Metaphor Near-Misses

Keith Olbermann grieves us greatly with his beef about the current campaign:

After a week of dog-eat-dog politicking between President Obama and Mitt Romney’s respective campaigns, Keith Olbermann said today that the “dog-gate” controversies have gotten out of hand.

“It raises the level of absurdity to something exponential,” Olbermann said on “This Week” about the Romney campaign criticizing Obama for consuming dog meat when he was 6 years old.

“With so many valuable questions going on, we’re wasting most of the time dealing with the dogs,” the former MSNBC and CurrentTV host said.

Increases the absuridty to "something exponential"?  Darn, I wish he had said that absurdity had taken a quantum leap so I could pedantically point out that a "quantum leap" is actually the smallest... oh, forget it. What exponent did he have in mind?  Knowing Olbermann's raving ego I would assume he is referring to the Power of One, but given his current paycheck maybe he meant the Power of Zero; neither exponent is especially fearsome, if in fact we fear absurdity at all.

The other George, Will, rode to the rescue, sparing me the trouble of trying to spell 'Stepanopol..." oh, forget that, too:

“The horse race is over, and the sugar rush that the media got from that is gone, and therefore they’re looking for something to keep their mind off, I guess, big questions,” Will said during the “This Week” roundtable.

The horse race is over and the dog racing has begun. Not locally, natch - the nation is headed back to Florida.

 

Comments

[I think I can, I think I can.]

'quantom leap' is small? Ask that particle.
================

[RichatUF]

Good morning everyone!

[Jane (Better a crate than a plate)]

Seems like a Dog Day afternoon morning in these parts.

[cboldt]

Astronomical!

[RichatUF]

More like a Groundhog Day. That fat rat was a liar.

[Bruce]

I can see how the Olbermanns and Stephanopouloses of the world would love the fun with dogs to go away. It was fine while it helped their cause, but now that it has been turned around against their candidate, it has Jumped the Shark, at least according to the later, and should stop. Immediately.

[Captain Hate]

You'd think that a Moo U grad might welcome a life form that's more in his school's area of expertise.

[Captain Hate]

the “dog-gate” controversies have gotten out of hand.

Translated Bathtub Boy: My former employees no longer control the narrative and maybe they'll let me back if I witlessly shill for them.

[Captain Hate]

More like a Groundhog Day. That fat rat was a liar

It's looking like a very rare "April is colder than March" year in NE Ahia.

[Donald]

Ive stumbled into This Week twice in the last month or so.

Both times when I skipped church. I gotta go more, though I did laugh at Olbersouche's pathetic attempt at trying to tone down his shtick to get work.

[DebinNC]

More from George Stuffleupagus, after declaring the dog-wars over:

"But the truth is come November voters will know that Romney is a good family man who has nothing against dogs. And voters will know that President Obama is not a Muslim, or a socialist or someone that hates America, but rather a patriotic president"

[narciso]

Ah Keefums, it should be a criminal offense to inflict that level of stupidity, that early
in the morning

http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/54521

Matthew Dowd was not appreciably better, in his
rehearsal for Duke and Duke training

[Jane (Better a crate than a plate)]

The dog wars have just begun.

[centralcal]

Good morning. A surprisingly easy peasy little test - only 13 questions - and only 8% (supposedly) got 100% correct (which was my score and I am certain will true of everyone who comments). From Newsbusters:

The News IQ Quiz by Pew Research

[Jane (Better a crate than a plate)]

Geez CC, that shows you what we are up against.

[cindyk]

CC - I too scored 100% BEFORE my first cup of coffee. Are you kidding?! How can it be that not everyone scores 100%? (Oops - unfortunately at least 48% of the voting population - SIGH!)

[Melinda Romanoff]

c-cal-

I'm with you, an 8%-er.

[centralcal]

Pretty pathetic, isn't it Jane? Good grief.

[narciso]

That was scarier than 'Cabin in the Woods', 'words fail, chtluthu facepalm'

[cboldt]

I answered them all wrong on purpose, so I'm in that elite 4% group.

[Jane (Better a crate than a plate)]

WEll if we keep taking it we should raise that 8% number.

How stupid are americans?

[jimmyk]

Talk about jumping the shark, who could stand to watch that bunch of self-righteous blowhards for more than 20 seconds without throwing something at the TV? At least back in the day, David Brinkley always seemed to have a certain air of not taking himself so seriously.

But agreed that all of the hand-wringing seems to be brought on by the Republicans actually fighting fire with fire.

[kave]

cc-
100% also

[Melinda Romanoff]

Jane-

There will be no change in that 8% figure. Data pool is already locked.

[jimmyk]

Only 67% of college graduates answered that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican.

[DebinNC]

Warning: Actual reporting sited
Unless Selena Zito of the The Pittsburgh Tribune is the token conservative, I'm very heartened to see this article on Obama's message fail, especially given the attention, and public money, he's lavished on Ohio. I admire John Kasich enormously, and hope folks in OH give him the credit he's earned.

[rse]

Nice of George to assert true descriptions of romney with at least 2 false statements about BO and then declare an equivalence.

Jane-I have to read some more nonsense and now I have a nasty hot tub vision messing with my concentration.

100% as well. On your question of ignorance Jane, the best answer is very but not as dumb as BO and arne are determined to make us in the future.

[JeanD]

cc-

Here's another indicator from yesterday's WaPo:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/what-people-dont-know-about-the-supreme-court--in-one-chart/2012/04/18/gIQA5w6gQT_blog.html

(100% here, too)

[centralcal]

Reading Michael Walsh this morning at NRO I was struck by how Clarice-esque he sounded. A sample:

In our version of the Roman Republic, it’s the Senate that’s doing the fiddling while Nero is off playing golf, partying, vacationing, or dining on dog meat. Meanwhile, the country burns and the peasants are revolting. What’s desperately needed is a mighty wind to blow away the detritus, and since it’s obviously not going to start on the left, it might as well begin with Hatch and Lugar. The GOP bonzes obviously didn’t get the message in 2010; the uncomfortable view from the top of the pike may help focus their attention.

[centralcal]

Oh dear, JeanD, another scary chart and poll. So depressing.

[Chubby]

the stats about public ignorance are a song of joy to Democrat organizers, who currently fool some of the people all the time, but are working to fool all the people all the time.

[GMAX]

Sure sign progs are losing the debate, when they want to "refocus" on "real issues". What real issues Keith? Unemployment, the deficit or gasoline prices? Or do you mean how many wifes someones ggf may have had? Turd.

[Clarice]

Lugar may be a goner, but I think Hatch will win again--maybe a bit smarter the next time around.

[Rob Crawford]

I admire John Kasich enormously, and hope folks in OH give him the credit he's earned.

Dunno, Deb. His latest drive is a classic "stepped on his own crank" maneuver. He wanted to get back the support of the law enforcement unions, so he supported a bill they wanted on "secret compartments" in cars. Supposedly it's about drug smuggling...

Unfortunately, the wording of the bill was so vague that you could honestly interpret a trailer hitched to a car as a "hidden compartment".

[matt]

I'm glad that Keith is doggedly covering this story. Shouldn't he be doing the weather in the Aleutians by now?

And Central, any writer who uses the phrase GOP bonze is A okay in my book.

[DebinNC]

Oh dear, Rob. There's always the "rest of the story", I guess.

[Threadkiller]

Turns out Michelle found something healthy he can't resist:

[Porchlight]

It was amusing how the Pew quiz characterized typically Democratic positions in positive words and Republican positions in negative terms.

Republicans "restrict access"
Democrats "expand rights"

etc.

Also, Democratic positions were more fleshed out and justified - for example, increasing taxes "to reduce the federal deficit."

[Janet]

((“It raises the level of absurdity to something exponential,” Olbermann said on “This Week” about the Romney campaign criticizing Obama for consuming dog meat when he was 6 years old.))

6 yrs. old...I read Dreams (didn't remember the dog eating story), but was taken by the "memories" attributed to child Obama. What do you remember from 1st grade?...whole conversations with adults, thoughts on worldly injustice? So much of the book is just total BS.
I don't have my copy here, but at home I penciled in the age of Obama at certain points. The book is absurd.

[Thomas Collins]

I scored 100%. Some of the questions assumed facts not in evidence. For example, it is not at all clear that increasing marginal tax rates on high income people will reduce the deficit. High income people will take steps to reduce reportable income on the Form 1040. In addition, higher marginal tax rates will reduce investment that generates economic growth. Finally, the phony "we've reduced the deficit by socking the rich" meme itself takes pressure off Congress to pass essential Ryan-Wyden type entitlement reform measures.

[Jane (Better a crate than a plate)]

You took a different test than I did TC

[No, no, it can't be.]

Actual reporting sighted. No wonder it's no longer visible.
==================

[Clarice]

If you read only one article this week, let it be this one.
http://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/it-was-the-power-stupid/

[Jim,MtnViewCA,USA]

"Obama ate my Mom."
http://dogsagainstobama.tumblr.com/post/21646792326/sadly-youre-not-alone-courtesy-of

[Jane (Better a crate than a plate)]

Geez Clarice, now you bummed me out.

[Clarice]

Why, Jane?

[Clarice]

Iran oil industry hit by cyber attack:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/23/iran-oil-cyber-idUSL5E8FN9W020120423

[centralcal]

Probably when you said Hatch would still win?

[Clarice]

I..He will win..And if Mark Levin and Hannity support him, how bad can he be?

[Clarice]

Sarah Palin endorses him, too.

[centralcal]

No personal comment on Hatch, just a guess at what Jane might have been referring to.

[Have Blue]

centralcal - Scored a 100% on the quiz. Granted it was after my first cup of coffee and well into the second.

First question was triple negative??

Okay a double. Wich party is more supportive of restricting access.

[Janet]

This is funny. LUN

[Captain Hate]

More Warz on Wimmenz: http://weaselzippers.us/2012/04/23/report-obama-scolds-dnc-chief-wasserman-schultz-dont-forget-you-work-for-me/

[Dave (in MA)]

Olberdouche thinks that the high gas prices are a conspiracy against Obama. Right. The guy who ran on a platform of higher energy prices, who appointed a guy for Energy Secretary who said that he wanted to see $8/g or higher gas, who has spent his presidency shutting down domestic oil sources. He's a victim of a conspiracy. Got it.

[sbw]

Can someone give a short pro-con for Hatch. My remembery is so elusive, but I would have guessed he was a RINO.

Prove me wrong.

[Janet]

Conservative Christians doing our part...a Pray for Bo video. LUN

[Jane (Better a crate than a plate)]

OMG Janet, that is WONDERFUL!

[daddy]

RSE,

I don't know how you are able to dive in that fetid Leftist swamp day after day after day. That would depress me something horrible. But somebody has to do it and thank goodness it ain't me.

Thanks for doing it and wish I could send good feelings to you to keep you upbeat. I am sure many here admire your efforts.

[narciso]

Sorry about that;

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/23/11144098-gaia-scientist-james-lovelock-i-was-alarmist-about-climate-change

[narciso]

Shirley he can't be serious;

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/04/23/the_enemy_within_0?page=full