Ta-Nehisi Coates: August 2008 Archives

The Axe

The trolling is getting off the hook, and the truth is that all the weapons I have at my disposal are brutal, inartful and indiscriminate. If you're an innocent who happens to get chopped by a wild swing, if you notice your comments held for quarrantine, my apologies--be consoled in the knowledge that it's for the greater good.

There is a God

So I'm not religious, but this is the sort of thing that will pull me out my heathenism. Focus on the Family dude prays for rain at the Dem convention, now the GOP may have to cancel their convention because of hurricane headed to Gulf region. Heh. Alright, alright I know the dude was being humorous. Still, come on my conservative brethren...this is a freebie!

Some clarity

This:

This post makes me sad. One of the most corrosive forces in modern American politics is the idea that anyone who disagrees with you, or sits on the other side of the isle, can't possibly have a rational reason for it. So they must be dumb, or evil, or both.
If you don't understand why people think the way they do -- beyond "they must be dumb, there's no other explanation" -- then you'll have a harder time beating them, whether in an argument or an election.
Besides, idiotic and ineffective mud-slinging is par for the course in any election. Either side. People made fun of Kerry over ketchup. Bush was unfit for the presidency because he was a cheerleader. If that bothers you, don't just switch it on 'em.

And this:

I think it is a big mistake to consider Palin to be "dumb," and suspect that is part of the rationale behind the selection. she gave an interview to Maria Bartiromo for CNBC, and on the subject of energy, she is very conversant. Yes, she advocates the "drill here, drill now" philosophy, but she does so in a way that will appeal to Mr. and Mrs. NASCAR, and even more so with creationist/pro-life NASCAR Gimme CHEAP Gas crowd.

I want to be very clear here. The point isn't that Palin is stupid--it isn't even neccessarily Palin. The point is that a strategy that seeks to make an issue out of Honest Tea and arugula, to preach intelligent design as science, to claim govenorship of Alaska as foreign policy is dishonest and an appeal to ignorance. Palin's intelligence is beside the point--equating intelligent design with evoloution is either, on its face, ignorance or an appeal to ignorance. Arguing that arugula consumption should have something to do with presidency is either ignorance--or an appeal to it. Now, you may not agree with that formulation--but it clearly isn't the same as saying that Palin--or anyone who disagrees with me--is dumb.

It's also worth saying that Asher is right--candidates appeal to ignorance all the time. I'm a lefty so I'm going to see it more in the GOP. But for what it's worth, I don't think the number of homes John McCain owns is--in and of itself--any statement on his knowledge of the economy.

The GOP's new campaign theme: Are you dumber than a third grader?

That's what this election comes down to. Do you think drinking Honest Tea disqualifies you from the presidency? Do you think global warming comes from comet dust? Do you think evolution is the work of the gene-fairy? And do you think being governor of Alaska gives you foreign policy experience via osmosis? If so, you're surely dumber than a third-grader, so vote McCain\Palin.

The dishonesty of Karl Rove

I don't blame him--he's doing what he's supposed to do. But the idea that reporters give this guy a platform is amazing. Here's Rove on Tim Kaine. Of course Barack did the exact opposite of what Rove said. Fifty bucks that Rove changes his tune on Palin. Journalists should be ashamed of themselves for letting this dude camouflage his propaganda as insight.

Ronnie Lott hits harder than you

Goddamn this dude could hit--I think only Steve Atwater comes close. I know Primetime is the greatest cornerback, probably ever, but Ronnie Lott inspired more fear than any player I've ever seen maybe short of LT. And just because of the position he played, Lott may have inspired more fear. With LT, you always knew he was coming. But with Lott--because he was a safety--you never knew necessarily where he was coming from, if at all.

This video is bitter-sweet for me. The most poignant moments are not when Lott delivers a blow--though that Icky Woods joint is off the chain--but when he takes the worst of a collision. I love that because it shows that what made Lott so ferocious wasn't so much his physicality per se, but his mentality. He hit like he had nothing in the world to lose. I know a lot of pro players have paid for that mentality, and I guess that's why its kinda bitter. At the same time, there is something deeply spiritual about watching this dude continuously sacrifice his body. It mirrors the way I've always tried to approach life--go big or go home as my buddy David Carr says. I think that's what I love about football. There's no half-assing anything. Either you're going to be fearless or you're going to get ran over. It's such a metaphor for life. There is no substitute for mental courage.

A note on my colleagues

Obviously on many issues I disagree with a good number of my fellow bloggers here, and on occasion I even say so. I also realize that there are some readers who are frustrated that only two of the blogs at The Atlantic allow comments. I would quit blogging before I closed all comments. But that's me, and it's more reflective of my social and psychological needs than any sense of grand magnamity.

I understand the frustration with not being able to publically shout back at the bloggers here not named McArdle or Coates. Still, I'd really appreciate if people didn't use this blog as a place to uncharitably air their differences with my colleagues. They aren't off-limits, per se, but I don't want to be a conduit for personal venom. I'm not here to defend those cats--we obviously have deep fundamental differences. But I am here to defend this small room in the ongoing Atlantic House Party. You may think Ross/Andrew/Marc is the spawn of the devil himself--and you may be right. But that's why they each have a giant "E-mail Me" button on their page. Please make use of it.

UPDATE: Stupid of me to make a post like this and leave comments open. Fixt.

She ain't a crook, son...

This is a great, great post by Josh which elegantly and simply distills TrooperGate. Reading this, I can see I've actually underestimated this story and its Alberto Gonzales-like implications. Old girl didn't simply pursue a vendetta against her creep ex-brother-in-law. She pursued said vendetta, came up completely empty and, instead, took out a civil servant who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong-time. Read the piece. It's not shocking because of the revenge factor, politcians clap back at their enemies all the time. It's shocking because of the ineptness of said revenge. I've always said that the biggest problem with the Bushies wasn't that they were thugs---it's that they're fake thugs.

UPDATE: As a commenter below reminds, it's also only right that I give the Post their due for this story, given how hard I went at them this morning.

Elitism Bait

The entire Sarah Palin pick comes down to one thing--the hope that George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, or (God forbid) Will.I.Am. will make a joke about moose-burgers. At that point, the McCain campaign will cut an ad which says They're laughing at you. Vote for McCain and you can show the world. You can show them all! Of course said ad will never appear on television but will be screened only for the media--who will then do their job and turn the cable news into giant echo chamber in which the "Real Americans" yell They're all gonna laugh at you! They're all gonna laugh at you! Welcome to Victimology 101--the White Working Class Edition. Oh well. I personally prefer this ad. More please.

Weak-sauce defined

What an incredibly thin and one-sided story by the Post on the Palin selection. You can almost see the McCain folks calling up the reporter promising exclusive access--except they just offered a bunch of anonymous quotes. Talk about hard dick and bubble-gum, the Post gave away premium inches and in exchange got a press release in disguise:

Far from being a last-minute tactical move or a second choice when better known alternatives were eliminated, Palin was very much in McCain's thinking from the beginning of the selection process, according to McCain's advisers. The 44-year-old governor made every cut as the first list of candidates assembled last spring was slowly winnowed. The more McCain learned about her, the more attracted he was to her as someone who shared his maverick, anti-establishment instincts.

Never mind that the McCain campaign, themselves, said that they would only make a pick after Obama made his. The real deal is that this is strawmanship posing as a nut graffe. The real question is how heavily was she vetted? Why did McCain only meet with her about the job once? Instead we get vague cliches like "maverick anti-establishment instincts." That phrase is so lazy, and so weak, that it borders on the offensive. As a quick aside, it's also--I think--one of the biggest reason blogs are giving mainstream media hell, right now. That phrase is exactly the sort of bullshit that Serious Journalists laughingly fling at each other on Sunday morning talk shows, only to retreat to their offices, the next day, and wonder why no one is reading them. Anyway, at least we have the cheetos-munchers over at TPM to sift through the stupidity:

Booo...Boooo!

You trying to get elected
But the crowd are my paid hecklers
--El-P

Heh, courtesy of Andrew, Sarah Palin strains the borders of cynicism:

As she did at in her debut speech in Ohio yesterday, Palin appealed to the women in the crowd here in Pennsylvania with a political shout-out to Geraldine Ferraro, who preceded Palin as the first women to be tapped as a vice presidential candidate.
But in contrast with the mild reception that greeted her comments at the Ohio event, when Palin praised Clinton here for showing "determination and grace in her presidential campaign," the Alaska governor was met with a noisy mix of boos, groans and grumbles around the minor league ballpark where the "Road to the Convention Rally" was held.

Words from the Arch-Bishop

Frequent commenter Deborah sums up the smart approach to Palin:

Don't underestimate her. Give her plenty of credit, and let her hang herself with enough rope. At least if she doesn't, you're then playing on equal footing, rather than pouting about how she fooled everyone.

One good thing about Obama's campaign is that they specialize in the deft touch. I am worried about Biden in a debate with her, but these guys know how to tear someone down and have the media only catch on to it weeks later--think about their high/low strategy of hitting McCain with "smart-ads" that neither play nationally nor are screened for media.

This is a situation that calls for the Dagger of Venom, not the Horn of Blasting. Word up. We talking to you, Goldfarb. Smacking fire at your ass, Tiamat-style. Know what I'm saying, kid? Somehow, I think you do.

About those Hillary voters

Nate Silver does the knowledge:

What's interesting, however, is that while there is a gender gap in these numbers, it's not the one many observers were anticipating. Rather, along a variety of metrics, men like the Palin choice better than women:

These numbers pretty much speak for themselves, but men have a favorable imperssion of Palin by a 35-point margin, whereas women have a favorable impression of her by an 18-point margin. Conversely, by a 23-point margin, women do not think Palin is ready to be President, whereas Palin lost this question among men by a considerably smaller 6-point magrin.

Why does this gap exist? Don't know, but it may simply be a matter of ideology. Men are generally a bit more conservative than women, and opinions of Palin are very strongly determined by ideology.

I have to say that I'm not surprised that women are harder on Palin than men---she's repping for them, after all. But moreover, I'd be utterly surprised if there weren't an "insult factor" at work here. More to the point, I bet there's a strong possibility that a portion of Hillary voters will actually be repelled by the pick of Palin. I'd be very interested to see how these numbers broke down by age, for instance. The more I think about this, the more ite appears that the upside here is in locking down the evangelicals. I don't know what else there could be. It's not like McCain needed help with men, or working class whites.

Pity the Bengals

Remember when Chad Johnson was the less-egotistical, more fun-loving version of T.O? These days, not so much.

On grammar

In all seriousness, if grammar is that interesting, I can start a post each day where we can list and debate my grammatical errors. I'm not being sarcastic. If people will post, debate and are interested, I would do it. I get to get better, generate some traffic and the threads don't get diverted. Up to you guys.

The limits of media manipulation

Matt deftly summarizes something I've been thinking about, since the days of the Clinton campaign:

The Obama team is constantly frustrating progressive bloggers and news junkies by being extremely cavalier about the news cycle. They don't seem especially interesting in pouncing on gaffes or in responding to accusations, and they're not especially quick on the draw or generous with talking points. Instead, they have a very inner-directed approach that's all about building and cultivating the Obama brand to their own specifications and on their own schedule. The McCain campaign's not like that at all. They're obsessed with winning the news cycle and they're good at it. But they're much less interested in the McCain brand. That's one thing you see with the "POW! POW! POW!" schtick -- McCain's war record is a great asset so they don't hesitate to bust it out in all kinds of situations irrespective of the fact that busting it out constantly undermines the asset and creates a powerful negative counter-narrative. What you see with the Palin pick, from a political strategy point of view, is I think the McCain campaign's focus on winning the news cycle taken to a myopic and senseless extreme.

I think it was Ken Auletta who said that there was no left or right-wing bias in media--only a bias toward the bottom line. The McCain strategy has pay-offs for both media and for the campaign. Basically McCain's people need only release a fulminating press release or screen a commercial for an assemblage of reporters to get some free publicity. Meanwhile news orgs, get to generate content simply by either quoting dueling spokespeople, "strategists" of dubious repute, or cribbing from the latest press release.

This is the essence of McStory--but it seems to me to have limited returns and serious risks. First, "dominating the news-cycle" is the sort of thinking that flatters reporters and encourages them to give a campaign points whether or not there is any discernable impact. It gives the news-media an unearned sense of importance and makes people think MSNBC was somehow more decisive in the Democratic primary than team Obama's superior knowledge of the primary system.

Continue reading "The limits of media manipulation" »

Hyperlinks make everyone happy

Hmmm. I agree with Reihan that if you want to defeat McCain/Palin it's a bad idea to mock the names of her kids. For obvious reasons, I always thought the worst part of Bill Cosby's diatribe was his attack on "black names." As a quick aside, I didn't realize there was a such thing as a "black name" until I went to college. I knew way more Keishas than Ambers. But I think if you're going to bust on liberals for snideness, you'll need more than a joke site. I'm sure that there will be plenty of latte-sipping, dinner party-attending, wine track lefties snapping on old girl. But somehow I don't think those people will be introducing Barack Obama at a campaign rally.

Because it's Friday

And all your base are belonging to 'Kast. Goddamn they always made me proud to be black.

Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
by hushhush112

Outkast - So Fresh, So Clean
by G-Mike

Basically

You guys are gonna O.D. on Sarah Palin today. Oh well. I'm in hotel room outside Denver holding until it's time for my Red Eye back to New York. I need the company. Anyway here Peter Scolbic sonning John McCain. (I'm going to run that word into a hole, if only because the response to it was so hilarious):

McCain undoubtedly thinks he has his national security bases covered; picking Palin shows that, unlike Obama, he doesn't need an eminence grise like Biden to add heft to his ticket. But surely McCain recognizes that Palin may have to fill his shoes someday. By choosing her anyway, he has demonstrated hubris well beyond anything Obama has displayed on his most arrogant day: a belief that he can master unforeseen circumstances, physical and otherwise, that are well beyond his control. This is insulting and dangerous and suggests that McCain may want to think twice before accusing Obama of putting his personal ambition ahead of the national interest.

I heard Paul Begala make this point earlier. Dems should be leery of directly attacking Palin, if only because they don't have to. All they have to do is ask what this choice says about McCain. What does it mean that a dude puts someone a heartbeat away from the nuke button who he's only met once? Especially claiming Barack Obama wasn't ready. That is the real question.

Worlds collide

I just watched Chris Matthews correct Pat Buchanan who kept calling Sarah Palin--a 44-year old woman--"gal." Buchanan called her this just as he was claiming she was feminist. Also, apparently, McCain did nothing close to a vetting. But she eats moose-burgers!

A note about typos

As you guys have undoubtedly noticed, of my many weaknesses, my penchant for typos is supreme. A few things that I want to be clear about:

1.) I take zero offense at being corrected. I'd rather have corrections not accompanied by sarcasm, but if I'm in the wrong, I'm in the wrong. If you point out something I've done that's grammatically incorrect, I'll gladly fix it--and thank you for doing so.

2.) I have no idea how my brain works, but I'm almost hardwired to fumble words and place commas where they don't belong. My magazine copy was never particularly clean, but I usually could hold it a few days, re-read it and catch most of the errors. I usually hold my blog posts a couple hours in hopes of doing the same. But, as you can imagine, it's not quite as effective.

3.) As you likely know, I'm working without an editor--thus errors will make their way into blog posts. If that's a deal-breaker for you, if the sheer number significantly detracts from your ability to enjoy the blog, then you probably should look elsewhere. I don't say that in defiance--I think it's perfectly defensible to throw up your hands and say, "Enough." I just know my own limits. I'm pretty good at seeing the world in different ways, not so good at presenting the world in a pretty package.

4.) I promise to get better. You're just going to have to trust me on this one guys. I'm actively working to make sure that my copy is cleaner and easier to read. My hope is that a year from now, you will see the difference. I know that this is a problem. I don't intend for it to remain one though.

5.) As always, thanks much for reading.

One way for Palin to help McCain

If I were Sarah Palin, I would go on Hardball with Chris Matthews every other week. If anyone can remake a rabid creationist pro-lifer into an icon of feminism, it's Matthews. Who wants to bet on how many times Matthews comments on how "beautiful" Palin is? Remember this?

Favorite clip of MLK

UPDATE: Bumped for justice. Sorry I watched this again just. It's always incredible. He almost fades away at the end. The word is that he was so exhausted that he almost fainted when he walked back. If you look, you can see someone (maybe Abernathy?) catch him as he falls. Is it wrong that I thought of Jordan falling into the arms of Pippen in the "flu-game?" Obviously not the same. Anyway, this clip is about courage, and this was the clip that convinced--as a very young Malcolmite--of the courage of nonviolence, and the power of the moral high ground. MLK should be on this country's currency. He is, as far as I am concerned, the most important non-president in American history. He is the founding father of modern American.

Seems appropriate. I've always loved this, makes me choke up whenever I see it. What? You were expecting Malcolm's "Ballot or the Bullet?" It's not that sort of night...

Alaska, do we have a problem?

Would love to hear from my Midnight Sun peoples. What's the deal with old girl?

McCain's abortion kabuki

Here's another thing McCain just lost--any veneer of being a "moderate" on abortion. Did we mention that Palin is not simply pro-life, but pro-life in all cases except the life/death of the mother. In other words, in cases of rape and incest, Palin believes the government should force women to go through with the pregnancy. I think it will be very clear where these guys stand from here on out. And I think it's more of us than there are of them.

One criticism of Obama's speech and race

There was one person who I wanted to hear from yesterday, even more than John Lewis--Joseph Lowery. He is not only the oldest link to Martin Luther King, he was the first of the old-guard cats to really see what Obama could be. While Andy Young was joking about Bill Clinton being blacker than Obama, and Jesse was complaining that Barack was running his campaign like he was white, while scared Negroes were fretting that Obama would ruin the Democratic Party, Joseph Lowery--in his mid-80s mind you--was dropping it on fools like this. Talk about never scared..

Is the experience argument over?

Isn't the biggest problem with a Sarah Palin pick that by McCain's own standard, she fails:

John McCain's central and best argument in this campaign is that Barack Obama simply lacks the experience to be President of the United States. And now John McCain, who is a cancer survivor who turns 72 years old today, is picking a vice presidential nominee who has been governor of a small state for less than two years and prior to that was mayor of a town with roughly one-twenty-seventh of the citizens that Barack Obama represented when he was a state senator in Illinois.

Also, if you're making a play for Hillary voters---older, middle-aged white women in rust-belt states--is the way to get it done by bypassing, say, Carly Fiorina and Kay Bailey Hutchison, to pick a former Ms. Alaska who's only been governor for two years? There's a meme about Barack Obama reminding older women of the slick, handsome guy who beat them out for a big promotion, even though they were more qualified. But here's another very likely meme--Sarah Palin as the inexperienced, younger, attractive woman who beats them out for a promotion, even though they were more qualified.

UPDATE: Just want to bang on that last point a little more, as I just got off the phone with Kenyatta. I think there are some weakness to being a party associated with identity politics, and hopefully, the Dems are moving past that. But if you think about it, this is the sort of mistake you make when you have only a vague understanding of sexism and women's issues. I may be very, very, very wrong about this, but let me go out on a limb. I think "Hillary voters" can only resent Barack Obama but so much because he actually won an election. He wasn't appointed--he actually won, and that's a crucial difference.

Palin was appointed by a 72-year old man who passed over many more qualified, older women for a much younger, ~~former~~ runner-up for Mrs. Alaska with a thin resume. Add in the fact that this is a dude who left his wife after coming home from Vietnam for a much younger rich, former rodeo queen and you have the makings of a narrative. And it's not the sort of narrative that attracts "Hillary voters,"--it's the sort of narrative that attracts dirty old men. To be clear, I'm not saying that that's what McCain is. In fact, I think it's the opposite--this looks more hamfisted than sexist.

McCain VP Thread

11:38 Damn, a brother can't even get in a jog without news breaking. Sarah Palin it is.

9:53 TNC headed out for a run. I'm in beautiful Denver and haven't gotten any miles in since I've been here. Back in an hour or so. Remember--Only you can fight forest trolls. Do the right thing guys.

9:42 CNN is reporting that sources point to Palin. Mostly by process of elimination, it looks like.

9:00 No Sarah Palin, looks like. Cats are talking Joe Lieberman. God, I so hope it's him. Do it. Do it. Do it.

8:32 Now they're talking Ridge. On another note, damn those freecreditreport commercials are annoying. When did corny-ass music become a credible sales pitch? I'm so out of touch.

8:25--NBC is talking Sarah Palin. Chuck Todd says Romney and Pawlenty are out. I wanted Romney, and I thought Pawlenty was the best bet. But apparently it's neither. Damn, I really wanted to see a Romney vs. Biden debate. Biden would have decapitated him.

Back to Thoreau

I've always struggled with the inherent solitude that comes with being a writer. Decided this was a good time to finish Walden. Was looking through this morning and came a line that defines my entire approach to journalism and to life. Dig this:

I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well. Unfortunately, I am confined to this theme by the narrowness of my experience. Moreover, I, on my side, require of every writer, first or last, a simple and sincere account of his own life, and not merely what he has heard of other men's lives; some such account as he would send to his kindred from a distant land; for if he has lived sincerely, it must have been in a distant land to me.

Man, that is beautiful. Obviously it's not that I don't interview folks--I think reporting is the essence of writing. But the writer should always be aware that he is the filter. First person has been given a bad name in journalism by a lot of people who just were bad writers--first person or not. Me, I'd like to see more of it. Nothing is more annoying than reading some story and seeing a journalist refer to herself as "the reporter" or "when a reporter asked..." It's like dude, we see you. You're right there.

West, Malveaux and Smiley

Here's a clip from the discussion last night This is the sort of thing that makes me afraid to blog. What I see there is a reaction more out of anger than any real consideration of strategy. The thing about Barack is that for all his rhetoric, he's a pragmatist, and he's a politician. Half the reason for having John Lewis, for having the film of MLK, for having MLK's kids is so that Obama is free to focus on winning the election. I don't think you do that but making the speech a paean to MLK--God bless him. How many votes is that going to get you? When you're on the battlefield, you don't pause put down your sword and sheild to praise God for allowing you the privelige of being there. Do that after the battle's won.

A question which only Big L could answer

Here's an interesting one:

Can you son a woman? I just need to get the details straight for future use around the water cooler.

Hmm, I actually don't think you can. It just doesn't sound right--something abusive about it. You can put a woman "on blast" though, as in, Keith Olbermann just put Anne Coulter on blast. That probably is more in line with the laws of Ebonics, no?

Did Barack need more MLK references?

From JGR:

Hey Ta-Nehisi, have you watched Tavis yet tonight? Drs. Julianne Malveaux and Cornell West just unloaded on Barack for not talking about Dr. King enough. Basically dismissed the whole speech for not saying the words: "Dr. Martin Luther King."
I'd like to know what you think. I hate to even think it, but was that jealousy? Pride? Is it something about the talented tenth wanting their props? It sure seems like Barack knows what he's doing, so I'm not going to jump to any conclusions. The name was conspicuously absent, and the journey to this historic moment was not especially built up. Basically, this did sound like a "post-racial" political speech, and ironically a lot of folks might not like that kind of "post-racial" (especially if it means you have to downplay the people that came before you).
I'll leave it there, but it was an interesting moment. I'll continue to think about it, but please let us know what you think after you check it out.

I don't know. We had the John Lewis tribute and the film. I don't see it as particularly postracial. I see it in much more simpler terms--as my buddy Jabari Asim says, Barack Obama is running for president of the United States, not president of the Urban League. But moreover, I just don't have much respect for the "kissing the ring" critique. I think you can hit Obama for not pushing specific issues that are important to the black community--I don't know what they are--but I would at least respect that. The problem with this idea that Barack isn't talking about "black issues" is that the most important issues to black people right now--the war, jobs, the economy, education--are "American Issues." So what then? If black people--your base--mostly want to hear about the same issues that most Americans want to hear about, where is the impetus to not talk about those issues? I don't quite get it...

UPDATE: One other thing. This theme keeps recurring that Obama isn't claiming his blackness like he needs to during this campaign. I just got off the phone with one of my best friends who just basically nailed it--I need Obama's policies to be progressive. I don't need him to be a civil rights leader. Ironically, no one has pushed this angle harder than Al Sharpton. My requirements for Barack Obama--as a black man running for president--are very simple: I need him to publicily be affectionate to his wife and kids, to acknowledge them whenever possible. That, really, is the only extra burden I put on him.

Wow MSNBC is nuts

Keith Olbermann just sonned some dude from AP--Charles Babington--for writing this:

...instead of dwelling on specifics, he laced the crowning speech of his long campaign with the type of rhetorical flourishes that Republicans mock and the attacks on John McCain that Democrats cheer. The country saw a candidate confident in his existing campaign formula: tie McCain tightly to President Bush, and remind voters why they are unhappy with the incumbent.

Let's go

11:08 Pity Juan Williams. Just made the mistake of turning to him on Fox. He's supposed to be the liberal over there, but he's going hard after Barack. It's really sad, not because he disagrees, but because he disagrees with him on nothing substantial. He just attacked the dude for not mentioning MLK enough. Sad.

11:00 I know I said it--but the fact that Barack's family is so multiracial is just starting to hit me. You know blackness can be blinding, for so long that's what I saw. Not saying it wasn't important. But there's just so much more at work there.

10:56 Goddamn. Owned. And all that other good shit. Dude he killed. That didn't even feel half as long as folks said it would be. In the words of Wu--shackling the masses with drastic rap tactics.

10:54 Was wondering when he'd get to MLK. Also, best comment of the night from AJ:

"It's about you." Holy shit. I'm in love!
Is that gay?

10:49 Props on the Gay/Lesbian deal. What he's doing here is exposing the inhumanity of strict ideology. He's fixing his opponents in one place, while he dances and jabs.

10:46 Man he's in the zone. I actually fear for McCain having to give a speech at the end of the GOP convention. And now he takes it to him directly, "I've got news for you John McCain. We all put our country first."

10:42 "John McCain likes to say he'll follow Gates of Hell, but he won't even follow him to the cave where he lives." Delivered with feeling. He's bringing the battle-axe tonight. Not the dagger.

10:39 I like the individual responsibility going from the environment to the kids. At least the Negroes didn't bear the brunt of it tonight. McCain has no answer for that line. Once he concedes individual responsibility, I think it gets hard to argue that the government should do nothing. That's why that "You're on your own" riff was great.

On another note, damn, I wish he would pick up that "Candidate McCain" joint that Kerry used the other night.

10:37 I'm the only one in the world bored by policy in political speeches. I know. But I hate it. It's not like you can''t see dude's platform.

Continue reading "Let's go" »

Text of the speech

I hate reading these things before they're presented. But if you're interested, read after the jump:

Continue reading "Text of the speech" »

Yal'm Goin Be There

Heh. Michael McDonald just sung "America The Beautiful." Interesting racial symbolism, no?

John Lewis is pumped

I've come down hard on black folks over 50, sometimes more out of generational anger than any real reason. I'm reminded of that watching John Lewis, who is pulling from deep to give his speech right now.

The shocking racism of PUMA

Oh who am I kidding, they are who we thought they were.It is sort of sickening how they always go for Michelle, and doubly how they impute their own fears on her. These guys are sicker than any West Virginia racist who makes moves out of ignorance. These folks move with complete suicidal awareness. Hillary should have smacked them down months ago.

Well that does it for the Lieberman VP talk

Not that I'm into polls, but this is tough. Man, how unpopular is this guy?

Affirmative Action vs. Legacies

All around cool-ass dude Chris Bodenner sends us this Wash Times editorial comparing legacies and race based AA. It's pretty interesting:

Authors Nathan D. Martin and Kenneth I. Spenner show that Duke's legacies underperform as freshmen, are less likely to pursue challenging disciplines including pre-med or engineering and, generally, are less likely to pursue further study. Even the fact that their grades improve measurably during the sophomore year and remain improved is itself an argument for the inherent unfairness of legacy admissions. Why should the children of privilege get a leg up? But that question is hardly the end of the matter.

The Times can't bring itself to really bang on the hypocrisy of it all, but still it's a fair-minded piece. I think it also highlights the fact that this idea that AA is some sort of flagrant violation of the great American meritocracy is bull. I have no sympathy for people who think AA is a sin against the American dream.

An oddly compelling look into the life of Lanny Davis

I don't know why I finished reading this, but I did. What a weird article about a weird guy. I almost--almost--think he has some sort of weird crush on Hillary.

Beef is when anchors ain't safe up in the streets

I knew I didn't imagine this the other night. Eric Alterman chronicles the infighting at MSNBC--with video.

Best speech at the convention

Let me concur with Andrew and Josh. This was simply an incredible speech. I don't know how people get up there and show zero passion. John Kerry brought it. I felt so bad for how he went down. But it looked like he pulled from all of that pain and just offered up an incredible speech. I caught it on NPR while driving toward the Pepsi Center. Funny thing is, had I been watching the networks, I would have missed it. Anyway, see for yourself.

When you have nothing to say about Barack Obama

Just make some shit up:

we still have not taken the measure of Obama: What sort of man is he? He is famously the man from everywhere, which means nowhere. He has a great and moving personal story, but he seems to withhold something -- to not need you as much as you need him. This is the essence of charisma: a cold love that goes only one way.

This is how a columnist says that he doesn't like you while maintaining a scintilla of credibility amongst your equally vapid Washington scribblers. When you're too weak to just out and say you hate somebody's guts, you just pull together as many strawmen as you can find. "The man from everywhere, which means nowhere," is barely functional English. Seriously I would flunk a high school freshman for writing that. "Obama, seems to withold something." Really? Maybe he used to be a druggie? Maybe he was born to a single mom? Maybe he used to belong to a church that was unapologetically black? I think Obama should write a memoir which would then be hailed as penetrating and reflective. Yeah, that would get Cohen on his side

Uhm, Chargers fans...

Norv Turner has never been the strongest coach, but I can't figure why he doesn't make Shawn Merriman sit this season:

The star outside linebacker returned from Miami on Tuesday after seeking yet another opinion on his knee.
Merriman said last week he has two torn ligaments in his left knee and has been told by doctors that he could suffer a possible career-ending injury if he attempts to play without having surgery.

Incredible.

The essence of boredom

Watching the roll-call vote. I was never one for ceremony. Maybe I'm missing something...

UPDATE: But dude from New Mexico should be announcing for boxing. He rocked.

Business as usual

Lady De Rothchild does it again:

"It feels like this is the last big party before a general election that the Democrats are sure to lose," said de Rothschild, who was wearing a button honoring Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the late Ohio congresswoman, and fervent Clinton supporter, who died last week from a brain aneurysm. "It's the political equivalent of re-arranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. It feels like that because of the polls. The pick of Joe Biden telescoped that Barack Obama knows his weaknesses. He doesn't have experience in foreign policy and he does not connect well to ordinary people, and Joe Biden doesn't fix that. He just magnifies the problem. He's a fine guy. I want him to go back to the Senate."

Last Thing

Building off the post from last night about Obama being a surprise, I'm interested in this idea that Hillary was the "perfect storm" for a president. From my--very male--perspective, she was anything but. Furthermore there seems to be a whole slew of women in govenorships and in the Senate who could eventually contend. Plus--as someone pointed out yesterday--women actually are a majority of the electorate. Why the sense of doom?

August 2008 Archives

August 31, 2008