Ironic Genius At The WSJ

Peggy Noonan has a long rumnination on the basic competence of team Obama, noting that, like their boss, they have some experience and skill at communicating but not executing, and who could have seen that coming?

But the comic twist is this - rather than end the column at its conclusion, the web jockeys repeat the whole thing. Repeatring ideas for emphasis is a valuable rhetorical device, but this seems excessive, not to mention a valuable waste of pixels. One migh hope that a column on someone else's competence would be competently delivered, but the holidays are approaching and the B-team is taking over.

There is a conclusion, or at least an ending, in the middle there somewhere...

Comments

[narciso,]

Among the 'dens of scum and villainy' GQ is possibly the worst, although Vanity Fair is a close second, during the previous campaign they engaged in idolatry of 'the One' even more severe then that wretched ad,

http://neoneocon.com/2013/12/18/incompetence/

[Threadkiller]

Did you really not understand my comment?

[narciso,]

In the early part of the Bush administration, they give full voice to that slimy weasel Wilkinson, who it turns out to be a borderline 9/11 denialist,

[Danube on iPad]

"It is fun to mock a grief stricken pilot"

No, it is fun to mock a weird birther conspiracy theorist who would have had no interest in the story - and wouldn't have posted about it - if poor Ms. Fuddy hadn't been marginally connected to the Obama birth certificate issue. Posts about her death are intended to fuel speculation that she may have been murdered ("odds of dying in plane crash one in eleven million"). They are otherwise entirely un-newsworthy.

[Stephanie]

OK, according to Huff Po, the ANNUAL budget for Obamacare advertising is 684 Million per year.

The Savings for cutting Military retirees Cost of Living increase? 6 Billion over 10 years.

Which means the GOP chose to spend money on Obamacare advertising rather than keeping their promises to Vets.

[Drive the USA in your NSA]

When you devolve into a disingenuous spin, I know your goat has been sacrificed. Let's see more libertarian from you. That's what you claim, amirite?

[Stephanie]

With all the Duck Dynasty stuff flying off the shelves in Walmart, Macy's, Belks, Academy Sports, Amazon, etc. A&E doesn't realize what shit they just stepped in.

The commenters at the Duck Dynasty link at Drudge get it, A&E not so much.

[narciso,]

Seriously I have to resort to another language to adequately express the range of invective, maybe I;ll start by yelling 'Kaahn'

[Skoot]

In looking through the excemptions Ignatz posted earlier, I see the tax for PajamObamaCare compliance maxes out at 2.5% in 2015. A 28 yr old with a job can pay that easily and save the $6k in premiums for beer or x-box or footsie's whatev.. It's not enough of a burden to shame anybody into doing anything.

I guess the target for the ad is his parent? And if I'm this douche's parent, do I expect him to suddenly stand up and act like an adult? Hardly.

[Ignatz]

You show me your lucidity and I'll show you my libertarianism.

You're obviously getting the better deal since I've actually got something to show you.

[DrJ]

OT, but I thought that JiB would appreciate this.

A business colleague of MrsJ's sent her a very large box of Gudrun Chocolate that arrive today. Darned good Belgian chocolate!

[Threadkiller]

The audience needs to be protected from un-newsworthy stories.

The best way to do that is to inject "birther" where it wasn't written.

Memorizing odds of dying in a plane is a new fun hobby.

[Miss Marple]

Duck Dynasty is trending on Twitter.

[narciso,]

McCain has gone fully Queeg'

ttp://minx.cc/?post=345830

[Threadkiller]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsYT8YHL-R0

[Captain Hate]

What did the guy say in the interview? I'm a non cable guy who's never seen an episode.

[2Jack is Back4!]

DrJ,

Want to share? Top of he line pralnes as they call it here. Very Worthy.

In fact, all Belgian chocolate is special compared to the rest. 75% Cocao does that for you.

[narciso,]

The LUN gives the gist of it, is it the most diplomatic way of putting it,

[Stephanie]

I've decided that Obamaboifans have had joy joy thoughts of Dr. Cocteau for ever.

That the residents of SanAngeles all look and behave like pajama boy - I mean who else expects the friendly booth on the corner to spout this kind of crap:

" You are an incredibly sensitive man, who inspires joy-joy feelings in all those around you."

We can now definitively say that pajama boy wants to grow up to be Benjamin Bratt.

And I bet he misuses the 3 sea shells. On Purpose.

[Miss Marple]

Captain Hate,

Forgive my language, but basically he said he couldn't see why anyone would prefer an anus to a vagina, no contest. And he said it was sin and bad for the country. (That last part is my paraphrase.)

I love that show because it reminds me of my dad, who was a certified redneck who spent his childhood on a ranch in Texas. It's full of hunting and fishing and common-sense comments on life.

A & E is going to be very sorry.

[narciso,]

LOL, Stephanie, that's about the size of it,

[MarkO]

Here are some unremarkable snippets:

"Phil calls himself a Bible-thumper, and holy shit, he thumps that Bible hard enough to ring the bell at a county-fair test of strength."

Then, this, for which there is overwhelming support in the country, save the 3% who are gay:

“It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

GASP!

Read More http://www.gq.com/entertainment/television/201401/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson#ixzz2nseoyi8U

[DrJ]

JiB,

I'm happy to share with you. We have some quality control work to do yet, and that may take a while. :)

[Gmax]

Dana Gilbert Ward wears onesies.

[Orly'sTeats]

"The best way to do that is to inject "birther" where it wasn't written."

This is getting pathetic.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

Finally just caught up. Out of town mediation Monday in divorce proceedings for one of my daughters (went as well as could be expected but it was very difficult on us emotionally), bad cold and exhaustion yesterday, and recuperation this morning at the keyboard.

Two observations:

The gal who won the lottery bought it in the building at 3500 Lenox Road where I had my office from 2004 - 2009.

Twenty years or so ago, Billy Payne was briefly my law partner and he was an able lawyer. He basically gutted his very good real estate practice to embark on his Don Quixote-like project of bringing the Olympics to Atlanta and his partners subsidized him briefly until the Olympics project became self-sustaining. No one thought he had a chance, including me and his other partners. IMO, without him, Atlanta would have gotten nowhere with the IOC.

He took over Augusta from his somewhat sclerotic and hide-bound predecessor during a somewhat troublesome time, and from all I hear has managed to steer it out of some major turbulence pretty much intact.

I have no problems with his becoming rich in the process. He has been very generous to his church which is a few miles from my house.

[Captain Hate]

So he was guilty of not having an approved opinion. Yeah I'm pretty sure A&E will regret this.

[Threadkiller]

But you still read it.

[Stephanie]

What did the guy say in the interview? I'm a non cable guy who's never seen an episode.

“It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me,” Robertson told the magazine. “I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

When the reporter asked Robertson what he found sinful, he said “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men.”
The self-proclaimed Bible-thumper then went on to paraphrase Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

The original story that Drudge linked had also that Robertson said that he loves all mankind and that it wasn't up to him to judge that it was God's calling and that he can love a sinner and hate the sin.

Evidently according to GLAAD, he isn't a 'true' Christian - like they have the moral authority of the world to declare who is and isn't a 'true' Christian.

This was their statement:

“Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe,” said GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz. “He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans — and Americans — who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples.

“Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.”

Phil's statement tonight (after A&E punted with a no comment):

“I myself am a product of the 60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior,” he said. “My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together.

“However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

The A&E guys just stepped in it. Big Time.

[Jane]

Don't say I didn't warn you

OMG Stephanie.

The junk....

[Miss Marple]

Back in 1979, when we were all mired in the Carter Slough of Despair, an unlikely event galvanized the country, reminded them of patriotism and wanting to be winners, and led to the election of Ronald Reagan.

That event was the victory of the United States Hockey Team over the Russians at the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid.

What you had in that incidence was a nationally televised program with people who were seen as heroes defeating evildoers.

Now Duck Dynasty is watched by millions, their merchandise flies off the shelves of Wal-Mart and other retailers, and they are THE most popular cable show.

This has the potential of galvanizing America the same way the Hockey Team did over 30 years ago.

I will bet there are networks calling meetings right now to get the show on their stations. And A & E is going to be very sorry.

[Stephanie]

I see Walmart waffling and then following A&E and a big backlash by rednecks... you don't fool with the redneck demographic. And gays don't shop at Walmart.

[Gmax]

New poll from Iowa by Quinny, remember Harkin has decided to spend more time with family:

Forty-six percent of Iowans want to see Republicans take the Senate, compared to 41 percent who don’t. Independents favored a Republican-controlled Senate 41–34.

[Ignatz]

Still trying to figure out what lie Phil told about an entire community.

Do gay guys really prefer vaginas?
Seems a remote contingency.

[Danube on iPad]

"Memorizing odds of dying in a plane is a new fun hobby."

I wouldn't have known those odds if you hadn't posted them. (Why did you do so, if not to suggest that there was something suspicious about her death? And if she weren't a player in your ridiculous birther fantasies, why would the story interest you at all?)

For the benefit of the many here at JOM whom I consider friends, and who have chastized me for engaging with this man, I will not do so further on this thread. I think his bizarre obsession is pretty well exposed, and his mawkish self-pity is demoralizing.

[Stephanie]

BTW they showed some of the DD guys on their Christmas special last week pre-beard. Some of them were quite hot.

And yes we are hooked on the show. As is almost everyone I know (my parents being the sole exception). Even at the country club everyone watches DD.

Got the hubs his annual 'gag' Christmas gift at the DD site on Amazon, too. Phil on a t-shirt saying "I am not a YUPPIE." He might should frame it now as opposed to wear it.

[Stephanie]

The comments at Variety are inspiring:

http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/duck-dynasty-ae-suspends-phil-robertson-following-gay-remarks-1200974473/

Keither says:

Funny that a network whose motto is “Be Original” fires an individual for “Being Original”.

New suggestions for A&E’s tagline……

“Be Original……..just not politically incorrect”
“Be Original…….unless it makes GLADD unhappy”

[Miss Marple]

Megyn Kelly covering both Pajama Guy and Duck Dynasty.

Be there or be square!

[The State of Entertainment]

Duck Dynasty, hyuck.

They remind me of Little Bill's words to English Bob's biographer, as the pee-stained nerd attempts to correct Bill when he refers to Bob, in Unforgiven;

Biographer; ''Uh, it's Duke...you said Duck."

Bill; "Duck, I says........"

[Janet]

“Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe,” said GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz.

Maybe a reporter could ask Wilson Cruz what true Christians believe.
Or they could invite Dan Savage & his friends on to laugh about raping Michele Bachmann & Rick Santorum...it was such a hoot when they did it on Maher's show.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2011/07/16/real-time-guests-discuss-having-violent-hate-sex-michele-bachmann-and

[Skoot]

Hey, Do you think the Duck Dynasty guys are the type to rally round the family with a pocket full of shells? Yeah, me too.

Robertsons vs. Hearst/Disney? Bring it on.

[Jack is Back!]

Enjoying a full moon over the Hammock.

But time to turn I . Slaap lekker. Tots morgen.

[Gmax]

I think onesie boy should make one of those Low T commercials. Seems perfect for it.

[Threadkiller]

Demoralized people give up on their hobbies.

[Threadkiller]

http://www.wnd.com/2013/12/nsa-slayer-white-house-behind-cnn-hit-piece/

Loon.

[Dave (in MA)]

Maybe Onesie Boy can take the place of the Duck Dynasty dude who got whacked. Do they make cammo footie jammies?

[Threadkiller]

Phil is a threat.

http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/McAllister-Duck-Dynasty-election/2013/11/16/id/537036

That is why he is on their list.

[Stephanie]

Do they make cammo footie jammies?

Ack... they do. And with a butt flap. Seriously don't want to be caught in a blind with anyone stoopit enough to wear them...

[Danube on iPad]

Full moon was last night, JiB. Waning gibbous tonight. (But very nearly full.)

[Stephanie]

Hey... I'd bet TK's right.

Hey... I'd vote for anyone Si endorsed.

[Miss Marple]

Good night, all!

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

It's even weird & pretty sad really that so many would be shocked & not know that the Bible teaches that ANY sex outside of marriage is a sin.
Have they ever read what was on those 10 Commandment displays that they work so hard at banning?

The whole point of Christianity is that we are ALL sinners & separated from our Holy Creator God.
The 10 Commandments are the standard....so what happens if we sin?...and we all do.

The Good News is that Jesus came to pay the penalty for all our sins. That is what Christmas is all about for heaven's sake.

[DrJ]

Janet, no GQ interview for you! :)

[narciso,]

apparently not, Janet, Marc Maron one of those weasels on Maher's panel, a year and a half ago, is the prototypical hipster,

[Jane on Ipad]

I don't think A&E is going to win on this one.

If I get to be for it, they get to be against it.

[Rob Crawford]

Judging by the remains, circenses, arenas and stadia have been infrastructure projects for some time. There is some reason to suspect their construction had a strong political aspect from the very beginning.

The games were often funded as part of political campaigns, so, yeah.

[narciso,]

As usual the doublestandard;

http://twitchy.com/2013/12/18/selective-outrage-glaad-slams-phil-robertson-after-letting-alec-baldwin-slide/

they took Baldwin off Bone Fish Grill, but I think I still see he Capitol One commercials.

[Stephanie]

And the queer guy for the lib side on Megyn's show has proclaimed it hate speech. Doubt that he read the article at GQ with any comprehension, but there you are.

Personally? Robertson/Palin 16!

I just love watching liberal's heads explode in the morning.

[Sue]

I am continually amazed that people are amazed a conservative Christian believes homosexuality is a sin.

[Dave (in MA)]

http://reason.com/blog/2013/12/18/if-you-think-pajama-boy-looks-effeminate

[narciso,]

True, Steph, but the cleanup can be a chore, the Huntress visited with them last week when she was on her book tour,

[Sue]

Why just Phil? The entire family believes the same thing.

[Rob Crawford]

“Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.”

After this, the GLAAD spokesperson put on his leather chaps, shoved a nun-shaped dildo up his behind, and took part in the annual Pride Parade.

[Stephanie]

After this, the GLAAD spokesperson put on his leather chaps, shoved a nun-shaped dildo up his behind, and took part in the annual Pride Parade.

Sponsored by Miller, Rob...

[Rob Crawford]

And the queer guy for the lib side on Megyn's show has proclaimed it hate speech.

These days, "sorry, I won't photograph your ceremony" is hate speech, and "I think the president is wrong" is a lynching.

In ten years, not presenting your hindquarters on demand will be a criminal offense.

[Rob Crawford]

Sponsored by Miller, Rob...

That's why I homebrew.

[narciso,]

How they don't injure their skulls with all that fainting I'll never know;

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/12/gop-rep-chooses-not-to-stand-near-obama-photo-lib-media-goes-nuts/

[narciso,]

Yes I know it's an affectation,

[Jim Miller]

Just checked a few minutes ago, and that Noonan blog post still has the double paste.

It's odd that it hasn't been fixed, considering how many people must have noticed the mistake by now.

Changing the subject almost entirely -- the Capitol One commercials, with and without Baldwin, strike me as moderately amusing -- and strong arguments for almost everyone to avoid the card. (I've never checked the arithmetic, since I prefer to avoid buying on credit.)

[Rob Crawford]

Just checked a few minutes ago, and that Noonan blog post still has the double paste.

It's odd that it hasn't been fixed, considering how many people must have noticed the mistake by now.

It's the only way it has any weight.

[Stephanie]

In ten years, not presenting your hindquarters on demand will be a criminal offense.

In ten years, we'll be pushing up daisies behind the education camp and they'll be using our butts for bicycle stands.

[Rob Crawford]

In ten years, we'll be pushing up daisies behind the education camp and they'll be using our butts for bicycle stands.

If so, I'll rest easy knowing the size of the honor guard I took with me.

[narciso,]

Well it's not that Baldwin is antigay, he's a jackass to most everyone, when he played a Jersey hood, he was being genuine,

[Stephanie]

When you get mad at someone and the first invective that springs out of your mouth is a queer bashing comment, I think you might be anti-gay. Just sayin.

BTW, did no one catch my homage to Si above? Hey, I'm depressed.

[Rob Crawford]

When you get mad at someone and the first invective that springs out of your mouth is a queer bashing comment, I think you might be anti-gay. Just sayin.

Except that's the way 85% of the people on the left behave.

[Threadkiller]

I caught it.

I was afraid Danube would chastise me for telling you.

[Dave (in MA)]

I'm gonna go get the papers, get the papers.

[narciso,]

One round of Noonan, is sufficient, two is a Geneva convention violation,

I think part of this campaign, really got underway when Anthony Summers recycled those rumors about Hoover, that came from Rosentiel's wife and other ;reliable' witnesses,

[narciso,]

And she came to his defense;

http://therightscoop.com/sarah-palin-defends-duck-dynastys-phil-robertson/

[Danube on iPad]

When i see "Si" my fancy lightly turns to thoughts of Sports Illustrated.

[Stephanie]

Hey, Si definitely ain't SI.

Hey, thanks, TK. Glad someone caught it.

[narciso,]

Ok, who is spiking the watercooler over there;

http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2013/12/12/slate-criticizes-heartland-science-while-calling-penguins-mammals

[Dave (in MA)]

Penguins, nun-shaped dildos, whatever.

[Ignatz]

--Hey... I'd bet TK's right.

Hey... I'd vote for anyone Si endorsed.--

Hey...I thought that was "Sí" without the accent and you were endorsing a mamacita.

[Danube on iPad]

"Hey, Si definitely ain't SI."

You got better eyes.

I watched DD for two episodes and enjoyed them quite a bit. Then I realized I didn't really want to watch the next one. Hope they win against A&E.

[Ignatz]

LOL, Dave. Still laughing at that one.

[Jane on Ipad]

Hillary is baba Wawa's person of the year.

[Dave (in MA)]

I just love watching liberal's heads explode in the morning.

How about in the evening?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/12/report-cnn-courting-jay-leno-179859.html

[Dave (in MA)]

The ya ya sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits sticks together.

[narciso,]

;what difference does that make' , that really was a repulsive statement on her part,

[Captain Hate]

When you get mad at someone and the first invective that springs out of your mouth is a queer bashing comment, I think you might be anti-gay. Just sayin.

There are so many generic insults that work so well.

Welp I'm 100% in the Christmas mood with Mrs H's presents bought, cookies baked and Season 2 of POI in my possession.

[Stephanie]

LOL, Ignatz.

My husband watches all the shows, all the reruns, all the 'there isn't anything on the damn TV I'm gonna see what's on On Demand, Hey they've got Duck Dynasty!' rereruns and I mostly sit on the computer tuning in with it as the background noise.

Of course he does the same thing with 'the Big Bang Theory,' too - plus he saves the recordings on the DVR. That one I don't get tired of as fast.

[Captain Hate]

Chris Stevens was unavailable for comment

[Stephanie]

Terry Schiavo was not available for blinking yes or no:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2525721/Can-people-vegetative-state-recognise-friends-family-Patients-shown-react-emotionally-photo-familiar-faces.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Neither is the talent pool at MSNBC, though for different reasons.

[jimmyk]

Penguins, did someone say "Penguins"?

(The new avatar of one of our own on Twitter, in honor of Slate.)

[Captain Hate]

Having had my eggs scrambled pretty badly in a concussion, I'm very sympathetic to victims of head trauma and can't agree with anything that was done to Terry Schiavo by her dickhole excuse for a husband.

[narciso,]

Yes, they are like Captain Pike, or his Futurama equivalent, that's where 'the all power to the engines' line, came from.

[Captain Hate]

Levin is slattering everybody in the Senate who voted for the budget bill screwing disabled combat vets.

[Jim Miller]

I'm not big on insults generally, but I must admit that I enjoy the Elizabethan insults.

If you haven't done so already, search for Elizabethan insults, and try out one of the insult generators.

For example, Baldwin could have said something like this: "Thy vile canker-blossom'd countenance curdles milk and sours beer."

[Account Deleted]

I didn't get gay from the Brave Sir Onesie ad. I just wondered if Ezra Klein was too busy to pose.