to "deliver health care." The fact that they didn't pause and reflect after the town hall phenomenon this summer supports the theory that they're on a suicidal path.

[tj]

VOTE EM ALL OUT.... TERM Limits....They shove this down my our throats... there will be he-- to pay come 2010. If its not good enough for thee... then its not good enough for me!!!!! Stand up people fight, write and protest on all levels...This is treason!

[Neo]

I favor limits on consecutive terms.

Something like 8 to 12 years, then time off .. repeat

[Charlie (Colorado)]

This is treason!

Oh, look it up for Gods' sakes.

[bgates]

They gained back seats in congress in 1994 because they can't stand to lose

But they were in the minority from the early 50s through 1994 because no one had yet discovered the political tactic, "don't like losing".

[Ignatz]

--Has anybody noticed that whenever the republicans lose the white house they basically go nuts?--

Thanks for the view from between Hillary's butt cheeks Allesandro.

Has anyone noticed any period of time in the last thirty years when the Democrats didn't need to "go" nuts because they were already there?

[megapotamus]

Can ANY political type stand to lose? Of course they do lose, and stand it, but I don't see that burp as anything more than a solipsism. Anyhow...

Yes, fiscally we long for the days of Clinton, soon we shall long for the go-go heady days of Carter. Stagflation shall be joined in the lexicon with another neologism; Shrinkflation. But was it the good sense of a Clinton that brought us, among other things, welfare reform? Mmmm, no. It was the most cynical brand of pragmatism at work there, likewise with taxes and spending. If Clinton could have kept the bimbo eruptions to a dull roar he certainly would have more faithfully followed his political heart, which is to the Right of Obama certainly but not by much, certainly not enough.

There are some cautionary notes to be sounded though. There is a print article in AmSpec that argues that while the malign effects of Obamism are real enough, they are also long or midterm in nature while the benefits of Stim (and New Stim Jr! with more tax cuts!) are immediate. The author dissagrees with Christine Romer on that, possibly in ignorance given the unsynched media, since she tells us we are as stimulated as we are going to get and in other regards I think he is underplaying the true, apocalyptic monetary effects of just the policies already in action, not even mentioning healthcare, energy etc and other monstrosities maturing in their legislative cribs but the final lesson; that banking on immediate doom that does not immediately materialize at a sufficient level to overcome Media Magic may leave the proponents of Constitutionality and mathematics politically lacking a bathing suit as the tide recedes. Personally, I don't think that is so. Polling, a capricious mistress, seems to say that "traditional American values" are still robustly held despite the elevation of an explicit anti-American. If that is so it seems nearly impossible that job growth could return even modestly since job-makers will accurately foresee our dire future. Can the illusory green shoots be cultivated enough to provide even the illusion of prosperity? Ya know, not for long but we are just about a year from '10 and that is not a long time. Any meager mitigation of the current conditions are bound to be inflated by our beloved MSMers and will be deflated only by the porcupine of reality. So while the gruesome effects of Obamism are basically unavoidable at this point they should not be counted upon to provide political miracles even those with sound precedents in recent history.

[megapotamus]

"may leave the proponents of Constitutionality and mathematics politically lacking a bathing suit as the tide recedes" insert "is valid."

[Pofarmer]

When Bill Clinton finally stood up to the bully republicans,

I'm dying to know when exactly that was.

[glasater]

When Bill Clinton finally stood up to the bully republicans, then he started to shine, and Bill Clinton most definitely led from the center with a slight amount of liberalism mixed in.

Wasn't that during the time Slick Willy hired Dick Morris to triangulate?

[matt]

I think, Po, it was when, for the good of the country, the moderate Republicans decided not to impeach Clinton despite the evidence that he had lied to a Grand Jury.

[Jack is Back!]

Comparing Michelle Bachmann to Cynthia McKinney as the end of both extremes is pretty idiotic and stretches the reality of common sense. The trouble with people like Benen who has most likely been outside DC only when he goes over to Dewey Beach for a meeting of the Fugahwees is they see everything through the prism of the plate glass windows of the Old Ebbitt Grill.

[Captain Hate]

Why was keeping Slick in office for the good of the country? Unless you mean that putting Weird Al in charge with an excellent chance to be re-elected as the incumbent as being bad for the country; that I'd probably agree with but I'm not sure the squishes were being that strategic in that situation or anything else.

[centralcal]

I was away for awhile - came back - saw Glenda's picture and wanted to comment (Band of Birthers thread) but the comment box is missing????

Refreshed. Nothing.

Closed browser and checked the thread again, still no comment box. Anybody know what is causing that?

[Extraneus]

Another suicide attempt:

Democrats push for health benefits to start by 2010

[Porchlight]

I saw that too, centralcal - thought it was just my crummy computer.

[unɹ puɐ ʇıɥ]

Centralcal/Porchlight: Go back to the previous page on that thread and the box is there.

[Cecil Turner]

Loved the headline . . . but that's where this one left the tracks. Lefty blogger hates righties? There's a newsflash for ya. And his proof Will isn't serious: he said something nice about a conservative! The fact that this circular anti-logic is every bit as risible as the worst thing Bachmann ever said about Obama obviously requires a bit too much introspection by Benen. Maybe he'll figure it out someday.

[unɹ puɐ ʇıɥ]

Oh, and since my name is getting gibberishized on the last page of that thread where the box is missing, I wonder if the upside down and backwards text causes problems.

If so, I blame Charlie.

[peter]

That Frank Rich. I love the internet. I can have other people read him for me.
OT, but funny.

[bad]

Mr. Benen forgot the first rule of blogging about someone else's lack of intelligence: be sure your own spelling and/or word usage is impeccable.

Mr. Benen, do you know the difference between "rating" and "ranting"?

[Tom Bowler]

Back in 1993 Connecticut 1st District Congresswoman Barbara Kennelly came around with Ira Magaziner to push HillaryCare. It was a predictable sales pitch: "We'll save you thousands in health insurance premiums!"

I went to one of their presentations in Manchester, CT. They didn't call them town hall meetings then, but the one I went to was just as angry and volatile as any we're seeing now. Kennelly and Magaziner were trying to sell the free lunch, and the audience was lined up at the microphone trying to get them to explain how that would be possible, and why socialized medicine would be a good thing.

One of these days I'll get up the ambition to type up the letter I sent to my Senators - still the same wonderful guys, Dodd and Lieberman - and the letters I got back and post them on my blog.

The big difference between now and '93 is in this administration's willingness to play hard ball. The Clinton game plan was a con job. The Obama game plan is a con job plus threats.

The point is, finally, I think the 2010 result is going to be much the same as 1994, but only if we remain very much afraid of what the Democrats will be willing to do to America to cement themselves into power. Vote them out!

[matt]

Afghanistan held Hostage - day 58. LUN

[Fresh Air]

The 1994 elections were a result of lots of things, but mostly the serial scandals of the Democrats, Jim Wright, Dan Rostenkowski, the House Bank, House Post Office, etc., etc. The Clinton health scare bill was the tip of the spear that prodded conservatives to get off their asses and do something. You also were in the second election cycle (and first in an off-year election) following the 1990 census, in which Florida, Texas and other southern states picked up a number of seats that were at the expense of some long-timers in the north.

The biggest swings in absolute numbers occur in years that become foreordained due to fear and dreading by the party about to lose. This becomes self-fulfilling as incumbents retire and create competitive seats.

The trouble with Republicans in Washington is they are too stupid, pig ignorant or cloistered to understand this concept. Many of the losses last year were due to retirements. I assume when Gregg retires that will be another loss. Sometimes you have to suck it up and go back to being in the minority. But above all, don't drink the MSM Kool-Ade! You know damn well who made it, so why do you keep drinking it?

[matt]

Fresh;

It seems that it was an almost willful abnegation of power last year. The Republicans knew the future of the country was at stake and yet so many of them chose to get out of Dodge. It cost at least 3 seats as I recall, and it cost them the ability to block especially execrable legistlation such as Porkulus,Health Care, and Cap & Trade.

And yet, after all the outcry and historically low numbers, they still.don't.get. it.

Washington has become an idiocracy.

[Rick Ballard]

FA,

The Flight From Blue Hell continues. By my reckoning, using Census projections, IL,MI,NY and CA will all lose a seat in 2012. That doesn't translate to a Rep pickup but we could definitely see a number of Dem retirements.

The kicker in '10 is going to be whether the Dems will be able to capitalize on their '08 early voter successes. Should they do so, they may be able to stem the tide. Of course, if it really is "the economy, stupid", then they're deader than doornails and there's not a damn thing they can do about it.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

Michele Bachmann is a member of Bill Posey’s nine-member Birther Caucus. She originally blocked the resolution celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hawaii Statehood that included a line citing Hawaii as President Obama’s birthplace, but then voted for it.

Is there some reason you are approaching this issue like Orly Taitz, Maguire? Your admiration for Glennuendo is found woven into nearly every sentence you craft, because you allow so much wiggle room in your weasel words that it is impossible to
nail your ambiguous ambivalence.

Are you, or are you not, some sort of covert 'birfer' who lacks the courage of his convictions? Or is it embarassment?

[Extraneus]

Why do the women scare them so much?

We Now Have A Total Gangster Government

[bad]

Why do the women scare them so much?

Perhaps they are all secret sullys....not that there's anything wrong with that.

[bgates]

Your admiration for Glennuendo is found woven into nearly every sentence you craft, because you allow so much wiggle room in your weasel words that it is impossible to nail your ambiguous ambivalence.

How about, "I think it was running center and veering left that scuttled the Dems in 1994"? Or are you taking refuge behind "nearly"?

Are both of the words "ambiguous" and "ambivalence" necessary?

[Janet]

Great video Extraneus! Michele Bachmann is wonderful.

[PD]

sullys

I think the correct term is "sullyist."

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"Or are you taking refuge behind "nearly"?"

Well, weasel words do have their place, I just don't take up permanent residence in Maguire's City of Refuge.

ambiguous and ambivalent are not synonymous.

"The root ambi means “on both sides”.
Ambiguous = unclear, vague, unspecified, open to many interpretations
Ambivalent = torn between two sides; inability to make a choice due to the desire to do two conflicting things at the same time"

[sbw]

Sullied

[Captain Hate]

Ambiguous = unclear, vague, unspecified, open to many interpretations
Ambivalent = torn between two sides; inability to make a choice due to the desire to do two conflicting things at the same time

So Oblammo's ambiguous position on Afghanistan is because he's ambivalent between honoring his campaign promise to prosecute the war to a successful conclusion and his real desire to produce another Vietnam type result?

[bgates]

ambiguous and ambivalent are not synonymous.

It's still hard to defend using both words at once. In what sense is TM's purportedly being torn between two sides itself open to many interpretations?

[Fresh Air]

Rick--

Republicans can easily outdo them on pre-voting. Whether there are enough fraudulent votes to overcome the massive tide of conservatives who will be voting is still an open question. My guess is there is not, and that a massive wipeout will come, followed by another round of retirements in 2012, this time by some of the northern fraudsters, as the bleeding census numbers put blue-on-blue in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Michigan. I could see Illinois -1, New York -2, Penn -1 and California -2, with corresponding pick-ups in Florida, Arizona, Georgia and Texas.

If we don't light a fire under Steele, however, 2010 will not be nearly as productive as it could be. The Ace of Spades crowd is already in a tizzy over NRCC ads against Hoffman in NY-23.

I am thinking we need a Tea Party on the front lawn of the RNC. What do you think, Clarice?

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"being torn between two sides"

Well, he seems like some nubile teenybopper who likes to toy with the idea of smoking grass, but is terrified of the effect.

He knows the 'Birfers' are CRAAAZZZEEE, but he likes the foreplay without having to supply the moneyshot.

In other words, he doesn't want to commit himself to the birfer idiocy, but he wants desperately to believe it. His reputation
is at stake, and that's not small potatoes.

[PD]

In other words, he doesn't want to commit himself to the birfer idiocy, but he wants desperately to believe it.

Thanks for the free, and worth every penny, psychoanalysis.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

Well, he's not alone on the 'birfer' ambiguity. He knows how to play y'all for the traffic.

[clarice]

FA, As I've read the history of the NY 23 race, it appears Hoffmann made a poor presentation to the local Reps and Scozzafava did better so they endorsed Scozza..Normally a political party will support the local party and that's what they did here. I don't recall Steele doing so much as the RNCC. I don't think that until Scozza tipped her hand in the race that people were aware of how bad she is. Were I Steele I'd be putting some effort into getting her to withdraw.
The people who deserve to be tarred and feathered are those like Newt who jumped in when her record was well-known and Hoffman's campaign picked up steam and he seemed viable after all.

[Rick Ballard]

I don't see how anyone, from the sparkling snow of Kilimanjaro to the glistening white sands of Bali, could possibly doubt that Barack Hussein Obama is just as much an American citizen as Aldrich Ames or Robert Hanssen.

[Captain Hate]

He knows how to play y'all for the traffic.

Keep posting genius; it's not like you're doing anything other than being a pinata that can't figure out where the throbbing pain is coming from. If you think you're anything other than that you're even dumber than I thought.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"you're even dumber than I thought."

Much obliged for the endorsement.

[Every 'birfer' is different.]

Here's the beauty of the birfer bit; what is he hiding? That he will not show it, and fights with all means necessary to stymie Taitz and others, the dawning discernment of the deceit is cumulative and will gradually accumulate and diminish his legitimacy. He's losing it on so many other grounds, why not this rock bottom one, too.
==============================

[Marginalization has its limits.]

I note there is advertising for the 'Fight the Smears' site.
==================================

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"Here's the beauty of the birfer bit; what is he hiding? That he will not show it, and fights with all means necessary to stymie Taitz and others, the dawning discernment of the deceit is cumulative and will gradually accumulate and diminish his legitimacy. He's losing it on so many other grounds, why not this rock bottom one, too."

There's one smoked out of his hedgehog hole.

Anyone else want to show more chutzpah than Maguire?

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"birthers are CRAAAZZZZEEEEE!!!"

=Sen Lindsey Graham.=

[megapotamus]

Since no one else is going to bite I shall have a go. Tory, I have the courage of MY convictions on the Virgin Birf and they are these: We know that HI holds a document, COLB that is separate and distinct from the COB, I presume since you are so passionately interested that you are up on the lingo. We also know that the COLB, the source document, has not been exposed to the public. We know, from some simple examples from ladies that were birfed in the same hospital Barry claims as his 'hood, that the doc is available though not easily, so why can't we see it? Speaking of Tait, don't we also know that on the two occassions that birfism has been tested in court that the Obies have folded their tents rather than let discovery go forward? I'm not so birfy as to be certain off the top of my head so maybe you can assist there. This is a curious, if not disastrous course unless the release of the COLB is a neutron bomb by comparison. I could be persuaded that the issue is at least moot, if not ALL KRAZEEE!, except that nearly identical issues were raised about McCain's natureal birf and he withheld no docs, to my knowledged, again you may know better and I yearn to learn. But anti-birfism, the claim that Barack was miraculously deposited by Malcolm X in a pineapple patch would be easier to accept on faith if we hadn't had obviously forged memoes from Dan Rather taken so seriously that the simple (temporary) lack of a few months of Bush's pay stubbs from the '70s was considered proof of Kerry-level malingering on his part. So on grounds of fairness if nothing else, yes, I say, let's see that COLB, Barry, you Kenyan poseur, you. My reputation, I hold not so dear.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

Add the Water Horse to my list of favorites.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

I just love the 1st Amendment.

It clarifies the butter.

[Incoming Flying Monkeys.]

TTT, talk to me about Indonesian citizenship and Pakistani visas. Guess who has those record?. You are an ignorant, arrogant, authoritarian.

Watch out, we pour water on the likes of you.
====================

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

Funny how so few have the hard-on they feel confident to display in public.

My unscientific random-sample concludes that the majority of those who secretly want to
talk 'birfdom' don't have the stones to fess up.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"You are an ignorant, arrogant, authoritarian."

Unpaid 'birfer' endorsement.

[PD]

O'Reilly's covering the story of the apparent "boy's club" in the White House (Obama having no women in his basketball games or golf foursomes). He showed a clip of the hosts of "The View" complaining about this.

So far he hasn't noticed the irony of The View (an all girl club) complaining about all boys.

[PD]

Funny how so few have the hard-on they feel confident to display in public.

More like, do we care what you think?

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"More like, do we care what you think?"

Of course you don't. You're 'Birfers'.

[Soylent Red]

I'm not really so concerned about where Obama was born as I am about his being a Muslim who doesn't know who his daddy is because his mother had round heels.

That's what concerns me.

(**Bangs pot-stirring spoon on side of bubbling cauldron and runs giggling from the room**)

[Melinda Romanoff]

Oh! Look!

A schoolyard taunter!

I so miss them.

(Sound turns off)

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"That's what concerns me."

Racism is also not politically correct.

Congrats. You scored two points on the 'Birfer' scale.

[bgates]

those who secretly want to talk 'birfdom' don't have the stones

Can I take it you're opposed to anonymity, "Tory, Tory, Tory"?

so few have the hard-on they feel confident to display in public

For some of us, displaying a hard-on in public would cause problems, because people would be able to see it.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

My mistake Red. I forgot racism is a key component of 'birfers' and so you just get the one point.

[Soylent Red]

Racism is also not politically correct.

Being a bead-fondling Muslim is no more a racial condition than being a dirt worshipping Wiccan.

And Obama is most assuredly a bead-fondling Muslim. And a classically defined bastard too.

Score two on the libtard diversity scale!

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"because people would be able to see it."

Were you born stupid or did you achieve that level of intelligence through osmosis?

If you don't want people to see what you are, then you hide what you are.

[Buford Gooch]

As threadjackers go, TTT is doing an admirable job. Slice him and dice him, but be done with it soon, please. He's not worth the pixels.

[Rick Ballard]

SR,

Ya gotta toss in perfecting the call to prayer in Arabic while he was undergoing commie indoctrination home schooling (before madrasa) in Indonesia. It's true - you can look it up in Bill Ayers' book.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

I take exception to that, Goocher.

My job is to provide context, and to reveal the venality of the libertarian/classical liberal/conservative iron hand in a velvet glove.

[bgates]

I see Zero made the solemn pledge today, day 279 of his Presidency and a day after his staff had to admit that before the inauguration Bush gave him the Afghanistan plan he presented as his own in March, that he would not rush any decision about deploying troops.

It took a lot of courage, I thought, for him to come to Florida and use the word "Rush". Since he's so scared of Limbaugh and everything.

[bgates]

If you don't want people to see what you are, then you hide what you are.

This message brought to you by a nameless, faceless creature hiding behind the phrase "Tory, Tory, Tory".

Don't be scared, little fella. What's your name?

[Soylent Red]

And Rick, let's not forget...

1. An overbearing, underbiting Wookie for a wife

2. Fear of decision-making

3. Narcissist

Obama's a perfect storm of feckless libtard douchebaggery!

[pops]

I'd love to see Britt Hume make a special announcement on Fox News:

Ladies and Gentlemen, as you maybe aware, the Obama administration has announced that they do not consider Fox News to be a news organization and will not treat them as such. This got us here at Fox News to thinking, looking at the Obama administration, they don't much act like any other administration in history, and thus we plan to adjust our coverage of them accordingly.
From now on Fox News will report on the Obama administration based on how they act and behave, and thus they will be covered the same as the MAFIA.
The same as we would cover Al Capone and his organization is how we will report on this White Houses actions starting with the latest knee capping.....

[Soylent Red]

In fact I will go so far as to say I could not construct a more perfect Communo-Muslim candyass d-bag than Obama.

Even if I had an unlimited supply of halal dogshit!

[Rick Ballard]

I've always thought that venality would attach more strongly to Chicago gutter scum willing to sell out their constituents to scumlords such as the felon Tony Rezko in exchange for money. You'd really have to be a Kendonesian commie bastard to do something like that.

[bgates]

My job is to provide context

See, that's ambiguous. But not ambivalent! You still haven't said how TM's ambivalence is ambiguous, by the way, though you did a nice job of googling for definitions and cutting and pasting for us all to admire.

[Captain Hate]

Let's see; Troll Troll Troll has designated Muslims as a race and "corrected" bgates when he took Triple-T's tortured metaphor literally as if he were still applying it in the poor-excuse-for-a-literary-device way. I'll bet Troll Cubed is one of those people that uses "literally" when it really means "figuratively".

It really is dumber than I thought; and boosting TM's traffic to boot.

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"a nameless, faceless creature hiding behind the phrase "Tory, Tory, Tory"."

'A rose by any other name.......'

A man or woman is not his/her name, but rather, his words and deeds. You know where I stand.

I can deduce you are a racist/birfer, but you have not revealed much of who you are. What's in a name?

[Annoying Old Guy]

There's pro forma support and real support. One reason I don't have much sympathy for the GOP apparat is my memory of the Illinois gubernatorial election for "The Rod" Blagojevich's second term. The GOP challenger (Judy Barr Topinka) was a RINO, but way better than Blago and it was obvious at the time. Yet the GOP basically wrote her off for no apparent reason and she was crushed. Yeah, Illinois voters, Chicago Way, sure, but they should have at least tried.

[Soylent Red]

You know where I stand.

In your parent's basement?

[Annoying Old Guy]

Woops, sorry, that was on topic. My bad! (I wish)

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"In your parent's basement?"

You should defrag that harddrive.

[Captain Hate]

My bad!

Not to worry but I'm running out of phrases to express my disgust with the Repuke party.

[Jane]

I for one appreciate Tory's willingness to come in here and boost traffic for our host who we all knows never gets any traffic and who takes home $100 per post.

Secondly, I love the estrogen war against the WH. I guess it's not about choice but about quotas - which has some poetic justice to it when you think about it.

[bgates]

A man or woman is not his/her name, but rather, his words and deeds.

And his birth certificate. Were you too tired to type '/her' twice?

I can deduce you are a racist/birfer

No kidding. Which do you deduce I hate more - the Portuguese or Hungarians?

[clarice]

Waving my pistolas..and you know how horrid my aim is...One..Two..Three..*(&%^#)$_%&^$

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

"Portuguese or Hungarians?"

It's just a guess, but I would say, whichever person had browner skin.

[Soylent Red]

Aw crap. The lady with the pistolas is here...

Shucks, ma'am. We was jus' havin' some fun. We didn't mean to make the little feller cry...

[Tory, Tory, Tory!]

Gotta go, Maddow is on. Then Garofalo.

[clarice]

*pow!Bam@!Crack!* Watch out for falling chandelier shards.
And just for the heck of it*POP* There goes the naked lady painting over the bar.

[bgates]

Maybe Clinton's big problem in 1994 was not accusing people of racism enough. It looks like that's a working hypothesis among the current progressive brain trust.

I would say, whichever person had browner skin

Whichever 'person'? We're talking about entire nationalities, chief. So which is it, Portuguese or Hungarians?

Here's a puzzler for you, Tory: Nobody here has any idea what color your skin is. Yet we all think you're an asshole.

[Fresh Air]

Guys, let's ignore TTT. He needs to return to answering e-mails from his imaginary son in Iraq.

[Rick Ballard]

MayBee is going to be very upset about that, Clarice.

[PD]

Were you born stupid or did you achieve that level of intelligence through osmosis?

Not such a good idea to call folks stupid when you just missed the joke twice in a row.