Call me concerned ... Call me skeptical ...
I'll believe it when I see, and hear, it ...
Clinton to Publicly Withdraw, Support ObamaAfter a tumultuous 17-month journey, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) will formally withdraw as a presidential candidate today, publicly declaring her support for Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) for the first time since he secured the Democratic nomination.
She had the stage to do this earlier this week and simply ignored the reality, continuing to march forward.
Until she steps out there later today, a little more than a hour from now, says - in understandable, discernible, English - that she is ending (or suspending) her campaign, and directly, clearly endorses Barack Obama (and then, maybe, after a DNA test, to confirm it was the real Hillary Clinton), only then will I exhale.
As to moving ahead, it will remain to-be-seen, just how much support she puts out.
The media circus (and leave it to Hillary to require a media circus) that is gathering for this event today, the anticipation, the hype, all the stories about her still-seething supporters, adds up to a possible classic Clintonean double-back, hold-the-phone, I've-re-evaluated-the-situation, I-won-the-popular-vote, I'm-still-in-it kind-of move.
Holy Chaotic Convention, Batman ...
Stay Tuned, Bat Fans!
Bonus Hillary Links
Barry Crimmins: 18 million hostages?
The Most Fabulous Object In The World
Top Ten Cloves: Other Ways Hillary Clinton Can Ignore She Lost Primary Race
Made It Ma, Top of the Campaign! ...
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Putting A Marker Down ... Just In Case ....
This Date ... On The Garlic
7 June 2006... On The Garlic
Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard During Iraqi Detainee Release
7 June 2005... On The Garlic
Blair, Bush Meet Today; May Work On Pennsylvania Avenue Memo; No Official Comment On Agenda; First Meeting Since Downing Street Memo Leaked
NYC Stadium Plan Dealt Double Blows; IOC Say No Funding and Russell Crowe Incident Brings Doubt to Big Apple 2012 Games
Rumsfeld, Military Defend Gitmo; Acknowledge Some Abuse; Ask That New Faith Policy Be Given Time
Top Ten Cloves: Best Phone Plan For Russell Crowe
Friday, June 06, 2008
Hmmm ... Maybe He's Reading The Garlic?
Mini-Me may just end up having more time to pal around with Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain in the days ahead.
Reid hints that Lieberman may be booted from committee chairmanshipNow Lieberman's position as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee may be in danger, according to the subscription-only Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reports:
And Obama, if Reid isn't going to take the necessary steps, wasn't going to let it ride;
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Thursday left open the possibility that Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (Conn.) status as an influential chairman in the Democratic Conference may not be solid for the long term, even as he reiterated the Independent Democrat’s importance on key party priorities.
Reid’s mixed messages on Lieberman come one day after the Connecticut Senator launched public attacks on the Democrats’ newly anointed presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.). Lieberman has long backed the presumptive GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), but took that support to a different level in attacking Obama this week.
Obama backs Lieberman against the wall (literally)Obama, apparently, didn’t care for Lieberman’s comments, so much so that the Democratic presidential nominee confronted Lieberman directly on the Senate floor this afternoon. Subscription-only Roll Call reported:
Maybe, just maybe Harry Reid read The Garlic's latest Garlictorial - "Why Wait - Toss Lieberman Over To The GOP Now!"
[D]uring a Senate vote Wednesday, Obama dragged Lieberman by the hand to a far corner of the Senate chamber and engaged in what appeared to reporters in the gallery as an intense, three-minute conversation.
While it was unclear what the two were discussing, the body language suggested that Obama was trying to convince Lieberman of something and his stance appeared slightly intimidating.
Using forceful, but not angry, hand gestures, Obama literally backed up Lieberman against the wall, leaned in very close at times, and appeared to be trying to dominate the conversation, as the two talked over each other in a few instances.
Make the move, Harry! ... Make the move!
Bonus Mini-Me Links
Biden Slaps Down McCain's Mini-Me
McCain's Mini-Me Hearts Hagee
Radio Listeners Diss McCain's Mini-Me
Retro Garlic: Straighten Up and Fly Right
Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun! (Give 'er the gun hey!)
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
Off with one hell of a roar!*
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force!
Well, at least two big cheeses of the U.S. Air Force will be making that "wild blue yonder" journey, right out the door, courtesy of Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates.
Air Force Chief, Secretary Resign (Updated Yet Again)But, according to Air Force Times, "the last straw appears to be a [damning] report on nuclear weapons handling... [that] critical report convinced Gates that changes must be made." That's the reason Gates gave reporters, in a Pentagon press conference today. But it might just have been the excuse he needed to can a pair of bureaucratic adversaries -- read on.
From The NYT;
The service inadvertently shipped "four high-tech electrical nosecone fuses for Minuteman nuclear warheads were [t]o Taiwan in place of helicopter batteries. The mistake was discovered in March — a year and a half after the erroneous shipment," The New York Times reports. "The mishandling of the nosecone fuses was viewed as another indication of lack of discipline within America’s nuclear infrastructure, and was another embarrassment for the people in charge of those weapons."
Last fall, the Air Force's 5th Bomb Wing lost track of six nuclear warheads. Then, in mid-May, the service flunked a nuclear surety inspection, when security personnel couldn't even be bothered to stop playing videogames on their cellphones. Now, it looks like Moseley and Wynne has some serious time to play with themselves.Never before has a defense secretary ousted both a service secretary and a service chief, according to senior Pentagon officials. Since taking office 18 months ago, Mr. Gates has made accountability of theme of his tenure. He has also fired senior Army officials, after disclosures of shoddy conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the service’s premier medical facility for wounded soldiers.
I'm sure these two must think of this action as totally unfair.
“Our policy is clear,” Mr. Gates said. “We will ensure the complete physical control of nuclear weapons, and we will properly handle the associated components at all times. It is a tremendous responsibility, and one we must and will never take lightly.”
They only screwed up five or six nukes ...
Meanwhile, Golden Boy Petraeus loses nearly 200,000 rifles and pistols, and he gets bumped up the ladder!
The injustice!
Oh Yeah, the Retro part;
Top Ten Cloves: Reasons How Air Force Mistakenly Flew 5 Nuclear Warheads Across Country
Okay Conspiracy Theorists, Break Out The Tinfoil Hats - Nuke Solider Found Dead
Bonus Bonus
Nat King Cole, "Straighten up and fly right"
You Got Some Nerve There, Lady ...
Do you believe the gall of this woman?
Not only did she insult Barack Obama, and diss him, now, apparently, she's come around, and she likes, at least, the color of his money
Ferraro wants Obama to pay Clinton’s debtWhen questioned about Clinton fundraisers being asked to join the Obama campaign, Ferraro told The Hill, “These are the people raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. I would hope that [Obama] would do the same thing with his fundraisers to pay off Hillary’s debt.”
WTF!
And after she said this, as well;
Ferraro suggests she may not vote for Obama
From the NYT;Some even accuse Mr. Obama of chauvinism, pointing to the time he called Mrs. Clinton “likeable enough” as evidence of dismissiveness. Nancy Wait, 55, a social worker in Columbia City, Ind., said Mr. Obama was far less qualified than Mrs. Clinton and described as condescending his recent assurances that Mrs. Clinton should stay in the race as long as she liked. Ms. Wait said she would “absolutely, positively not” vote for him come fall.
But not sexist enough, or too black, to bail out Poor TMFOITW!, I guess.
Ms. Ferraro, who clashed with the Obama campaign about whether she made a racially offensive remark, said she might not either. “I think Obama was terribly sexist,” she said.
Let the Clinton's dip into their own millions to pay it off!
Let the husband go off and make some speeches, or round up some new donors to his library!
Is this going to be the new meme from the Clintonistas?
That we all have to bow down, and reach deep into our pockets, so Poor TMFOITW! isn't inconvenienced to pay the debts of her own, mismanaged, losing campaign?
Poor Hillary ... Poor TMFOITW!
Are the Grand Central Station Locker Creatures (from the Movie "Men In Black), going to go into a new zombie chant; "Hillary needs money! The keeper of the light! All hail Hillary! All give money to Hillary! All give money to Hillary! Oh Hillary can you see by the dawn's early light..."
Just for a refresher on Ms. Ferraro, from a short time ago ..."If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she told The Daily Breeze. "And if he was a woman, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary's "Archie Bunker" strategy for Pa.
You're Wrong, Ms. Ferraro
Minced Garlic - Keith Olbermann Special Comment ... Smackdown!
Go pound sand there, Ferraro!
Take your tin cup somewhere else!
Guess Who's Coming To The General Election?
Well, it seems that cinematic, movie themes were in vogue, and applied to the wrap-up of the Democratic Primary race this week,
As you know, we here at The Garlic choose the riveting 'White Heat' to frame the narrative for "Made It Ma, Top of the Campaign! ..."
And in a cool piece of writing, Erza Klein, over on The American Prospect, choose something else;Towards the end of the 1967 movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," Dr. John Wane Prentice, played by Sydney Poitier, sits down with his fiance's white father, played by Spencer Tracy. "Have you given any thought to the problems your children will have?" Tracy asks. "Yes, and they'll have some...[But] Joey feels that all of our children will be President of the United States," replies Poitier. "How do you feel about that?" asks Tracy, looking skeptically at the black man in front of him. "I'd settle for Secretary of State," Poitier laughs.
Rather interesting observation, no?
Written in the late-1960s, the exchange was, indeed, laughable. The Civil Rights Act had been passed three years prior. Two years before, the Watts riots had broken out, killing 35. Martin Luther King Jr. would be assassinated a year later. But here we are, almost exactly 40 years after theatergoers heard that exchange. The last two Secretaries of State were African-American and, as of tonight, the next president may well be a black man. John Prentice's children would probably still be in their late-30s. They could still grow up to be cabinet officials or even presidents, but they would not necessarily be trailblazers.
Now, if we can just keep the script for "Carrie" out of TMFOITW's hands, we may actually get someplace.
Bonus Wrap-Up Links
Chris Cillizza: What Went Wrong for Clinton?
Chris Cillizza: What Went Right for Obama
Al Giordano: No More Drama
This Date ... On The Garlic
6 June 2007... On The Garlic
Top Ten Cloves: Other Things Viewing The London 2012 Olympic Logo Can Cause
6 June 2006... On The Garlic
Top Ten Cloves: Things To Watch Out For With Today Being 6-6-6
6 June 2005... On The Garlic
Iraqi's Say Sadam Trial In Two-Months; Bush Admn Holding Out For November Sweeps
O.J. Simpson New Jackson Advisor; Offers His Unique Advise; Missed Opportunity For SUV Chase
Rumsfeld Slams Al-Jazeera Television
iSqueal Busy Over Stock Slide and iPod Rumor
Top Ten Cloves: Why Chicago Marathon Was 1-Mile Longer
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Celtics-Lakers ... Not Quite The Old Days, But It Will Do
An indulgence is asked of you today.
The NBA Finals kick-off this evening, pitting the leagues two most-storied franchises, and one of professional sports' greatest rivalries, against each other.
The Los Angles Lakers versus the Boston Celtics.
I spent a better part of my youth at the old Boston Garden, attending my first Celtic game on December 12, 1964 (they played the Baltimore Bullets, on what was also "JFK Night", a tribute to the fallen, local President).
Each game we attended was like magic.
I knew the entire Celtic history, and every player in the league (there were only 9 teams back then).
By the 1966 season, my older sister and I had season tickets, and we sat through many a Celtic-Laker game, always gleeful that the Lakers went home losers, be it in-season, or the playoffs (including one, regular season game, when Laker guard Walt Hazzard either forgot or lost his uniform, and had to play the game wearing a Celtic away uniform (green), with the jersey turned inside-out).
The favorite, though, was 1969.The Celtics were supposed to be "dead", getting old and coming in fourth place that year, just making the playoffs.
The year before, 1968, they were the first team in professional sports to come from a 3-1 deficit to win a series (Eastern Division Finals, versus the Wilt Chamberlain-led Philadelphia 76ers; Later that summer, baseballs' Detroit Tigers would also accomplish the feat).
However, in the off-season, between the '68' and '69' seasons, Chamberlain had been traded to the Lakers.
The Celtics dusted off the 76ers (without Wilt-the-Stilt) and the New York Knicks, setting up the titanic match with the Lakers, who now had Chamberlain, to go along with Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, and were the definitive favorites to dethrone the Celts.
The Lakers had the best record, therefore, home court advantage and they wiped the Celtics out in Games 1 and 2 (with West going for 53 and 41) and it looking very gloomy for the Celtics.
Back home, they took Game 3 and, in Game 4, with 7-seconds left they were down by a point, and, just got the ball back via a steal by Emmette Bryant.
The legendary Bill Russell, in his second season as player coach (first black professional sports coach in the country) asked his players for help.
John Havlicek and Larry Siegfried offered up an old Ohio State play, that would end up setting a pick near the foul line for a clean jumper.
They ran the play, with Sam Jones firing up an off-balance jumper from around the foul line, with about 2-seconds left.
Swish, Celtics win 89-88, and the following day, the Boston Globe ran two photos, from the vantage point of under the basket.
In Photo #1, you had a mass of bodies and you could see the ball leaving Jones' hand.
In Photo #2, you had Wilt Chamberlain catching the ball, just as it was coming through the net, with a grimace on his face.
It came down to Game 7, in Los Angeles and owner Jack Kent Cooke had stuffed the Forum's ceiling with balloons, and had the USC band on hand, fully expecting to celebrate a championship.
Good, tough game, what you would expect in a Game 7, but the Celtics knew they were going to win (Bill Russell, running back up court, gave a shout-out to courtside celebrity fan, actress Doris Day and told her, "Not tonight, Baby").
Wilt took himself out of the game with about five-minutes left, claiming a knee injury (it also coincided with Wilt picking up his 5th foul, and, another record Chamberlain owns is never fouling out of a game - you decide), and it took a shot by Don Nelson (who the Celtics picked up from the Lakers, on waivers, three-year earlier), that hit the rim, bounced straight up, and then came straight down, through the net, to secure the win, 108-106.
The Sports Illustrated issue that came out following the series started off with;
"The band never played, the balloons never fell ..."
It was the Boston Celtics 11th championship in 13-years
The 1980's version of Bird, Magic, et. all was good, heated, but not quite the same.
And, unheard of, and completely unacceptable, they lost to the Lakers in the finals, twice.
I was older, in my mid-to-late 20's, so it didn't have that same, awe-inspiring, mystical quality the Bill Russell-led Celtics had.
So, all you 9-12-years-olds watching this revival of the Celtics and Lakers, suck it all in, it's big time!
Go Celts!
Oh yeah, as to predictions ... Celts in six!
Bonus Links
Celtics-Lakers Finals history
Bob Ryan's Top 10 games from the Celtics-Lakers rivalry
A Personal Note: The End For A True, True, Icon - Red Auerbach
This Date ... On The Garlic
5 June 2007... On The Garlic
The Scooter Doesn't Skate ... New Garlic Song - Let's Jail Libby!
And The Warehouse of Shoes That Are Still To Drop ... The Results - The Garlic Weekly Poll
5 June 2006... On The Garlic
Ex-Presidents Offer To Stump For Gay Marriage Ban, Border Wall, Hoffa Dig; Telethon and Benefits Concerts Part Of 3-For-1 Package; Cites Need To Act Before New Hurricanes, Marriages Hit
Top Ten Cloves: What President Bush Will Do To Help Congress Pass The Gay Marriage Ban
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Made It Ma, Top of the Campaign! ...
Or, Hillary Clinton's Cody Jarrett Moment
My, My, My ...
The theatrics, the anguish, it's taking to end this thing
The Most Fabulous Object In The World (TMFOITW), according to the breaking news over the past few hours, has, finally, popped her head out of her own bubble and caught a scent of the unrelenting condemnation she was receiving today, and will (we still have to wait-and-see) end her campaign on Friday and Saturday.
The WWW and Blogosphere was lit up like a Christmas tree, virtually since "The Speech" last evening.
Even the staunchest of TMFOITW supporters were bucking against her.
Now, there can be some validity to the whole notion of you can't stop a freight train on a dime, that TMFOITW couldn't put the brakes on, on a moments notice, but that does little to luminate her actions, when applied to what Hillary did last evening.
She allowed (granted, it may have been improvised, but, either way, it was specious) the campaign's mouth-that-roared, Terry McAuliffe, to introduce her as "The next President of the United States" and than TMFOITW proceeded to give, essentially, another stump speech, completely ignoring the history of the evening, of Barack Obama going over the number of won delegates to secure the nomination.
She then proceeded to egg on, to lead on, her supporters, offering no concession, no surrender, no acknowledgment that she lost the fight, ending with encouraging people to come to her website and tell her, share with her, what she should do next.
How's this for the history that was ignored by TMFOITW;
Will Bunch's Attytood - People died so tonight could happenThis is just to say how remarkable it is that a man who wasn't even guaranteed the right to vote when he was born is now the Democratic nominee for the White House -- and to say thank you to the people who fought and who even gave their lives to make this moment happen.
Keith Olbermann reported this evening that, it was only after two conference calls, one from 23 members of Congress, the other from 8 in the Senate - and that members, advisors of TMFOITW reached out to these people, imploring them to talk to her - that this outcome was arrived at.
Apparently it wasn't enough to know that Obama had won the most delegates, TMFOITW had to hear, from her colleagues, that they were not going to stand by and aid or abet TMFOITW in her attempt to hijack the nomination.
Clinton to Suspend Campaign, Endorse Obama FridayThe news that Mrs. Clinton was ending her campaign was first reported by ABCNEWS.com
WOW!
“We pledged to support her to the end,” Representative Charles B. Rangel, a New York Democrat who has been a patron of Mrs. Clinton since she first ran for the Senate, said in an interview “Our problem is not being able to determine when the hell the end is.”
The Clintonistas, particularly, Lisa Caputo, was out this evening, still banging the TMFOITW drum, explaining away her actions and behavior as no big deal, as if it we perfectly a normal occurance to have a candidate ignore the fact that they lost the election (well, there is Mini-Me., Joe Lieberman).
As many have already stated, Hillary Clinton's loss in this contest isn't the end of woman running for high office, it is, by all rights, just the beginning.
The sky isn't going to fall in if TMFOITW doesn't become president this year.
Hillary had the choice to be placed in history as a pioneering trailblazer, or a sore, delusional loser.
She'll likely attain the former, but with the latter as a footnote.
"Made It Ma, Top of the Campaign! ..."
So, a few more days of drama, more fodder for the cable news bobbleheads and then, hopefully, it's full speed ahead to the General Election.
And Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain.
Bonus Fat Lady Warming Up To Sing Links
Wonkette: Hillary To Concede By Friday, For Real
David Kurtz: The End?
John Cole: Tone Deaf Until The End
Libby: I was going to call her Virtuous - Updated
Wolcott: Nixon in a pantsuit
Bonus Bonus
James Cagney in White Heat - Top of the World
Watch The Entire Movie - White Heat (108 min)
Top Ten Cloves: Other Ways Hillary Clinton Can Ignore She Lost Primary Race
News Item: In Defeat, Clinton Graciously Pretends to Win
10. Go around with her fingers in her ears, shouting out "Na, Na, Na, Na Na" ... "I can't hear you" ... "Na, Na, Na, Na Na"
9. Spend the days ahead sending messages, to herself, that "Hillary Won" on HillaryClinton.Com
8. Start parsing the word "lost", being, "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'lost' is"
7. Could have husband and daughter led her around, blindfolded, and wearing earplugs
6. Clarify her statement "anything can happen" to include, "Except her losing the primary to Obama"
5. Listen, and listen only to Terry McAuliffe and Lanny Davis
4. Keep baselessly claiming, she's won the popular vote, she's won more states, she's won the swing states, she's won ...
3. Install, in her home and office, one of those gameshow soundproof booths
2. Dodge the news that she lost, the same way she dodged all that sniper fire
1. Cry and throw a crying tantrum until Barack Obama, and the DNC, say "Okay, we'll let you win it"
Bonus "It's Not How You Play The Game, But How You Lose" Links
Anonymous Liberal: Clinton's Classless Speech
Michael Crowley: In the Clinton Bunker
Noam Scheiber: That Outrageous, Delusional Clinton Speech
Andrew Sullivan: The Clintons Threaten
Chris Cillizza: What Went Wrong for Clinton?
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Oh Yeah, She Will "Do What It Takes", Alright ...
Last evening, and this morning, the cable new pundits are all drooling over themselves, pontificating and speculating on how Hillary Clinton will "graceful" exit the presidential race, once Obama goes over the magic number of won delegates.
All complete with the talk of unity, the good and bad of her campaign, how she is, despite losing, a role model for future woman candidates (most definitely true), all rosy prognostications of a Capraesque-framed shot of "out with the old, in with new" kind of thing.
Well, I'm not holding my breath that it all ends, tonight, or tomorrow.
From CNN;Sen. Hillary Clinton is poised to deliver a message Tuesday "that she will do whatever it takes" to put a Democrat in the White House — a message that Barack Obama insiders say indicates she would accept an offer to be Obama's running mate if asked.
You can throw out that BS about Obama asking her to be VP ... It ain't happenin'
"In her speech tomorrow night, she will convey the message that first and foremost she is committed to Democrats winning in November and will do whatever she's asked to do," a close friend and adviser of the former first lady, who speaks with her regularly and is privy to her deliberations, told CNN Monday.
But, notice she's using the generic "Democrat", not using the name "Barack Obama"?
Oh yeah, she'll do what it takes, alright ...
The words "I am suspending my campaign" may squeeze through her teeth, with all the same ease of how she has explained her vote for the Iraq War.
I will expect whatever type of speech Hillary gives tonight, it will be parsed, calculated, triangulated, giving a tepid nod to Barack Obama, but then saddling up and riding the rhetorical horse she's been on over the past few months ...I won the popular vote
More people have voted for me than any other primary election in history
I won the big states
I won the swing states
I won the states the Democrats are going to need to win in November
We need to count all the votes, not disenfranchise voters.
I'm fighting for the voters in Florida and Michigan
I am the better candidate
I am the better candidate to beat the Republicans in November
Superdelegates can change their mind
Anything (even assassination) can happen, between now and the convention
I'm a fighter, not a quitter
There will be no shrine-building to Barack Obama in her speech, in her position.
She's not closing the door, no way Jose!
It's too close for her to shut down. She wants it too much, and she is not the least bit concerned about what a continued battle will do to the Democratic Party, likely arguing that it is a healthy sign of Democracy, that people are engaged and, did you know, over 17-million people have voted for her, that she was won the popular vote ...
I don't know what the pundits are seeing, but I haven't (and I have cleaned my glasses, over-and-over) seen anything that indicates Hillary is about to put herself on the shelf.
As we said yesterday, we had all the delusional Clintonistas, in their best Grand Central Station Locker Creatures (from the Movie "Men In Black), making the cable news rounds with all their unbridled enthusiasm, ("Hillary is back! The keeper of the light! All hail Hillary! All hail Hillary! Oh Hillary can you see by the dawn's early light..."), still trying to sell the "Hillary's winning the popular vote! ... It's the popular vote that should count! ..."
After all, Hillary Clinton is "The Most Fabulous Object In The World".
It will not be a concession speech tonight, especially if the split the vote, Obama winning Montana, and Hillary taking South Dakota.
I hope I am wrong, dead wrong, and will have no problem eating crow tomorrow.
But if I have to flip a coin on how the next 24-48-hours plays out, Hillary is still muscling herself into the picture, and setting her sights on creating a photo album of her time in Denver later this summer.
More The Most Fabulous Object In The World Links
Marc Ambinder - The End: How It Happens
John Aravosis: Hillary is now rallying her major donors to help her stay in the race for a long, long time
Barry Crimmins: Metriculous
And One More For The Road ...
UPDATE
As I was readying to post this, the cable news bobbleheads were all in atwitter, first, babbling endlessly about how and when Hillary would bow out, and then, over an AP report indicating Hillary Clinton was, indeed, going to concede this evening.
They couldn't rush in enough talking heads to hash over this and, then, the inevitable denial came from the Clinton Camp;
Wolfson denies AP reportUPDATE: Here's the campaign statement: "The AP story is incorrect. Senator Clinton will not concede the nomination this evening."
As Bette Davis said, "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!"
Top Ten Cloves: Things About Fantasy Baseball Leagues Winning Supreme Court Case To Use Real Names
News Item: Fantasy baseball leagues can use real players' names, Supreme Court agrees
10. New line of replica Fantasy Baseball uniforms on the store shelves by mid-summer
9. Fantasy Baseball League can now start negotiating with ESPN, to broadcast fantasy games
8. Will follow real baseball and unretire No. 42 for a day in their Fantasy Baseball League
7. Real baseball players now getting deluged with emails, from Fantasy Baseballers, wanting more real information from them
6. Fantasy Baseball scouts now heading to Dominican Republic, and other areas, to scout out new, talented, Spanish-named players
5. The The Fantasy League Roger Clemens will end up having an affair with the Fantasy Country Western singer, Mindy McCready
4. Haven't figured out yet how to have Fantasy Parade, for Fantasy team that wins their Fantasy World Series
3. Opens up new areas of having fantasy players getting into steroids
2. That opens up having Fantasy George Mitchell Steroid Investigation (Well, actually, they can use the real one)
1. Many in Fantasy Baseball are taking last walk, or drive, as now, with ruling, they have absolutely no reason to leave house again
Bonus, Bonus
Special Essay - Play Ball! ... Batter Up! ... Could You Please Tell Me, What Is This Thing Called Baseball?
Garlic Coverage of Baseball Steroid Scandal
Top Ten Cloves: Potential Problems With Pro Video-Game League Championship Gaming Series
Monday, June 02, 2008
Better Than Any Last Second, Heroic Shot, Goal or Touchdown - Or Hillary Claim ... By A Mile!
Boy, I needed a "pick-me-up" today.
Aside from things on the homefront, we had all the delusional Clintonistas, in their best Grand Central Station Locker Creatures (from the Movie "Men In Black), making the cable news rounds with all their unbridled enthusiasm, ("Hillary is back! The keeper of the light! All hail Hillary! All hail Hillary! Oh Hillary can you see by the dawn's early light..."), still trying to sell the "Hillary's winning the popular vote! ... It's the popular vote that should count! ..."
And, The Most Fabulous Object In The World, herself, conducted the delusion, fanning it more, giving it wings;
Hillary's latest lie: I've won more states than Obama... if you don't count 38 of the 50 states“I’ve been closing very strongly since Feb. 20,” she said, referring to the day after Mr. Obama won Hawaii and Wisconsin. “I have won more votes and won more states than Senator Obama. All the independent analyses break in my direction. A lot of the key states that we have to win, I win those states.”
Which Kos sets straight, noting the facts - "Obama has won 32 states (including the Texas caucuses) plus DC. Clinton has won 19 (including the Texas primary). Now of course, Clinton is using a little sleigh of hand to disenfranchise the states that voted before February 20. That's 37 states."
Help Me Mr. Wizard!
Well, Mister Wizard came through, for which we H/T Barry Crimmins for delivering this nothing-but-major-cool-feel-good-story (and I'm kickin' myself I missed this, as it occurred just over a month ago);
'Unbelievable' sportsmanship in softball game; CWU players carry WOU player around bases after knee injury following HRPORTLAND, Ore. - With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence.
But it appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury.
She crawled back to first but could do no more. The first-base coach said she would be called out if her teammates tried to help her. Or, the umpire said, a pinch runner could be called in, and the homer would count as a single.
Then, members of the Central Washington University softball team stunned spectators by carrying Tucholsky around the bases Saturday so the three-run homer would count — an act that contributed to their own elimination from the playoffs.
You can read Barry's post - Title IX... Title IX... Title IX - to connect the dots.
And while you do, listen to the legendary Bob Dorough, and his classic rendition of "Better Than Anything", to add another layer to the buzz.
McCain's Mini-Me's Buddy Is At It Again
I was watching the Sunday News programs, and on one of them (I can't remember which one) there was a Republican hack attempting to make hay, tying Obama, making Obama responsible for the Trinity Church dust ups, with Reverend Wright and Father Pfleger.
The host offered back, what about Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain and his Reverend John Hagee?
The Republican hack blew it off, saying something to the effect "You can't do much when someone's endorsement comes along ...", to which the host didn't challenge any further.
That certainly set off a bevy of Bullshit Meters!
As we all know, very well, Hagee's endorsement of SB John didn't just "come along".
McCain shopped around for a Bible-Thumpin' Jesus Freak and eventually settled on Hagee, standing by Hagee on the first handful of releases documenting Hagee's derangement, before finally throwing him overboard last week.
But Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain's Mini-Me, Senator Joe Lieberman (R-I, CT) is still aboard the S.S. Hagee, as we noted in our "McCain's Mini-Me Hearts Hagee", that despite the hidious remarks that prompted SB John to flip-flop, Mini-Me Joe was still going ahead with plans to speak at a Hagee event.
Well, there, Party-Jumpin' Joe, what say you with this latest revelaton?
Pastor Hagee: The Antichrist Is Gay, "Partially Jewish, As Was Adolph Hitler" (Paging Joe Lieberman!)On March 16, 2003, on the eve of the United States' invasion of Iraq, Pastor John Hagee took to the pulpit to warn of the coming Antichrist. In his sermon, "The Final Dictator," Hagee described the Antichrist as a seductive figure with "fierce features." He will be "a blasphemer and a homosexual," the pastor announced. Then, Hagee boomed, "There's a phrase in Scripture used solely to identify the Jewish people. It suggests that this man [the Antichrist] is at least going to be partially Jewish, as was Adolph Hitler, as was Karl Marx."
WOW!
You just can't make this stuff up ...
Can't wait to see the YouTube of Mini-Me speaking at that Hagee event ...
Bonus Links
Pam Spaulding - Ralph Reed: McCain should keep his fundie meetings on the DL
Spencer Ackerman: Don’t Give Me Your Morals, They’re Filth In My Eyes
Hagee Going Emily Litella On Us ...
This Date ... On The Garlic
2 June, 2007... On The Garlic
Barry Crimmins: Of Exits and Eulipions
2 June 2006... On The Garlic
White House Orders Monument-Icon Training Throughout Government; Looking To Head Off Controversy of DHS Terrorism Cuts; “We don’t want to tip off Al-Qaeda on some statute in Iowa”
2 June 2005... On The Garlic
49ers Next Plan Ghetto and Street Fighting Videos
eBay Moves To Corner Web Spending; Shopping.Com Bought For Cash; SEC Looking Into Move As Global Domination May Be Goal
Burnett To Sign Deep Throat For New Reality Series; Felt To Host Show On Real-Life Whistle-Blowers
Top Ten Cloves: Other Things Mark Felt Is Admitting
Sunday, June 01, 2008
The Most Fabulous Object In The World
Not too many have noticed, as it has been going on for some time.
And, no doubt, following yesterday's Rule and Bylaw Committee resolution to the Florida-Michigan kurfluffle, we'll continue to get more, likely amped up louder, more forceful, more desperate.
What are we talking about?
Only that Hillary Clinton is "The Most Fabulous Object In The World".
Hillary, and her band of Clintonista's, have embraced the Terry Gilliam film, "Time Bandits", claiming they have the map (and only they have it) that shows Hillary to be "The Most Fabulous Object In The World"
Here was Hillary, just a few days ago, writing to the Superdelegates;Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections. From Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to West Virginia and beyond, the results of recent primaries in battleground states show that I have strong support from the regions and demographics Democrats need to take back the White House. I am also currently ahead of Senator McCain in Gallup national tracking polls, while Senator Obama is behind him. And nearly all independent analyses show that I am in a stronger position to win the Electoral College, primarily because I lead Senator McCain in Florida and Ohio. I’ve enclosed a detailed analysis of recent electoral and polling information, and I hope you will take some time to review it carefully.
In addition, when the primaries are finished, I expect to lead in the popular vote and in delegates earned through primaries. Ultimately, the point of our primary process is to pick our strongest nominee – the one who would be the best President and Commander in Chief, who has the greatest support from members of our party, and who is most likely to win in November. So I hope you will consider not just the strength of the coalition backing me, but also that more people will have cast their votes for me.
Want more?
Here was Lanny Davis (still crying), writing in the Wall Street Journal, just yesterday (and, never mind about the irony of appealing for support via the Ruppert Murdoch-owned media);First, Sen. Clinton is more experienced and qualified to be president than is Sen. Obama. This is not to say Sen. Obama cannot be a good, even great, president. I believe he can. But Sen. Clinton spent eight years in the White House. She was not a traditional first lady. She was involved in policy and debate on virtually every major domestic and foreign policy decision of the Clinton presidency, both "in" and "outside" the room with her husband. She has been a U.S. senator for eight years and has a record of legislative accomplishments, including as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee ...
Third and finally, there is recent hard data showing that, at least at the present time, Sen. Clinton is a significantly stronger candidate against Sen. McCain among the general electorate (as distinguished from the more liberal Democratic primary and caucus electorate).
Davis even, after the committee meeting last evening, roamed the hotel's hallways, ranting to anyone that would listen to him how Hillary Clinton is "The Most Fabulous Object In The World".
(And we can't ignore Davis's uncontrollable sobbing earlier last week)
And, in the Prophetic Department...
More?
We have Hillary tossing around assassination manhole covers (and her cronies playing out that she's the victim), and her husband, intimating the biggest mystery since The 39 Steps, that there's a conspiracy to deny Hillary the nomination."I can't believe it. It is just frantic the way they are trying to push and pressure and bully all these superdelegates to come out," Clinton said at a South Dakota campaign stop Sunday, in remarks first reported by ABC News.
"The Most Fabulous Object In The World".
Clinton also suggested that some were trying to "cover up" Hillary Clinton's chances of winning in key states that Democrats will have to win in the general election.
" 'Oh, this is so terrible: The people they want her. Oh, this is so terrible: She is winning the general election, and he is not. Oh, my goodness, we have to cover this up.' "
Clinton did not expound on who he was accusing.
Ahh, but we know, from Time Bandits, that "The Most Fabulous Object In The World" was just a ruse, to lure one into the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness, where Evil resided.
Does Hillary, and her band of Clintonistas follow the map all the way?
Does this all end up in the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness?
Well, "the drinking-from--the-Lanny-Davis-cup" Harold Ickes intimated that in the RBC meeting, bitterly (another irony) chastising his fellow board members for tossing Hillary overboard, saying he was "empowered by Mrs. Clinton" to reserve their right to continue claiming Hillary is "The Most Fabulous Object In The World" to the Credentials Committee.
Here's the video of it.
Based on what went down yesterday, with the RBC clearly indicating they don't want to go near the Ultimate Fortress of Darkness, it's likely, the Credential Committee will give Ickes an Ickes-like thrashing right back;Did Hillary campaign with the sceptre of entitlement, underestimating Obama, and all other candidates?
You bet your ass she did ...
Did Hillary lose this primary fight?
You bet your ass she did ...
Is Hillary attempting to hijack the nomination now?
You bet your ass she is ...
The Clintons are quickly becoming Willie Mays, with the Mets, or Joe Louis, opening doors in Las Vegas.
Relics of the past, of better days, a sad memory jolt, of when once, they were on top.
The Dems, to stay in the Time Bandits motif, are going with the Supreme Being, the antidote, the protector, the one standing up against the Ultimate Fortress of Darkness.
Hillary, complete with her band of Clintonistas, marched into the Primary Campaign, boosting of entitlement and inevitability, of just showing up, of Hillary being "The Most Fabulous Object In The World", setting their campaign strategy up to Super Tuesday, when, the following day, the coronation would take place.
Hillary campaigned to win an election
Obama, meanwhile, dug down, from the roots, setting himself up across the land, building support from the ground, up.
Obama campaigned to win the Primary, to win delegates.
And there lies the difference.
From the U.K. Telegraph;Dee Dee Myers, the former press secretary to President Clinton, said: “It seems clear to me from watching her, and talking to people, that she doesn’t really know what she wants.” But after 17 months of campaigning, and $150 million (£76 million) spent, the question that haunts the Clinton camp is: how did someone who a year ago had unrivalled name recognition, a legendary campaign organisation and more money than her opponent contrive to throw it all away?
The answers come down to wrong message, wrong tactics, complacency, character – and, ultimately, the opponent. Even Clinton aides agree that she wrongly sold herself as a candidate of experience, when voters yearned for Barack Obama’s message of change. Her campaign machine then failed to win January’s crucial opening Iowa caucuses, handing lethal momentum to Mr Obama.
Her staff mistakenly believed they could knock her rival out by “Super Tuesday” on February 5, when 22 states voted. When that did not happen, she had neither the resources nor the organisation to compete in the succession of caucuses that followed, allowing Mr Obama to build the delegate lead he maintains to this day.
Closing out with 'Time Bandits', if Hillary is "The Most Fabulous Object In The World", then John McCain is the smoldering, dead piece of Evil, sitting in the toaster oven.
Best advise we can offer at this point is, stay away from the toaster oven, the Evil, Obama, it will implode, soon enough, all on its' own.
Bonus Links
Today's Must Read: Al Giordano's "Damn you, Barack Obama" ... It Lays Out What We Are Seeing Now
Three "Must Reads" From Al Giordano
CSI Hillary RFK Gaffe
Wolcott: Nixon in a pantsuit
What About On Day Two?
