As presented by David "Scary Movie" Zucker:

The RNC will certainly distance themselves from this. But, damn, it's funny.

Posted by: Gary at 04:38 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Interesting polls these days, eh? I'm sorry. I'm not buying it. Has momentum turned in the Dems favor? Perhaps. But not that much. And it remains to be seen if it can last another four weeks.

Don't show me generic ballot questions. Show me individual races. 95% are already decided. The districts are so gerrymandered that the deck is stacked against a control change that would look anything remotely like the one from 1994.

Go ahead, call me naive. But think closely about these polls. They call a bunch of registered voters and ask if they would support the Republican or Democrat. No names or specific candidates, mind you. Just the parties. A third of the electorate doesn't even belong to one.

The question is basically a snapshot referendum on party preference - which one the respondent dislikes the least.

Comparing this data to the handful of competitive races is apples and oranges. If you're breathlessly watching generic ballot polls, keep watching and tell me what you see next week and the week after and so on. The only significance is that if the MSM keeps beating this drum, Republicans may get frustrated and depressed and figure "why bother?".

But then, that's exactly what they're hoping for. Some on the GOP side (or Conservative side) are already throwing in the towel. That's a mistake. Because a low turnout on one side will certainly push these close races in favor of the other.

Rusty says it best:

If you don't vote, the record will show that you had a chance to stop this onslaught of leftwing insanity, and you submitted.

Bill Bennett has a similar message to Conservatives, also a worthy read.

If you're at all skeptical that this Foley story was designed to suppress turnout, read The American Prowler this morning:

According to one political consultant with ties to the DNC and other party organizations, "I'm hearing the Foley story wasn't supposed to drop until about ten days out of the election. It was supposed the coup de grace, not the first shot."

So why the rush? According to another DNC operative: bad polling numbers across the country. "Bush's national security speeches were getting traction beyond the base, gas prices were dropping, economic outlook surveys were positive. We were seeing bad Democratic numbers in Missouri, Michigan, Washington, Arizona, Florida Pennsylvania, even parts of New York," says the operative. "A month before, we were looking at launching an offensive against Republicans who according to polling barely held a five-seat majority if the election were to be held at the end of August. That was doable for Democrats from September 1 to November 7. But by mid-September, Republicans were back to having held seats for a 15-seat majority. In the Senate, it looked like a wash. We held seats in Florida, Nebraska, picked up seats in Pennsylvania, but that that was about it. They were holding in Missouri and possibly within reach of Maryland and Washington. We were looking at a disaster in the making."

The story originally broke ten days ago. If they had followed through on the original plan - ten days before the election - then imagine that today was the election. Look at the polls, the opinion, the MSM spin. It would have worked like a charm. Because dispirited Republicans would have figured "why bother?".

Now is not the time to be dispirited. Now is the time to be fired up.

Can the Democrats and their media buddies keep the intensity of this story going for 28 more days? Doubtful. But if we let it, it could be remembered as the moment when the tide turned against the GOP.

There's lots of time remaining on the clock. And plenty of time to turn the tide back.

Now stop being such a bunch of whiny, bitching pussies and let's prevent the "left wing insanity."

UPDATE:
As usual, Bull Dog Pundit does a fair job of reading the fine print and poking the NYT and WaPo polls full of holes. His point dovetails with this post in that the MSM is using the polls to drive "news".

Posted by: Gary at 12:00 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Star Wars parody - Palpatine kicking back in his office with his subordinates. I suspect the voice is Seth McFarlane from Family Guy. Sounds a little like Glen Quagmire.

I swear I damn near wet myself over this one.

Posted by: Gary at 10:30 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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"The United States does not need a multi-billion-dollar national missile defense against the possibility of a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile."
- "would-be House Speaker" Nancy Pelosi,
April 12, 2003

h/t: Hugh Hewitt

Posted by: Gary at 10:10 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Just a heads-up that posts for "The Two Towers" have just been revised and updated over at "Tolkien Geek".

If you're so inclined you can check them out here.

Posted by: Gary at 04:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Hmmm. Thought I'd start a new thread for this since it's generating such strong opinion.

There are a couple of different points of view as to whether or not there is an "Iraq Metaphor" going on with Battlestar Galactica. You can see some of the comments from the last post: here.

My own impressions are that the writers left it open to interpretation. If you see the similarities, then they're there. However, I tend to agree with RightWingProf that the Cylon occupation is more analogous to occupied France during WWII. If there is any analogy at all. My own opinion is the Ronald D. Moore and Co. have been fairly even-handed to date and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the date.

At most, I think they are addressing issues that people can relate to - many of them are controversial. This drives ratings and makes it a much more interesting show. But I don't detect a particular bias promoting one point of view or the other. It's more of a glimpse into the overall human condition.

Feel free to discuss. Please keep it civil!

More discussion over at MidnightBlue and RightWingNation.

If I find opinion on the web, I'll post it here as an update.

UPDATE:
That was quick. Jonah Goldberg of National Review plans a column on the subject or at least some commentary at The Corner within the next twenty-four hours.

UPDATE II:
I listened to the Ron Moore podcast of Friday's episode on iTunes.

Here's the skinny:
Moore (and his wife who is a co-writer) commented on the setting of occupied New Caprica. While they acknowledged that there are elements of Iraq in the storyline they also said that they are mixed in with parallels of other occupations - such as France in WWII, the West Bank, colonial America. All of the writers, he said, are very familiar with many aspects of human history - not just recent history.

He said he's been asked quite a bit about Iraq and he explained that he was not intending to make any political statements about current events, rather he was drawing on many different elements to create situations within which the characters react to in different ways. For example, what would Chief Tyrol do here or how would Tigh respond to this or Laura Roslin, etc. etc.

As to the inclusion of a "suicide mission", they are trying to "ratchet up" the events on New Caprica because they are leading to a major clash that will coincide with the return of Galactica. The Cylons reaction to it is important in pushing them and the humans on a sort of "collision course".

Essentially, next week's episode is a major event and these two episodes combined are meant for the audience to fully absorb the situation that leads up to it.

There was other stuff but the only other item of note regarding the New Caprica Police graduation ceremony and Duck's suicide bombing is to show that shocking things like that really happen. And rather than just hearing about it on the news, Moore wanted to present the grisly details and horrific aftermath of such an act. He was nervous that the network (Sci-Fi, which is owned by NBC) would object to showing it so graphically but he said they were actually very supportive.

Could Moore be full of crap about all this? Sure, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt here.

UPDATE III:
Jonah Goldberg (finally) weighes in. His take: Yes, it was blatant Iraq, but...

RightWingProf even gets a link!

UPDATE IV:
Was reminded by a comment on a thread at HotAir.com that this isn't the first time we've seen a suicide bombing on BSG. In season one, one of the Doral Cylons blew himself up on Galactica killing three people. Not as devastating as the one from this season, but still...

Interesting. The episode was titled "Litmus". Cylons as insurgents, maybe? I don't remember the Left get all huffy over that one.

Posted by: Gary at 11:45 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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1 I did a little something on the whole flare-up... I think that anyone who claims the show, or either side within the show, are all one thing or another is blind to the basic building block of BSG since the first moment of the first miniseries; Shades of grey. It's all shades of grey. There is no good and bad in this world, there is only bad and how the individual (human or cylon) reacts to it.

Posted by: JimK at October 09, 2006 01:00 PM (f9+5H)

2 I will have to read your BSG posts after we watch the premiere tonight, Gary. Couldn't watch it last night. Can't wait!

Posted by: Starbuck at October 09, 2006 03:40 PM (ZMwFa)

3 For writers that are well-versed in many aspects of human history - I found it quite telling that several of the Cylons and leading Colonial characters spoke lines that were rippped from the drama that is Iraq. For example: Brother Cavil noted that the colonials didn't welcome the Cylons arrriving in New Caprica with open arms...how many times have libs used the same argument about the Iraqi's welcoming the troops into Baghdad. Brother Cavil also mentions "lets instill fear in the hearts and minds" of the NC settlers. Gee..I wonder were the writers got that verse from?? In LDYB2: President Baltar comments that there hasn't been a Cylon attack on his watch - right before the Cylons do attack NC... Oh yes, I could go on and on with other examples of the course of this series. However, I think I made my point with these examples. There has always been a subtle undertone of political commentary on the show - but this new season 3 opener has taken that undertone to a new level. I have to give credit to Ron Moore for crafting this show to be so very layered, it certainly makes for interesting commentary, and blog posts. I will continue to watch the show, as long as the don't kill off Kara. Someone has to comfort Lee after he divorces dee....

Posted by: Skye at October 09, 2006 08:52 PM (6vZ0D)

4 I'm getting this huge spike in readers, so I looked at my stats to see where they're coming from. Jonah Goldberg linked to my article in his National Review article on BSG. Wow. I feel like I've arrived.

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 10, 2006 12:25 PM (o7KrD)

5 Congrats!!

Posted by: Gary at October 10, 2006 12:31 PM (QoxB+)

6 He said he's been asked quite a bit about Iraq and he explained that he was not intending to make any political statements about current events, rather he was drawing on many different elements to create situations within which the characters react to in different ways. I don't really doubt that (much); but I find it similar to how liberals in general can never seem to see their own biases creep in. Like liberal journalists who think that what they are saying is objective, absent of colored partisanship. I do think that they are not making any clear-cut stance on the real-world war in Iraq. Just trying to place their characters in similar situations, and make the audience think. But I think you can see the subtle undertone, of how the writers might think about actual events in Iraq. That said, I can still enjoy the show. Because even if it was clearly fueled by a liberal paradigm for Iraq, in the BSG world, it works. Because they've fabricated the reality, so the response to dealing with that reality- or in pointing out what the right course of action should be, even when not taken, makes sense. It's like Star Trek, where in their universe, their moral choices make sense. You appreciate it on its own terms. I hope I'm making sense. Skyebuck...you'd be frakkin' awesome if you could find that Ron Moore quote where his liberal bent is clearly visible. And spot-on for the lines you pointed out.

Posted by: wordsmith at October 10, 2006 12:58 PM (nrGCx)

7 I do think that they are not making any clear-cut stance on the real-world war in Iraq. Take out "not" from that sentence. It happens when you don't proof-read.

Posted by: wordsmith at October 10, 2006 01:07 PM (nrGCx)

8 Sloppy, sloppy. I always suspected you were just an "apprentice" Wordsmith.

Posted by: Gary at October 10, 2006 02:15 PM (QoxB+)

9 I've seen the first two hours twice now, and on the second viewing, I've noticed more WW2 references. I think a closer comparion would be the Warsaw Ghetto.

Posted by: Barry Johnson at October 10, 2006 04:32 PM (S2Ldc)

10 David Eick, executive producer, assures the fanbase that the political undertones will remain unchanged: "We're trying to mirror a more grounded reality, not a heightened reality," Eick says. "I think there's a political savvy to this show, an unflinching approach to the issues of the day and an unapologetic irreverence." This quote from David Eik can be found and my old, old blog Midnightblue Found it, Word: Midnightblue And I quote: "I certainly have my own political views and it would be disingenuous at best to say that there's some kind of firewall between my beliefs and those portrayed on the show. I'm the head writer -- my views and thoughts are on life are on display every week, including my political predilections. However, I don't see the show as a platform to advance my political belief system or my own views on morality. These are the debates that I hope you have among yourselves, your families, your friends. I want the show to provoke you into thinking about the times you live in and the choices that are being made all around you every day. In a time when the President of the United States actually asserts that he has the power to arrest without warrant and detain indefinitely without charge or appeal, any citizen (indeed any person on the face of the Earth) simply by designating them as an "illegal combatant," we should all be engaged in a vigorous and energetic debate about who we are as a people and as human beings and exactly how we do intend to respond to the very real threat posed to this nation and to the foundations of liberal democracy posed by people capable of, and willing to, fly airplanes into buildings. I hope this show makes you think. I hope this show makes you question the moral choices that are being made in your name and by your representatives. "

Posted by: Skye at October 10, 2006 10:16 PM (/qf75)

11 Sloppy, sloppy. I always suspected you were just an "apprentice" Wordsmith. Well, I still have much to learn, Blogfather. In a time when the President of the United States actually asserts that he has the power to arrest without warrant and detain indefinitely without charge or appeal, any citizen (indeed any person on the face of the Earth) simply by designating them as an "illegal combatant," Thanks skyebuck!

Posted by: wordsmith at October 10, 2006 11:41 PM (nrGCx)

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And this week's Diane Lane Netflix Pick of the Week:

Rumble Fish (1983)

Synopsis:
In Francis Ford Coppola's black-and-white adaptation of the S.E. Hinton novel, Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is the leader of a small, dying gang once led by his now-absent brother, Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke). When Rusty is injured in a gang fight, his brother returns to their sad, industrial town to help. Despite this, Rusty continues on his path of self-destruction, damaging his relationships with his girlfriend (Diane Lane) and friends.

Gary's take: I picked this one to compliment the black-and-white photo above. Face it. It's the kind of a movie that's short on story and long on cinematic "technique". Show the wife or girlfriend that you can appreciate fine film making. Yeah, right. It's definitely worth a look, though, if you've never seen it. And you get see how hot Diane Lane is in black-and-white. Look for top notch performances from Mickey Rourke and Dennis Hopper. Matt Dillon does a fine job as well. And look also for early performances by a young Nicolas Cage and the late Chris Penn.

Posted by: Gary at 06:10 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Man, it seems like forever since the end of last season when the series went in a completely different direction (that was back in March!). At first, I shared a lot of the concerns about this plotline that were voiced by other fans. But having reflected on it for seven months, I'm stoked about it!

Battlestar Galactica, Season Three premieres tonight at 9pm
on Sci-fi Channel (2 hr episode)

Let's go, ladies!

UPDATE:
Wow. Very intense. Before people get all pissy about the suicide bomber thing, keep in mind they didn't glorify it. In fact, I didn't pick up on any particular value judgements. The scene with Roslin confronting Tigh over it was interesting. I found the overall take very neutral.

They did a LOT in this episode (or episodes depending on how you look at it).

I remain impressed. And looking forward eagerly to next week.

Posted by: Gary at 01:36 PM | Comments (23) | Add Comment
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1 TONIGHT, and it's a two-hour premiere! Let the resistance begin! Blow those toasters away!

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 06, 2006 02:40 PM (hj1Wx)

2 That central character, is that Laura Linney? Personally, I think the one to the right is the most gorgeous one (best set of t*ts). The Asian type is rather skinny, but fairly hot nevertheless. Just my opinion of course. Keep 'em photos coming!

Posted by: Outlaw Mike at October 06, 2006 06:21 PM (m4v1l)

3 Bring on the Cylons...hehehe!! Oh and let's get Lee to Jenny Craig ASAP!!!

Posted by: Skye at October 06, 2006 07:48 PM (6vZ0D)

4 So..Gary...what are your rules regarding spoilery posts???

Posted by: Skye at October 06, 2006 07:51 PM (6vZ0D)

5 Holy Frak! Kara! Leoben! Ohhh poor cylon!

Posted by: Skye at October 06, 2006 08:12 PM (6vZ0D)

6 Oh gods Duck..NOOOOOO!!!

Posted by: Skye at October 06, 2006 08:40 PM (6vZ0D)

7 Yeah!!! Lee and dee really suck in the chemistry department Yeah!!!

Posted by: Skye at October 06, 2006 08:49 PM (6vZ0D)

8 Geez, Skye. Didn't know you were live blogging tonight. :wink:

Posted by: Gary at October 06, 2006 10:04 PM (Z0vta)

9 Live Drunk blogging...the official drink has quite a kick!

Posted by: Skye at October 06, 2006 10:33 PM (6vZ0D)

10 The execution scene was straight out of "The Great Escape." Good cinema, but I hate it when I can see it coming.

Posted by: Bret at October 07, 2006 08:28 AM (1026D)

11 I'm thirty minutes into it, but that scene with Starbuck, especially after she picks the knife back up and sits down to eat, can anybody doubt that Starbuck kicks serious *ss?

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 07, 2006 11:19 AM (hj1Wx)

12 Never doubted THAT for a nanosecond, prof!

Posted by: Skye at October 07, 2006 12:18 PM (6vZ0D)

13 And didn't we all suspect that Balthar was a cylon? I mean, how else could he have survived the nuclear attack on Caprica?

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 07, 2006 12:25 PM (hj1Wx)

14 His imaginary Cylon girlfriend saved him... Duh! Anyway...Gauis Baltar is now in the BSG universe the most. hated. president. EVER. Is it any coincidence that his initials (GB) are similar to our own President?

Posted by: Skye at October 07, 2006 12:48 PM (6vZ0D)

15 Given that Baltar is the weasely, weak, panty-waisted, appeasenik anti-Bush, I'd say the initials are coincidental.

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 08, 2006 06:52 AM (o7KrD)

16 Well, here's my respnse to those who are whining about the season premiere.

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 08, 2006 12:59 PM (o7KrD)

17 Well seeing as though the Battlestar universe was created in the 70's (including Baltar) I'd find it quite impossible that they had any foresight in making his initials the same.

Posted by: Digger at October 08, 2006 09:34 PM (/bJzI)

18 Consider the fact that in the orignal series Gauis Baltar was NEVER elected president of the remaining colonists scattered about the fleet. In this modern reimagining of the series, not only is he elected president, he quotes lines from our current administration in regards to terrorist attacts on America.(LDYB2) I think is was absolutely planned by the writers.

Posted by: SkyeBuck at October 08, 2006 10:07 PM (6vZ0D)

19 Prof, In thie opening episode the Cylons control the human puppet government. As many libs believe the US controls the newly formed Iraqi government. Many of the main characters have joined an 'insurgency.' Reminds me of the oft used phrase by the left: "homegrown terrorists" This 'insurgency' sends people to engage in "heroic" suicide bombings that kill innocent humans as well as Cylons. Shrugging off the casualties as part of the war they're fighting. How many times have we been shown images of civilians being attacked by terrorist bombers in Iraq? The New Caprica 'insurgency' murder humans who collaborate with the Cylons. How many Iraqi police officers have been killed this year? I just read a report of hundreds falling ill after a meal in a training facility. The New Caprica occupation plotline is obviously meant to imitate and excuse the rhetoric and tactics used by the terrorists fighting our troops in Iraq. This is not kool aid, this is liberal reality.

Posted by: SkyeBuck at October 08, 2006 10:19 PM (6vZ0D)

20 You're completely full of horse manure. Completely. And "liberal reality" is an oxymoron. By the way, if you want to comment on my post, do it on my blog, not here, kool-aid drinker.

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 09, 2006 09:09 AM (o7KrD)

21 What are you twelve, Prof? If you don't like the game, take you marbles and leave the sandbox. ---------------------------------------- By the way, if you want to comment on my post, do it on my blog, not here, kool-aid drinker.

Posted by: Skye at October 09, 2006 08:35 PM (6vZ0D)

22 "What are you twelve, Prof?" Do you always make self-referential juvenile responses? And I'm pointing out a basic rule of blog etiquette. Respond to the post.

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 10, 2006 06:51 AM (o7KrD)

23 OK, kids. Knock it off. I'm starting to feel like a 2nd grade teacher here.

Posted by: Gary at October 10, 2006 08:58 AM (QoxB+)

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When Matt Drudge stops posting headlines in a red 36-point font, you can pretty much guess that a story is losing its juice.

No, it's not completely over, yet. But the frenzy that is Foleymania seems to have worn out even the MSM. What the longer-term impact will be on Nov. 7th is anyone's guess. But I have a feeling it won't be as significant as most people thought it would be back at the beginning of the week.

The key here is that the GOP leadership in the House has closed ranks behind Hastert. If they hadn't, then the new story sucking all of the media oxygen would have been the turmoil they were in - the finger-pointing, the second-guessing, the back-stabbing, leaked anonymous comments, etc. Once again, Republican candidates would have been knocked off message and the MSM would have been framing the debate on behalf of their Dem buddies.

I'm getting the sense that most people - those who even know the whole story - have gotten to the point where they are just sick of hearing about it.

I actually hope Democrats keep trying to make this an issue. Because it'll come across as petty and underscore yet again to undecided voters that they offer absolutely nothing beyond "we're not them".

With five weeks to go - a long time in politics - the GOP's next step is to get back to the three issues that drive their base: fighting terrorism, protecting tax cuts from expiring and appointing judges.

And, oh by the way, if they don't than you could be looking at this: more...

Posted by: Gary at 11:05 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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It's Friday! Happy Weekend!

I don't understand a single word she is saying but she's adorable.

Posted by: Gary at 12:01 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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Seriously. It seems that every time I go to a blog these days they're quoting the latest "tradesports.com" rating of a particular race.

Excuse me. But what do these guys know about politics?

I mean, one way or the other, why would you rely on what price a particular politician is ranked at? They're no better than day traders at predicting Jack squat. What sells is based on what a large selection of schmucks interprets the way the political winds are shifting on any given day. Jesus, some people will bet on ANYTHING!

Just because a bunch of lemmings have a "gut" feeling about a particular match-up that makes them a seasoned expert? WTF?

Yeah, I know. People are putting money on this crap so they must be doing their research, right?

How about the dumbass who bet it all back in July that oil prices would hit $100 a barrel. He's looking like a smacked ass right about now.

Take my advice. Whatever their rankings...ignore this silliness.

Posted by: Gary at 11:09 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Drudge bombshell on Foley mess: Page's IMs a "prank gone awry".

The American Thinker:

Present state of play—the Dems and CREW are implicated; ABC’s Brian Ross has his own Rathergate, the FBI and Ethics Committee are going to find out which Dems were involved and CREW will probably lose their tax exempt status. The Dems have shown themselves to be perfectly willing to use homophobia to win when they have no saleable platform or issues; the Republican base is charged up and once again Soros turned his gold into Dem dross.

Posted by: Gary at 04:01 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 dude, you are an idiot. the republican wool is so far over your eyes, the only thing you can see is your own ass.

Posted by: right is wrong at October 06, 2006 01:13 AM (S50fR)

2 Now you went and hurt my feelings.

Posted by: Gary at October 06, 2006 06:08 AM (Z0vta)

3 Gary, from your keyboard to God's PC screen. I hope you're right. I did read a story on The Conservative Voice about faked e-mails and IMs. I think Drudge also ran a story on it. It still amazes me that these people saved their Instant Messages for years. Why? How? Who? When? Where? Hey, news media, that's something you guys should be looking into. Oh, I forgot you guys are too busy lap-dancing for the Democrats. Looking ahead, I saw the first TV spot for a 2008 Presidential candidate. His name is John Cox and he's airing it in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. I saw it on his website www.cox2008.com/video.

Posted by: Jim Kouri at October 06, 2006 10:22 PM (fEnUg)

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Someone emailed this to me.

I have no idea what to make of it.

But I can't stop watching it.

Posted by: Gary at 03:52 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 It's former Congressman Foley having some pages over for a little dancing and some smoke!

Posted by: Tony at October 05, 2006 09:16 PM (mh4Zt)

2 It's a mad mad mad mad mad mad world.

Posted by: Tuning Spork at October 05, 2006 10:18 PM (euegK)

3 Skye should see this. It reminds me of some of those Bombay vids we made. But I can't stop watching it. I couldn't stop either; but refuse to push play again. And I am 100% confident that the quality of my life would have been much better if I had never seen this video.

Posted by: wordsmith at October 06, 2006 01:16 AM (nrGCx)

4 Oh man....I'm with Word on this one. Is there no way I can get a refund on the wasted 1:28 seconds of my life?

Posted by: Skye at October 07, 2006 12:59 PM (6vZ0D)

5 One word: Creepy.

Posted by: Georgia Girl at October 09, 2006 09:18 PM (EvFfn)

6 FUCKING AMAZING i've watched it fourteen times and counting, its still just as good as the first time

Posted by: paul at December 15, 2006 05:51 PM (R5brr)

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So now that Mark Foley has resigned, the replacement candidate has been picked. That candidate, Joe Negron, has requested that a sign be put up in polling places explaining that any votes for Foley will go to Negron. Florida election rules prohibit the removal of Foley's name from the ballot.

The proposed sign would read:

“Due to a withdrawal of a candidate after the Primary Election which resulted in the substitution of a new candidate by the respective party: In the race for Representative In Congress, District 16, any vote cast for Mark Foley (REP) shall be counted as a vote for Joe Negron (REP).”

But you just knew what the Democrats' reaction would be. The folks who scream "voter suppression" every single election are howling over this.

The Democrats, whose candidate for FoleyÂ’s district is Tim Mahoney, sent a letter to state elections Director Dawn Roberts on Wednesday saying such a notice would violate a law banning supervisors from favoring a particular party.

They asked Roberts to immediately send a letter instructing supervisors not to post any notices or include them in mailings with absentee ballots.

Seriously though. It won't matter. I have no way of knowing which way that race will ultimately go, but the fact is that Florida Republicans just aren't as stupid as Florida Democrats - who proved back in 2000 that they couldn't even figure out a simple ballot.

I recall voters in Missouri having no problems understanding in 2000 that by voting for a dead guy as their Senator, his wife was actually going to get the votes.

In any case, the GOP will spend plenty of time and money in their GOTV effort to ensure that it's well understood that Foley's votes will go to Negron.

But talk about blatant hypocrisy. Six years ago, Democrats were doing everything they could to manufacture votes and charging Republicans with disenfranchising the simpletons of Palm Beach County. Now they're against a simple clarification that could potentially disenfranchise Republican voters. With them it's always "count every vote", unless it's a vote for the GOP.

What a load of crap.

Posted by: Gary at 10:25 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The Supreme Leader of Iran, Sayyid Ali Khameini, warned Muslim followers that there is to be no spanking of the monkey during the feast of Ramadan.

Of course that depends on the way you interpret the meaning of the word "wanking":

Khameini, who is Iran's most powerful political and religious figure, was asked on his website : "If somebody masturbates during the month of Ramadan but without any discharge, is his fasting invalidated?"

"If he do not intend masturbation and discharging semen and nothing is discharged, his fasting is correct even though he has done a ḥarām (forbidden) act. But, if he intends masturbation or he knows that he usually discharges semen by this process and semen really comes out, it is a ḥaram intentional breaking fasting," the Iranian leader said, posting the reply on his website.

Great, as if these dudes don't have enough pent up rage...

Posted by: Gary at 08:45 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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From what I'm reading, there'll be a number of twists and turns in the Mark Foley story today. I'm going to hang back and watch.

Most informative posts as of this morning from:
Macsmind

GatewayPundit

A.J. Strata

Wizbang Blog

Suffice to say, Democrats are getting nervous.

More to come...

Posted by: Gary at 07:10 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Season Premiere, 9pm ABC! Whoo-Hoo!

Mmmmm...Kate...

Posted by: Gary at 04:10 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Yup, and Friday is the BSG premiere. Double woo-hoo! Triple, counting last night's South Park premiere.

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 05, 2006 08:55 AM (hj1Wx)

2 Oooo. You're right, forgot about South Park. Thankfully I remembered to DVR it!

Posted by: Gary at October 05, 2006 09:24 AM (QoxB+)

3 Lost. Great season premiere. SP. Pretty funny, but they've done better.

Posted by: rightwingprof at October 06, 2006 09:40 AM (hj1Wx)

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The Corner at NRO highlights this FEC report of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's expenditures in September:

The FEC will eventually key in the DSCC September independent expenditure data sometime after the DSCC files its regular monthly report on October 20th. From past experience, the data will be electronically available after the election. Included in the data will be the over $5 million in independent expenditures made in September that PoliticalMoneyLine has spotted already. For example, the $999,137.90 media buy on 9/1 for the Sherrod Brown v. Mike DeWine race in Ohio; the $900,000 media buy on 9/26 for the Cardin v. Steele race in Maryland; and the $618,616 media buy on 9/26 for the Sherrod Brown v. Mike DeWine race. DSCC independent expenditures in September totaled over $410,000 in Montana, over $265,000 in Tennessee, over $1.9 million in Ohio, over $1.3 million in Missouri, over $190,000 in Rhode Island, and over $900,000 in Maryland.

No Connecticut, huh? Guess Neddy's gonna have to keep writing himself checks to campaign with.

Heh.

UPDATE:
Rasmussen mirrors Quinnipiac poll. Lieberman by 10. That giant sucking sound you hear is the wind emptying out of the nutroots sails in CT.

Posted by: Gary at 03:38 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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From Al-Rueters: Chavez says oil should not fall below $60 a barrel

AFP report this morning: Brent oil price dunks below 58 dollars in London

Tough shit, dude.

Posted by: Gary at 10:25 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The Washington Times posts an article this morning, "Conservatives worry scandal will hit 'value voter' turnout". Interesting that the headline isn't Republicans are worried, although I'm sure they are. Here's the thing. If Conservatives are concerned that this will be the case, they ought not be making the foolish suggestion that Speaker Hastert resign.

RealClearPolitics.com has an excellent commentary this morning as to why an editorial from that very paper making just that suggestion is pointless and counter-productive. The author, Peter Mulhern who is also a contributor to the blog "The American Thinker" where the piece is also posted, puts it this way:

It would be pointless because Republicans can't mitigate whatever political damage there is going to be from the Foley scandal by jettisoning Hastert and company. The damage is done and it has nothing to do with the Speaker. Political junkies may think that the Foley scandal hurts because it undermines public trust in the House leadership, but that's not the source of the pain. The number of voters who know or care about the House leadership is infinitesimally small.

Democrats didn't keep Mark Foley's sins on ice and serve them up shortly before an election to make Dennis Hastert look negligent. They did it to drive a wedge between the GOP and its evangelical supporters by publicizing the fact that the Republican leadership in Congress gave the benefit of a substantial doubt to a known homosexual.

The tactical calculation behind the Foley scandal is the same as the calculation that drove both John Kerry and John Edwards to babble on about Mary Cheney's sexual orientation in nationally televised debates. Democrats believe that they can suppress the evangelical vote by suggesting that the GOP is too gay friendly and they aren't about to let mere scruples stand in their way. Kerry's lesbian gambit failed because the targeted voters were not the troglodyte simpletons of the Democrats' imagination. They largely recognized and resented the condescension motivating the attack, and affirmed their respect for tender love within a family.

Maybe the Democrats are right about evangelicals this time and maybe they aren't. Either way, replacing the Speaker now would be beside the point. It would also be devastating to the Republican Party.

Mulhern continues:

In politics you never win by losing. Dumping Hastert and the rest of the leadership team would be a loss. His departure would empower Democrats and dispirit Republicans. It would underscore the Republican's principal political liability, which is that many of their own supporters see them as spineless weenies.

Caving in to groundless and hysterical criticism is the quintessence of spinelessness. Republicans have made a habit of it.

They were too timid to change the rule that required Tom Delay to resign his leadership post when the rube who passes for a prosecutor in Travis County, Texas trumped up an indictment against him. The Bush administration couldn't stand and fight when it came under fire for including sixteen words in a State of the Union Address, every one of which was true. It never even tried to defend itself when Democrats and the media were spewing nonsense about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for the purpose of blaming President Bush for everything that may have gone wrong in New Orleans. One could, as Zell Miller once said, "go on and on and on."

Republicans can't afford to crumble yet again just five weeks before an election. They can't win a fight without fighting and it's better to start late than never.

Posted by: Gary at 09:15 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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