Leave Me Alone And Mind Your Own Business, John Edwards

Via CNN:

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards told a labor group Tuesday
that he would ask Americans to make a big sacrifice: their sport utility vehicles.

"I think Americans are actually willing to sacrifice," Edwards said during a forum held by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. "One of the things they should be asked to do is drive more fuel efficient vehicles."

The former North Carolina senator was asked specifically if he would tell them to give up their SUVs. He said, "Yes."

First of all, what is all this "would ask", "should be asked" and "would tell them to" garbage? If you're going to ask, John, go ahead and ask. The only sense I can make out of this conditional language is "if I get elected president."

Second, it's none of your damn business John.

Finally, his words have no real meaning. Does he really think that he can just ask all Americans to get rid of their SUVs and they will all do so? You're certainly not hinting at any coercion now, are you John?

And then he gets the infamous Al Gore treatment:

Edwards was asked during his appearance how he explained the contradiction
of asking Americans to sacrifice while he's living in a 28,000-square-foot
mansion.

He said he came from nothing, worked hard all his life, has always
supported workers and fought big corporations as a lawyer.

Oh, well then! Now that I know that it was big corporations from whom you extracted your fortune as a seedy trial lawyer, then sleep tight in that mansion, you badass.

What a douche.

Good thing he won't actually be nominated.

Dick Cheney Was Right

MoveOn.org has dug up a great video clip from 1994 of Dick Cheney explaining why overthrowing Saddam Hussein would be a disaster for both Iraq and the United States.

Hat tip to TtP reader Davey Allday.

That was the Angle

A NSW anti-cannabis campaign will target teenagers as they travel to school and surf the internet.

[...]

Print advertisements, carrying tag lines such as "Pot. It mightn't kill you, but it could turn you into a dickhead", will appear in youth magazines and on bus stop posters.

I saw this story yesterday, but couldn't think of a half-way interesting way to present it. Usually, that doesn't stop me. Instead I just close my eyes and pound the keyboard, and hope whatever comes out makes sense, but in this case I passed. What I wish however, is that I had thought of this.