On Whether One Is Playing : a) The Eye-Candy Card b) The Lightweight Card c) The Vagina Card d) All of the Above

Answer: D.

All of the above.

So I have recently received a virtual "Shut Up, Bitch!" card from a commenter who thinks I, as a female, should shut up about Sarah Palin, as she, too is a female.

And that my asking if Mrs. Palin is running for Vice-President or Vice-Prom Queen is sexist. Or something. (Though when during the primary, I frequently asked whether Barack Obama was running for Prom King I received no similar criticism, as I recall).

Somehow I should be shutting up about Palin because -- what? All of a sudden we don't want to be picking on a gurrrl? But we've been picking on gurrls 4-ever! NOW, you want we should stop? I feel sure that that is just what Karl Rove had in mind with this pick! Using reverse sexism as a Teflon-ing ploy. (He's such a clever dude, is he not?)

Anyhow, to this sub-section of gentle readers: if you think the choice of Sarah Palin as Trophy VEEP is not a hideous insult to all women (and men), then, you know, like, go for it.

w00t!




Via the New York Times, "Drawing Women's Attention, Maybe Not Allegiance, interviews with some pro-Palinists, and plenty of women who, like me, think this pick a shameless pandering insult.
Via The Sydney Morning Herald, Palin A Better Shot Than Cheney

Sarah Palin
Trophy VEEP
McCain/Palin

Hope & Fear & Unity Pony DeathWatch

I remember waiting for the O.J. Simpson verdict to be announced.

I remember how I felt after it was announced, too.

Waiting for Obama's VP announcement is triggering traumatic memories of that period of on-tenterhooks waiting.

I'm really worried for my party, and for my country, hoping for the best and fearing the worst.

And I'm not the only one.

I'm not.

Nope.

Wow! Women Writers CAN Be Total Utter Sexist Pigs! Who Knew?

It's late. I shouldn't be writing this.

But really, one just CAN'T MISS this here article in Slate by Dahlia Lithwick:


THE DISTURBING RISE OF THE HILLARY HARRIDANS

To which this here blogger, who is clinging to PUMA Obamism by the very very very very slenderest of threads, a thread made only way way more slender-er by reading articles like this, replies with this historic trifecta:

BLUDGEON ME NOT WITH ROE V. WADE.YOU DON'T OWN ME

And the ever-popular: IT'S MY PARTY AND YOU'LL CRY IF I WANT 2 . . .

Why?

Because I've said it all before, and (sigh) I guess I'm saying it all again.



("Yo, Dahlia Lithwick. Harridan here. You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? Well, I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?")


Don't forget the divine Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy on Obamawin's Law.

Chosen One: "Feisty" Sweetie Wrong On FISA, Centrism, Compromise

"You're feisty. And I like that."

So the Chosen One likes a gurrl to be feisty, does he?

Hmm.

Moi, I like not to be patted on the head.





-----
Here's Anglachel, Above Reproach.

Shape-ist Commies Fake Uber-Cute Kid Singer

Here's something fun. It might take your mind off the resurrected Unity Pony Deathwatch. Not to mention taking your mind off the painful Karl-Rove-wet dream internecine warfare within the Democratic party, as Obama continues the audacity of putting a virtual Beretta to its head (for its own good, mind you), forcing it to march off at a spanking pace in a direct anti-progressive direction, while reassuring us all that, just as all animals are equal, all directions are equal, but some are more equal than others, so shut the f*ck up, everyone, k?

OLYMPIC CHILD SINGING STAR REVEALED AS FAKE

The little girl who starred at the Olympic opening ceremony was [LIP-SYNCHING] and only put on stage because the real singer was not considered attractive enough, the show's musical director has revealed.

Pigtailed Lin Miaoke was selected to appear because of her cute appearance and did not sing a note, Chen Qigang, the general music designer of the ceremony, said in an interview with a state broadcaster aired Tuesday.

Photographs of Lin in a bright red party dress were published in newspapers and websites all over the world and the official China Daily hailed her as a rising star on Tuesday.

But Chen said the girl whose voice was actually heard by the 91,000 capacity crowd at the Olympic stadium during the spectacular ceremony was in fact seven-year-old Yang Peiyi, who has a chubby face and uneven teeth.

"The reason why little Yang was not chosen to appear was because we wanted to project the right image, we were thinking about what was best for the nation," Chen said in an interview that appeared briefly on the news website Sina.com before it was apparently wiped from the Internet in China.

Lin was seen to perform the patriotic song "Ode to the Motherland" as China's national flag was carried into the stadium, a key moment in the three hour ceremony.

"The reason was for the national interest. The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression," said Chen, a renowned contemporary composer and French citizen.

"Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects. But in terms of voice, Yang Peiyi is perfect, each member of our team agreed," he said.

He said the final decision to stage the event with Lin lip-synching to another girl's voice was taken after a senior member of China's ruling Communist Party politburo attended a rehearsal.

"He told us there was a problem that we needed to fix it, so we did," he said, without disclosing further details of the order.

Yeah. Like they're doing in Tibet.

It's not genocide. It's culling.
Full link, here.

Obama: Just Not Man Enough to Run With Hillary

It's pretty stupid for a presumptive nominee not to run with someone who would pretty much guarantee a Democratic landslide in the fall, don't you think?

So, why is Obama being stupid?

Why is Obama not happily, eagerly, throughtfully, planfully, excitedly, passionately offering Hillary Clinton the VP spot?

It makes no sense, does it?

He doesn't need 18 million votes?

His ego is too fragile?

He's scared that Hillary Clinton might, periodically, both outshine him and outthink him?

And he just doesn't want to be out-shone nor out-thunk? So he's willing to put the outcome of the election at greater risk to prop up his (male?) ego?

That would be a sure sign of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome, sweetie. A troubling thought. Makes him look weak. Makes him look like a Schwartzenegger girlie-man. Makes him look like a total, well --- pussy.

Barack Obama needs to cowboy up for the good of the Democratic Party.

He needs to clean up his act.

Obama's current behavior is completely unacceptable. The pandering to the right, screwing up on FISA, backpedalling on choice, calling the Clintons racists, failing to address his sexism, not backing single payer health care, etc. etc.

Wimping out on naming Hillary VP is the worst of his worst, and this failure alone may cost the Democrats the election.

Look how things are shaping up:

In the two months since Barack Obama captured the Democratic nomination, he has hit a ceiling in public opinion polling, proving unable to make significant gains with any segment of the national electorate.

While Obama still leads in most matchups with John McCain, the Illinois senator’s apparent stall in the polls is a sobering reminder to Democrats intoxicated with his campaign’s promises to expand the electoral map beyond the boundaries that have constrained other recent party nominees.

That gap between expectations and reality comes as Democrats enjoy the most favorable political winds since at least 1976. At least eight in ten Americans believe the nation is on the wrong track. The Republican president is historically unpopular. From stunning Democratic gains in party registration to the high levels of economic anxiety, Obama should have a healthy lead by almost every measure. Yet, in poll after poll, Obama conspicuously fails to cross the 50 percent threshold.

ABC News Polling Director Gary Langer asked, “If everything is so good for Barack Obama, why isn’t everything so good for Barack Obama?”

Will Obama be getting over himself anytime soon?

Will Obama be growing some cojones anytime soon?

And if not, why not?

.

------
And here's Big Tent Democrat on Another Reason Why Obama Should Choose Hillary as VP.
Here's VastLeftwingConspiracy on the Huge Unseen Elephant in the Democratic Party Room where Unity Pony was supposed to be.
Here's Alegre on why this race is so close when it shouldn't be.
Here's Anglachel on male privilege and the Edwards story: Yes, it is about the f*cking.
And here's Obama backpedalling on choice. Let's do fill the universe with more unwanted children who can grow up to be miserable and/or criminal and/or murderous like Ted Bundy, Osama, and Dirty Bush, eh?

SMH: Chosen One Already Chosen. Tough Luck, Senator John McCain

The headline in the Sydney Morning Herald says it all:

NO CLIFFHANGER, MORE LIKE OBAMA LANDSLIDE.

Seems like the energy is heading that way to me.

Obama is just so Teflonically Reagan-esquely charming.

Well, I'm not so charmed, but it sure looks like all the shit the right-wing liked to throw at Gore and Kerry, shit that stuck, just ain't sticking to the Boy Wonder. So, you know, in a way this could be sorta fun. In a let's-make-Karl-Rove's-skin-crawl kinda way.

If only The Chosen One would choose to start doing and saying the actual right things?

Might I have the audacity to hope?

FISArugula?

Damn the Arugula, Full Speed Ahead

Yes, I know it's blogging-lite this week. (Yawn). Netroots Nation in SL hangover or something. There were some great people I heard for the first time there, it was really impressive. Larry Lessig, Van Jones. Others I'd heard of but really liked what they had to say -- H. Dean, Pelosi, J. Dean, Clark. Pelosi especially sounded waaay spinier. I had to get over my Great Kos Purge grudge (well, not get over it, just put it aside for a few days) in order to attend, even virtually, but I'm glad I did.

However, speaking of get-over-itism, my inner Frenchwoman points out that: La lutte continue.

Here is Shakespeare's Sister on the Obamatopians' continuing effort to drag bloodied, half-dead Clintonistas out from under the exact Obama bus used to run them over in the first place, turn them upside down, and shake them hard enough that all their money falls out of their pockets while they beg for mercy and admit that's it all their fault in the first place. Not to mention insulting actual Obama supporters who are now rather pissed off at the Boy Wonder for having sold out on FISA, choice, faith-based programs, etc. etc. during his total tap-dance toward the right.

Catch this letter, one that was actually written, and actually sent out. No really.

Don't it make you want to whip out your checkbook, having seen the error of your immature, unresourceful ways? Don't it make you wanna really get over it, all over again, long after you had already gotten over it? Doesn't it not make you remember why you didn't want to get over it in the first place, and leave a really bad taste in your mouth, or something?

This is from Don Fowler, former chair of the Democratic National Committee:

I supported Hillary Clinton and am proud and pleased that I did. But she lost. Barack Obama won. It's over.

It is time for all Democrats, supporters of Senator Clinton and all other contenders for the nomination, to stand with him to secure his election and the election of Democrats at all levels of competition.

I must confess a bit of fatigue and irritation with people who continue to carp, complain, and criticize the results of the primary and lay down conditions for their support. The Los Angeles Lakers didn't establish conditions to recognize the Boston Celtics as NBA Champions; Roger Federer did not demand concessions before recognizing that Rafael Nadal defeated him at Wimbledon.

It is time to act in a mature and resourceful fashion. It's time to put the primaries behind us. It's time to support Barack Obama without conditions or demands.

Oh yes.

Unconditional positive regard. No naughty carping. Shut up about FISA, dears -- what are you, riding the (cotton) unity pony or something?

Just shut UP.


There. That's better.

Please pass the arugula.


(Hat tip to Corrente)

And an older post from TalkLeft, worth a reprise, Obama channeling Scalia and Thomas on choice.

NETROOTS NATION IN SECOND LIFE -- BE THERE OR BE SQUARE DUDES LIKE CLUELESS JOHN MCCAIN WHO CAN'T EVEN DO HIS OWN EMAIL OMIGOD

Come on down, fractured little Democratic Party, come on down to Netroots Nation in SL, listen, talk, interact, get all politically passionate, and work things out while you tango, virtually speaking.

Couldn't be easier.

Really.


Click on "there's more" and read through Pb's diary. Then click through to nninsl.org.

(And somewhere around here is poor little party Unity Pony with her big round sad eyes, and yes, you can -- you can feed poor little Unity Pony a virtual carrot if she'll open her mouth which she probably won't till she calls for her food-taster; yes, you can -- you can bash her over the head with a virtual FISA stick and rip out her timid centrist IV or feed her to a PUMA or hassle her silly about refried bushist fascist faith-based initiatives ugh.

Or even unaccountably fall suddenly back in love with her, holding her pink little hoof to your heart, offering to put her up for canonization while you tantalize her with platefuls of cheap arugula.

Yes, you can.

It's virtual reality so you can virtually do whatever you virtually wish . . . well, kinda . . . just follow the trail of virtual spangles . . . . or are they virtual sparkles . . . . a virtual trail of blood and sweat and spangles and sparkles and tears . . . a trail of tears that leads to virtual Unity Pony's vast flower-filled suite in Intensive Care at Netroots Nation in SL, metaphorically-speaking.)

We can do it, can we not?

Yes, we can.

Unity Pony Flutters Sparkle-Ridden Eyelashes

Oh my GOD.

Markos comes out as a PUMA Obamist!

In the New York Times, no less! Be still my heart!

"I will continue to support him,” Mr. Moulitsas said in an interview. “But I was going to write him a check, and I decided I would rather put that money with Democrats who will uphold the Constitution."

w00t!




Guess I'll have to stop calling him a nappy-headed ho, eh?

Oh Frabjous Day Upon Which Barry & Hilly Will Strongly Assert the Utter Non-Death of Unity Pony !!!

It's Unity Day, progressive Dem boyz and girls!

Let's all be very nice to one another, okay? No more petulant PUMA-bashing! No more reminding the bloggerboyz of their long-term pustulant intra-party bad manners!

Why?

Because -- we like you! We really like you!

We really like us! (We like us?)

Whatever.

Anyhow, let's all cheer for the
Barry-Hilly Dog & Pony Unity Pony Show in Unity, New Hampshire!!

In celebration of this important media event occasion, I announce my a new personal political career goal -- turning timid centrist Barry into a dyed-in-the-wool progressive! What do you think about that, prog-Dem boys and girls? I mean, if he'll say anything to get elected (and he has, he has), why shouldn't he be saying what I want him to say, eh?

Feet to the fire 24/7. Power to the people.

Every solicitation for money I get -- and I'm getting a lot -- I am returning by mail, marked with comments, like "FISA?"? "Single payer universal health care?" "Endless list of liberal dem pet cause principled stands to be taken asap?"

I want Barry to know how I really feel, because Hilly already knows how I feel, and I don't care how Hilly feels anymore, alas, due to her losingness. Sorry, Hilly. I have listened to Barry's call for getting overness, and I've gotten over it. (Sniffs. Wipes away tears. Chokes a little). I'm throwing you under the bus, Hilly. Rilly. Under which you have already thrown yourself, I'd like to point out, Hilly. Really. It's for our own good. It's just not about you anymore.

Now, it's all about Barry. I don't know how to love him -- as he is.

But I see no reason why he should not change his ways. Barry is just so very Cirque-du-Soleil Mongolian acrobat flexible, is that not a good thing? Can I not use this flexibilitude therefore to mold him, scold him, knock him into shape? Can I not use netroots nation power and tiny-donor checkbook power to create real new shiny new new change, for a change?

I mean, why not?

It's so -- creative class-y!

I want a real progressive president.


Why can't I just make one up?



.

Would Someone Please Hold Obama's Feet to the Fire So I Don't Have To? I'm a Little Busy Today. Thx.

Yes, I know that Unity Pony is back on life support.

Too many frickin' spangles. Too much arugula. I told her so, but would she listen, the bitch? Nah.

The cure is here, via Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy posting at correntewire. (One really needs the hypertext to appreciate the brilliance of this post, and of the most of the comment thread that follows).

(Those of you who litmus-test party loyalty are directed to this here post here wherein VastLeft endorses you-know-who, just as I did, but he did it a day earlier).

Some of us have become personae non grata by noticing again and again how far from a tonic for what ails Bush-afflicted America Barack Obama really is. One of the great, undertold stories of this campaign is the complete meltdown of the left blogosphere, where virtually no intelligent intra-party debate remained possible because major forums like Daily Kos and Democratic Underground — and practically every A-list blog’s comments threads — turned into echo chambers for Clinton hate and Obama infallibility.

Nearly every leading blog put its thumb on the scale for Obama, willing into reality the idea that this equivalating fellow with minutes’ worth of experience in the Senate was an ideal standard-bearer for progressive values – despite rhetoric that gave ground to the radical right with every syllable, and despite throwing Democratic constituencies under the bus at every turn.

Go read it. All the way to the arugulous end.

Oh come on. What do I have to do, beg?

Threaten?

"Read his post, and its hypertext, and the comment thread, or else I'll kill off Unity Pony?"

Work with me here, people.

Takes two sides to do the Unity Pony Tango.



After you're done, read Arthur Silber. It's good for your complete recovery from Bushist fascism and its ceaseless moral bankruptcy. at powerofnarrative).

(And send Arthur some money, like good progressive bodhisattvas, eh?)

And what's up with FISA? Can we hold everyone's feet to the fire so they support Feingold and Dodd, pretty plse.? Thx?

Here's Act Blue re FISA accountability (h/t to JC)

And here's another condescending post to make Unity Pony just a little sicker than she already is. Not to mention, this one, Invisible Women. I hadn't even noticed how de-materialized I've become.

Its My Party & You'll Cry If I Want 2 Not Send U Munny Cuz Yr Not Sayin The Right Stuff Yet Sweetie

Whee. He wants my money. He wants money from former Clinton supporters. Can he ask for it? Why yes, he can!

Obama's FISA Cave-In, fundie courting, netroots dumping, crowd-booing Gov. Granholm via throwing of Clinton Dems under bus whilst soliciting munny from them; driving Dem bus all the way to Chicago without asking anyone's permission because of being the Chosen One, running campaign that happily uses racist frames to demonize Clinton & Clinton Lee-Atwaterly in the name of "whatever makes one's candidate win is ethical 4 the end justifies the means," sweetie, dissing Clinton by pressuring Dean to keep her name off the ballot in Denver, la-di-da, la-di-da, la-di-da.

But--it's all good. Obama wants our votes and our money. Me, I want my party back.

Out of respect for some parts of blogtopia (Skippy coined that) I have promised my vote, as a Puma Obamist, though I came really really really really close to joining Dems Who Fucking Hate McCain 4 McCain (VastLeft coined that). (Oh, and I am in love with Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy, btw. Please read all his posts, referenced above. Then we can talk.)

Vote, ok. Because John McCain is a fascist pig.

But not my wallet & not my heart. Not so far, not so fast.

What's wrong with me, eh?

This is what's wrong with me. Part of it, anyhow. (There are more things, but let's do that later.)

"Tensions Remain Betwen Obama and Clinton Supporters."

BLOGGER READS ARTICLE ON INTERNETS TUBES, SMACKS RIGHT HAND ON FOREHEAD LOUDLY, CRYING OUT IN ANGUISHED INCOMPREHENSION.

Obama meets with Hillary Clinton supporters; he's looking for money. They're talking about him addressing the concerns of Clinton supporters.

(And remember, he JUST said this. This is not a quote from months ago. He JUST said this. After all the brouhaha about sexism.)

Does he listen and respectfully respond?

F*ck, no. It's like FISA. (Where he listened respectfully and caved in.)

The Chosen One listens, and responds with this:

“However, I need to make a decision in the next few months as to how I manage that [the inexplicable continuing wrath of Clinton-supporters] since I’m running against John McCain, which takes a lot of time,” Obama said.

“If women take a moment to realize that on every issue important to women, John McCain is not in their corner, that would help them get over it.”

BLOGGER SPITS COFFEE AT THIS JUNCTURE RIGHT HERE. COUGHS, CHOKES.

"Get over it"?

Okay, you bitchez, you heard what the man said -- he's got important GUY shit to do, ladies. He's running against Johnny-boy! This is the big leagues, not the League of Lady voters! He's way too busy for our whiny shit.

Just f*cking get over it!


Obama Campaign Targets Clinton Donors.

You Don't Own Me - The most amazing bloopers are here

Silence Gives Consent

Our Presumptive Democratic nominee's recent powerful statement denouncing FISA, and denouncing those who would support this most recent hideous Bushist fascist attempt to get the telecoms off the hook for having rolled over, belly-up and played dead when Dirty Bush and Big snapped their Bushist fascist fingers:

(crickets )

"Feingold and Dodd on the FISA Cave-In," via Common Iowan.

Glenn Greenwald, here.






.

You Don't Own Me

You Don't Own Me - The most amazing bloopers are here

I had a dream.

A dream of the meaning of what being a PUMA Obamist is all about.

My dream was a song.

What is my dream telling the Democratic Party and the nominee-to-be?

Will they get it?



Update: Who's not coming out swinging against FISA?

Answer: you-know-who.


(And on this happy note, see VastLeft's "I don't know how to love him" at Vast Left-wing Conspiracy.)

McCainist Sexism: Classic Rape Joke Still A Real Knee-Slapper

Rape, anyone?

Hands up?

No, really, raise your hands? It's okay.

Anyone for rape?

No takers?

Gee, it's like that commenter here who, oddly enough, minded when I called him sweetie. Mind? Mind being called sweetie? Why would anyone mind, eh?

Now there's this one:

"Rape is like bad weather. As long as it's inevitable, why not lie back and enjoy it?"


Haha.

Classic joke! Classic!

One had forgotten this classic joke, really, one had! One had not recalled, however, its funniness! Which might have something to do with one's being a certified rape crisis counselor, or maybe it is that special time, and one is just feeling sensitive to the point of periodically wanting to attack. You know, suddenly the claws come out.

Anyhow, the classic fun-rape joke turns out to be a favorite of a McCain donor. And John McCain, who himself seems a little over-sensitive at times, is annoyed that some people are finding his donor's fondness for the classic fun-rape joke something objectionable.

And, the swine, they keep asking him about it!

McCain was asked why his staff had even scheduled a fundraiser with Williams, who in 1990 joked that rape was like bad weather: “As long as it’s inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.” McCain was visibly agitated. He furrowed his brow, fidgeted with his notes, blinked rapidly, scowled, squinted, scoffed and grimaced before answering.

Well, ok, then, so he's not giving back that donor's money, and he hasn't said it was a not so funny joke. Obama gave back all the money from the Ferraro/Clinton big fucking whore fundraiser oh wait wait no he didn't nor did he apologize. He did apologize for "sweetie" and then revealed he calls people sweetie all the time but its just a bad habit so nevermind. But hey its way better than calling them cunts so he sure wins my girlie vote by golly.

On the upside, at least some reporters are asking candidates about this kinda stuff. Is that progress?

"After canceling a fund-raiser to be held at the home of Texas Republican oilman Clayton Williams, Republican presidential candidate John McCain will not be returning $300,000 raised by the controversial oilman.

During an unsuccessful 1990 bid to unseat late Texas governor Ann Richards, Williams remarked that women should give in while being raped. “As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.” Williams also said he would campaign against Richards like you would a cow on his ranch, “head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt,” said Williams.

Democratic National Committee spokeswoman, Karen Finney, called Williams's comments, “not only outrageous and disgusting, they degrade our values as Americans.” Finney continued, “Senator McCain should know that you cannot expect the American people to trust you if you say one thing when you stand on the stump and turn a blind eye to this kind of language when you think no one will notice.”'

Pot calleth kettle black a bit there, sweetie.

Some of us noticed some blind-eye turning, yep. Not to mention some actual use of degrading and disgusting kinda stuff by those who ought to know better but so far don't.

PUMA Obamist = Zero Tolerance.

Anyone paying attention?






(Lie back and enjoy these sweets, sweeties: America's Favorite Progressive Candy: Keith Olbermann Gummi Penises!)

(Feel Free to Bludgeon Me With This One, However) ;)

Our dear John.

His Bush-brown-nosed nose sniffing up Bubble Boy's stinky armpit as if it it held the last line of coke.


Why does John McCain hate the Constitution so much?

"McCain: Guantanamo Decision One of the Worst Ever."

I think John just lost the election.



(Please note my official change in affiliation. All credit goes to John McCain, story above. I read what John said. I heard a roar of thunder. There was a magical flash, a puff of smoke, a soft rain of sparkles, and suddenly I found myself riding on Unity Pony!

But wait -- is Unity Pony beginning to look a lot like a Unity Puma? Yes, yes, I think she is. No DNC Kool-Aid for this PUMA Obamist. There are scores to be settled with the parties who have done us wrong, & attention must be paid.

I retain hold on my wallet and heart, and will use them as Archimedes' Lever, just as The Ghost of Dr. Violet Socks, at Reclusive Leftist, says. There's a price to be paid for your bad behaviors.)

Update: A very nervous George Will is begging Barack Obama NOT to choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate because choosing Hillary would make Barack SO look like a pussy in George Will's eyes.

One must always consider George Will's eyes, must one not? I'm sure he's not actually worried about some dumb old Unity Ticket Democratic Party landslide that might roll the Republican party back into the Middle Ages 4-everrr.


McCain