Two researchers at the University of South Florida have developed a study that suggests . . . that a random group of Republicans and independents asked to focus on Palin’s attractiveness felt less likely to vote for the GOP ticket in last November’s elections.
“The idea is that when you focus on a woman’s appearance, this objectifies her, or turns her into an object in your eyes,” said Jamie L. Goldenberg, an associate professor of psychology at USF and co-author of the study, titled “Objectifying Sarah Palin: Evidence that Objectification Causes Women to be Perceived as Less Competent and Fully Human.” “What we found is these perceptions influenced people’s likelihood of voting.”
In their experiment, Goldenberg and graduate student Nathan A. Heflick assembled a group of 133 undergraduates at the school a month before the election. After noting their characteristics — 27 percent were male, 45 percent were Democrats, 24 percent were Republicans and the rest were independents — they were randomly separated into four groups.
Two groups were asked to write about Palin and two groups were asked to write about actor Angelina Jolie. Within each pair, one group was asked to write their thoughts and feelings about the subject’s appearance, and the other was asked to write about the person. They then asked respondents how they would vote in the coming election.
Goldenberg said that, after factoring out Democratic respondents (who solidly supported Obama), the Republicans and independents asked to write about Palin’s appearance said they were less likely to vote GOP than those who simply considered Palin as a person.
“There was an overall tendency to perceive Sarah Palin as less competent than Angelina Jolie,” said Goldenberg, noting their results fell in line with previous studies indicating that, in high status and political jobs, attractive women were perceived as less competent in ways attractive men and women in other jobs were not.
. . . .Goldenberg said the study, which is to be published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, may spark more questions than it answers.
Caroline Kennedy, whose main qualification is that she is the daughter of a former womanizing President, wants to be named to the New York Senate seat. That journalists, opinion makers, and ordinary citizens do not laugh in her face at the very idea tells us everything we need to know about the oligarchy in America.
Amen... this hero worship nonsense has done great harm to our democracy.
Was on local tv two weeks ago and they just posted it up. I goofed on the tax brackets... 90% until Kennedy... 50% with Reagan...
Also did too much hedging... but then again I get myself in trouble with Democrats more so than Republicans. I also didn't articulate it well--and it also speaks to my comfort zone being behind the written word where I can cite the specifics accurately--but I kept deferring to experts. What I always try to get people to see/do is to dig into the issues.
The anti-intellectual climate we've had since Reagan has allowed for Sarah Palin types to be considered legitimate policy makers. These folks may hold legitimate opinions and feelings but no one need take seriously ideas that have no bases in empirical and real world scenarios. So I like promoting the idea that specialist do have something important to contribute.
I can't be an expert in every field and most find folks whose sole purpose is to learn that field. I go to a plumber for my toilet, a climatologist for my global warming questions, a biologist for evolution questions, an economist for the economy, and a pyschiatirst for my bi-polar. Just-so storys and sounds good feel good--"makes sense to me!" policy positions; though sometimes valid, vital, and democratic; aren't always up to date on the way the world acutally works. Its a complex place you know...
Thats why pretty much to a person--aside from my Libertarian friends--I argue down conservatives to the point that they "have their reasons" for voting conservative. Which is fine... as long as we don't pretend those reasons are based in anything other than sounds good feels good policy. Gravity is 9.8 meters per second squared as they say.
Once they lose their talking heads lecture points,cut the hyperbole and pejorative talk about Liberals and Democrats, and get down to the issues they tend to be shockingly silent for all the certainty and disdain they have for others policy views it speaks volumes. Intimidation and logical fallcies don't work on me and I actively look to 'pick a fight' if you will.
But for my first gig as a talking head I think I didn't do too bad. (Of coarse I support the train going to hampton!) And I didn't get any shots in on the nonsense about Republicans supporting "Free markets" over government intervention--ever hear of patent protections or immigration controls or food safety regulations... or or or... they just support certain forms of protectionism's that help certain sectors of the economy. They like socializing the costs and privatizing the profits. It falls in line with the "rich people work hard" (as if poor people don't) and that all those benefits come out of pure old fashioned sweat--nonsense if there ever was. Check out Herbert Simon, or listen to Warren Buffet talk about the importance of social capital if you were confused.
Anyways hopefully I'll be a little less nervous next time and can do a little less ummm's and ahh's and more specifics. I know them I was just afraid my memory would bungle something.
And it just hit me.. .I didn't even talk about the health care crisis! I guess the Martin/Obama messaging of the economy the economy the economy worked on me just as well as everyone else.
under the name of reason in the local papers Georgians vote in pivotal run-off election
By Johnny Jackson
jjackson@henryherald.com
Thousands have already voted early for the Dec. 2 run-off election, which will determine -- among other things -- who will represent the state of Georgia in the United States Senate.
Area residents are increasingly aware of the importance of this year's senate election, between incumbent Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin.
Early voters have been turning out in droves, compared to previous election years. Clayton County, for instance, has already voted roughly 12,500 people, and Henry County has surpassed 10,000 voters in total early votes.
So far, Henry has voted about 10 percent of its registered votes, with more than 8 percent turning out early in Clayton. Elections officials expect as much as a 15-20 percent voter turnout.
"It has been very unpredictable," said Janet Shellnut, director of Henry County Elections and Registration. "We mailed out almost 5,000 absentee ballots in seven days."
Shellnut said voting in Henry may be similar to voting during the November general election, when some 60 percent of likely voters turned out early. A small percentage of other eligible voters turned out on election day for a combine 75 percent voter turnout.
"I hope we get good support on [run-off] election day," Shellnut added. "It's nice to see a runoff with more than 5-7 percent coming out."
Voters appear to be more attuned to the politics, particular given the delicate balance that exists in the U.S. Senate between Democrats and Republicans.
"This run-off election is critical, given the incoming administration and the current balance of power in the Senate," said Chambliss. "Georgia is a conservative state, and we need someone who will stand up to President-elect Obama when his policies are not in line with Georgia's values. I will be that person."
Earlier this fall, Chambliss made stops in Jonesboro and McDonough to drum up local support for what would be a close and pivotal Nov. 4 general election. The Senate run-off election that has followed has garnered national attention.
"It's very important that Sen. Chambliss gets re-elected," said Jeremy Betts, chairman of the Clayton County Republican Party. "If not, there would be no checks on what power they [Democrats] would have in the United States Senate. ... When he wins on Tuesday, it will mean that Democrats will not have a filibuster-proof Senate."
Betts said he believes there were "a series of unfortunate events" that led up to today's run-off election between Chambliss and Martin.
"Sen. Obama [now President-elect Barack Obama] had a good showing in Georgia," he said. "And the economy specifically shocked a lot of people's confidence ... in the Republican Party. It was kind of a perfect storm of events."
"The Republican Party is really taking a hard look at itself," Betts said. "The last thing we need is for a party to fall into oblivion."
If Jim Martin wins the run-off election, it would mean that Democrats would have a so-called super-majority in the Senate, as well as a majority in the House of Representatives and control of the executive branch.
"This is certainly a huge runoff," said Jim Nichols, chairman of the Henry County Democratic Committee. "This is really a continuation of the election."
A Martin supporter, Nichols said the winner of the run-off election will likely be decided by the number of motivated voters who turnout. He said he believes that a Chambliss election would only serve to further divide the Senate, blocking bipartisan ideas and legislation.
"People are looking for leadership," Nichols said. "They want a senator that's going to work with the president. We need to come together right now and create some legislation for citizens that are hurting."
Jim Martin's Campaign Spokeswoman Kate Hansen agreed. "We feel great headed into Tuesday," Hansen said. "As Jim Martin travels all over the state talking to Georgians, voters are clear. They're looking for a senator who will work with President-elect Obama to get the economy working for the middle class again. That's why they'll head to the polls to elect Jim Martin ... "
In Clayton County, voters will also have to decide on who will take two vacant seats on the nine-member Clayton County Board of Education. Pam Adamson and Cleopatra Ballantyne are competing for the District 1 seat, while Charlton Bivins and Irene Lewis vie for the Board's District 9 seat.
Voters in both Henry and Clayton counties will also be asked to choose a public service commissioner, between Republican Lauren McDonald and Democrat Jim Powell. There is also a runoff, between Sara Doyle and Mike Sheffield, to determine who will succeed Judge John Ruffin on Georgia's Appeals Court.
Voting begins today at 7 a.m., at all regular voting precincts in Henry and Clayton.
Why do I use my blog title as the token for the word Jim Nichols? Crazy modern world some of you must be shrugging...
I actually took a nap yesterday. The quality of everything jumped 10 fold when I got up. My mind was sharper, I was happy, I made sense. I still couldn't spell very well... but you can't get everything.
I've been reading blog posts last night/this morning and I realize how far behind I am. The blogosphere moves like lightening and I feel uninformed about the world just looking at some of the subjects.
I'm ready for the campaign to be over with. I'm done. I think I was done in October. I thought I was done in September. And who would have figured any of this would have been going on back in February.
Thought I'd get your attention with that. And it's true! There are only 12 More Days Until the Run-Off Election and everyone is getting in on the GOTV effort. Are you? Jim and Saxby are separated by only a few points in the polls. This is a fight we can win with your effort! We are asking everyone to dedicate 2 hours and to find 5 friends who can also dedicate 2 hours in the next 12 days to getting young Democrats out one more time for the run-off election.
You can: Canvass with the Jim Martin campaign. Contact Nia Phillips at nphillips@georgiaforchange.com to volunteer. Specific information is below. Make calls to young Democratic voters to ensure they vote sometime between now and Dec. 2. We are joining forces with Stonewall Democrats to host phone banks. Calling with other people is much more fun than calling alone. Bring your cell phone. You can also make calls with Campaign for Change. The schedule is below. Ask your friends who live in-state or beyond to help make calls. All they need is a cell phone. I can provide call lists of young voters to any one (in-state or out-of-state) who would like to make calls from the comfort of their own couch Rally with Young Jeezy on Sunday. No, I'm not kidding. Details are below. Donate to YDAtl or directly to the Jim Martin campaign. YDAtl has just purchased $4500 of airtime for a new commercial aimed at motivating young voters to get out one more. You can watch it here. http://blip.tv/file/1475994 YDAtl could use any small donation you may have to help us buy stamps for postcards that we are sending to young Democratic voters all over Georgia to encourage them to vote. You can contribute to us here: http://www.atlantayoungdems.org/contribute/index.cfm?Fuseaction=contribute The Martin campaign is accepting donations through their website here: http://martinforsenate.com/
Vote - and BRING FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WITH YOU If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to reply to this email.
Phone Bank Schedule (Sun. Nov. 23-Tues. Dec. 2 with Stonewall Dems): Friday, Nov. 21 (today) -- 5pm - 9pm at Campaign for Change 1080 Spring St Saturday, Nov. 22 -- 12pm - 3pm at DPG Headquarters, 1100 Spring St. #480 (parking will be validated) Sunday Nov 23 -- 4-9 PM Midtown Prudential (1409 Peachtree Street) Monday Nov 24 -- 6-9 PM Midtown Prudential (1409 Peachtree Street) Tuesday Nov 25 -- 6-9 PM Midtown Prudential (1409 Peachtree Street) Wednesday Nov 26 -- 6-9 PM Location TBD (most likely IBEW Building) Friday Nov 28 -- 6-9 PM Location TBD (most likely IBEW Building) Saturday Nov 29 -- 4-9 PM Location TBD (most likely IBEW Building) Sunday Nov 30 -- 4-9 PM Location TBD (most likely IBEW Building) Monday Dec 1 -- 6-9 PM Midtown Prudential (1409 Peachtree Street) Tuesday Dec 2 -- ALL DAY Location TBD (most likely IBEW Building) also canvassing and phone banking available all day at 1080 Spring St.
Canvassing on Saturday, November 22, 2008 (tomorrow): Beauty & Barber Shop Canvass 9am until 6pm We will meet at First Corinth Missionary Baptist Church to pick up our itineraries and canvass material 2165 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy Atlanta, GA 30318 1st shift: 9:30 until 1:30pm 2nd shift: 12:30 pm until 4:00pm 3rd shift: 3:30pm until 6:00pm
Rally GET OUT THE VOTE RALLY FOR CHANGE with Young Jeezy VIDEO SHOOT & CANVASS WHEN: SUNDAY, November 23, 2008 from 11am until 6pm WHERE: EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH 407 AUBURN AVENUE ATLANTA GA 30312 We don't care what you do, but please do something
For Immediate Release: November 21, 2008 Contact: George P. Birchby, Campaign Manager 678-644-8355 (Mobile) gpbirchby@gmail.com
Jim Powell endorsed by former President Jimmy Carter
ATLANTA - Jim Powell, Democratic nominee and first-place candidate for Georgia Public Service Commission, District 4, has received the endorsement of former President Jimmy Carter for the Dec. 2 General Election runoff.
“I am impressed with Jim Powell’s knowledge of the issues that will be addressed by the Georgia Public Service Commission in the coming years,” President Carter said. “His vision of energy policy for our state reflects the forward-thinking approach we need, both in the near future and in the long term.
“With Jim Powell, the people of Georgia have a unique opportunity to elect a Public Service Commissioner with solid professional experience for this important position. I support Jim Powell in the December 2 runoff election.”
President Carter made the endorsement following a meeting with the candidate Thursday afternoon at the Carter Center.
“I am most honored to have the support of this great Georgian and American, President Jimmy Carter,” Powell said. “During his term in the White House, President Carter foresaw the importance of managing our energy resources and established the U.S. Department of Energy. He understands what is at stake in this election, and I am humbled that he would endorse my candidacy.”
Powell has also been endorsed by, among others, incumbent Public Service Commissioner Angela Speir, Libertarian Party nominee Brandon Givens, former Republican candidate Pam Davidson, and four of the state’s major daily newspapers: the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Savannah Morning News. the Rome News-Tribune and the Waycross Journal-Herald.
In the General Election on Nov. 4, Powell was the top vote-getter with 1,732,175 votes or 47.9 percent. On July 15, Powell received 85 percent of the statewide primary vote to earn the Democratic nomination.
Powell, a first-time candidate for office, retired in February 2007 after 35 years of public service. He served as a Senior Executive with the U. S. Department of Energy, managing a number of initiatives and a budget of over $300 million, and as the Southeast Regional Director, based in Georgia. Jim and Karen, his wife of 37 years, live in Hiawassee. They have two adult sons and two adorable granddaughters.
For more information, visit www.jimpowellforgapsc.com
Kevin Waller is doing a great job of keeping people in the loop... From his email today:
Team,
We are doing canvassing to support the Jim Martin Campaign for US Senate both Saturday and Sunday. The election runoff is in just 11 days. It is a close race. The victory will be to the one whose team makes the most calls and knocks on the most doors. People are registered, we just need to get them back out to the polls.
Ms Cathryn Chatters (985) 703-0164 and Mike Burns have taken the lead on this initiative.
If you want to participate and help put someone in the Senate that is going to help President Elect Obama make a difference: come on down.
Days and Times:
Sat from 10 am - 6:00 pm (two hour increments) Sunday from 2 pm -6:00pm (two hour increments)
Rally Point: At the Sands Bar and Grill, #38 Macon Road, McDonough, GA (just off the square).
Peach State Piffle November 21, 2008 The Georgia Senate run-off is filled with misleading claims from both sides. Summary Georgia voters are being hit with misleading ads from both sides as Republican Sen. Chambliss battles Democratic challenger Martin in a Dec. 2 run-off election.
Chambliss claims in an ad that Martin would work to raise taxes on "nearly every small business in Georgia." In fact, only around 2.4 percent of small businesses nationally earn enough to be affected by the tax plan Martin favors.
Chambliss also says Martin “refused to return $100 million of surplus taxes” to Georgians. That’s false. Martin voted in favor of the tax relief bill in question.
A Martin ad claims Chambliss “opposes a middle-class tax cut.” In fact, he supported cuts for middle-income taxpayers. What Chambliss voted against was an amendment that also would have increased taxes on corporations and others. In one exchange, Chambliss accuses Martin of supporting the largest tax increase in state history, while Martin says he supported the largest middle-class tax cut in state history. It turns out both are right, as we explain fully in our Analysis section.
I tell people all the time there are moderates in the Republican party. Because most the people I speak with are here in GA no one ever believes me. But the proof is in the pudding: 2 N.Va. GOP Leaders: ‘I’ve Had Enough With My Party’
Yesterday, Falls Church City Councilman David Snyder, a former mayor who's been on the City Council since 1994 and is the most prominent Republican elected official in the City, announced in a letter submitted to the News-Press (printed elsewhere in this edition) that he's disassociated with the Virginia GOP.
Snyder accented his letter with angry comments made to the News-Press in a phone interview yesterday. He said that well-publicized comments by GOP Presidential candidate John McCain's brother, Joe McCain, in Alexandria last weekend was the "final straw." Joe McCain, speaking at a rally in support of his brother's campaign, said that Northern Virginia is a "communist country."
"Such a label is deeply offensive for all of us," Snyder said in his letter. "This is yet another reminder of the neo-McCarthyism now so much a part of the political debate."
He concluded, "The Virginia Republican Party, under whose tent these comments were made, is not a party with which I wish to be associated for this and many other reasons, unless and until it returns to the principles of its once revered former leaders, such Abraham Lincoln and Dwight David Eisenhower."
Asked by the News-Press to confirm that the letter constituted an announcement of a formal disassociation, Snyder said, "Absolutely." The McCain comment "was more than the last straw," he added, noting his long-standing differences with his party on gun and equal rights issues.
The Virginia GOP has become an "outrage," he said. "In its present form, it has nothing to do with the party of my grandparents or parents."
Lots of people don't like the right wing smear machine...
The approximated $650 million in Obama's coffers prove that elections can still be bought -- even when the funding comes from unidentified "Internet sources."
I assume "Internet sources" means small donors? Is there a story about to break that there is some kind of fraud going on with Obama's online donations?
But over the past few decades, the Republican Party has driven away people who live in cities, in highly educated regions and on the coasts. This expulsion has had many causes. But the big one is this: Republican political tacticians decided to mobilize their coalition with a form of social class warfare. Democrats kept nominating coastal pointy-heads like Michael Dukakis so Republicans attacked coastal pointy-heads.
Over the past 15 years, the same argument has been heard from a thousand politicians and a hundred television and talk-radio jocks. The nation is divided between the wholesome Joe Sixpacks in the heartland and the oversophisticated, overeducated, oversecularized denizens of the coasts.
What had been a disdain for liberal intellectuals slipped into a disdain for the educated class as a whole. The liberals had coastal condescension, so the conservatives developed their own anti-elitism, with mirror-image categories and mirror-image resentments, but with the same corrosive effect.
Republicans developed their own leadership style. If Democratic leaders prized deliberation and self-examination, then Republicans would govern from the gut.
George W. Bush restrained some of the populist excesses of his party — the anti-immigration fervor, the isolationism — but stylistically he fit right in. As Fred Barnes wrote in his book, “Rebel-in-Chief,” Bush “reflects the political views and cultural tastes of the vast majority of Americans who don’t live along the East or West Coast. He’s not a sophisticate and doesn’t spend his discretionary time with sophisticates. As First Lady Laura Bush once said, she and the president didn’t come to Washington to make new friends. And they haven’t.”
The political effects of this trend have been obvious. Republicans have alienated the highly educated regions — Silicon Valley, northern Virginia, the suburbs outside of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Raleigh-Durham. The West Coast and the Northeast are mostly gone.
The Republicans have alienated whole professions. Lawyers now donate to the Democratic Party over the Republican Party at 4-to-1 rates. With doctors, it’s 2-to-1. With tech executives, it’s 5-to-1. With investment bankers, it’s 2-to-1. It took talent for Republicans to lose the banking community.
Conservatives are as rare in elite universities and the mainstream media as they were 30 years ago. The smartest young Americans are now educated in an overwhelmingly liberal environment.
This year could have changed things. The G.O.P. had three urbane presidential candidates. But the class-warfare clichés took control. Rudy Giuliani disdained cosmopolitans at the Republican convention. Mitt Romney gave a speech attacking “eastern elites.” (Mitt Romney!) John McCain picked Sarah Palin.
Palin is smart, politically skilled, courageous and likable. Her convention and debate performances were impressive. But no American politician plays the class-warfare card as constantly as Palin. Nobody so relentlessly divides the world between the “normal Joe Sixpack American” and the coastal elite.
She is another step in the Republican change of personality. Once conservatives admired Churchill and Lincoln above all — men from wildly different backgrounds who prepared for leadership through constant reading, historical understanding and sophisticated thinking. Now those attributes bow down before the common touch.
And so, politically, the G.O.P. is squeezed at both ends. The party is losing the working class by sins of omission — because it has not developed policies to address economic anxiety. It has lost the educated class by sins of commission — by telling members of that class to go away.
One day my best friend Ryan and I were looking at a car in the Winn Dixie. A man drove up and starting talking to us about the old car. It was a nice conversation although I was just standing there--I don't do the car thing, quite frankly I could care less. As the man drove around the car he reached the opposite side and said in an angry tone, "how does it feel to know you are going to hell."
Ryan and I were floored because it came out of nowhere. I can't even remember what we said (hey ryan, do you?). Something to the effect of "okay, sir."
As he drove off we looked at each other bemused. We then realized he had finally seen the bad religion cross on the left arm of Ryans jacket. We've laughed about it ever since.
But it was a huge reminder of why we antagonized people with that kind of in your face imagery and disdain. The pathology and ignorance was sitting just below the surface and teenagers that we were, were just itching to bring it out of them.
Lets just say we did. But when you see these McCain/Palin smear rallies... you read stuff like this:
Heads Up!!!!!!!! My name is Melissa Wade and I'm the chair of the Pike County Democrats in Pike County Georgia and we hold our meetings at Ruth's Restaurant in Zebulon Georgia. Today upon exiting/paying bill (for food I bought to go) the owner preceded to spat at me about how awful it was that I registered gutter scum and those people do not deserve the right to vote. He went on and on and I paid my bill and told him it was a free country and we all have the right to vote and I couldn’t take 8 more years. I took my meal home (to go - it was really for my republican husband who was sick at the Doctor). I get home, then he gets home and goes to eat it and it has a mouse head in it, cooked and placed on top of the green beans. This is absolutely horrible! They must have assumed that the meal was for me.
We have filed a report with the police department, health dept., local paper, AJC, CNN, MSNBC. And no, we will never have a meeting there again.
Sincerely,
Melissa Wade Pike County Democrats
from a fellow Chairman. Or see stuff like this...
I can't help but think back to Fayette County circa '96 and why I cut my first Mohawk...
The angry 19 year old Jim wanted to say "told you so" after we elected Bush in 2000. No matter how hard we tried to argue the policy flaws, it was to no avail (we weren't organizing at the time). The angry early 20's Jim wanted to say "told you so," about the Iraq war and the impacts that the next generations will feel. After we worked so hard to point out the obvious lies, and disregard to smart policy, or accurate historical context--you get mad.
Ditto for when you argued against the 30 years of flat earth economics... and then sit in the midst of all that you fought against.
But in seeing this video of McCain supporters, I sadly feel a sense of "told you so." And the 28 year old who is trying so hard to toe the higher ground honestly does not know how to react.
I can tell you how I want to react. But I know this isn't rational, its emotive. Its not logical, its lacking in education or accurate context. I know these aren't bad people, they are scared, and desperate to protect their families and communities from the threatening world outside.
I'm sad today at what I'm seeing. And yet i'm not surprised.
Hopefully things calm down, but not likely till after the election. The good thing is, this doesn't work with independents, nor moderate Republicans. But still its a time I will always reflect on. It reminds me why I want to teach, write, and organize politically.
The essence of McCain's campaign now appears to amount to prepping McCain's base to believe they didn't really lose the election. The election was stolen from them by Barack, his army of gangsters and black street hustlers, and possibly Osama bin Laden too.
These tactics are meant to re-enforce the base, to keep the anger up for the 2012 election. They will attempt to continue their rage, blocking everything they can through these same smears.
No question, there are a number of factors at play. But surely the most important one is the role that McCain and Palin themselves are playing in creating the toxic hysteria that reigns at the rallies they are running.
Let's consider a partial list of what the McCain camp has done recently:
* The McCain campaign is going well beyond raising questions about Obama's association with Ayers, repeatedly insinuating that Obama is currently in league with a current terrorist.
* Palin has repeatedly accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists."
* McCain himself has embarked on an effort to paint Obama as a vaguely sinister enemy within, with lines like this: "Who is the real Barack Obama?
* When a McCain supporter at a rally yesterday ranted that the country is being taken over by "socialists," and called Obama and Nancy Pelosi "hooligans," McCain didn't utter a peep of protest, and basically agreed.
* Cindy McCain basically accused Obama of endangering her son and other troops serving in Iraq with his vote against an Iraq funding bill, even though McCain also opposed a funding bill because it contained a withdrawal timetable.
* Palin attacks the media almost every day, even though her supporters are abusing reporters at her gatherings.
* Palin attacked Obama over Reverend Wright, and the campaign didn't disavow it -- even though McCain himself said in April that his campaign supposedly wanted no part of attacks on Wright.
But here's the most important point: To my knowledge neither McCain nor Palin has uttered a single syllable of protest as their crowds indulged their fear and loathing of Obama. It's hard to overstate how reckless and lacking in leadership this is -- and how dangerous this is, too.
Even an establishmentarian like David Gergen is now alarmed at the McCain team's own role in fomenting all the fury. "There is a free-floating sort of whipping-around anger that could really lead to some violence," Gergen said last night. "And I think we're not far from that...I think it's really imperative the candidates try to calm people down."
Or listen to Joe Klein: "We are on the edge of some real serious craziness here and it would be nice if McCain did the right thing and told his more bloodthirsty supporters to go home and take a cold shower."
But neither McCain nor Palin has taken a single step to do anything like that. Surely that's the big story here.
(as an aside... TPM truly is election central this year.
But we seem to be at quite a cultural impasse. Almost the inverse of the "silent majority" that it was said responded at the polls to the hippie counter culture they felt was destroying Western Civilization. Looks like the flat-earth "evolution is a theory..." [just like the theories of gravity, the sun coming up tomorrow, and when flipping the light switch the god which we call light bulb will begin to glow] crowd may be running loose. Its a cultural impasse. People truly think there is a liberal conspiracy. Socialism is on the lips of every conservative I speak with--every single one.
And I don't know how we get out of this kind of cultural impasse. I know we can. But it still, intellectually speaking, feels like the Republic is gone. If a Palin type got elected you could seriously see a transition (more so than the past 8 years) away from the principles are Founding Fathers passed down.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the sky is falling.
When I saw this latest Naomi Wolf interview
I couldn't help but get caught up in her "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" urgency. "A coup has taken place," seems recognizable but i'm not sure you can have a coup if the conspirators don't seem to even comprehend such themselves. It may be an intellectual move to get people who tend to sit at home and do nothing, to get up, and well... you know... do something.
But maybe she is dead serious. I realized when I was in the car with Deana, on the way to picking up my cell phone, that I think if its true she thinks that the Conservatives really want to unleash authoritarianism; that she's wrong in a way.
I don't know if its open or conscious. I think its subconscious... that its so close to the surface that our government is threatened. That you have them running around during every crisis threatening that there will be Marshall law--as happened with the recent financial bailout bill...
I think the chop off the heads of the terrorist before they do it to us, throw them in prison forever with no lawyer, and spy on our citizens and keep them away from the lawyers too. "Americans be terrorists don't you know!" I think this is about subconscious fear, pathological need to protect themselves from the dangerous world.
I think back to the point Pacini once made to me about how literal interpretations of the bible appear historically during very violent times. The past century has been probably the most violent in history--okay don't they always say the 30 years war was really really bad? Which would explain the literal interpretations of the bible that run rampant in this country.
Anyways, I've spent my afternoon in thought, and political bouncing (blog to blog to blog--political bouncing? did I just invent a word?) and trying to spread the mousehead info to see if it hits the national blogs.
Right as I read the email... I wrote an immediate response and posted it up at TPM and DFA's blog for Democracy. I know its not wise to post in the heat of the moment, but in a way thats what bloggers do. So maybe one day I'll look back and regret how/what I said... but i'll close with my blog post on this past weeks events at McCain/Palin rallies...
Being Chairman of the Henry County Democratic party has taught me a lot about organizing. But it is not surprising to watch the tone and invective that has appeared in the past week. Fear tactics, intimidation, and personal threats that lie just below the surface of far too many Republicans is something Democrats here in the South find to be quite common. I saw it as a human rights organizer after 9/11, as an anti-war organizer in the run up to the war, and have watched it grow during this campaign.
After the conservative take over of the Republican party, the base of that party is fixated on beliefs that have no bases in reality. They hold these beliefs very strongly and it resonates within the culture here at a near pathological state.
Its important to note the pathology--these are good people, they work hard and try to live upstanding lives. But in the midst of fear, and lacking the security of knowing things are going to be okay, that pathology starts to surface. Traitor, Communist, unamerican, the devil, satanist, f---'in coward; I've been called all these things right to my face by men far larger than myself swinging their arms in an erratic style. The aggressive postures, the tone, lack of any valid reasoning's for their beliefs has caused many who support getting affordable health care, a sane foreign policy, or books in our schools, to stay silent. I have citizens who want to volunteer for the Democrats but are terrified that their neighbors will find out they are a democrat and will therefore not do anything that can connect them to the party or Obama.
Haven't you seen the emails-- Obama is a terrorist, Obama is a socialist... why haven't you heard Obama Osama, isn't that clear enough! Our way of life is at risk, it reads. I knew the "kill him," "terrorist" screams at recent events were on their way when my nephew sincerely asked me what I thought about people saying Obama is the anti-christ. He truly wanted to know what to think of this, you could see it in his eyes. And the reason he was curious was because kids can see when people are serious in their beliefs. Just below the surface of every smear email, or chuckle from a joke at a dinner party is someone who at some subconscious level is fearful and doesn't know how to protect their families from the outside world. I responded without blinking an eye and in a very serious tone said, "they have no integrity."
After I said it I regretted it because as I mentioned before, these are all good people. But when fear gets mixed in with lack of education, lies, and incendiary language that pathology starts coming to the surface. In times of crisis people follow the herd. But you start to see those who are a little unbalanced--or a lot--come to the surface. The scary thing is they become the leaders, because they set the example and the tone. When people who need to be on medication, or in serious long term therapy start leading the crowd it takes the rest of us to stand up and say not on our watch. The majority of Republicans are Americans who want the same things as everyone else. But the move away from "intellecualism" and the evils of academia in the base of the Republican party has undermined what was and can still be great about Republicans.
But leaders within the Republican party need to be held to task for not actively speaking out. I watch leaders in our local community; friends, family, elected officials sit in silence as some individual rants and raves. When the subject is on African Americans or just poverty in general its quite common to hear n---ger this, n---ger that. The conservatives around him sit and stare at the floor, cringe, or smile the awkward smile. The embarrassment often is more about someone saying what they too are feeling. With the economic crisis and the deterioration of our social safety net since the Reagan years; people are feeling fearful, angry, and humiliated.
The silence of the media thus far is like the silence of local officials, community leaders, and friends who do know better but exploit this fear for their own personal gain, power, and economic incentive. This isn't a game and when a mass mailed email just crossed my path from a fellow chair here in Lynn Westmorelands district I was appalled but not shocked... ------------------------
My name is Melissa Wade and I'm the chair of the Pike County Democrats in Pike County Georgia and we hold our meetings at Ruth's Restaurant in Zebulon Georgia. Today upon exiting/paying bill (for food I bought to go) the owner preceded to spat at me about how awful it was that I registered gutter scum and those people do not deserve the right to vote. He went on and on and I paid my bill and told him it was a free country and we all have the right to vote and I couldn't take 8 more years. I took my meal home (to go - it was really for my republican husband who was sick at the Doctor). I get home, then he gets home and goes to eat it and it has a mouse head in it, cooked and placed on top of the green beans. This is absolutely horrible! They must have assumed that the meal was for me.
We have filed a report with the police department, health dept., local paper, AJC, CNN, MSNBC. And no, we will never have a meeting there again.
Sincerely,
Melissa Wade Pike County Democrats
-------------------- Remember this is the 3rd Congressional District. Lynn Westmoreland recently called Obama "uppity" and then refused to apologize. He smiled his classic ahh shucks smile and said he didn't know that's what that word meant. A local editorialist at a small paper received a barrage of hate speech and emails to her editor calling for her to be fired because of her obvious bias when she criticized his statement.
The "Liberal Media" make peoples eyes fume here. People don't trust the New York Times, Washington Post, or any major outlet. They truly believe the media is lying to them and trying to destroy their way of life here in their local community. A lack of education, basic understanding or issues, or information about what goes on up in Washington D.C. or the State House here in Atlanta is untutored and ill-informed. The right wing smear machine on right wing radio and TV feed these fears and frustrations. Lynn Westmoreland feeds these fears and frustrations when he calls the SCHIP bill socialism, "Hillary Care," and another example of the liberals being big spenders who want to take away your freedom. But what does any of that have to do with a program that would have gotten millions of low income children health care at the cost of about $23 a year per person?
Don't get me wrong Lynn Westmoreland is a nice man, I've met him was and he does seem to be a good person. If he was hungry, I'd give him half my sandwich, but he is not qualified to be a congressman, he is not educated on the issues, and lacks the judgement to be in Congress. In short he is not a leader, and in tough times we need leadership.
In the end its going to be the good people who remain silent that will be to blame if someone gets hurt from someone leaving one of these fear-monger "Country First" rallies. They'll be just a little chemically off, or have had recent traumatic events in their lives and they will explode. We are now watching the repercussion of 30 years of conservative economic policy, media smears, and individual intimidation.
I've learned a lot this election. I've seen the best and worst of our society. Watching so many young men and women ask me if the felony on their record will keep them from voting. The excitement of a young mother, who fills out the voter registration form for her son (who looks like a younger brother) because, "he can't write too well." I've watched men and women who have never participated start to organize their neighborhoods and fight for their own interests with a sense of dignity and pride. For that you get jeers that Obama is a celebrity, that he's the Messiah, that he's an uppity n--ger. So welcome to our world America, we're glad its finally on your radar.
In the end its going to be resolved by coming together as a community, state, and nation; and saying no to the fear. In the short term leaders in the Republican party should speak out against such invective, John McCain and Sarah Palin need to stop being the pep-squad, and the media needs to be vigilant in exposing every single event. In the long run its about better quality of life for working Americans--better education, better health care, better opportunity. These aren't bad people and I hate watching my left-er than thou friends gloat as the authoritarian impulse comes to the surface as if they are hoping for the lynch mobs to appear again just so they can be right.
Finally we need entertainers such as Boortz, Hannity, and O'Reilly; to admit just that--they are entertainers and get paid for hyperbole and invective. Politics isn't a game, it isn't a Marylin Manson concert. At least Marylin Manson is man enough to admit he's just an artist and entertainer. Maybe with time they will learn to grow up as well. ----------------- What today will look like tomorrow is always a strange thing to do. But during events that you find historic events--in your own personal life or at large. So on days when nothing happens you aren't likely to reflect on the past or project much into the future. During challenging times our counsiciousness feel a tone of fear, confusion, and lack of stability--we tend to become overwhelmed.
Under the name of reason i'm trying to think of all this in a stoic manner. But sometimes the stomach churns and the mind wanders--even though I sit with a slight grin as I write this.
My wife is coming home soon, the dog is barking and prancing around, and life is good. At least there is one thing I can count on: the sky isn't falling and my life is full of love and fullfilment.
You're seeing a lot of talk lately about how closely October's polls correlate with November's results. Princeton political scientist Larry Bartels e-mails:
Historically (since 1948), about 75-80% of the margin in a typical October poll has lasted until Election Day. If that holds true this year, the current best forecast of the popular vote based on the polls is that Sen. Obama will win by about 6 points.
Please understand what you are looking at when you look at Sarah "Evita" Palin. You are looking at the designated muse of the coming American police state.
You have to understand how things work in a closing society in order to understand "Palin Power." A gang or cabal seizes power, usually with an affable, weak figurehead at the fore. Then they will hold elections -- but they will make sure that the election will be corrupted and that the next affable, weak figurehead is entirely in their control. Remember, Russia has Presidents; Russia holds elections. Dictators and gangs of thugs all over the world hold elections. It means nothing. When a cabal has seized power you can have elections and even presidents, but you don't have freedom.
