great!! news on a friday...

The question here is: when does Hillary sic her goons on him?

Less than a week ago, shortly after he announced for president, Stephen Colbert was favored by only a little more than 2% of Democrats as the favorite for the nomination. Now, a Rasmussen Report national telephone survey has found that he gains 13% of voters in a matchup with Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

With former Sen. Fred Thompson substituted for Giuliani, the host of Comedy Central's Colbert Report still got 12%.

If he keeps gaining over 10% a week, Colbert should be leading the field before November is out.

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Addendum: Had to add this bit of insightful insight:

But [one] observed: "I know that Colbert's candidacy is a joke, but the fact remains that he is the only "candidate" to directly confront George Bush and the media elite. I think that's why he is gaining support.

Even though he is a comedian, he has heart, brains and courage. That separates him from the rest of the pack."

lions & tigers & bears, oh my... !

Some right-wingnut group called Family Security Matters has come out with a Top-10 list, i.e., The Top-10 Most Dangerous Organizations. Of course, I've provided links to all of them (some of which have been linked for some time by this site -- Ooooo!!):

10) ThinkProgress
9) Muslim Student Association
8) CodePINK
7) American Civil Liberties Union, National
6) Family Research Council
5) Center for American Progress
4) League of the South
3) MoveOn.org
2) Universities and Colleges
1) Media Matters for America

Nos. 6 & 4, I find curious. The former is the rightwing Christian group run by Tony Perkins. (You remember Psycho? -- no, not that Tony Perkins; this is a different kinda psycho.) The latter is a secessionist group of chuckleheads who just can't get over the fact they lost.

So if I were to guess, then -- and I'm not at all familiar with Family Security Matters (except that it's name and list of board-members implies it's pro-police state) -- I'd say the FRC & the League are viewed by this group as loose cannons and will have to be put down when the balloon goes up.

Meanwhile, what to do with the Universites and Colleges -- those bastards!!

the more things change...

Sydney Blumenthal has a marvelous essay on Walter Lippman in Salon, illustrating well the corporate media as being ever thus:

By substituting propaganda for truth, brandishing jingoism to enforce conformity, and asserting arrogance and certainty over skepticism and humility, Lippmann contended, the manufacturers of consent confounded democracy. "In so far as those who purvey the news make of their own beliefs a higher law than truth, they are attacking the foundations of our constitutional system. There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and shame the devil."

headline of the day...

RUDY THE YANKEE FLIPPER
MASS.-KISSER ROOTS FOR RED SOX

Okay, so what if it is the NYPost? It's a hoot!

why do they hate us so... (not a question)...

Given that tonight presents Game 1 of the 2007 World Series, let us keep in perspective:

[I]t was impossible for me to deny that Boston is enjoying what may be the most mind-boggling run in modern sports history.

Not only are the Red Sox in the World Series for the second time in four years (thanks to an epic comeback against the Cleveland Indians), and not only are the 7-0 Patriots looking utterly invincible, and not only have the Celtics managed to assemble a trio of all-stars (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce & Ray Allen) to rival the Big Three of yore, but even the Bruins are off to their best start in years. Oh, and the Boston College Eagles are ranked Number 2 in the nation.

The allegory here, of course, is the way Boston sports fans are viewed by the rest of America, i.e., precisely the same way Americans are viewed today by the rest of the world.

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Addendum: Wow! Steve Almond really speaks my language:

They have all the passion and knowledge you could ever want. No argument there. But they're also tragically attached to their own martyrdom. If you gave the diehards truth serum, I suspect at least a few would admit to some disappointment at having won the World Series after '86 years. They used to be Major League Baseball's most famous hard-luck case. Now, they're just another big-market bully with cash to throw around.

Oh sure, the fans still complain. But it's just not the same.

And so, oddly, even as an avowed Red Sox hater, I sometimes find myself rooting for the team. If triumph is the worst punishment they can suffer, let them suffer all week.

now that's entertainment... !!

This oughta make Olbermann 2nite (link to video):

"Blood of millions of Iraqis is on your hands," the protester told Rice, who was President Bush's national security adviser when he decided to invade Iraq.

"War criminal! ... War Criminal!" the black-clad, "blood"-soaked protester screamed as authorities dragged her from a hearing room on Capitol Hill. "Take her to the Hague."

california fires...

tar & feathers otherwise...

MoveOn And Top Bloggers To Launch Campaign Pressuring Hillary And Obama To Back Dodd On FISA

This could get interesting.

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Update: Glenn Greenwald, doing his part:

The Clinton and Obama campaigns should still be called today and an answer to that question ought to be demanded. They can be reached here:
* Clinton Presidential: (703) 469-2008
* Clinton Senate: (202) 224-4451
* Obama Presidential: (866) 675-2008
* Obama Senate: (202) 224-2854

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Update II: Looks like it's working:

Obama Camp Says It: He'll Support Filibuster Of Any Bill Containing Telecom Immunity

No definitive word from Hillary yet. And no surprise there.

stark apologizes for being spot on...

This is so damnably annoying:

Republicans talk the most vile shit about their political enemies and never bend. Democrats talk truth to power and are forever made to apologize.

Another very good reason to smoke pot: it curbs the throes of nausea.

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Update: From Firedog Lake:

I called Stark’s office in DC to complain about his apology. The person answering the phone told me that Stark had no choice; Stark was told before the vote was taken that should he not apologize, the vote to censure would pass. According to his office, that is the only reason he apologized.

but then...

Shirley MacLaine says Dennis Kucinich is a UFO devotee? No biggie, says I. But then I'm not an hysterical Republican.

Responding to David Kurtz' latest comment:

I would draw a distinction between assuming there is other life in the universe and thinking it is sending you messages.

I agree wholeheartedly. But then (again) I'm none too shy in dismissing Christianity as the greatest and cruelest hoax ever perpetrated upon humanity.

pete stark rocks... !

... and of course the repos are whining about it; and of course nancy pelosi belches words like "inappropriate". Feh!

taking the vichy out of the democrats...

If there was any doubt about Harry Reid being a snivelling wretch of a "leader," his office's announcement that he'd ignore Senator Dodd's hold on the Fuck Americans Act, i.e., the caving to the giant telecoms by granting them amnesty for their wholesale eavesdropping on Americans, ought have removed it; ironic given he once referred to Alan Greenspan as "one of the biggest political hacks we have in Washington." Now that the latter is out of everyday politics in our nation's capital, perhaps Reid is jockeying for position?

So Progressive Americans clearly have a two-front war: Fighting the criminally vile Republican party, and the now open expansion of the corporate LeiberDem/DLC wing of the Democratic party. No more pussy-footing about it:

Reid must honor and support Dodd's hold on FISA.

But it's not just about this one action from Reid. Democrats have got to quit supporting Democrats who haven't got the spine or the temperament for a fight. We need Democrats who understand that even when you don't have the votes to get the job done, making a public case with passion and purpose is just as important.

Dodd's stock is rising quickly with Progressives after he announced his intention to filibuster the FISA legislation as a counter to Reid's intended betrayal of one of his own. It might also behoove the sound-bite specialists in Dodd's presidential campaign to start peppering Hillary with the nickname "Loyal Bushie" a few times. See if it doesn't stick.

who's cooler under pressure... ?

Tom Brady or Josh Beckett?

keep this handy (he said to himself)...

House Passes Federal Journalist Shield, Includes Bloggers

If I should die before I wake... click!

ladling soup to nuts...

Sports talk in this town is as would be expected, and just how the sandwich maker allowed while the game was on last night: "I'm so pissed!"

I had to laugh.

It's complete: I can't be bothered with what happens to the Sox. I can't even help but admire the Indians. This kid Peralta at shortstop is a stud. I expect Theo to sign him to a multi-year contract after next year, after he signs yet another flameout shortstop to replace F'ing Lugo.

And speaking of Vincent's l'il brother, is it me or does his signing of J.D. Drew for an obscene amount of money for too goddamn many years resemble too closely the Dems in Congress bending knee repeatedly to the War Criminal in Chief?

We all KNOW its wrong. We all KNOW its stupid! And yet we're relegated to watching the little tweeting birdies revolve about our heads while wondering WTF??

Pats 19-0!! Right here! Right now!

the wknd that was...

Blessed are New Englanders, if for no other reason than for its sports teams, which have served as a grand paliative, providing a distraction from the everyday trials & tribulations of living a life of quiet desperation, from having to witness the wanton and vile corruption of our federal government and our society as a whole, the rampant lawlessness of the haves and much less so of the have-nots.

And then it occurred: Must really suck being a New York fan these days!

Graphic courtesy of The Boston Herald

natalie portman?

I groove on art.

larry craig hangs tough, hangs low...

Here's what I want to know: When Idaho Repo Larry "Wide Stance" Craig called Bill Clinton a "nasty, bad, naughty boy," was he sporting wood?

My interest is purely intellectual.

No, really!

new york state of mind...

Those poor poor Mets fans...

... and, uhm, Jets fans...

Oh, the humanity!!

file under "christ, jesus h."

Jeffrey Toobin illustrates the sky as indeed falling:

Mr. TOOBIN: You know, I went to a speech that Justice Scalia gave at a synagogue here in New York a couple of years ago, and someone asked him, `What's the difference between your judicial philosophy and Justice Thomas?' I thought a very good question. And Scalia talked for a while and he said, `Look, I'm a conservative. I'm a texturalist. I'm an originalist. But I'm not a nut.' And I thought that...
GROSS: Meaning that he thinks Thomas is one.
Mr. TOOBIN: Well, that was certainly the implication.
GROSS: Mm-hmm.
Mr. TOOBIN: It was pretty amazing. I mean, Thomas is well outside the mainstream, even of the conservatives on the court.

And who else knew Scalia, the Tony Soprano of the judiciary, wasn't a nut?

(Mental Note: NOT... a nut!)