Michelle Malkin Really, Really Hates You For Reading This!

[BlogBox]

This week's red hot blog topics: Republicans can't cheat without cash; it's now "audacious" to refer to mobsters as "goons"; Fred Thompson (on a good day) looks like that guy in Ghostbusters II; and card-carrying members of Assoholics Anonymous are united in their defense of Republicans' stoo-PID-err-than-ever statements. All this, plus DUers McCamy Taylor, SoCalDem, and Stephanie rock our world. Enjoy!

A Distinct Shift In The Zeitgeist (trans. R's Can't Cheat Without Cash)

Am I supposed to be sad that the reason Republicans will probably lose more House seats next November is mostly because they're out of money? According to Politco.com's analysis, that's a big time reason. Note the obligatory Politico slam against the "wildly unpopular Democratic Congress" sandwiched between the "Oh, woe is us" (aka poor, pitiful Republicans) paragraphs:

Put simply, Republicans lack the money to fight seriously for many of these seats. The NRCC is essentially broke, with more debt than money in the bank. "When you look at what's going on in the House, the prospects for getting back on track are pretty dim at the moment," said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.).

It is not unusual for fortunes to change quickly in politics. A popular Republican presidential candidate, for instance, could help GOP candidates in swing states, as could an infusion of cash from outside political groups and business interests. The Democratic Congress remains wildly unpopular in polls, and some Republicans are optimistic they will benefit politically when voters look for someone to blame next fall.

But fundamentals matter in politics. And right now, Republicans are suffering from setbacks in recruitment, retirements, money and efforts to craft an election strategy.

Setbacks? What a crock! "Outside political groups" could help? After what happened to Moveon.org? And what's with Politico calling John Boehner the "House majority leader"? Check your facts, freaks, and face it: R's can't "win" without enough cash to cheat. More shifty zeitgeist shifting...

Are you ready for the comic strip censor wars? Funny, gossip gurus at Jossip.com seem more interested in the growing dangers of censorship than any other (cough) news (cough) source this week:

Oversensitive Mobsters Upset By Politically Incorrect Use Of The Word 'Goons'

Related: Unscrupulous Hit Men Have Feelings, Too

A "Get Fuzzy" comic scheduled to run Sept. 14 in the Chicago Tribune was replaced with a note that advised that the comic "did not meet the Tribune's standards for taste," reportedly because the strip had the audacity to refer to mobsters as "goons."

And while many readers are protesting the Trib's seemingly arbitrary application of censorship, we're predicting this trend of preemptive self-editing will actually catch on big-time.

In which case it won't be long before Garfield's pulled on the basis that it promotes childhood obesity, Dilbert is yanked for characterizing corporate execs as boring people who have no soul, Cathy is scratched after offending the delicate sensibilities of overweight chronically single women and The New Yorker is required to start publishing explanations to make each cartoon more "accessible."

Heavy sigh.

A Heaping Plate Of Crazy With Lightening Bugs On The Side

WTF Is It Now? blogs the absurdity of Mitt Romney's video challenge and Slate V's response. This you've gotta see.

Such sacrifice! Such dedication! Such golf swings! The Romney boys have it all! Yeah, right. And lightening bugs look just like bombs exploding on the front. What a family!

The Heartbreak Of FBS: Frequent (Republican) Brain Fart Syndrome

Symptoms include making ridiculous public statements, like "too many mosques," "Obama is intellectually lazy," and "I don't know the name of the last soldier from my district to be killed in Iraq." Republicans seem to be suffering from FBS at an alarmingly increasing rate this year.

First it was Rep. Peter King, claiming that too many mosques were the world's biggest problem, or some such nonsense last week. Then, some anonymous Republicanoid in the White House obviously forgot how stupid his/her boss is and called Senator Barack Obama "intellectually lazy." TPM Election Central's Eric Kleefeld points out the obvious pitfall of those who live in glass houses:

A senior White House official has offered this critique of Barack Obama:

As for Obama, a senior White House official said the freshman senator from Illinois was "capable" of the intellectual rigor needed to win the presidency but instead relies too heavily on his easy charm.

"It's sort of like, 'that's all I need to get by,' which bespeaks sort of a condescending attitude towards the voters," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "And a laziness, an intellectual laziness."

Is there anything more to say?

Uh, yeah. But a picture (found on Bartcop.com's Weekend-Mon-Tuesday Sept 22-25, 2007 edition) speaks louder than any "intellectually lazy" accusation against Obama:


And posted just below the lowered Iraq bar 'toon is Bart's interesting factoid on dreaded Democratic fundraiser, Norman Hsu:

"Federal prosecutors have charged Norman Hsu with breaking campaign finance laws and cheating investors out of millions of dollars in a $60 million Ponzi scheme...Hsu has raised money for several Democratic candidates, but most substantially for Hillary."

-- Political Ticker, Link

Interesting Fact: The prosecutor charged with bring Hsu to justice also got a political contribution from Hsu.

Gee, that little factoid must've slipped by Hugh Hewitt, the wingnut screaming for a special prosecutor to investigate Hsu's donation to Clinton. Be careful what you wish for, Hugh (aka FBS poster boy).

Rep. Marsha Blackburn is also exhibiting serious FBS symptoms this week... um, Dick Cheney Big Time. Crooks and Liars has the latest Blackburn meltdown, along with the video, of course. Watch David Shuster reel out the line and see how Blackburn unwittingly sucks up the bait and chokes on it. The best part:

Shuster: "Let's talk about the public trust. You represent, of course, a district in western Tennessee. What was the name of the last solider from your district who was killed in Iraq?"

Blackburn:"The name of the last soldier killed in Iraq uh - from my district I - I do not know his name -"

Shuster: "Ok, his name was Jeremy Bohannon, he was killed August the 9th, 2007. How come you didn't know the name?"

Blackburn: "I - I, you know, I - I do not know why I did not know the name..."

Shuster: "But you weren't appreciative enough to know the name of this young man, he was 18 years old who was killed, and yet you can say chapter and verse about what's going on with the New York Times and Move On.org."

Shuster: "But don't you understand, the problems that a lot of people would have, that you're so focused on an ad - when was the last time a New York Times ad ever killed somebody? I mean, here we have a war that took the life of an 18 year old kid, Jeremy Bohannon from your district, and you didn't even know his name."

Can't you just imagine the irritating TV commercials for new pills to combat FBS? Maybe the side effects include "Gambling, driving while asleep and making even more embarrassing statements than before beginning treatment." Or maybe it's just ass gas...

Let Loose The Mighty Winds Of Warmongers

Are you beginning to feel like you're stuck in a constant "the guy we ignored last week is this week's biggest threat to the planet" loop? Me, too. Open Left explains why Republicans and their media lap dogs are scolding you for focusing on Bush's Iraq mess and not Iran's Ahmadinejad. Here are the highlights:

The Real Reasons for the Ahmadinejad Protest

1) Empowering Ahmadinejad: He's not particularly important within Iran, but this kind of mindless attention helps him domestically.

2) Leading Us into a New War: Wars require villains. Ahmadinejad, as an ineffective buffoon with a weak domestic power center, wasn't enough of a villain. He must be built up into an all-powerful character that can only be removed by American force.

3) Attacking Free Speech at Columbia: Dismantling or weakening institutions that stand up against the right or could conceivably do so is one of the long-term conservative movement strategic interests.

Anyway, just in case you were confused about Republican patriotism, here's a short primer. The right is suppressing speech, building up the power of an avowed 'villain' Ahmadinejad, and trying to lead us into a larger and more devastating war.

Get it? The hands on Bush's Mickey Mouse watch say it's September: time for a new and improved villain product roll out. Any hapless Iraq neighbor buffoon will do, preferably one who's an evil tyrant in his own backyard but no real threat to Toadsuck Ferry, Arkansas. After all, how would you describe the (cough) American hero (cough) in this wingnut saga? Dangerous buffoon vs. dangerous buffoon: the saga continues.

See Ya! Wouldn't Wanna Be Ya!

Fred Thompson isn't as Zoolander Blue Steel as he used to be. Crooks and Liars pointed this out way back in August with this screen cap:


Note to Fred: when even a Hollywood gossip blog like Best Week Ever thinks you're camera lens toast and even makes fun of your pre-cancer "good" photos, it's time to rethink your career plans.

Ahem...


The bleeding heart liberal in me has to feel sorry for Old Non-Viggo Fred: Republicans were expecting the pre-cancer Thompson of TV and film (circa "The Hunt For Red October"), and they're now meeting the behind-the-scenes, cancer-treatment version. Kinda sad. That being said, check out the swelling membership roster over at...

Assoholics Anonymous

Say it with me and hiss the S sounds like a snake: Sumner Redstone. DUer McCamy Taylor has a detailed post with multiple links on Viacom selling Dan Rather down the river for pieces of Bush Love silver.

Next up: Dana Perino listing the list of Bush invited (cough) journalists (cough), as noted by Crooks and Liars. Ready to hiss the list with me?

At yesterday's press gaggle, Press Secretary Dana Perino read the names of the invited guests:

Michael Barone (U.S. News), Tony Blankley (Washington Times), David Brooks (New York Times), Ron Kessler (NewsMax), Charles Krauthammer (Washington Post), Bill Kristol (Weekly Standard), Larry Kudlow (CNBC), Morton Kondracke (Roll Call), Kimberly Strassel (Wall Street Journal), Kathryn Lopez and Kate O'Beirne (National Review).

When she was done, some White House reporters literally laughed. Out loud.

Laughed. But no verbal challenges to White House credibility, you'll notice.

In other Assoholics Anonymous (or not so anonymous) news, Josh Marshall notes that Verizon belives that NARAL's pro-choice messages are "too unsavory or controversial" to be texted over their beautiful mind network:

This has no direct technological connection to the net neutrality issue. But it shows pretty clearly what can happen when you have no 'common carrier' protections on the new telecom frontier.

Time to find a new carrier, Verizoneers. Meanwhile...

Flintstonian Gravitas, Anyone?

Leave it to George Dubyafied Bush to raise $500,000 almost $2 million for Moveon.org without even knowing it. AmericaBlog has the great news morsel, along with the hope that Bush attacks AmericaBlog, too.

And leave it to Think Progress to note the sudden death of The Friedman Unit (Thomas F's automatic "Six months" response to any question about Iraq). The Friedman, himself, now laments: "I'm afraid we've run out of six months. It's really time to set a deadline." Of course, there's video.

Mickey Mouse On Thorazine

A week without a Bill O'Reilly mouth-off would be like a morning without Don Imus. Hm. There's an idea. Anyway, in case you missed it, BillO was surprised at how "civilized" black people behaved in a restaurant where he dined this week. The Rude Pundit's Ten Other Things That Surprise Bill O'Reilly About Black People is definitely bookmark worthy. My favorite "other things":

1. Black women also don't like when their bosses call in the middle of the night to tell them how nice it'd be to rub their big boobs with a falafel.

5. Black crackheads in Harlem will knife you for the change in your pockets just like the white crackheads on the Upper East Side.

6. Black people also died on 9/11 and are susceptible to the inflammatory rumblings of a rabid blowhard.

9. When they're enjoying fried chicken and ribs with a side of watermelon, black people are known to use napkins.

Do everyone a favor, BillO, and follow Imus out the door. Just because Kathy Griffin's mother thinks you're cute, it doesn't mean you're relevant.

Speaking of Mickey Mouse, the wait is over. The rewrite of "Rhinestone Cowboy," reflecting this week's description of Bush* as a "windshield cowboy" is here, and Corrente's got it. My favorite frames:

Like a windshield cowboy


Riding out on my bike in a Spandex rodeo

And now it's time to...

Thank A DUer!

Thanks to SoCalDem for the misty watercolor memories and the clear and present danger German Chancellor Angela Merkel faced this week at the UN:

Angela's eyes darted around the room, scanning nervously for her attacker


The memories of the last attack...fresh in her mind

And thanks to Stephanie for posting pics of George "The Underlining King" Bush's UN speech:

George, Remember to Put EmPHASis on the Important WORDS ---pix--->>>

"Ah underlined 'em mahself!"

Thanks, DUers!

On a shameless sidenote, imagine my surprise to click on a link to a USA Today story on Bush's phonetics-impaired speechifying and find my own blog (Delilah Boyd) showcased as the anti-Michelle Malkin example. Color me ecstatic. 11,000+ new blog hits later, and wonder of wonders: the Malkinites really, really hate me. Hm. Maybe this deserves a T-shirt sentiment: "Michelle Malkin Really, Really Hates You For Reading My Blog!" Better ideas are welcome, everyone!

This week, bloggers proved decisively that we can and do make a difference. The more we stand up to corporate media types, Republican whiner babies, and Rove/Goebbels wannabes, the more rational the national debate becomes. Forcing fascist tightie righties to go on record and have to defend their idiotic stances is crucial. Keep sending those great blog links, and keep fighting. At the very least, isn't making Michelle Malkin's head explode worth it?

-- Delilah Boyd

[McCamy Taylor]

1. Thanks, you made a crappy week seem better, 'cause the GOP has it worse.

I have never seen such a pathetic bunch of losers as they have running for president this time. Fred Thompson was supposed to be their savior and he is--what?---an old actor who does not go to Church married to a woman young enough to be his granddaughter suffering from a form of lymphoma with a prognosis of five to ten years. If that is the best they have to offer, they are in trouble.

Even in Texas, Republicans are starting to switch parties.

[displacedtexan]

9. Thanks! The Blog Box is on the DU homepage every Friday.

It's amazing how many bloggers there are out there,
fighting the rightwing every day.

BTW, you rock, McCamy!

Delilah

[Old and In the Way]

2. Great stuff!

You do a really good job packaging these stories. Always an entertaining read.

[puerco-bellies]

3. Excellent post.

Kick.

[Triana]

4. malkin

malkin (MO-kin, MAL-kin) noun

1. An untidy woman; a slattern.

2. A scarecrow or a grotesque effigy.

3. A mop made of a bundle or rags fastened to a stick.

[Chulanowa]

5. Bwahahaha

"Soon, the city vill be mine and Vigo's. ...Vell... Mostly Vigo's"

[mloutre]

6. that was the week that was

Awesome wrap-up, Delilah Boyd. Totally awesome And baked to golden perfection with just the right amount of home-grown organic snarkasm to add that extra speshul flavor. You rock.

P.S. -- Bush still sucks.

[Perry Logan]

7. It's awesome to see a DUer attacking Republicans for a change. I hope the idea spreads.

[Clark2008]

8. Pssst... "Cathy" isn't single anymore.

She and Irving married some time ago.

It's funny I know this since I rarely ever read the comics. :)

[niceypoo]

10. The alluring Michelle Malkin...

Smarter than your average Right Wing pinup sociopath!

[displacedtexan]

11. Don't scare me like that!

Gee Willikers! She's one scary _______!

My favorite hate email so far:

"All Michelle has to do is say the word, and we're all coming to find you, bitch!"

I live on Capitol Hill, and the last time a neighbor called the police (after hearing someone
smashing trash cans in the alley), it took less than 2 minutes for 6 police cars to arrive... and 3 minutes for
the helicopter.

Bring it, Michelle Lovers!

[Kuni]

12. So where does M’al-Kin fit into this? I bet an-Qoulter hates us too.