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A Guest Post from The Palinator (re: Debate, Beach Balls)


Friday, October 3, 2008 - 10:30 am (EST)
By a.p.

The Palinator (an author published in a couple dozen countries whose agent would hang him for revealing his name) takes you with him on his train-of-thought ride through last night’s debate (complete with brief detours into tales of fatherhood and beach balls).

Enjoy:

(Author’s note: I got home late and watched the debate delayed, so all times are local, as recorded in my living room.)

9:38 – Ooh.  Bad color on Gwen…an emerald green muumuu?  She looks like she was just kicked out of Oz.

9:39 – Sarah Palin asks Biden: “Can I call you Joe?”  Are you fucking serious?  How about, “No, just call me VP.”

9:40 – Coin toss?  It’s like football?

9:41 – I hate the requisite “Thank you’s.”  So stupid.  No doubt Palin will thank and thank and thank and thank St. Louis trying to run out the clock.

9:42 – Shit, I’m already bored by Biden.  Gimme Palin.  I want blood.

9:42 – Joe got me back.  He seems relaxed and coherent.  Someone must’ve slipped him a valium.

9:43 – Here’s Sarah.  Holy shit, one minute in and she already mentioned “soccer” and said “betcha.”  Okay, first impressions – she seems coherent, but robotic.  Maybe she is a robot.  No, a fembot, like in Austin Powers.  I think she’s gonnna shoot Biden w/ her breasts.

9:44 – Biden’s hair is really weird.  Not just now, but always.  A woman I know took a train w/ “Amtrak Joe” during what she described “the plugging years.”  Hair plugs = bad.

9:45 – Weird; when Biden talks, he doesn’t move his body.  Just his head.  Weird.

9:46 – My god, Palin just winked at me.  Shit, she said “mavericks.”  So fucking lame.  She’s looking right at the camera like a deer in the headlights.  Maverick count = 2.

9:47 – HA!  Gwen called them on not answering the question.  But then didn’t press them on it.  Why?

9:47 – Palin: “Darn right, it was the predator lenders.”  Yeah, wouldn’t expect any Americans to do simple math on what they could afford.  Sure, American’s have got ingenuity, but don’t expect them to add.  That’s just wrong.

9:48 – Fuck.  She used “hockey moms” AND “Joe Six-pack” in the same sentence.  Double fuck – she’s not blazingly incoherent.  But she doesn’t believe in using the “g”s God put at the end of words.  Everythin’s hurtin’.

9:49 – This format sucks.  It’s too fast, all bullet-points, not enough follow up by Gwen.  I don’t see this getting contentious at all like Obama vs. McCain got.  That’s good for Palin.

9:50 – Boorrrrrrring.  Talkng points, talking points, talking points.  I think Biden is actually talking, Palin is just spewing.  But she’s doing well.  Fuck.  Fuck, fuck, fuck.  I hate her.

9:51 – Nice rebuttal, Joe.  Ooooooooh, McCain voted 477 times to raise taxes.  AND the governor didn’t answer the question!  Yeah, you go Joe!

9:52 – Palin: “I’m still on the tax thing.”   And then: “I may not answer the questions like the moderator wants”??  WTF?  Why not just go Faulkner on our ass and do the stream of consciousness “thing.”

9:53 – SNAP!  Gwen cuts Sarah off for time.  HA!

9:53 – Joe seems empathetic.  Nice, I feel like he’s talking to me.  I like the “value set” comment.  Joe seems to be better at timing his answers.

9:55 – Oh, here it comes.  Lambasting Biden for the “patriotic” paying taxes comment.  Oh right, McCain’s always been in the middle class.  Son of an admiral.  Right.

9:56 – I hate this smiling bitch.  And I think that’s the biggest flag pin I’ve ever seen.  I’m surprised she can stand.

9:58 – “ULTIMATE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE!”  Biden gets the first laugh and first “moment.”

9:59 – Biden wants to slow down doubling foreign assistance.  Good answer.  Americans hate foreigners.  I think Biden’s hitting his stride.  Or as Palin would say “hittin’ his stride, you betcha.”

10:00 – My wife is yelling at me.  She wants me to stop blogging.  I have to blow up an insanely large beach ball for my son’s second birthday.

10:01 – Oh fuck, Palin’s referencing the stupid “telling one thing to one group and another thing to another group.”  Right out of her stump speech.  Bitter, ain’t she?

10:02 – Oh, if Biden doesn’t go after her for the—

I stopped blogging for five minutes to blow up the beach ball.  It’s enormous.  I’m not sure if I made any progress.

10:07 – Palin: “Your ticket’s energy ticket.”  Nice quote, Sarah.  Shit, “East coast politicians”?  You know what she means, don’t you, middle America?  Jews!  She means Jews!

10:09 – Ooooh, she’s the governor of the “nation’s only Arctic state.”  Is that good?  Maybe she should be president of Canada.  Though I todn’t think they have presidents.  I don’t know, I hate Canada.  Blah, blah, blah.  Palin doesn’t want to argue about the causes of global warming.  Right.  Okay, so far, absolutely no answer.

10:10 – Biden: “[Climate change] is man made.”  Nice answer, Joe.  Simple, makes Palin’s answer look like what it was – a non-answer.

10:12 – “Drill, baby, drill!”

10:13 – Did Palin just call him “Senator O’Biden?”

10:13 – What is this “All of the above” bullshit?  Do you lead the country by taking a multiple-choice exam?  If so, I think I’d do really well.  I’m great at multiple-choice tests.  I’d kill to find out Palin’s SAT scores.  Do they even have SATs in the “Arctic”?

10:15 – Fuck, going into gay rights.  I’m pro-gay marriage, but it’s a loser from an electoral standpoint on the Democratic side.  Can’t wait to see what Sarah says.  Okay, nice gay-bashing, Sarah.  Ooooh, she’s “tolerant.”  Wow, she has friends that DON’T EVEN AGREE WITH HER!  Amazing.  No, she doesn’t know any gay people, but she does know non-gay-haters!  How tolerant.

10:17 – Fuck, could Gwen press Sarah on her answers?  So far, I give Gwen a C-minus.

10:18 – My wife’s still blowing up the beach ball.  It’s insane.  Christ, now it’s my turn.

10:25 – Okay, I’ve been blowing up the ball for seven minutes, mostly w/ this pump we have.  We’re not sure it’s working.  Okay, I’ve checked and it IS working, but slowly.  Jesus, this is ridiculous.  It shouldn’t be this hard to prepare for a two-year-old’s birthday party.

10:26 – Oh crap, the stupid “preconditions” comment.  So tired.

10:27 – Right, Sarah.  B/c who’s more passionate about diplomacy than Kissinger?

10:29 – Ah, the stupid McCain won’t meet w/ Spain comment.

10:31 – Ooh, Joe Biden’s referring to himself in the third-person, Bob Dole-style.  He’s goin’ old school, bitch!  Remember Norm MacDonald’s Bob Dole impression?  Fucking priceless.

10:32 – I don’t think ANYONE has mentioned Bush yet.  Why not?  Gwen, Joe, wake the fuck up.

10:33 – Palin: “Finger-pointing backwards”?  How the hell do you finger-point forward?  Christ, another maverick comment.  Maverick count = 3.

10:34 – Biden’s saying “George Bush’s” every other word.  It’s like he read my mind.  Jeez,  Joe’s goin’ to town.  Never noticed this, but it sounds funny when you say “George Bush’s” again and again and again.  Try it, you’ll see.

10:35 – Palin: Nuclear weapons would kill “too many” people?  So, other weapons would kill “just enough” people?

10:37 – Joe’s doing a nice job making McCain seem extreme.

10:38 – Okay, I know I’m biased, but Palin just sounds like she’s reading off cards.

10:42 – I hate the way Palin says “Americans”.  Sounds like “Amerhikens.”  And I hate her smile.  Goddammit I hate her smile.

10:43 – Biden does a nice job of conflating McCain-Cheney.

10:45 – Shit, Palin is doing well.  Oh Christ – McCain “knows what evil is.”  What the fuck does that mean?  Oh, and McCain “knows how to win a war.”  How?  Did he win in Vietnam?  Or is he just really good at World of Warcraft?

10:47 – Palin on whether she & McCain agree on everything: “What do expect?  We’re two mavericks!”  Maverick count = 4.  Oh, and Palin’s gonna get rid of greed on Wall Street.  That’ll be easy.  We can just replace all those greedy people that work in banks with money-hating socialists.

10:49 – Yeah!  Evidently Joe spends TONS OF TIME in Home Depot!  He practically lives there.  Ask Joe where the nail guns are, he’ll tell ya.   He knows Home Depot.

10:50 – Palin says “Doggonit.”  Makes me wonder if she ever saw Deadwood.  Cocksuckers.  Okay, so Biden’s wife’s reward for being a teacher is in heaven.  Cuz she ain’t getting’ a raise!  That should be the new recruitment policy – become a teacher, go to heaven.  Oh, and a shout out to 3rd graders.  Awesome.  And here’s to my dead homies.

10:51 – My wife just finished blowing up the beach ball.  Halle-fuckin-lujah.

10:52 – Shit, Palin’s hit her stride.  She’s in the home stretch.

10:53 – Oh no.  There are 10 small beach balls that also need to be blown up.  We’re fucked.

10:57 – Palin references Reagan’s “Shining city on a hill.”  My wife says Reagan didn’t say it first, that John Winthrop said it on some boat.  I just Wikipedia’d it – my wife’s right.  Winthrop said it in 1630 on the Arbella.  Learn something new every day.

10:59 – Shit, real human moment from Biden about his dead wife and daughter.  Joe just won.

11:00 – Oh god, Palin response to Joe’s human moment was to call McCain a maverick.  Great response.  Maverick count = 5.  Whoa, there’s another maverick.  Maverick count = 6.  Oh, wow, McCain’s even got the support of the biggest fascist in the world—Rudy Guiliani!  Awesome!  What a maverick!

11:01 – Whoa, Biden just countered Palin and personally threw out FOUR MAVERICKS IN A ROW (as in “John McCain’s not a maverick”)!  There’s another maverick!  Biden’s on a tear!  Another one!  That’s six!  And another one!  And another!  We’re at eight mavericks, folks, do I hear nine?  YES!  A NINTH MAVERICK!  In one fell swoop, Biden exceeded Palin’s maverick count by a stunning 50%!

11:02 – My wife has officially declared Biden the winner (and last debate she said McCain won, so she’s not as crazy-biased as me).

11:04 – Sarah Palin claims she’s never compromised.  Well, except for that time Todd convinced her to do anal.  But that was the only time.

11:08 – Nice shot across the bow at the mainstream media from Sarah Palin.  Yeah!  Fuck you, Katie Couric! You… you… mainstreamer!

11:09 – Another Reagan shout out by Palin.  That’s two Reagan’s and six mavericks.  Ooh, in the future, “we’ll tell our children how once we were free” before the robots took over.  But John Connor will save us.  I know he will, b/c I’ve seen all three Terminator movies (T3 sucked) AND I watch The Sarah Connor Chronicles.  Seriously, though, are we really heading to a time when we’re not free?  Is someone going to enslave us (besides the robots, I mean)?  And what IS Sarah’s Robot-policy.

11:11 – Nice ending monologue by Joe.

11:12 – Sarah’s thanking everyone.  Thank you, thank you, thank you… she’s so fucking thankful that she didn’t fuck up.  Holy shit, looks like she’s going to kiss Biden.  What is wrong with this woman?  Oh look, there’s little baby Trig.  They really love trotting out that kid.  I’ve got to say, as a father of two, if I know one thing it’s that babies love debates.

11:13 – Commentary: David Brooks is “amazed” at Palin’s performance and thought she came across as Joe’s equal.  I hate to say it, but I agree.  She didn’t win, but she held her own.  Bitch.  Mark Shields says that he bets Democrats are disappointed that Palin didn’t “implode.”  True dat.  True dat.

Okay, I’ve got to go.  I’ve got beach balls to blow up.

TAGS: Babies, banks, bullshit, Bush, climate change, David Brooks, debate, dog, ep, fascist, free, George Bush, global warming, god, Jesus, Joe Biden, John McCain, mccain, Movie, NATO, NSA, obama, President, Rap, Sarah Palin, war

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McCain Campaign Shields Palin For VP Debate


Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 11:11 pm (EST)
By Hassan Chop

According to the NYT, John McCain’s campaign insisted on a shorter question-and-answer session for the VP debate, seemingly in part to shield Palin from head-on exchanges with Joe Biden.

McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive.

And there’s also this:

On Wednesday, the commission unanimously rejected a proposal sought by advisers to Ms. Palin and Senator John McCain of Arizona, the Republican presidential nominee, to have the moderator ask questions and the candidates answer, with no time for unfettered exchanges. (emphasis mine)

This is pretty stunning, because it seems like a clear attempt to protect Palin during the VP debate. The McCain camp might as well have come out and said that Palin is inexperienced on the issues and that they’re worried that she won’t look good in exchanges with Biden. McCain’s camp tried to defend the decision this way:

McCain advisers said they were only somewhat concerned about Ms. Palin’s debating skills compared with those of Mr. Biden, who has served six terms in the Senate, or about his chances of tripping her up. Instead, they say, they wanted Ms. Palin to have opportunities to present Mr. McCain’s positions, rather than spending time talking about her experience or playing defense.

So, McCain’s camp doesn’t want Palin to talk about her experience, the same executive experience that they’ve been touting for weeks. And they don’t want her to play defense. Well, she’d only have to play defense if she wasn’t prepared for an actual debate!

What McCain’s camp is basically saying is that they want Palin and Biden to respond to a question and move on, because they’re fearful that if she gets into an actual debate with Biden, she might come across looking inexperienced and not ready to be a heartbeat from the Presidency.

Now, Palin could be fine in debates. I really have no idea. But, if her recent interviews with Gibson and Hannity are any indication, she still has a lot of brushing up to do on the actual issues. I don’t think repeating that joke about the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom, or about how she put that jet on ebay, or how she said “thanks, but no thanks” on the bridge to nowhere is going to fly in the VP debate, which will probably be closely watched given the intense interest in Palin.

TAGS: Campaign, debate, Interview, Joe Biden, John McCain, mccain, NATO, Politics

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McCain’s Economy Problem


Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 9:50 pm (EST)
By Hassan Chop

What a day for John McCain, and by that I mean what a terrible, terrible day for John McCain. Here are some of the highlights:

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, one of McCain’s top economic advisers, had this to say when asked about how McCain’s experience on the Commerce committee would help him deal with the current financial crisis:

He didn’t have jurisdiction over financial markets, first and foremost.

That’s interesting, because McCain himself seemed to think otherwise on an appearance earlier today on CNBC’s Squawk Box:

I understand the economy. I was chairman of the Commerce Committee that oversights every part of our economy.

McCain is clearly pretty confused about what the Commerce Committee does, because it most definitely does not oversee the financial markets.

Referring to McCain’s economic experience, Holtz-Eakin went on:

“But he did this,’’ he said, holding up what looked like a BlackBerry. “The telecommunications of the United States, the premier innovation of the past 15 years, comes right through the commerce committee. So you’re looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create. And that’s what he did.’’

I guess it doesn’t matter that the blackberry was invented by Research in Motion, a Canadian company, over which the Commerce Committee has no jurisdiction. This is, of course, reminiscent of Al Gore’s suggestion that he helped pass legislation that created the internet, but it remains to be seen if it will be as widely ridiculed in the press. Holtz-Eakin did make a number of suggestions about how to prevent future financial crises, including “better consumer protections,” an ability to look into companies’ books, and “improvement in corporate governance,” all of which sound like more regulations, something McCain has repeatedly claimed he is against. I think Holtz-Eakin and McCain should sit down so that Holtz-Eakin can explain John McCain’s economic plan to John McCain.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Carly Fiorina, a top McCain surrogate and someone touted as a possible VP selection, said that Sarah Palin couldn’t run a Fortune 500 firm, but she could run the country.

QUESTION: Do you think [Sarah Palin] has the experience to run a major company, like Hewlett Packard?

FIORINA: No, I don’t. But you know what? That’s not what she’s running for. Running a corporation is a different set of things.

Yes, because running a company is sooooo much easier than running the nation’s affairs. Fiorina tried to clarify later on that, in her opinion, John McCain, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden also couldn’t run a company. I guess that was supposed to make McCain feel better.

Fiorina: Well I don’t think John McCain could run a major corporation. I don’t think Barack Obama could run a major corporation. I don’t think Joe Biden could run a major corporation. But on the other hand, a major corporation is not the same as being the president or vice president of the United States. It is a fallacy to suggest that the country is like a company. So of course, to run a business, you have to have a lifetime of experience in business. But that’s not what Sarah Palin, John McCain, Joe Biden or Barack Obama are doing.

When pressed about what he would do about the current crisis on Wall Street, McCain started ranting about greed and corruption, and his signature idea of the day seemed to be to create a 9/11-style commission. That’s rich. I’m sure the commission will come up with a great set of suggestions by sometime next summer, which should help solve the problems we’re facing right now.

TAGS: Al Gore, Barack Obama, BOOKS, economy, election, Joe Biden, John McCain, mccain, obama, Sarah Palin, Vice

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Uh oh


Monday, September 8, 2008 - 10:32 pm (EST)
By Tommy Esquire

I know we’re all trying to avert our eyes from the horrifying debacle that is Sarah Palin, but news isn’t good.  Bounces come and go, and one day’s brand new thing can turn into yesterday’s news pretty quick — just ask Barack Obama.  But if Obama-Biden are going to get back in this thing and offset the tremendous enthusiasm for the Palin (and McCain) ticket, they need to watch their mouths.  Obama’s playing a hard offense – a good thing, since McCain didn’t get his lead in the polls by playing nice – but what Obama’s saying makes you think Palin is seriously getting under his skin.

Today, to back up his back-handed compliment of Palin’s “compelling” story, he said:

I mean that sincerely. Mother, governor, moose shooter.

It doesn’t take a Frank Luntz to tell you that “moose hunter” = good, while “moose shooter” = baaaaad.  If Obama wants to convince small town voters that he really believes there’s a constitutional right to bear arms, he might want to avoid hinting that they cling to their guns to shoot defenseless animals.

Better yet, Michelle Obama was quoted last week at a gay fundraiser saying of Joe Biden:

“What you learn about Barack from his choice is that he’s not afraid of smart people.” The crowd softly chuckled.

There’s nothing like Ivy League-educated uppity sisters mocking the intelligence of the small town mayor in front of west coast homosexuals that appeals to middle America.

The Obama campaign’s line of defense against Sarah Palin has been a fiasco from the beginning.  They started by questioning her experience — a real winning argument from the guy who’s four years removed from being a state senator — and haven’t had anything stick yet.  They’re running ads highlighting Palin-McCain’s opposition to abortion rights, but that can only go so far: a recent Gallup poll found a narrow margin of women — 50% to 43% — identify as pro-choice, and only 13% of Americans say a “candidate must share their views on abortion.”

A Republican strategist I spoke to said that from the go, Obama should have made clear he wasn’t even concerned with Sarah Palin, that he was running against John McCain.  This guy was right.  McCain threw the kitchen sink at Obama for months, and he was never able to overtake him in the polls.  Now that Palin’s in the picture, Obama is suddenly desperate for relevance.

Anything can happen from here till November, but if the Obama camp thinks it can tackle this girl, it might be playing to forfeit.

TAGS: Barack Obama, Campaign, election, Joe Biden, John McCain, mccain, Michelle Obama, NATO, obama, political, Politics, Poll, polls, Sarah Palin

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DNC: (Bill) Clinton Delivers, Biden Accepts, Obama Surprises


Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 12:56 am (EST)
By Hassan Chop

The talkingheads thought that Hillary wasn’t effusive enough in her praise of Obama last night, but she came through brilliantly for Barack. She had a tough hurdle to overcome, with everyone looking to her to unify the party despite the fact that she’s undoubtedly still upset about how the primary went. She rose to the challenge, telling her diehard supporters to look into the mirror and ask themselves whether they just supported her or the policies and the ideals that she stood for. The message was clear: Obama is her candidate, and if you supported her in the primary, you should get behind Obama.

Tonight, her husband had a similar challenge. Some in Hillary’s camp claimed that there was a rift between Bill Clinton and Obama, but the former president left no doubt that Obama would be getting his vote in November. Although the Clintons themselves questioned Obama’s experience and readiness to lead during the primary, Bill delivered for Obama. Talking about his bid for the White House in 1992, he said:

Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be commander in chief. Sound familiar? It didn’t work in 1992, because we were on the right side of history. And it won’t work in 2008, because Barack Obama is on the right side of history.

Again, more on the readiness issue:

Everything I’ve learned in eight years as president and the work I’ve done since, in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job.

The bottom line is that the Clintons came through for Obama, setting aside whatever personal animosity arose during the primary to do their part (some would say it came a little late, and it’s a fair point, but they stepped up at the most important time). 

Joe Biden’s son, Beau, delivered a heart-warming and emotional introduction for his dad, who did a good job with his speech. Joe’s speech wasn’t as good as Hillary’s or Bill’s, but that’s asking a lot. Still, after praising McCain’s heroism, he got down to attacking McCain’s policies. His personal story about growing up as a kid and being taught important life lessons was also well done. Overall, it’s what you’d hope a VP would do.

At the end of Biden’s speech, Obama made a surprise appearance at the Pepsi Center, driving the crowd into a frenzy.

Tomorrow night: The Main Event.

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Stephan Savoia/Associated Press; (AFP)

TAGS: attack, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, election, Hillary, Joe Biden, mccain, obama, Republicans, war

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Joe


Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - 12:34 pm (EST)
By Ray LeMoine

Geoff started with the one-name headers below so I’ll keep it alive…

Pics By Chip Somedevilla
Joe Biden hits Denver to meet with Delaware delegates and shows why he’s the real deal:

“I just want you to know that this is a great honor, this is a great honor being nominated vice president of the United States and I’m proud of it,” Mr. Biden told the small breakfast gathering. “But it pales in comparison to the honor I’ve had representing you.”

At this point, the extraordinarily loquacious senator paused, speechless and lost in his thoughts. He wiped away a tear with his handkerchief and went on.

“My private life has been lived in the public arena because you all got me started so young,” he said, alluding to his election to the Senate at age 29 and the death of his wife and daughter in a car accident before he was sworn in.

For any other pol, I’d say the tears were manufactured. But Joe Biden knows too much pain to fake the funk. I love this guy.

TAGS: Denver, election, Joe Biden, NATO, paris, Politics, timeline, Vice, war

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DNC Baby. Political Round Up…


Monday, August 25, 2008 - 1:25 pm (EST)
By Ray LeMoine

Denver!!!

I love the Obama font. And Michelle’s looking good…

OMG He’s Black!!!
Slate noticed Obama is black. In a story sub-headed “RACISM IS THE ONLY REASON MCCAIN MIGHT BEAT HIM,” Jacob Wesiberg, Slate’s eic, states the obvious. Duh. A black dude with a middle name of Hussein is running against an Irish John and it took Slate 19-months to write the obligatory Holy Shit This Guy is Black story? I love Slate. But they’ve sucked lately. Georgia’s war didn’t get any coverage. They haven’t run much from Afghanistan. And they’re election stuff has been 2nd tier. Where’s Meghan O’Rourke? Hopefully at the DNC.

Bubba Factor
Are the Clintons trying to steal the DNC? Politico thinks so (and Drudge leads with it). Tensions Boil, reads the headline:

One flashpoint is the assigned speech topic for former president Bill Clinton, who is scheduled to speak Wednesday night, when the convention theme is “Securing America’s Future.” The night’s speakers will argue that Obama would be a more effective commander in chief than his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).

The former president is disappointed, associates said, because he is eager to speak about the economy and more broadly about Democratic ideas —emphasizing the contrast between the Bush years and his own record in the 1990s.

The Clintons are the non-story of the week…

All About Joe
Everyone in America is eager to learn about Joe Biden, O’s veep. His book, Promises to Keep (Random House 2007), is now a bestseller:

As of Sunday afternoon, the book was at No. 31 on the amazon.com bestseller list, and No. 11 on Barnes & Noble’s list.

It’s 24 on the Amazon list right now.

I’ve seen Biden speak on a hand-full of occasions. Most notably, I saw him at a foreign policy luncheon at the Kennedy Museum during the 2004 Boston DNC. Biden sat on a panel with Madeline Albright and Iraq’s deputy PM, among others. This was when Iraq was in the midst of a two-front uprising. On Iraq, Biden was fluid though a little over state-y.

At the time, rumblings of an 08 Biden run were abuzz, but the two foreign affairs junkies with me were convinced he’d be a great Sec State but not Prez material. I never considered him for VP. But what a great choice. Biden’s funny, can be a dick, and knows his stuff. Considering he lost his wife and child at 29, ascending to the second highest office in the land to serve in their honor makes me happy as a little girl who got a pony for her b day.

TNR Kisses Lizza’s Ass
The New Republic says 2008’s best political profile was Making It: How Chicago Shaped Obama by The New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza. Of course, Lizza used to work for TNR. Unfortunately, his piece, while long and in-depth, glossed over much of Obama’s Chicago rise. For a better portrait of O’s Chicago days, buy David Mendell’s Promise to Power.

Reading Lizza’s piece, you could tell he was practicing access journalism. I felt like Axelrod was living in his brain, revising history. Most specifically, Lizza glosses over O and Michelle’s ties to real estate developers like Valerie Jarrett, Allsyon Davis, and Tony Rezko. Jarrett is who got the Obamas into politics (luring Michelle to city hall in the 80s). It was Jarrett, Rezko, and Davis who gave O his initial $$$ for his state senate run.

These folks are also (in)famous in Chicago for pushing private-public housing partnerships. Yes: in the early-90s, Chicago’s public housing authority was a mess. And these Jarrett-Rezko-Obama private-public policies made sense, at the time. What doesn’t make sense is why so many of the public units Jarrett ran (as CEO of Habitat INC, a title she holds today) went to shit under her watch. Or how Rezko took $40 million plus in federal tax credits, ran complexes into the ground, then moved into condo development with the dough he earned. A high number of the units owned by these folks are now back in public hands. Weirder still, Obama continues to support these policies without modifications even though they failed.

For all the right wing media’s attacks, Obama’s housing policy—which has left thousands of poor blacks negatively affected—has been left largely untouched. Valerie Jarrett is hated by blacks on the South Side. She’s #3 or 4 in the Obama campaign. Yet she’s only received minimal—and glowing—coverage. Why? You can’t Swift Boat a guy for fucking over the very poor blacks that white GOP assholes love fucking over. If anything, Obama’s questionable South Side housing record would help him with the Swift crowd.

Happy DNC viewing everyone…

TAGS: 2004, attack, Bill Clinton, BOOKS, Boston, Bush, Denver, economy, election, georgia, GOP, Iraq, Joe Biden, John McCain, mccain, New York, obama, political, Politics, Racism, war

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Bloody Social Nights: The Ballad of Burke and Biden


Monday, August 25, 2008 - 11:03 am (EST)
By Ray LeMoine

NOTE: I originally posted this up here in Feb. But since Joe Biden was named VP, and this story is about his nephew Jamie’s band, I figured I’d repost it to remind you that other Bidens besides Joe are cool…I should’ve titled it “Just Don’t Make This About My Uncle…” Anyway, enjoy and check out Bloody Social.

New York Magazine commissioned this feature in summer 2007, but it never ran. My job was to spend a few months following the band Bloody Social, who feature Calvin Kleun male model Jamie Burke on vocals, Joe Biden’s nephew Jamie Biden on guitar, and Drew Beat from Bold on drums. My editor quit right as the story was finishing up. In summer 07 no downtown crew raged like Bloody Social. Endless thanks to Adam Fisher. Also to Vegas and JZ…

Bloody Social Nights: The Ballad of Burke and Biden
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Jamie Burke and Drew “Beat” Thomas

1.
Downtown rock band Bloody Social are about to perform at a party sponsored by Myspace at Irving Plaza. But first the band has to takes some pictures. Every lens angles towards singer Jamie Burke, the London-born Calvin Klein model, a lanky, grunge-y longhair. His two black suction cup eyes mesmerize the paparazzi as they yell “Jamie, Jamie” without pause. Burke leans left and whispers to Bloody Social’s guitarist, who’s also a tall long hair named Jamie—Biden. He’s the nephew of Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden. The two Jamies wear all black, save Burke’s grey suit vest over a sleeveless tee and Biden’s grey bandana. The rest of the band is blurred among Bloody Social’s dozen-strong posse: a crew of club promoters, fashion designers, pro skateboarders, hairstylists, rockers, and models.

At 22, Jamie Burke is already an established playboy. A scan of Google images shows Burke in various states of boldface. Snowboarding in Aspen with Kate Moss. Smooching Lindsay Lohan outside Pastis in the Meatpacking District. Massaging a topless Sienna Miller on a Caribbean beach. Chilling with Boy George outside a club. Walking hand in hand with Courtney Love. Gracing Calvin Klein’s premier Soho billboard space on Houston at Broadway, his nose ringed blue steel stare and sexy man locks embracing model Lara Stone. A New York Times Style article headlined “Another Summer Of Love” using said billboard as a prime example of a neo-hippy fashion trend. Burke and crop-top Armani model Agyness Dean hugging nude in Vanity Fair, dubbed “Models du Jurs 2007.”

It’s 11pm, show time, but the thousand-capacity room is only half-full. Even amongst this sophisticated, guest list-only crowd of publicists, assistants, bloggers, editors, and label reps, Bloody Social are a band most have heard of but never actually heard. Taking the stage bathed in red smoke and feedback, Bloody Social blasts the spacious club with heavy Hollywood influenced blues-punk, a unique sound in New York’s current Brooklyn-centric 80s influenced rock scene. Burke shimmied across the stage doing a swerve dance, singing in a raspy, Weiland-y, voice. Biden breaks into a deep space solo.

A few songs in, the crowd polarizes. Men flee towards the (open) bar at the club’s rear while women swoon to Burke’s sermon. A girl at the bar points out that two of the band’s song choruses, “where do we go now” and “kick start my heart,” are already taken by Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue respectively. Another girl, who works at Bumble and Bumble salon, says she could “never date a guy with better hair than me,” admitting that the entire band does.

Bloody Social formed just six months ago. Cocooned within a nightlife-fashion-celebrity nexus, the band has fast earned a reputation for unruly club shows and sordid after-parties. But with the record industry’s 20% annual decline hitting year seven, Bloody Social has no label bankroll and are in the unique position of being rock stars without a record. Leaving them stigmatized as male socialites trying to capitalize on connections. Still, the band’s first six months have been a montage of pure rock n’ rock mythology, complete with meddling starlets, battling egos, magazine photo shoots, tabloid gossip, and decadent trips to Miami, LA, and Brazil.

Ten minutes after Bloody Social’s set ends, I’m downstairs in the men’s room. Suddenly Burke bursts in with two sweaty, skinny women. All three huddle into a metal stall. This being a Live Nation venue with a North Korean police state vibe, one had to be impressed by Burke’s public Columbian orgy. A third girl pops in a few seconds later screaming, “Jamie, you fookin’ bastard!” in an Oxbridge accent. Burke opened the stall door and yanked her in too. Cheers, mate!

2.
“Just don’t make this about my uncle,” says Jamie Biden, 28, hiding behind thick plastic aviators and a newly grown beard. It’s a hot August afternoon outside the Belmont Lounge on E 15th St near Union Square. Biden is the Belmont’s newly hired “creative director,” and a previously upscale bar is now effectively a rock band’s clubhouse.
It gets better after jump…
(more…)

TAGS: 2004, attack, Bloggers, Brooklyn, Bush, drama, Drugs, free, Gorilla Biscuits, India, Joe Biden, Julian Schnabel, Kate Moss, kids, leak, Milk Studios, missing, model, Music, myspace, Nas, New York, New York Times, pennsylvania, Pete Doherty, political, Rehab, skateboard, skateboarder, Sports, Staten Island, The Box, The Strokes, Travel, vegan, Vice, Vice Magazine, war, wasted

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Fineman Says Biden Will Be Obama’s VP


Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 9:14 pm (EST)
By Hassan Chop

Even though Biden said that he’s “not the guy,” Howard Fineman says it’ll be Biden:

I’ve recently spoken with two of the finalists for the role of Barack Obama’s running-mate, and to two other sources who are close to the process.

My bottom line is this: Barring a big surprise or last-minute change of heart, the choice is likely to be Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Mannie Garcia / AFP - Getty Images file

TAGS: Barack Obama, Joe Biden, MSNBC, obama, war

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Biden: “I’m not the guy”


Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 6:26 pm (EST)
By Ray LeMoine

Whoah! Oh the suspense. Joe Biden says he’s not VP. The Page:

As the Delaware Senator leaves his home in Wilmington Tuesday, he tells reporters camped out outside hoping for a veep announcement:

“You guys have got better things to do, I’m not the guy.”

Much of the national press thought Biden was a lock. Still, I can’t see Obama naming Bayh, a pro-Iraq former Clintonista, or Kaine, who is too ugly.

The announcement will come Friday, most likely followed by a joint appearance in Springfield, IL, where Obama announced his candidacy in 2007.

CBS News has confirmed that Barack Obama’s campaign now plans to announce Obama’s vice presidential choice to supporters via email and text message on Friday afternoon. (This plan could change, of course.)

In other news…What exactly is an official pre-premier party? Could this be the best worst party of the summer? It’s at least the best bad flyer…And you know I’ll be there.

TAGS: Barack Obama, Iraq, Joe Biden, NATO, obama, Politics, Race, Vice, war

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Who’s old enough to be Barack Obama’s VP?


Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 12:58 pm (EST)
By Tommy Esquire

Don’t worry about those uneducated blue-collar white voters.  Forget about security moms, NASCAR dads and whatever other demographic the media invests this year.  The 2008 election is all about age.  According to the last two Washington Post-ABC News polls, Barack Obama is winning 63% of the 18-29 group, and 39% of voters 65 and older.  For the kids, that’s 9 points better than Kerry got in ‘04 and 15 points better than Gore in ‘00.  For the old timers, that’s 8 points worse than Kerry and 11 points worse than Gore.  This is a MAJOR split, and unfortunately for Barack, it’s the seniors who have nothing better to do than vote.  Interestingly, the old folks are the only group that’s concerned that McCain’s age will limit his ability to lead (dey know) — just not concerned enough to vote for the young negro whipper-snapper.

Needless to say, Barack badly needs to pick someone who can reassure your grandad that he’s ready to lead on day one and isn’t about to sell the country to the black panthers.  Joe Biden is all over the news lately, and he would make a great Dick Cheney pick: someone who isn’t going to be the best liked VP ever, but who’s enough of a known brand that can provide proper supervision, especially on foreign policy (serious props to Saakashvili for requesting the veep contender’s Georgia visit – Misha knows how to play our country like scrabble).

My personal favorite remains Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.  She’s an extremely popular and successful governor of a blood red state, who happens to wear her hair gray.  Not only can she help lock up women and the old folks as a running mate, she would actually be a pretty incredible Vice President (that counts).  I think Barack can afford to piss off Hillary for making Katy the historic broad of ‘08.

TAGS: 2000, 2004, Al Gore, Barack Obama, George Bush, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Jack Reed, Joe Biden, John Kerry, John McCain, Mikheil Saakashvili

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Ranking Obama’s VP Choices


Monday, August 18, 2008 - 12:43 pm (EST)
By Ray LeMoine


Barry at the bar in Reno, yesterday…EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

So, here we go. One week until the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Obama is expected to announce his running mate this week, and I’m gonna rank my top choices. Since I’m still not sure America will vote for a black dude named Barack over a honky named John, my VP picks are based on national following, potential honky attraction, and voter trust value . 

1. John Kerry
This was floated by WBZ Boston Friday and picked up by Drudge this weekend. I think Kerry supplies everything Obama needs to win undecided voters’ trust. Kerry’s been a Senator for decades. He’s fought the GOP in a Presidential election—and won more votes than any Democrat ever. He served in Vietnam, with honor. He’s a national brand who’s been uber-vetted. Obama-Kerry is a sure win.

2. Hillary Clinton
George Stephanopoulos says she’s a “50-1″ shot. Still, Obama-Clinton is another can’t lose option. No one hates Republicans more than Hillary (they tried to ruin her family, dammit!), and she got 18 million votes in the primary. I disagree that the Clintons’ “baggage” would really affect Obama. Even post-Gore and Cheney, the VP is still a relatively weak office. Clinton as VP would neutralize her.

3. Joe Biden
As much as I love Biden, he is a bit of a loose cannon and may wind up as a liability in the general—kind of like a smart Dan Quayle. But the guy has the Washington and foreign affairs experience Obama lacks. I don’t know if it’s a sure thing, but Obama-Biden is a great ticket.

4. Sam Nunn
Nunn’s a fine peacenik, but after three decades in Washington, he’s hardly a changenik, and if you’re gonna forgo the whole “new politics” thing you mine as well pick an established national candidate like Kerry or Clinton. Nunn might be able to deliver Georgia, but he won’t help much in winning voter trust nationally.

5. Kaine, Bayh, Warner…
Yes, each brings a potential swing state victory, but none are nationally known, meaning the O Team will have to sell two personas instead of just The One. 

Whatever happens, Obama better not pick a Republican.

TAGS: Boston, Denver, election, georgia, GOP, Hillary, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Nas, NATO, obama, Politics, Republicans, war

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