Friday So Soon?

Some quips from the Al Smith dinner to start the weekend. I especially like this from Romney:

"I've already seen reports from tonight's dinner. Headline: Obama embraced by Catholics, Romney dines with rich people."

 

Comments

[MarkO]

The eagle flies on Friday.

[GMAX]

That embrace looks more like a choke hold from where I sit, and it appears to be the right reverend Cardinal approves.

[NK]

My favorite Romney line was: "But it's nice to finally relax and to wear what Ann and I wear around the house." (THE SETUP-- the Cardinal makes dais guests like Mit and Ann wear White Tie and Tailed Coats, and Evening Gowns to the Dinner.) Since all the rich Cat-lics and friends in the NY area go to Al Smith, I wonder if Tom M was there?

[DebinNC]

CNN picked the quips, so presumably the BOzo lines posted were, unfortunately for him, his best. I don't understand this one:

"I have to admit it can be a grind. Sometimes it feels like this race has dragged on forever. But Paul Ryan assured met that we’ve only been running for 2 hours and 50-something minutes."

[GMAX]

They dont allow Connecticut riff raff into the Al Smith. Got to live in the city that never sleeps. Jerseyites can forget it too...

[Thomas Collins]

DebinNC, see LUN for an article on what Obama was tweaking Ryan about.

[GMAX]

Deb like 60 or 70% of Zero jokes it fell flat was not very funny. He was accusing Ryan of being an accountant, of being precise etc. I find nothing funny about being an Accountant!

[Janet]

I actually liked Obama's line to Bloomberg about only being allowed a 16oz drink!

"Drop those fries and eat some broccoli or else!"*

*from Flares Into Darkness

[NK]

Not to advertise any competitors, but NRO Campaign Spot has a bunch of good lines at link:
DebinNC-- I think that line was a knock on a bogus marathon time Ryan claimed-- Bam is one to talk about exagerations.
http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot

[Jane - Mock the media]

NK,

Why do you constantly try and drag our host into things? It seems to me if he wanted to be here he would be.

[NK]

TC- thanks for that link-- Ryan shouldn't boast or exagerate his fitness. Instead, he should just take off his shirt and say... BEHOLD!

[jimmyk]

Deb, that was a reference to Ryan's mistaken recollection that he ran a 2:50 marathon, when in fact it was probably 3:50.

As usual, the JEF prefers ridiculing others to self-deprecation in his "humor."

[Jane - Mock the media]

"I have to admit it can be a grind. Sometimes it feels like this race has dragged on forever. But Paul Ryan assured met that we’ve only been running for 2 hours and 50-something minutes."

I didn't get that either. The one that nettles me is Obama saying: "This is my last campaign". Does anyone doubt that the entire experience for him is the campaign. I swear he sees himself as a figurehead.

[Clarice]

Mitt and Ann really would make a gorgeous and seemly First Couple. How nice it would be again to see our representatives to the world looking and acting appropriately.

[NK]

GMAX-- Al Smith? the cardinal's reach is long and his grip is firm. Geography and religious confession don't restrict the dinner contributor list.

Jane-- I'm hopeful that our host has a sense of humor about himself. If he doesn't-- he can let me know, or just ban attempts at humor concerning the host. BTW isn't JOM part of the 'media' and if so....

[DebinNC]

Thanks, y'all. Hard to underestimate the miniscule number of people who'd get that then.

[Jim Ryan]

I'm still loaded for bear on this "different than" thing. I'll narcisolate the hell out of anyone who uses this abomination! Someone said in the other thread that OED now says it's okay. Then, OED is dead to me! "Than" is for comparisons of degree or intensity, not mere statements of difference! Look it up in any Cambridge manual of usage from the mid-century!

I couldn't sleep last night over this. I could except another term of Obama, with the economic, political and social collapse, if in return everyone would cease to use this abhorrent phrase.

[Janet]

On Facebook - The Romneys

[Jane - Mock the media]

I dunno NK, TM can take care of himself, but why you feel the need to have an ongoing conversation with someone who isn't here completely eludes me.

[NK]

In all seriousness-- at dinners like Al Smith, big shot speakers are expected, and best served, by being self-deprecating. They should roast themselves, and keep gratuitous shots at rivals to a minimum. In fact it's expected-- the more capable and self-confident the bigshot, the better they can pull it off. The foolish and insecure can't mock themselves or stand to be mocked by others. Last night, Mitt pulled it off very well. Zero-- not so much. He takes gratuitous shots at Eastwood and Ryan-- why? Because they mock him and he can't stand it, because he's a little man. Like JFK said about Nixon-- no class.

[Chubby]

((I could except another term of Obama, ...))

write on! :)

[NK]

Jane-- my attempts at humor (fail? epic fail?)elude me as well, just t'is.

[centralcal]

I agree with Clarice's comment and love how Janet was able to punctuate it perfectly with a photo.

It will be wonderful to have class and dignity and real caring about the country return to the White House and the Oval Office.

[GMAX]

Really? A marathon time? So tell me Zero how far have you ever run? To the refrigerator and back? My hat is off to anyone who can finish a 26 mile 385 yard race, regardless if they run upfront with Kenyans or are the last one dragging across the finish line. Hell it killed the Greek that first tried it...

[maryrose]

I agree NK Love of self is inherent in Obama. He has no sense of humor and can't laugh at himself because he thinks he is perfect

[Laredo G]

Raz 48/48.

"These updates are based upon nightly polling and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. As a result, roughly one-third of the interviews for today’s update were completed before Tuesday night’s presidential debate. In the two nights of polling conducted since the debate, Romney has a slight advantage."

Sounds like debate helped Romney slightly.

[maryrose]

Janet:
Thank you for that wonderful picture of the Romneys.
Why is it that what is so obvious to us on this blog seems to elude Obama supporters? They really need to give up the white guilt feeling and do what is best for our country. Look at Obama's record. We can't go on like this. As a middle class voter I have seen the 4000 dollar dip in finances.Dlayed gratification is now the template. He is systematically ruining our country. I bet even some dems in the Senate think they can work better with Romney as president.

[NK]

Love of self defines JEF, and while Zero 'thinks' he's perfect, IMO that same narcissism makes him very insecure.

[Chubby]

wow, that was a great picture of the Romney's. Ann really knows how to put herself together -- simple, but stunningly beautiful and not a bit overdone. She looked great on the View as well.

[bgates]

"Than" is for comparisons of degree or intensity, not mere statements of difference!

Clearly your feelings about this are different than mine, in that yours are stronger.

[Jim Ryan]

Chubby, you have a keen I for homophones!

[jimmyk]

Hah, bgates knows that no one will ever narcisolate him, no matter the gravity of his grammatical sins.

I was trying to construct a valid "different than." Something like "4 and 2 are more different than 3 and 2."

[centralcal]

Yeah, bgates - Jim Ryan will certainly be adding me to the narcisolator, because I am certain to use the offensive "different than" when commenting here.

[Ranger]

Well, it looks like the Intel Pushback is under way:

CIA found militant links a day after Libya attack

WASHINGTON (AP) - The CIA station chief in Libya reported to Washington within 24 hours of last month's deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate that there was evidence it was carried out by militants, not a spontaneous mob upset about an American-made video ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press.

It is unclear who, if anyone, saw the cable outside the CIA at that point and how high up in the agency the information went.

That pretty much establishes a cover up.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--"Than" is for comparisons of degree or intensity, not mere statements of difference!--

--Clearly your feelings about this are different than mine, in that yours are stronger.

Posted by: bgates | October 19, 2012 at 09:45 AM--

Yeah, I was having the same problem figuring out the misuse of "different" in a comparison. Still am.

[GMAX]

You can be assured that we wont be hearing any more about favorability. What left besides " look, squirel":

And late Thursday, the Pew Research Center, the poll that has been toughest on Romney's favorability, released results showing that Romney is ahead of Obama by a point, 50 percent to 49 percent. That is a stunning turnaround from March, when Obama's favorable rating in Pew was about twice Romney's, 55 percent to 29 percent.

Gallup also has Romney beating Obama on the favorability rating, 52 percent to 51 percent.

Even the liberal DailyKos/SEIU/PPP poll has Romney beating Obama on the fave rating, 49 percent to 46 percent.

Romney campaign officials attribute the change to the stories told about the candidate at the Republican convention in Tampa, and his commanding performance in the first presidential debate.

[peter]

Jim Ryan, you should read the usage book by Professor Bryan Garner. He has a theory that all bad usage eventually gets accepted.

[peter]

Speaking of homophones, has anyone ever heard of an out of the closet gay jazz saxophonist? They are as rare as ootc gay NBA stars.

[Chubby]

maryrose: ((Why is it that what is so obvious to us on this blog seems to elude Obama supporters?))

maryrose, when you read comments about Romney from Obama supporters, they are convinced Romney is a vile liar, and they believe that as much as we think he is honest and decent. I don't think that is due to white guilt, I think it is due to the malicious slander campaign against Romney that has filled their heads with poison.

[Sue]

The difference between Ann Romney and Michelle Obama is AR knows how to dress appropriately for the situation.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Until I saw a video of the Benghazi portion of the debate I didn't really get a flavor of just how obvious it was that there was collusion between Barry and Crowley.
It's impossible IMO to watch Barry grinning slyly and urging Mitt to "go on" and then issue the command prompt to "get the transcript" and have Crowley jump in instantly and still consider clarice's and others' theory that she had the transcript handy only because it was likely the issue would come up.
It was coincidental in the same sense a barking seal is coincident with a guy tossing it a fish.

[Janet]

Oh nooooo...narcisolated for grammar? I got no high ground! I'll be narcisolated for sure...:(

[Sue]

Janet,

I liked the shot at Bloomberg by Obama too.

[Jim Ryan]

bgates, so your just going to let that lay there, eh? Irregardless, specifying that a difference you have proposed is one of degree has no affect on the grammatical status of the original statement of difference. No affect at all!

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--The difference between Ann Romney and Michelle Obama is AR knows how to dress appropriately for the situation.

Posted by: Sue | October 19, 2012 at 10:00 AM--

Well that, and she's not a lying, angry, whining, disrespectful, repulsive Marxist.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--bgates, so your just going to let that lay there, eh? Irregardless, specifying that a difference you have proposed is one of degree has no affect on the grammatical status of the original statement of difference. No affect at all!

Posted by: Jim Ryan | October 19, 2012 at 10:01 AM--

ROFL, Jim. That's not much different than one of those pictures where you have to find all in incongruities.

[Sue]

Irregardless

Whoa! I may have to narcisolate Jim for that one.

[Sue]

Ig,

Well that, and she's not a lying, angry, whining, disrespectful, repulsive Marxist.

There's those and so many more. I was referring to how they dress though.

[Jim Ryan]

all bad usage eventually gets accepted

Yes, peter, but slow! It get's excepted real slow because of jackasses like me getting all up in people face. Witch is good on account o' you want your language to be pretty stable.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Speaking of homophones, has anyone ever heard of an out of the closet gay jazz saxophonist? They are as rare as ootc gay NBA stars.

Posted by: peter | October 19, 2012 at 09:57 AM--

I'd suggest doing an anonymous survey of jazz sax players but I'm given to understand they won't even come out of the closet then. :)

[Sue]

Obama is approaching his reelection very differently than George W. Bush did eight years ago. Bush barnstormed the nation in October 2004, holding nearly 30 rallies between the first of the month and the eighteenth. Bush also made two appearances for other GOP candidates and held a brief impromptu question and answer session with reporters.

Unlike Obama and Romney, Bush continued to campaign in the days leading up to his debates with Sen. John Kerry.

Source

Has Obama campaigned with any democrat running for election/re-election?

[Jim Ryan]

cc, Janet, I didn't say their wasn't going to be acception's. I definitely wouldn't narcisolate youse.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I thought Norm Crosby had passed away but he's right here posting as Jim Ryan.

[Tonto]

@Sue --

Pretty sure Jim's trying to throw as many solecisms as he can into that paragraph. Just for grins. My grandmother to her dying day remembered a sentence from a first grade classmate that may have set a solecism record for a single sentence: "Me and Audry has got some aunts and uncles we aint' never saw."

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Has Obama campaigned with any democrat running for election/re-election?

Posted by: Sue | October 19, 2012 at 10:07 AM--

Not if they saw him first.

[NK]

The AP report Ranger linked to and the McClatchy timeline finally nail down what happened here. Within 24 hours (during Sept 12th), the Obamaniacs had intel of a military ambush/murder of Stevens. But yet, by Friday the 14th the Obamaniacs decided to go ALL IN on the video riot story. The week of the 17th, Petraeus's (don't go there --apostrophy-- anybody) closed door testimony to Congress follows the Obamaniac public line, but notes other CIA analysts don't buy it and he admits 'things could change.' That was a tipoff to Congress that the video riot story wasn't going to last. It's clear what happened, Obama/Hill decided that admitting to the ambush/assasination was bad politically, so they pushed the video riot meme that they had 'reports' of, but they 'knew' it wasn't true and there was already contrary evidence. They lied, they lied intentionally and selfishly, and worst, they attacked our 1st Amendment right to speak out against Islam at the UN and in a Paki advert buy.

[Sue]

Just for grins.

I know.

[Janet]

This is a great ad - Who's in Charge

[NK]

apostrophe... arggghh!

[Old Lurker]

"Chubby, you have a keen I for homophones!"

Chubby hates gays?

[Ralph L]

You did know that half of Lawrence Welk's band was queer? The other half was dead.

[MarkO]

Pedantry is a tough gig if you're going to use "irregardless" as an actual word.

It's different from/than/to the real words.

[Danube of Thought on Ipad]

Didn't see the strong approve/disapprove at Raz today.

Tied with Romney at 48.

[sbwaters]

4 and 2 are more different than 3 and 2.

4 and 2 are differenter than 3 and 2.

FTFY.

[NK]

The grammar jokes are incredibly witty, but they make me self-conscious. I was shaking typing 's after Petraeus in my last comment.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

In Barry's defense I think the Osama joke had good intentions of being self deprecation by ridiculing how he, the WH and others have overplayed his role.
It's just hard to pull it off when you're a humorless, arrogant ass and he failed.

I have the same problem with a catch phrase I have used since I was a kid; "It's funny when I do it".
I only use it when I get caught doing something I criticize others for doing and it's meant to be sarcastic self deprecation as in "you caught me red handed", but a lot of people don't get the point.
I suppose that might mean I"m an arrogant ass too, but you know what I always say, It's funny when I....well you know the rest.

[boris]

"[The Petraeus] closed door testimony to Congress follows the Obamaniac public line ..."

Could be there was some CIA op that needed to be completed before admitting what really happened. Can't imagine how that would happen but wonder why Petraeus would do that out of blind duty.

[NK]

Ig-- Barry's gag writers definitely put self-deprecating stuff in there for him (asleep at first debate, taking on 2000 AQ to kill OBL etc), but as you point out,Barry just doesn't carry it off well. No class.

[Threadkiller]

Danube, I present you with a complete mess.

Start here:

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/10/joe_arpaios_balking_at_his_cha.php

And then check out Orly in full swing here:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=99e_1350605983

For the record, it is as hopeless as DoT has said from the beginning.

[Captain Hate]

Speaking of homophones, has anyone ever heard of an out of the closet gay jazz saxophonist?

At least one: Charlie Kohlhase.

[NK]

The report of Petraeus's (OMG another s's!!) closed door testimony is of course anon and a violation of duty of anon to keep their mouth shut, but it does have the ring of truth. The fact that Petraeus would follow the WH public line at that hearing doesn't surprise me, especially when he apparently covered himself by alerting Congress that other CIA types disagreed and the CIA conclusion could change. He was letting Congress know the video riot story wasn't going to last, IMO.

[C.R.]

I got a chuckle out of this photo from a past Al Smith dinner this morning:

[centralcal]

Whew, Jim, thanks for the "acception." :)

[Jim Ryan]

At least one: Charlie Kohlhase.

Well, sure, Charlie Kohlhase. But other than him?

[henry]

step away from your TVs. Big ad buy from Restoring our Future covering 9 battleground states for six days starting next Tuesday.

[PD]

I think it is due to the malicious slander campaign against Romney that has filled their heads with poison.

Plus many of them *want* to believe lies about Romney.

Kinda like this:
Isaiah 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

[C.R.]

Well, I couldn't resize the photo, the other half shows Al Gore.

[Ranger]

Well, a couple of things about the CIA station chief's report. This is the kind of situaion in which raw intel does go up the chain, at least a summary of it, with the caviat that it is still being analyzed. That means that within a day they had actual on the ground reporting that said the video story was at best a theory, nothing more. Anyone who was saying after this report came in that "the best information we have is that it was a spontanious demonstration" is clearly lying.

[NK]

The photo? I can see GWB and Cardinal Ed Egan (my former Bishop at the Bridgeport Diocese) who's the third, Lurch?

[centralcal]

NK: Al Gore

[peter]

I never heard of Charlie Kohlhase, nttawwt. What style and generation is he, and which saxes does he play?

[Captain Hate]

Well, sure, Charlie Kohlhase. But other than him?

I'm sure there are some but none of them come to mind. There can't be too many for a number of reasons. First it's not a large universe to begin with and a small slice of that would be miniscule. Also the fossilized turds at Downbeat and Jazz Times (especially those losers) haven't run a patronizing "special issue" where they make asses out of themselves like thay do for "the wimmenz in jazz" where they feature third rate talent and ignore the ones who are really good that don't think their being a "representative" is any BFD. And those simpletons wonder why there's such a niche market.

[NK]

Ah-- AlGore, got it, that explains the GWB unibrow.

[C.R.]

test

[OldTimer]

Considering the source, how much credence can we put in this story that Stevens was aiding Syrian jihadist rebels..

http://www.businessinsider.com/us-syria-heavy-weapons-jihadists-2012-10

[Kathy]

Best quip from Cardinal Dolan
"Our two candidates claim that both your parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, are “big tents,” containing extraordinarily diverse, even contrary, opposite people and groups. Well, you don’t have a thing over the Catholic Church. We got both Biden and Ryan!"
His entire speech was wonderful the Pope made an excellent choice for Catholics in the US

[C.R.]

Interesting to see Chris Matthews yucking it up behind Cardinal Dolan a day or two after likening Paul Ryan's pro-life views to Sharia.

[Captain Hate]

Here you go, peter: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-kohlhase-mn0000207769

Even though they categorize him as avant garde, that's a good catch all phrase for him but he plays like a lot of Boston area musicians do that have attended Berklee (which I don't know if he did or not) that aren't what I usually think of when I think AG. He's a good player though.

[Jim Ryan]

Yes, CH, my impression after 30+ years in jazz is that no one cares about anything but how well the musician plays.

[NK]

NYC has received two great gifts from the Midwest in Cardinals Egan (Oak Park Ill) and Dolan (St Louis, Mo). Of course I agree with their conservative Catholicism and politics, but I can say from personal experience with Egan that he loves people, all people, and everything I hear about Dolan is extraordinarily positive, even from NYC Liberals (BTW Dolan must be happy about the StL Cardinals series-- I know he was Brewers fan while he was Milw Bishop, but he still must be a Cards fan.) So sin city NYC thanks the Midwest for giving us these 2 great men.

[Chubby]

is it possible that Gallup is putting out those extraordinary numbers to lull rightie voters into a false sense of security?

[maryrose]

I am looking forward to Bret Baier's report tonight on Benghazi.No baseball so many may watch and learn the truth. The timeline just doesn't work for Bammy and Hil. Taking responsibility doesnt bring back the four patriots that have died because they were not protected and Obama was too busy fundraising and campaigning to care about pursuing the truth.

[Ranger]

is it possible that Gallup is putting out those extraordinary numbers to lull rightie voters into a false sense of security?

I doubt it. If they have a goal in mind, I think it is to motivate lefties to get more active. If anything, it is meant as a wakeup call to the Dems.

[sbwaters]

Petraeus's

NK, to save keystrokes, it is kosher after an 's' to drop the second s in a possessive:

Petraeus'

But we promise not to swoon in pedantry if you leave it in.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--There can't be too many for a number of reasons. First it's not a large universe to begin with and a small slice of that would be miniscule.--

Seems like homophones would have a natural predilection and aptitude for putting cylindrical things in their mouths and blowing.

[Captain Hate]

Speaking of baseball, since I'm not getting a Nats/Orioles Parkway series the Redbirds versus the Tigers is the next best thing.

[Sue]

I am getting all kinds of virus alerts at various websites. Not this one, but Hot Air, Daily Caller, and others.

[Sue]

Capt'n,

I wasn't sure in the Giants/Cards series who I would want to win. I was halfway through the 2nd game when I realized I wasn't cussing the players on the Giants bench as much as I was the Cardinals bench. I guess 2 years out from being beat by the Giants hurts less than 1 year out. ::grin:: I do not want the Cards to win because they have the luck of the Irish. I am eventually going to shift all of my good cheer to the Tigers. Go Tigers!!!

[fdcol63]

Has anyone seen this video of Lawrence O'Donnell challenging Tagg Romney to a fist fight? LOL - Geez, this guy is a clown.

http://freebeacon.com/msnbc-host-challenges-romney-son-to-fight/

[Porchlight]

Hello from Baton Rouge! Visiting family this weekend. Wanted to note that I have now seen about a dozen Romney stickers and signs in Austin - not many, but it's Austin. That's 3x more than I saw for McCain in all of 2008 and about par with the W stickers in 2004. I even saw a big red pickup with an RR lawn sign taped on the gate.