I Don't Like You Either.

Tweety Tears Conservative Radio Talk Show Host A New One

It's only fair to praise Matthews when he gets it right---right?  And he pretty much owns this guy (Kevin James).

Dr. Laura Blames Spitzer's Wife

Watch Dr. Laura Schlessinger claim that Spitzer's use of prostitutes was all down to his wife's failure to "make him feel like a man"....  What does a man feel like, I wonder, in Dr. Laura's world?   Based on what I've read and heard about her views on men and what they want, she knows some very different ones from the ones I know.  I wouldn't want my husband to be---or feel---like one of those. 

As my friend from Minnesota used to say, "Oh for STUPID."

In the meantime, some source who spoke to The New York Post alleges that Spitzer has had a hooker problem for, like, SIX YEARS.   I'd say his wife clearly has a problem, though not the one Dr. Laura is focusing on.

In both instances, consider the sources.

Dr Helen on Special Ed, Just in Time for Christmas!

Sadly, No! kicks around this Tennessee forensic  psychologist "who enjoys commenting on popular culture, politics and psychological issues", known to herself as "Dr. Helen,' known to fans of Sadly, No! as Dr. Mrs. Ole Perfessor:

Check this out:

I happened across a snippy little column over at Pajamas Media by Robert Rummel-Hudson today on why his special-ed kid needs special treatment....

Althouse on Paris Hilton. One Law for the Rich and One for Poor? Plus: Ms. Altouse Rebukes Gloaters.

Since I didn't exactly gloat, or even see the issue as that big a deal, I didn't really pay as much attention to this note as I usually do to Althouse's bloggins. 

Ms. Althouse is---or was and perhaps still is--- disgusted that "creepy lefty bloggers...burst with pleasure" that the girl is going to suffer.

Limousine Conservatives.

The Gun-Toting Liberal (that card-carrying member of both the ACLU and the NRA)  points out that while Republicans can't seem to stop talking about Hollywood/Limousine Liberals and how Sean Penn needs to shut up, they make whatever use of Hollywood types (when they can find any) to promote their own causes.   

[quote begins from The Gun Toting Liberal:  Hollywood's Loudest Critics Are Predictably Turning Once Again to (You Guessed It) Hollywood for Their Leadership]

Hillary Clinton and Me, Multilingual/Linguistic Polyglots!

Hillary Clinton is taking a bit of stick over her tendency to change her accent to suit her audience while on the campaign trail.   I say "taking a bit of stick," a British expression, because even though I've lived in Flarduh for 18 years and lived in the Carolinas (both of 'em) before that, my husband is English and I have visited England now and again myself and, well, I'm a bit of a linguistic polyglot myself. 

I myself doubt it was intentional; somehow, when I go home to Carolina, I pretty soon find myself talking Carolina too.  It just happens without my noticing it.  In any case, talking Arkansas to a bunch of South Carolinians isn't going to win anyone any gold stars.  I know that Rush Limbaugh and Wonkette probably can't tell the difference, but between the brogue of low country South Carolina ("like a Scot trying to imitate Br'er Rabbit" an English friend described it) and the hillbilly snarl of Arkansas there is a vast difference.  She probably started talking southern reflexively, because you just do, because every southerner knows (and no northerner understands) that every southern accent is different. 

Al Sharpton was asked what he thought about this.

[quote begins from Beth Fouhy,  Breitbart.com, "Clinton's Headed South: Will Drawl?"]

For his part, Sharpton said he didn't notice Clinton's speech pattern changing much when she speaks to black audiences, but said it wouldn't bother him if it did.

"When she speaks on the Senate floor, she's not as animated," Sharpton said. "And it's normal for speech cadences to change because of the style of your speech. Maybe she learned it in Arkansas. But I don't think it's a programmed, intentional thing."

[quote ends]

He's so right.    Besides, doing an Arkansas accent in lowcountry Carolina wouldn't cut a bit of ice with the locals.  You might not be able to tell the difference, but we can. 

When I was growing up in Lancaster, South Carolina, an upcountry milltown, we had endless fun mocking my mom's accent.  She said "air" for "ear," "bear" for "beer," and pronounced her own name "Calline" instead of "Caroline."  Her family's accents were even more outlandish:  "stee-it" for "state" and "stow" for "store."  But those same low country relatives secretly wondered why Calline was 'llowing her chirren to grow up talking with the vulgar accent of a no-account milltown in the South Carolina upcountry. 

I mean, consider John Edwards. I knew the first time I heard him speak that he was from a certain part of North Carolina; the only thing that threw me was that he doesn't say "bovver" for "bother" or "eiver" for "either" the way my friend Mark (a well-educated tax attorney who grew up about 20 miles away from Edwards) does when he's "down home."   I assume he trained himself not to, the way I trained myself to pronounce "want" and "wont" differently.   

Two Stupid GOP Arguments and How they Backfired.

NERVOUS IN THE [GOP'S] SERVICE. Hmmm-hmmm-HMMM!  So.  After the Republicans successfully blocked debate on the Warner-Levin resolution (opposing the "surge," so-called) because the Democrats wouldn't agree to the party's procedural plans, some Republicans---including Warner (who voted against his own resolution--- have attempted to explain their continuing commitment to "advocate the concepts of the resolution."  It wasn't that they opposed the resolution; it's just that the Democrats are big meanies who wouldn't play nice (by agreeing to GOP procedural demands). 

[quote begins from WashingtonPost.com, "7 Senators Back War Debate," by Shailagh Murray]

In a letter distributed yesterday evening to Senate leaders, John W. Warner (Va.), Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and five other GOP supporters of the resolution threatened to attach their measure to any bill sent to the floor in the coming weeks. Noting that the war is the "most pressing issue of our time," the senators declared: "We will explore all of our options under the Senate procedures and practices to ensure a full and open debate."...

The letter began circulating yesterday evening after it became apparent the Senate was deadlocked over the war resolution and Reid was prepared to move on to other matters. McConnell [Senate Minority Leader] and many in his party have aggressively defended their decision to block the bipartisan resolution as an issue of fairness because Democrats would not agree to GOP procedural demands.

But some Republicans were uneasy about appearing to have stymied the debate....

"Monday's procedural vote should not be interpreted as any lessening of our resolve to go forward advocating the concepts" of the resolution, the letter said. "The current stalemate is unacceptable to us and to the people of this country."...

"The Senate should be allowed to work its will on our resolution as well as the concepts being brought forward by other senators," the letter stated.

The other Republican senators who signed the letter were Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, Norm Coleman (Minn.), Gordon Smith (Ore.), and George V. Voinovich (Ohio).

[quote ends; links in original]

[quote ends]

You can see why they'd want to get this letter out ASAP; otherwise, it might appear that their party interests have overridden what most voters would view as the national interest. 

The Dems have been dismissive.  [quote from previously linked article begins:]   "Democrats brushed off the Republicans' declaration as too little, too late. Reid spokesman Jim Manley said in a statement: "Senator Reid gave Senator Warner and the others a chance to vote for their own resolution on Monday, but only two of them chose to do so. Hopefully this letter signifies that the others have had a change of heart, and will be willing to vote for their own resolution in the future."[quote ends]

To both parties:  Stop quarreling and jostling for credit, or whatever the hell it is you want, and get the job done. Jesus.

IT WAS ALWAYS A STUPID ARGUMENT. Cause for rejoicing: the stupid platitude that debating the war will "undermine" the troops finally got cut off at the knees by someone from the Pentagon.  That one's been shoved in our faces since the war began and I've been wondering when---or if-----someone with street cred would finally point out that it's contrary to the principles that the war was (allegedly) mounted to further/protect.

[quote begins from WashingtonPost.com, "7 Senators Back War Debate," by Shailagh Murray]

A top Pentagon leader weighed in yesterday on the war debate and appeared to undercut the argument advanced by the White House and many GOP lawmakers that a congressional debate challenging the Bush plan would hurt troop morale.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the dialogue here in Washington strengthens our democracy. Period," Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the House Armed Services Committee. He added that potential enemies may take some comfort from the rancor but said they "don't have a clue how democracy works."

[quote ends]

Can I hear you say, "Amen!"?

The GOP: Everything is (still) Clinton's Fault.

You know, the party in control of Congress and the Presidency could get away for awhile with blaming the Clinton Administration for its nonfeasance and misfeasance on this or that current issue.  But as Joe Conosan points out in an article at Salon, that dog just won't wag anymore. 

The fear and loathing which the intellectually and morally flexible Clinton evoked in the stolid classes may have survived to the extent of causing a knee-jerk response to the sound of his name, but in the meantime, those same people have had plenty of time to observe what a world in control of the GOP actually looks like.  And the Bush Administration and its GOP enablers have had a full term and a half to address any problems which might have been left over from Clinton's day. 

Even the dimmest adherent of the GOP must by now wondering why they did not.  Even my friend and neighbor Billy Bo Bob Smith and his wife Betty Jo can doubtless dimly recall that the world looked different during the Clinton years.  Even they can work out that Clinton, despite enjoying a bit of slap and tickle during working hours with an adult intern, didn't send dirty e-mails to teenagers.  (Sadly, they haven't shown so far that they've worked out that this means they maybe shouldn't vote Republican.) 

The Mark Foley Scandal: Questionable Responses

I have very uncomfortable feelings at this point about the way the Democrats are dealing with the Foley scandal (addressed here).

So here's where it stands:

  BILL MAHER:  "AMERICANS LOVE TORTURE."  Young Americans certainly seem to be learning to.  And we, their elders, are enabling this. Bill Maher's not wrong..

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION AND WHY I REFUSE TO GO THERE: FOLEY'S EMAILS TO JEB.  What?  What?    Oh, for God's sake.  Come on, people.  Unless there's more to it than I've seen so far, let's be fair.  Yes, I said fair.  And I mean to Jeb Bush.  Yes.  To JEB BUSH.