PRACTICING THE "BIG UNTRUTH"
The hubbub created by the lipsticked-pig remark reveals the acute importance of the politics of perception in this campaign.
(WASHINGTON POST)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
AD IS "UNTRUE"
A new McCain ad caricatures Barack Obama's education record by claiming that his only achievement is to pass legislation ensuring "comprehensive sex education" for kindergartners. It implies that its critique of the Democratic presidential nominee has been endorsed by the non-partisan journal Education Week, when in fact it is a hodge podge of quotes from a variety of sources stitched together to form a highly partisan political attack.
(WASHINGTON POST)
A new McCain ad caricatures Barack Obama's education record by claiming that his only achievement is to pass legislation ensuring "comprehensive sex education" for kindergartners. It implies that its critique of the Democratic presidential nominee has been endorsed by the non-partisan journal Education Week, when in fact it is a hodge podge of quotes from a variety of sources stitched together to form a highly partisan political attack.
(WASHINGTON POST)
As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone - washingtonpost.com
THE VITALITY OF "UNTRUTHS"
As the presidential campaign moves into its final stretch - what this article characterizes as "untrue accusations" and rumors (what you and I would call lies) - have started to swirl at a pace so quick that they become regarded as fact before they can be disproved.
(WASHINGTON POST)
As the presidential campaign moves into its final stretch - what this article characterizes as "untrue accusations" and rumors (what you and I would call lies) - have started to swirl at a pace so quick that they become regarded as fact before they can be disproved.
(WASHINGTON POST)
Saturday, September 06, 2008
WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE, ME OR YOUR LYING EYES?
It was only because I thought it sexist that I didn't pass along a really hot picture of Sarah Palin that has been circulating on the internet. Well, it turns out that the picture of her wearing an American flag bikini and holding a rifle at a teen pool party is a fake. As my partner, who was a law clerk there, quipped when he first heard about this, "Who has a pool in Alaska?" This cite has the original photo side by side with the fake as well as comments from the photographer.
(GUANABEE)
It was only because I thought it sexist that I didn't pass along a really hot picture of Sarah Palin that has been circulating on the internet. Well, it turns out that the picture of her wearing an American flag bikini and holding a rifle at a teen pool party is a fake. As my partner, who was a law clerk there, quipped when he first heard about this, "Who has a pool in Alaska?" This cite has the original photo side by side with the fake as well as comments from the photographer.
(GUANABEE)
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
NAToday - North Arlington, New Jersey News
BE MORE SPECIFIC!
My nephew Chicky (Albert Granell) scared the hell out of me when he sent me an email asking me to see his pictures from "the convention".
My nephew Chicky (Albert Granell) scared the hell out of me when he sent me an email asking me to see his pictures from "the convention".
OUT OF NOWHERE
After my good friend Vincent took me to task for the comment about Alaska's racial makeup I sent him this reply:
After my good friend Vincent took me to task for the comment about Alaska's racial makeup I sent him this reply:
The remark about Alaska's racial makeup was - like the crack about disability - just an aside and not of great relevancy. When you start talking demographics there all sorts of qualifiers and footnotes, but the point that I left undeveloped is that even in racial composition it is a wholly different place. In general, the "white" racial category includes the subgroup White Hispanics and varies greatly across the country. Of the total population, White Americans make up 76%. Non-Hispanic whites make up about 68% of the population. White Americans are the majority in every region, but attain their highest concentration in the Midwest, where they account for 84% of the population. African Americans make up 12%, Asian Americans 5%, and Hispanics 15%. 45% of American children under the age of 5 are minorities. Alaska breaks down to blacks 3.7%, Asians 4.6% and Alaskan natives 15.4%. I'm sorry that it distracted from the real point that Palin comes from nowhere with no apparent credentials save her gender and nutty politics. In contrast to Alaska, the United States is urbanized. 80.8 percent of its 300 million population residing in cities and suburbs. With a population of 670,000, Alaska is ranked 48th out of the 50 states. But ranked by population density, Alaska is the least densely populated at 2.849 people per square kilometer (1.1 per square mile), with the next nearest ranking state, Wyoming, at 13.208 (5.1 per square mile).
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?
Is this a great country or what? Where else could you have two people from such humble backgrounds vying for the most prestigious, powerful and dangerous positions in the world?I liken McCain's Veep choice of Sarah Palin to Nixon's decision to play nice with China. (hmmmmm!) Maybe it's going to take THEM to do it. If Barack wins, we have our first Black Prez and if we lose, well, at any rate we can console ourselves that the glass ceiling has been broken.
Apart from her obvious distaff state and her evangelical "pedigree", what is truly remarkable is how she got to be - should McCain win - next in line for the presidency.
While Barrack has an advanced degree in world affairs, is a Senator, blah, blah, blah, this lady figuratively and literally comes from nowhere. There are only three other states that are smaller in population than Alaska, a state that is nearly 71% white. (I also found it interesting that a large portion of its population (12%) is disabled and, so, one assumes - that despite its libertarian reputation - is on some sort of public transfer program. But, I digress.) Nor can you explain it as based on her 6 year experience as the councilperson and (subsequently) Mayor/Manager of a town that has a population the size of Hamilton, Alabama. In fact there are only 10 cities in Alabama that are smaller than Wasilla. (Click link above for comparison of Wasilla, Alaska to Alabama cities.) Truly remarkable.
RELATED STORY
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Barack Obama, A Free-Market-Loving, Big-Spending, Fiscally Conservative Wealth Redistributionist - NYTimes.com
"POST-PARTISAN" ECONOMICS?
Barack Obama spent 12 years at the University of Chicago, mostly as a senior lecturer on constitutional law. It happened to place him inside what is arguably the intellectual center of modern American economic conservatism, the home of Milton Friedman and the laissez-faire philosophy known as the Chicago School of economics. Obama didn’t spend much time with Friedman’s disciples at the law school. Instead, he became friendly with another crowd: liberals who had come to think that Friedman was right about a lot, just not everything. Some of the confusion about Obama's economic policies stems from his presentation as a postpartisan figure. But, invoking pragmatism doesn’t help the average voter much; ideology, though it often gets a bad name, matters, because it offers insight into how a candidate might actually behave as president. Obama does have an economic ideology. It’s just not a completely familiar one. Depending on how you look at it, he is both more left-wing and more right-wing than many people realize.
(Suggested by DOUG PERRYMAN)
Barack Obama spent 12 years at the University of Chicago, mostly as a senior lecturer on constitutional law. It happened to place him inside what is arguably the intellectual center of modern American economic conservatism, the home of Milton Friedman and the laissez-faire philosophy known as the Chicago School of economics. Obama didn’t spend much time with Friedman’s disciples at the law school. Instead, he became friendly with another crowd: liberals who had come to think that Friedman was right about a lot, just not everything. Some of the confusion about Obama's economic policies stems from his presentation as a postpartisan figure. But, invoking pragmatism doesn’t help the average voter much; ideology, though it often gets a bad name, matters, because it offers insight into how a candidate might actually behave as president. Obama does have an economic ideology. It’s just not a completely familiar one. Depending on how you look at it, he is both more left-wing and more right-wing than many people realize.
(Suggested by DOUG PERRYMAN)
Monday, August 25, 2008
OBAMA AND THE REAGAN DEMOCRATS
The flight of the Reagan Democrats away from the Democratic Party in the 1980s and earlier was largely driven by racial issues. But their hesitation is based primarily on two other issues. First, Obama's inability so far to convince these voters that he shares their passion. Second, doubts about Obama’s national security credentials; many refusing to dismiss their worst fears – that he does not love America or even might harbor a secret agenda.
The flight of the Reagan Democrats away from the Democratic Party in the 1980s and earlier was largely driven by racial issues. But their hesitation is based primarily on two other issues. First, Obama's inability so far to convince these voters that he shares their passion. Second, doubts about Obama’s national security credentials; many refusing to dismiss their worst fears – that he does not love America or even might harbor a secret agenda.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Citing History, Bush Suggests His Policies Will One Day Be Vindicated - washingtonpost.com
VENCERE
George Bush Too and Fidel Castro both claim that history will absolve them. (Fidel actually wrote a book by that title.)As the door begins to close on his tenure, Too is increasingly drawing on selected events of the past to argue that history will vindicate him. Unfortunately Bush, many historians have already reached a conclusion. In an informal survey of scholars this spring, just two out of 109 historians said Bush would be judged a success; a majority deemed him the "worst president ever."
(WASHINGTON POST)
George Bush Too and Fidel Castro both claim that history will absolve them. (Fidel actually wrote a book by that title.)As the door begins to close on his tenure, Too is increasingly drawing on selected events of the past to argue that history will vindicate him. Unfortunately Bush, many historians have already reached a conclusion. In an informal survey of scholars this spring, just two out of 109 historians said Bush would be judged a success; a majority deemed him the "worst president ever."
(WASHINGTON POST)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
'Diverse' GOP Convention Speakers Revealed | PEEK | AlterNet
ONE BIG WINNEBAGO
In announcing the speakers for the Republican Convention, its handlers are touting the GOP's "diversity". No, really! It's a regular Rainbow Coalition, a People's Park all over again. Can't wait to see the GOP Diversity Parade: Bush, Cheney, Arnold and Giuliani. Yippee!!!!
(ALTERNET)
In announcing the speakers for the Republican Convention, its handlers are touting the GOP's "diversity". No, really! It's a regular Rainbow Coalition, a People's Park all over again. Can't wait to see the GOP Diversity Parade: Bush, Cheney, Arnold and Giuliani. Yippee!!!!
(ALTERNET)
Sunday, August 17, 2008
OBAMA'S MEDIA SKILLS
I'm not sure what Howard Kurtz's message is in this piece, but it's a nice distillation of articles about both candidates. I especially liked this New Republic quote:
I'm not sure what Howard Kurtz's message is in this piece, but it's a nice distillation of articles about both candidates. I especially liked this New Republic quote:
"Do you remember when conservatives used to speak warmly, and sometimes rapturously, about Barack Obama? That was back when they were certain that the Clinton voodoo magic would make Hillary the nominee, and Obama her sympathetic roadkill. Since then, the right has made the horrifying discoveries that Obama is, successively, a left-wing ideologue, a coddler of anti- Americanism, a wine-sipping elitist, and, now, a shameless flip-flopper. The man will say anything, discard any position, in order to win the election.
If such a tragic tarnishing of the reputation could happen to a fresh-faced reformer like Obama, it could happen to anybody. And, in fact, it has--at least to anybody who has happened to attain the Democratic presidential nomination at any point over the last five election cycles."
(WASHINGTON POST)
BUSH REFLUX
While Barrack Obama attempts to portray John McCain as just Bush-warmed-over, this article sees McCain as someone who was actually on the right and in front of Bush when it came to promoting the idea of “national greatness” conservatism. "It was during the Balkan wars that Mr. McCain and his advisers read a 1997 article on the Wall Street Journal editorial page by William Kristol and David Brooks of The Weekly Standard," the article says. These neocons "won them over to a more activist agenda at home and a more muscular role in the world." Scary stuff.
For a scathing attack on McCain check out
THIS NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE BY FRANK RICH.(NEW YORK TIMES and TRUTHOUT)
While Barrack Obama attempts to portray John McCain as just Bush-warmed-over, this article sees McCain as someone who was actually on the right and in front of Bush when it came to promoting the idea of “national greatness” conservatism. "It was during the Balkan wars that Mr. McCain and his advisers read a 1997 article on the Wall Street Journal editorial page by William Kristol and David Brooks of The Weekly Standard," the article says. These neocons "won them over to a more activist agenda at home and a more muscular role in the world." Scary stuff.
For a scathing attack on McCain check out
THIS NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE BY FRANK RICH.(NEW YORK TIMES and TRUTHOUT)
Friday, August 15, 2008
AN ABOMINATION INDEED
Apparently trying to avoid the mistake John Kerry made of taking the high road and just ignoring blatently false or silly attacks, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has hit back with a 40-page rebuttal to the new Swiftboater book 'The Obama Nation.'
(Click on red headline above for the entire report.)
How did the GOP core constituency become the ignorant or easily misinformed? Weren't we the unwashed and they the hoity-toity? On the Obama site www.FightTheSmears.com, they call the author out for being a fringe bigot peddling rehashed lies. Noone seems to hold the Republicans accountable for this cyclical rape of the political process. In fact, we have come to expect that the Mud Machine will perform this fandango every four years. The electorate either buys into it by making this jackoff more profits or just forgives them because well, "that's the way they are." (Remember, during the primaries that the Clinton's attacks were seen as a warmup for the big boys?) This man hides behind something he probably rails against, The First Amendment.
Apparently trying to avoid the mistake John Kerry made of taking the high road and just ignoring blatently false or silly attacks, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has hit back with a 40-page rebuttal to the new Swiftboater book 'The Obama Nation.'
(Click on red headline above for the entire report.)
How did the GOP core constituency become the ignorant or easily misinformed? Weren't we the unwashed and they the hoity-toity? On the Obama site www.FightTheSmears.com, they call the author out for being a fringe bigot peddling rehashed lies. Noone seems to hold the Republicans accountable for this cyclical rape of the political process. In fact, we have come to expect that the Mud Machine will perform this fandango every four years. The electorate either buys into it by making this jackoff more profits or just forgives them because well, "that's the way they are." (Remember, during the primaries that the Clinton's attacks were seen as a warmup for the big boys?) This man hides behind something he probably rails against, The First Amendment.
(This video is part of the Media Matters attack on Corsi. I really enjoyed the part where Corsi protests that he's the victim of ad hominem attacks!)
FOR MORE, click
HERE,
HERE,
HERE,
HERE,
HERE,
HERE
(Suggested by TRUTHOUT and MEDIA MATTERS)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
NO "GOOD GUYS"
I watched the Jim Lehrer News Hour's coverage of the Georgia-Russia conflict Tuesday night and became convinced that we're not getting enough of the story in the Russo-Georgian Conflict. Dimitri Simes' assessment that there are no "good guys" and that we should not repeat the mistake we made in Iraq of choosing a side without knowing more or getting more concessions rang true. If you're at all interested in world politics this is really worth a read.
Just coincidentally, John Furman sent This Piece from Clear Politics that is also informative. It also makes clear that the situation over there is complex and longstanding. The article ties the Russian actions to their experiences in Kosovo and their paranoia about the "strategic encirclement and strangulation of Russia." From that experience they concluded that the United States and Europe were not prepared to consider Russian wishes even in fairly minor affairs. That was the breaking point. If Russian desires could not be accommodated even in a minor matter like this, then clearly Russia and the West were in conflict. According to the article, for the Russians, the question was more one of how to respond. Having declined to respond in Kosovo, the Russians decided to respond where they had all the cards: in South Ossetia.
Wednesday night's News Hour had former Secretaries of State Madeline Albright and Lawrence Eagleburger speaking on the crisis. Although from two divergent camps, they seemed to be of one mind in supporting Georgia.
My cousin Sixto Mendez sent me this excellent New York Times Article Taunting the Bear that sets out the history of the conflict in detail.
Good friend Steve Stokke chimes in by recommending Russia Today as a source of news.
For criticism of media coverage CLICK HERE, HERE , HERE, and HERE, that last link being commentary by Pat Buchanan!
I watched the Jim Lehrer News Hour's coverage of the Georgia-Russia conflict Tuesday night and became convinced that we're not getting enough of the story in the Russo-Georgian Conflict. Dimitri Simes' assessment that there are no "good guys" and that we should not repeat the mistake we made in Iraq of choosing a side without knowing more or getting more concessions rang true. If you're at all interested in world politics this is really worth a read.
Just coincidentally, John Furman sent This Piece from Clear Politics that is also informative. It also makes clear that the situation over there is complex and longstanding. The article ties the Russian actions to their experiences in Kosovo and their paranoia about the "strategic encirclement and strangulation of Russia." From that experience they concluded that the United States and Europe were not prepared to consider Russian wishes even in fairly minor affairs. That was the breaking point. If Russian desires could not be accommodated even in a minor matter like this, then clearly Russia and the West were in conflict. According to the article, for the Russians, the question was more one of how to respond. Having declined to respond in Kosovo, the Russians decided to respond where they had all the cards: in South Ossetia.
Wednesday night's News Hour had former Secretaries of State Madeline Albright and Lawrence Eagleburger speaking on the crisis. Although from two divergent camps, they seemed to be of one mind in supporting Georgia.
My cousin Sixto Mendez sent me this excellent New York Times Article Taunting the Bear that sets out the history of the conflict in detail.
Good friend Steve Stokke chimes in by recommending Russia Today as a source of news.
For criticism of media coverage CLICK HERE, HERE , HERE, and HERE, that last link being commentary by Pat Buchanan!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)