Our Ignorant Dolt of the Week ... Elizabeth Dole!

Liddy Dole ... C'mon down!

You are The Garlic's Ignorant Dolt of the Week, rubbing elbows with our previous winners, one of your colleagues, Michele Bachmann, and Republican Hack, Brad Blakeman.

It was a tough choice this week ... Liddy Dole, clearly, took the early lead, with her soon-to-be-campaign-folklore "Godless" campaign ad, but Mommy Moose came charging down the home stretch, with her stunning interpretation of the Constitution, seeking free passes from the media for throwing slime balls, but in the end, the vast soullessness of Liddy Dole won the day.

Why risk the eternal ridicule, Liddy?

I mean, charging your opponent, State Senator Kay Hagen, with being "Godless" is one of the lowest roads you can travel down, especially down there in bible-thumpin' country.

And hiring someone, to tag the end of that "Godless" ad, someone that, maybe, maybe not, sounds like Hagen to say "There is no God", that is way, way beyond the pale - paler than you must look before slathering on your make-up (which brings to mind a killer Barry Crimmins riff, from his "Prevarication Nation", when he hits Mrs. Bob Dole with "Liddy Dole (R- Mayberry) looked great, said little and kudos were again in order for her mortician, a true pro when working with a few gallons of rouge and an airbrush.")

You hired someone to fake Hagen's voice and say the words "There is no God".

This, with the knowledge that Hagen was a Sunday School teacher?

As if the rest of Ad wasn't specious enough - your deliberately lied in it.

It was documented the meeting Hagen attended, or which you cite, wasn't sponsored by Atheists, but rather an member of an Atheist group was also in attendance.

We know (now) how low-rent you are, but are you completely clueless as well?

Haven't you noticed how successful the Dead Campaign Express has been with their smearing association campaign?

Jesus, for all your pathetic, hopelessness, to launch such an ad, look what it got you;

The Charlotte Observer, in an editorial Thursday, noted;

This ad is something else, an attack on a Christian woman's faith against all evidence to the contrary. It is wrong. It may well backfire on Dole.

It has no place in N.C. politics. Unless she admits this egregious, shameful mistake and acts appropriately, Elizabeth Dole has no place in N.C. politics, either.

You're probably a little lucky there, Liddy.

If this was 50, or 100-years ago, being Tar Heel country, you'd probably would be tarred-and-feathered for such a hideous and very un-Christian-like charge.

Hmmm ... Maybe it is time to honor some of those old school traditions ...

Hagen is still kicking your ass.

Dole's Challenger Up In Polls After "Godless" Ad

A new Rasmussen poll, taken Wednesday after the Dole ad began airing, showed Hagan ahead of Dole 52-46. A new survey by Civitas, taken Monday through Wednesday, showed Hagan up by a smaller margin.

And you have given Kay Hagen the righteous hammer to beat you mercilessly, right through Tuesday, the Ninth Commandment;

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

Well, I suppose you'll find something to do after next Tuesday, that is beyond being our IDOTW.

Hey, your hubby likes to watch television.

Why don't you get one of those Karaoke set-ups, pop in that Osborne song, "One of Us", and maybe, just maybe, you'll get it some day.


Bonus Liddy Dole IDOTW Riffs

Liddy's Slippers - The Truth About Elizabeth Dole

Seth Colter Walls: Dole Ad Fabricates Audio Of Opponent Yelling "There Is No God"

Kevin Drum: North Carolina Watch

Pam Spaulding: Elizabeth Dole unleashes outrageous 'Love of God' ad

Swopa: Elizabeth Dole Spits in North Carolinians’ Other Eye with Another “Godless” Ad

Tennessee Guerilla Woman: Elizabeth Dole Insults Godless Americans; There Goes the Atheist Vote (Video)

Tennessee Logan Murphy: Kay Hagan Sues Elizabeth Dole Over Despicable Ad

Mommy Moose Gushes, Then Bagged, Like A Five-Pointer!

Oh, this is rich!

Mommy Moose got zapped today, some pranked called by Montreal radio DJ's, The Masked Avengers, posing as French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and it was unbelievable that she didn't catch on (some think she did, I don't think so).

For one, early in the call, the caller refers to Sarkozy's special advisor, Johnny Hallyday.

Hallyday is a legendary French singer, "some consider him the French equivalent of Elvis Presley" (which is true; A former French girlfriend would tell me about swooning to him as a teenager).

More, from Hilzoy;

And sometime around the point at which the non-Sarkozy says" "I love the documentary they made on your life -- you know, Hustler's "Nailin' Paylin"?", it seemed pretty clear to me that she had caught on. (That said, I do think she should have known the name of the Prime Minister of Canada.)

Hunting: "Like we say in French, on peut tuer des bebe phoques" -- trans.: we could kill some baby seals.

The song Carla allegedly wrote for Palin: "Le Rouge A Levres Sur Un Cochon", or: Lipstick on a pig.

Here it is. Play it and you won't be able to stop from smiling.

Sarah Palin Got Pranked




So much for The Wasilla Whiz Kid's staff ... There's a real crackerjack team ...

MY FRIENDS: THE MUSICAL

Here's a little post-Halloween treat for you.

It comes from the folks at Humanitainment;

A new world is comin' people... and it's gonna need a new kind of entertainment.

It's called Humanitainment... and here's how we make it:

We start with the goal of raising consciousness, then we sprinkle in some wit, creativity and a healthy dose of in-your-face attitude. Stir it all together... bake... and voila!

We're gonna blow the doors off the stigma that socially-relevant content can't be cool--

And yes... we're aware that stigmas don't have doors. We're idealistic, not crazy!

Check it out - It pretty funny, and very well done (That is, if you can stand to hear Stumblin' Bumblin' John McKKKain utter his tattered, worn-out, over-used, signature calling, yet, again).

MY FRIENDS: THE MUSICAL




(H/T to The Jed Report)

John Cleese on Olbermann

If you happened to be watching 'Countdown' last evening, you were rewarded with a little treat.

John Cleese, live, in-studio.

For the final segment, Olbermann had the Monty Python veteran in for a chat on Joe The Dumber, and a new poem (Cleese, last month, wrote a poem, slamming Sean Hannity, that Olbermann read on the program), bashing Olbermann's obsessive target, Bill O'Reilly.

The best of it was Cleese riffing on "If Karl Rove worked for the Democrats" ... It's hysterical!

Check it out here;

Countdown: John Cleese on Joe the Prop Oct. 31, 2008




Extra Bonus!

It appears, if it survives the writing and run-through process, a parody of Olbermann on Saturday Night Live this evening.

This Date ... On The Garlic

1 November 2007... On The Garlic

Jeff Gannon Speaks! ... To The Garlic!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow ...


1 November 2006... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Other Ways John Kerry Could Have Claimed President Bush Is Stupid

Chopped Garlic - Bonus Kerry - Bush Cloves

New Month - New and Improved The Garlic


1 November 2005... On The Garlic

With Damage Already Done, Wilson Fears New Cheney Staff

With New War Room, Bush Calls On Wal-Mart To Join Coalition Forces

Top Ten Cloves: How The White House Celebrated Halloween

Good Post Alert: Barry Crimmins with "Eat Jim Crow!"

The Bradley Effect.

OMG!

Dollar Bill is coming back to the Knicks?

No (but, boy, could they sure use him), however, we have seen the increased conversation about the infamous "Bradley Effect" creeping into the cable news election talkathons.

Spike Lee, not buying into the BS that Morning Joke was slinging the other morning, had it right, giving the Jokester an incredulous look and saying "That was last century!"

For a good time, I always thought the "Bradley Effect" had something to do that the former Mayor, and Edward G. Robinson, were long lost brothers, separated-at-birth, perhaps.







Ah, but we digress.

Today, Barry Crimmins has a monster post, "Eat Jim Crow!" (which followed a monster post, and extremely funny the day before, Sis! Boom! Blah!), which peels back most of the chatter and babble you've been hearing from the TV Talking Heads.

From "Eat Jim Crow!";

Anyway, the pundits seem unconcerned that that election was 26 years ago and even less concerned that many of those who voted against Bradley now have something in common with him.... since they are dead, too. I'm certain race played a factor in that contest but I'm also wagering that Bradley had nothing going for him that even mildly approached Obama's vaunted ground game. Besides, Bradley wasn't running to replace the worst president in American history. But most important of all, a quarter of a century later voters are much less likely to vote against their own best interests because they fear/hate the thought of an African-American leader.

I think something akin to the Bradley Effect is still around but severely diminished because we're a more integrated society these days and integration works. Why do you think so many young people can't get their heads around all the racial hubbub that's accompanied this election? I'd say it's because they have grown up in a world where seeing black kids in school or on Sesame Street is just part of everyday life. (Granted we have a few million more miles to go but the improvement is hard to miss.)

And this;

Then there are the people who are just sick of racists. They may suffer these jerks in silence but given a chance to really, really bum them out by casting a vote for Obama provides an opportunity for the most eloquent rejoinder of all. As far as the pollsters getting it wrong by not allowing for the Bradley Effect, isn't it just possible that some people tell pollsters they aren't voting for Obama because they are speaking within earshot of bully racists who live in their homes? How many long-suffering wives who have spent decades listening to their blowhard husbands spew bigotry are just waiting to pull the curtain shut to click a big "fuck you" to a racist spouse? No one can say.

Jump on over to Barry's site and read the full post of "Eat Jim Crow!", it's a good one!

Hey Palin, I'll See You Your First Amendment Rights, and Raise You Our Eighth!

Ignorant and stupid doesn't begin to cover the latest ramblings from The Wasilla Whiz Kid.

Now, it seems rather obvious, that Mommy Moose was tossing a shout out to the Base with this "both-feet-in-mouth" view of our First Amendment, you know, get'em riled up that a severe injustice is being perpetrated against her, and the Stumblin' Fly Boy.

It's actually a "twofer", bashing both Barack Obama and the media.

What is it, you ask?

Palin Fears Media Threaten Her First Amendment Rights

ABC News' Steven Portnoy reports: In a conservative radio interview that aired in Washington, D.C. Friday morning, Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin said she fears her First Amendment rights may be threatened by "attacks" from reporters who suggest she is engaging in a negative campaign against Barack Obama.

"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

WTF!

Is this what she really thinks, and/or, believes?

I suppose, if the Dead Campaign Express is successful, and they do win, Palin can, as the Vice President who runs the Senate, can just have the whole gang to roll up their sleeves, and get to workin', and fix that little nasty First Amendment, darn good, so she, and future Republicans can run smear campaigns, worry-free, from getting any negative press, or, for that matter, merely asked about it.

Glen Greenwald nails it good

If anything, Palin has this exactly backwards, since one thing that the First Amendment does actually guarantee is a free press. Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.

According to Palin, what the Founders intended with the First Amendment was that political candidates for the most powerful offices in the country and Governors of states would be free to say whatever they want without being criticized in the newspapers. In the Palin worldview, the First Amendment was meant to ensure that powerful political officials such as herself would not be "attacked" in the papers. Is it even possible to imagine more breathtaking ignorance from someone holding high office and running for even higher office?

So, if she wants to play this game, I believe we can trump her on it.

The Eighth Amendment.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment.

It is documented, overwhelmingly, in both the media, and in polls, it has been absolute torture seeing, and hearing Mommy Moose on the campaign trail.

Her Hockey Mom BS, the winking (sorry Rich Lowery, we know you go to heaven with it), the "gosh gollies" and "gosh darn its", the unabashed, complete naked, out-and-out lying, the obfuscation, the gutter-based smears, the fraud, the ignorance ...

Torture, pure torture.

Worse than fingernails scrapping down a blackboard.

Waterboarding, sans the water, as one's breath is stunted, stopped, labored, watching her on the campaign trail.

The Eighth Amendment clearly outlaws this kind of torture;

In Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972), Justice Brennan wrote, "There are, then, four principles by which we may determine whether a particular punishment is 'cruel and unusual'."

The "essential predicate" is "that a punishment must not by its severity be degrading to human dignity," especially torture.
"A severe punishment that is obviously inflicted in wholly arbitrary fashion."
"A severe punishment that is clearly and totally rejected throughout society."
"A severe punishment that is patently unnecessary."

As you can see, the GOP Clothes Horse, out, in public campaigning, hits, at minimum, two of these four principles, the "A severe punishment that is obviously inflicted in wholly arbitrary fashion," and "A severe punishment that is clearly and totally rejected throughout society."

You can also argue, which numerous REPUBLICANS have, that "A severe punishment that is patently unnecessary," as the debunked Maverick should have chosen someone other than Palin, someone with a minimal amount of intelligence, so her being on the ticket is certainly "patently unnecessary".

If you looked at the papers today, you would see that a majority of the country believes that to be true

Growing Doubts on Palin Take a Toll, Poll Finds

All told, 59 percent of voters surveyed said Ms. Palin was not prepared for the job, up nine percentage points since the beginning of the month. Nearly a third of voters polled said the vice-presidential selection would be a major factor influencing their vote for president, and those voters broadly favor Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

While a majority viewed Ms. Palin as unqualified for the vice presidency, roughly three-quarters of voters saw Mr. Obama’s running mate, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, as qualified for the job. The increase in the number of voters who said Ms. Palin was not prepared was driven almost entirely by Republicans and independents.

So there, Mommy Moose, are these people that took part in the poll infringing on your First Amendment rights?

Gosh Darn It, I don't think so ...


Bonus Palin WTF! Riffs

Eric Zorn: Wow!

The Toot: Free speech is a threat to free speech

Jason Zengerle: Alert the ACLU!

Steve Benen: AS NASTY AS SHE WANTS TO BE...

McKKKain-Palin, In Reverse

I think it's supposed to be, in the final days of campaign, that you "get out the vote", not, as it appears the Dead Campaign Express is employing, "get the voter the hell out of here".

Two incidents this week, that shows they just don't get it.

Pre-emptive ejection: Audience members removed at McCain rally in Cedar Falls

Audience members escorted out of Sen. John McCain’s, R-Ariz., campaign event in Cedar Falls questioned why they were asked to leave Sunday’s rally even though they were not protesting.

Lara Elborno, a student at the University of Iowa, said she was approached by a police officer and a McCain staffer and was told she had to leave or she would be arrested for trespassing.

“It was a very confusing, very frustrating situation,” Elborno said. “I said that I had a right to be there, I wasn’t doing anything disruptive — I was sitting, waiting for the rally to start.”

She said McCain staffers wouldn’t tell her why she was being asked to leave and when she got outside, she saw “a group of about 20 people” who had all been asked to leave.

Despite repeated attempts, McCain’s campaign could not be reached for comment.

Kicking people out of your own rally?

I'm not sure that's in too many campaign playbooks.

But, those were just regular people, Joe-and-Josephine Six-Packs.

The Dead Campaign Express also had bigger fish to fry.

McCain-Palin Campaign Snubs Penn State Prez; Unwelcome at Palin Campus Event Because He's a "Big Democrat"

A McCain-Palin campaign official snubbed the president of Penn State University who inquired about attending a campus speech Tuesday by Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, university officials told ABCNews.com.

"I welcome eminent visitors to our campus everyday, including lots of Republicans, but [the McCain-Palin campaign] didn't want me to greet her or even attend the event," said Spanier.

Some might say that makes it an odd time to snub the president of the state's largest university. The school enrolls 40,000 students and counts a quarter-million alumni living in Pennsylvania alone.

Spanier says he does not appear on stage or introduce candidates but is always eager "to officially welcome visitors to our campus."

"At a time when both campaigns are appealing to independents and people of the other party in our state, it seems like a strange decision," Spanier said.

I would suspect, that in leaving, the Palin Mob stomped and kicked the Nittany Lion mascot, as, probably, it is also a "Big Democrat".

Strange decision?

A strange decision could be viewed as a good day for Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain.

His choice of Mommy Moose for VP, and his wrapping his arms around Joe The Dumber, have been disastrous decisions for the Stumblin' Fly Boy.

And just think, The Wasilla Whiz Kid could have added another name to her roll call, like "Tito the Builder" and "Nancy the Nurse", she could have given a shout out to "Graham, the College President".

What's pissing off a potential quarter-million voters?

A bit more than a "strange decision", no?

Ya'Bet'cha!


Bonus Throw-The-Votes-Away Riffs

Steven D: John McCain Would Like Me

The Jed Report: Not So Bipartisan

Steve Benen: A BUBBLE BOY FOR A NEW GENERATION...

Happy Halloween!

The Big Day ...

Trick or Treat?

We could make jokes about Stumblin' Bumblin' John McKKKain, and his sidekick, The Wasilla Whiz Kid, going out today, dressed as a couple of mavericks, however, I doubt very many would drop candy in their bags, not finding the pair credible, the costumes really low rent and cheesy, yet, we will lay low on that.

Rather, instead of any tricks, we'll give you a treat.

Some say, the legendary drummer, Philly Joe Jones was a huge fan of Béla Lugosi, and then there is this account as well;

If that weren't enough, he was, in addition, an entertainer with unusual presence and great ability as a mimic and comedian. I commend to your attention his now famous Bela Lugosi/Count Dracula imitation (Blues for Dracula - Philly Joe Jones Riverside, OJCCD-230-2). He did it so accurately and with flair that he might well have intimidated comedian-commentator Lenny Bruce, whose Lugosi impressions inspired the multifaceted drummer to this a part of his act.

In any case, our treat for you today is (drumroll, please);

Blues For Dracula




And a Bonus Treat: Trick Or Treat With A Beat: Halloween Jazz

Enjoy!

Have a fun (and safe) Halloween!

This Date ... On The Garlic

31 October 2006... On The Garlic

Bush Grindhouse Launches "We Want Angel Back" Approach Over Telcom Amnesty

Retro, Retro ... U.S. Foreign Policy Spikes Upward - Karen Hughes Resigning!

Justice Served ... Now It's A Wait For The Karma


31 October 2006... On The Garlic

Developing Story: New White House Policy Causing Feet-In-Mouth; Bush Stumping Causes Panic, Chaos: Cheney Claims Said “Duncan”, Not “Dunking”; President’s Use of “Just Say No” Confusing; FBI, and DEA Staff Stretched Thin, Chasing Down Rally Attendees


31 October 2005... On The Garlic

Cheney Reportedly Takes Blame For Libby Charges; "Didn't Set Up Fall Guy", Says Disheartened VP; Hopes There's Time 'To Fix This".

White House Sets Mark With No Terror Alert During Indictments; Libby's Bad News Passes Without Fear Package; Homeland Security Looks Into Missed Opportunity

Top Ten Cloves: How President Bush Spent His Weekend At Camp David

Save This Snapshot!

Koo-koo-ka-choo, John, the Maverick Man
Palin loves you more than you will know
God bless you, please, John, the Maverick Man.
Heaven holds a place for those who bomb away,
Hey, hey, hey

Where have you gone, Joe the faux Plumber,
Our Campaign turns it's lonely eyes to you.
What's that you say, John, the Maverick Man.
Revoltin' Joe has left and gone away,
Yea, Yea, Yea,
Yea, Yea, Yea!

Yes, save this, mark this down, for it encompasses, almost, the perfect snapshot, the finger-on-the-button, a dead-ringer in horseshoes, the milieu, imprint, definition of the Stumblin' Bumblin' John McKKKain campaign.

Joe The Plumber Stands Up John McCain?



Now, either the staff told the Stumblin' Bumblin' Fly Boy that Joe "Living-Way-Outside-His-YouTube-Moment" the Plumber wasn't in attendance, and he "forgot", or, the Rove Rats never bothered to make sure the fawned-over Flying Monkey was front-and-center, to be foisted on the bused-in audience of school children (this is the second time he's abused students, forcing them to sit through one of his campaign events, perhaps, in a vein attempt to sprinkle and plant new "My Friends" seeds; Or, in the case today, to avoid the embarrassment of not having a quorum of an audience) .

Actually, it may be a combination of both.

McCain forgets that Joe the Plumber isn’t at his rally: ‘Where is Joe?’

Update - McCain staffers tell ABC News that it was "a simple mix up" and Joe "will join the campaign at a Thursday evening event."

Update - Dana Bash updates:

McCain aides called it a “miscommunication,” but once I got on the bus I called Wurzelbacher myself and asked him what really happened. He told me that he had hoped to come to the morning rally, but that no one from McCain’s campaign ever called him back to confirm, Bigger ooops.

Well, that kind of diamond-drilling precision sure ought'a rope in more votes.

No doubt you've seen or heard all the news on this bald buffoon, from his "mulling over" running for Congress, to the latest wet dream of a recording contract (Apparently, Nashville has plans to start stamping out new Lee Greenwoods, rivaling the schedule of Chinese toy factories), to his foot-in-mouth policy discussion the other day, that even the Faux News guys couldn't swallow.

I'm beginning to believe that the only reason the debunked Maverick clings to this ignorant clump of ridiculousness, is to bookend him with his sterling VP choice, Mommy Moose.

Peas-in-a-pod, as it were ...

Boy, if they really wanted to make heads explode, sit The Wasilla Whiz Kid, and Joe the Dumber, down, together, for a Katie Couric interview.

They'd be scrapping up brain matter, from "sea, to shining sea".

And There Was Also This

It might serve the voting public better, if Stumblin' Bumblin' Johnnie just finished off the campaign wearing clown shoes.

Remember a short time ago, when the Dead Campaign Express was regaling themselves with calling Obama a "celebrity", complete with the "Paris Hilton" video.

I mean, they just couldn't get enough of that, entertaining themselves, so smug that they were pinning something on Obama that would surely sink his campaign.

It was all kittens-with-a-ball-of-string, those heady, "celebrity" days.

Well, later in the day, Joe the Dumber did show up.

Joe the Plumber shows at McCain rally

"By the way…shouldn’t we hear from our celebrity Joe, just a second, Joe Wurzelbacher?”

"All right guys, I didn't prepare anything," Wurzelbacher said. "The only thing I've been saying is just get out and get informed. I mean really know what you're talking about when you're talking about it. Don't take everyone's opinions. I came to my own opinions by research. Get involved in the government. That way we can hold our politicians accountable and take back our government.”

"Our celebrity Joe"

Someone needs to check, were these people the model, the inspiration, for the film "Idiocracy"?

Must be the "electrolytes".


Bonus "Smokin' Joe" Riffs

Kyle E. Moore: IT’S ALIIIIIVE!!!!!!

Matthew DeLong: Where Have You Gone, Joe the Plumber?

Wonkette: Joe The Whore Shows Up At McCain Rally, Finally

TChris: Drains Unclogged, Peace Treaties Negotiated: Joe Does It All

Nicole Belle: Pushing To Extend Those Fifteen Minutes Of Fame

John Cole: Fifteen Minutes and Counting…

This Date ... On The Garlic

30 October 2007... On The Garlic

Rummy On The Run? ... Let's Give Him Some Chase Music!

Left Off Medal of Freedom Recipient List, Libby Said To Be "Crushed"; Cheney Said To Be Furious, Threatens To Expose Shadow Presidency If Pardon Doesn't Come Through

All You New Iraq Diplomats, Don't Forget To Pack Your Brooms


30 October 2006... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Things Lynne Cheney Didn’t Get To Tell Wolf Blitzer About Her New Book

Top Ten Cloves: Possible Surprising Things Barack Obama Will Do With His Paid Infomercial This Evening

News Item: IT'S JUST A LONG AD...

10. Grills Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, for not postponing the Game 5 earlier

9. Reads Cindy McCain's recipes, and makes one, baking it on-air

8. Spends the half-hour robo-calling all the McKKKain staff

7. Comes out in drag, as Sarah Palin, and spends the half-hour reprising her interview greatest hits

6. Take us on a guided tour of McKKKain's seven homes

5. Brings Joe Biden out, and they do a "Johnny Carson-Ed McMahon" routine

4. Magic Tricks!

3. Picks up from a few weeks ago, and continues to answer Joe the Plumber's question

2. Shockingly, Obama say he never really wanted to be president, but rather, THIS!

1. Gives updates, every three-minutes, on what's happening on ABC's "Pushing Daisies"

This Date ... On The Garlic

29 October 2007... On The Garlic

PBS's Lehrer Admits Brooks "Body Language" Skills "Creeps Me Out"; Reveals Uncomfortable With Columnist "Staring At Me" On-Set; Alludes "Toe-Tapping" Also Involved

Is Diane Feinstein Drinking From Joe Lieberman's Cup?

Don Nottebart ... Now, This Is An Obit With Some Ooomph!


29 October 2006... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Ugliness Please ... The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll


29 October 2005... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

A Fair and Balanced Meltdown

Oh, this is so sweet!

You gotta watch this video.

The longer this interview goes on, the more Faux News host Megyn Kelly, talking (or we should say, "freaking out") with Bill Burton of the Obama Campaign, melts down.

Megyn Kelly Loses It



As noted in the video, the fru-fru tizzy that has Kelly with, proverbially, Loony Tune steam coming out of her ears. is a Matted Sludge/Dead Campaign Express smear-of-the-week, pointing to a YouTube of a radio interview Barack Obama did over seven-years ago.

Martin Lewis, over on the HuffPo, sums it up pretty good;

You click and you link to a YouTube clip titled "Obama Bombshell Redistribution of Wealth Audio Uncovered". The clip consists of some audio - with misleading extracts of text - to a 2001 Chicago public radio interview with a very studious Barack Obama in law professor mode discussing the limitations of the court and his belief that the legislative process is the appropriate way to pursue economic justice. (Which if memory serves - accords with the conservative preference to eliminate judges who legislate from the bench.)

This clip isn't as boring as watching paint dry. It's MORE boring. It's like watching paint PERIOD.

The phrase "Clutching At Straws" does not do justice to this very limp attempt by Drudge to erect something he can put up against Barack Obama. Alas - as Drudge is all too aware - it just won't stand up any more.

Naturally, the Right Wing Freak Show has been in a lather over it, ostensibly, to point fingers at to say the Stumblin' Bumblin' Fly Boy is right, he is a Socialist, with Faux News right there, with their fire-engine-red megaphone.

Now, in fairness, you can almost understand why Megyn Kelly melted down, on camera.

It's the final week of the campaign, and, to be cautious, things aren't looking good for the dwarfs, finks, phonies and frauds.

They're getting nervous, jittery, snapping at shadows, not sleeping well, irritable, knowing the party is coming to an end.

Afterall, if the Democrat's ticket wins, they, in all likelihood, won't be getting the daily talking points from an Obama White House, they way they have from the Bush Grindhouse.

But they also may be worried for another reason.

An Obama White House may just knock Faux News off its' perch, to be nothing more than an annoying infomerical.

Destroying The Fox

During his speech at the Al Smith dinner last night, Barack Obama once again mocked Fox News, boosting an effort to destroy the power and influence of the conservative media networks, an effort that I consider to be every bit as significant as the destruction of the modern Republican party. As noted by Kos, this continues a theme for the week where Obama mocked Fox during the debate last night and then again in the upcoming New York Times Magazine in an article by Matt Bai. This is also the continuation of a recent theme for the Obama campaign: Robert Gibbs famously ambushed Sean Hannity after the last debate in Nashville, David Plouffe recently called them the "24-hour ACORN channel" and Bill Burton has been all over their network embarrassing them over and over.

Let's consider the strategy of this for a second, because it is really smart. Obama is laying the foundation of delegitimizing Fox as a respectable news network and openly making the case that Democrats and others in the news media have been afraid for so long to say out loud, that Fox News serves the sole purpose of Republican and right wing propaganda. While this may certainly sound like an obvious point to many of us on the left, it is something that has become a bit of a taboo for people to say out loud to mainstream audiences out of fear. For Democrats, the fear is that Fox will train their sights on them and further alienate them from Fox's core Bubba audience. For the rest of the media, it is a well documented fear of the Fox's heavy handed media relations machine that intimidates other journalists from writing critical stories about the network, leaving the only critical voices about the network to come from the left from filmmakers like Robert Greenwald.

The difference with Obama is that he is not afraid of Fox. Given the platform and opportunity to take them on, he is using it, unlike the Democrats on the past. In addition to the candidate and his campaign openly mocking the network, we know that Obama knows no fear of Fox because consistent with his moral code, he let Murdoch and Ailes know he didn't respect them directly to their face as Micheal Wolffe recounted in Vanity Fair.

Yes he did.

Murdoch was said to be livid that Obama didn't come in and kiss his ring.

After others intervened, Obama did, finally, go to meet Murdoch and Ailes

Tuesdays with Rupert

Then, after he said his piece, Murdoch switched places and let his special guest, Roger Ailes, sit knee to knee with Obama.

Obama lit into Ailes. He said that he didn’t want to waste his time talking to Ailes if Fox was just going to continue to abuse him and his wife, that Fox had relentlessly portrayed him as suspicious, foreign, fearsome—just short of a terrorist.

Ailes, unruffled, said it might not have been this way if Obama had more willingly come on the air instead of so often giving Fox the back of his hand.

A tentative truce, which may or may not have vast historical significance, was at that moment agreed upon.

Scroll back up and watch the video again.

It can appear that Bill Burton is having fun, getting Megyn Kelly blustering and blabbering, and watching her melt down.

Could be the first, of more to come.


Bonus Faux News Riffs

Spencer Ackerman: Sticking In My Eye

Jed L: Bill Burton Isn't Taking Any Bull From Faux News Channel

Mustang Bobby: Fact Checker on "Redistribution" Story

The Jed Report: WaPo Knocks Down The Latest McCain-FOX-Drudge Lie

Candidate Watch: Obama's Redistribution 'Bombshell'

"Hey, Wait A Minute ... We're Not Your Friends!"

Leave it to the Dead Campaign Express, to generate more of those "final-week-of-the-campaign" headlines, just about all other campaigns would go out of their way to have spikes rammed into their eyes, rather than be humiliated as such.

Dozens Of Call Center Workers Walk Off Job In Protest Rather Than Read McCain Script Attacking Obama

Some three dozen workers at a telemarketing call center in Indiana walked off the job rather than read an incendiary McCain campaign script attacking Barack Obama, according to two workers at the center and one of their parents.

Nina Williams, a stay-at-home mom in Lake County, Indiana, tells us that her daughter recently called her from her job at the center, upset that she had been asked to read a script attacking Obama for being "dangerously weak on crime," "coddling criminals," and for voting against "protecting children from danger."

This worker, too, confirmed sacrificing pay to walk out, saying her supervisor told her: "If you don't wanna phone it you can just go home for the day."

The script coincided with this robo-slime call running in other states, but because robocalling is illegal in Indiana it was being read by call center workers.

Is the Stumblin' Bumblin' Fly Boy rewriting the GOP Playbook?

Already behind in the polls, with just about every pollster that steps on television, you can see the clothes pins through their shirts, attached to their nipples, to keep them from saying the word "landslide", and that the race is over, he wants to add to the long odds, offending people, forcing them to walk off their jobs, because they think he, and the campaign, is repugnant.

File that brilliant piece of strategy away, for 2012.

Steve Benen offers some potential hope;

Keep in mind, robocalls are illegal in Indiana, forcing the McCain campaign to rely on these call centers to spread their smears. If more states passed similar laws, maybe we'd have more call-center-worker rebellions? And ultimately fewer loathsome Republican attacks over the phone?

Now that would be some change to believe in.


Bonus McKKKain Repugnant Riffs

Melissa McEwan: It's a Motherfuckin' Walk-Off!

Wonkette: Indiana Telemarketers Walk Off Job Rather Than Read Anti-Obama Script

Kyle E. Moore: More Robocallers Stage A Walkout

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Real Virginia ...

Day Three of McKKKain Respecting Obama

"No Ma'am ... No ... I Can't Give You A Racist Pamphlet Right Now"

Good Post Alert: The Three Ashleys

I found a great post last evening, that tells a great deal about this year's election.

Sean Quinn, over on FiveThirtyEight.com put up The Three Ashleys.

Typically, I would quote a passage, or two, for the piece, however, I think it will read better if you just jump on over there and check it out.

Particularly, the second and third "Ashley" referenced, can, succinctly, stand in for the elevator pitch, or Reader's Digest version, for a quick snapshot on the differences between Barack Obama and Stumblin' Bumblin' John McKKKain

Go read "The Three Ashleys"

This Date ... On The Garlic

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In Dana Perino's World, The Glass Is Always, and Perpetually, Half-Full

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Hugs and Smarts

General, Drop Your Draws, The Country Wants To Thank You ... The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll


28 October 2006... On The Garlic

A Personal Note: The End For A True, True, Icon - Red Auerbach

Editor's Note


28 October 2005... On The Garlic

Breaking News! - Libby Indicted, Resigns and At Odds With Cheney Over Defense; VP Holds On To 'Nolo Contendere' In Event Charges Come; Has "No Problem" With Libby Doing Jail Time

Top Ten Cloves: Reasons Google Needs A Lobbyist

The Brilliance of Tom Brokaw

I have had a hard time locating a video, or transcript, of the Morning Joke Show today, so my transcript of it may not be 100% accurate.

Still working on my first cup of coffee, they babbled on, and among the talking heads was that former Today Show host, Tom Brokaw, sprinkling his wisdom about the studio, and all were pontificating around the pending Obama victory, and how he will govern.

And, there is growing conversation, from the various nitwit pundits, that we have to have a "center-right" government (John "In-the-name-of-the-father-the-son-the-holy-ghost" Meacham had a doozy last week), so, they're already attempting to both rope'em in and diss Obama, at the same time ... A "We're Warning You", type of thing, "We'll allow you some change, but don't fuck with what we've taken years to build - and make millions from"

Mister Swinging Hipster (you know, he's penning those books, chronicling the 1960's; Just what we need, the 60's through the filter of Tom Brokaw) pronounced that, if Obama wins, he was going to need "Republicans, to give him creditability, internationally".

Then, he drops the big winner;

"I've been waiting for either candidate to say that they are going to have a coalition government ... Names ... If you're the Democrat, you say James Baker, here's my number, give me a call ... If you're the Republican, Sam Nunn ..."

James Baker!

Fucking James Baker!

Why-on-earth would Barack Obama reach out to that old Reagan hack, the chief thug, the ringleader who spearheaded stealing the 2000 election away from Al Gore!

Slime Bucket Baker, who's in bed with the Bin Laden Family, the Carlyle Group, Enron, Big Oil, and probably half the countries in the Middle East.

Jesus, Brokaw, have you been asleep through this campaign?

Baker would be, should be, the last person for President Obama to listen to, for I don't gather from what Obama has campaigned on, that he's looking for a compromised, unethical, sleazebag, fixer.

If this is what Brokaw has to say in the wee hours of the morning, I can't wait for Election Night.

We'll probably see him using old, Little Timmy Russert's infamous "white board", as a coaster for his martinis


Bonus Brokaw and Baker

Nico Pitney: Tom Brokaw Acting As NBC Liaison With McCain Campaign

John Amato: Why are Republicans asking Tom Brokaw for answers

SourceWatch - James Addison Baker III

Wayne Madsen: Big Oil and James Baker Target the Western Sahara

Naomi Klein: James Baker's Double Life

James Baker III Removed From Cryogenic Suspension

Bonus Bonus

Dana Carvey SNL Gerald Ford Is Dead


Dana Carvey SNL Gerald Ford Is Dead - Watch more free videos