'I'd Hit It', Along With More Insightful Commentary

I caught the majority of Palin's speech last night while tending bar; so I was pretty drunk and little preoccupied, but from what I saw/heard, plus the reaction of my 5-7 customers, it was a winner. To sum it up -- Great speech, good delivery, pretty family.

More specifically:

1. I dug her hair. I dug everything. The whole look reminded me of my slutty 11th grade History teacher who tried to press sexual harassment charges on me. Pouty lips, stern face, looks great in heels. How do you not love her look?

2. Attractive family. The daughter is what I dream about 17 year old pregnant girls looking like....You know IF I dreamt about that type of thing, which is to say of course I do.

Side note on this kid Levi who struck gold with a Palin vagina -- Is there a luckier 17 year old soon-to-be-dad out there? For any other high school boy, finding out that you knocked up your girlfriend is the worst news ever. At least for me it was. Damn scary. That could be beccause the girls I was boning had mothers who worked at the Hair Cuttery, not the Govenors mansion...But that's my point, this kid is set for life now all because he knocked up a 17 year old. I want that life.

3. She can give a good speech. I pretty much agree with what has been repeated 100 times since last night about her style -- she delivers a great speech in a Middle-America kind of way. Good rhythm, tone, language, everything. It's a much, MUCH different style from Obama, but still effective. Maybe more so, maybe not. Time will tell.

Looks Like It's Palin

We will know for sure in an hour or so, but it pretty much looks like Alaskan beauty Sarah Palin will be McCain's VP pick. It has its downsides, but on a whole it's a damn impressive pick by McCain, especially when you consider other names that were floating around....As someone who considers themselves a right-leaning libertarian, the pick is about has good as McCain could have done.

I Thought Democrats were the 'Buy Local' Party?

Apparently it doesn't apply to local exotic dancers:

The political convention is kind of a bust for downtown strip clubs, but techies in town for next week's electronics show should give the clubs a boost, one exotic dancer said.

Michelle Horning, a dancer at La Boheme, said business is slower this week than normal because there is a big lull in customers in the evenings during the political speeches. [...]

Business at another club, the Diamond Cabaret, has remained steady, employees said, despite several road closures due to protests that shut off the club's valet parking.

Horning said exotic dancers from across the country, expecting large crowds because of the Democratic National Convention, contacted La Boheme in the past several weeks hoping to dance this week. Management turned them down, however, opting to let the club's more tenured dancers take the stage.

Dancers and servers at the club are still hoping visiting Democrats will drop some cash at La Boheme, though.

"It's just been mediocre. At the end of the week, it will be better," Horning said.

No word on the hooker traffic during the convention; but just between us (and by us I mean the two people who still check out TtP -- yes I know who you are and where you live) we have a secret convention corespondent who always keeps his hands on the pulse, and ass, of the prostitution scene where ever he finds himself. I'll try and get a read from him after the convention.

DNC Convention: Rumble in the Rockies

It's been awhile...Time for a drunk blogging, DNC Convention post!

8:15: My former Rep Steny Hoyer is now speaking. I don't really care about what he has to say, but I'd like it if PBS would go back to the round table that had the hot 20 year old Obama delegate.

"we Democrats have been working every day for hard working Americans...We raised the minimum wage" --me -- So be hard working Americans you mean white, middle-class teenagers? 'Cause that's who the minimum wage increase really helped.

More from Steny:
"Everyday we strive to honor a principle familiar to every American family. We ought to spend what we have." Really...he said that. How do Democrats try to act as though they don't spend a shit load of our money? Do they get away with it?

8:30: Union time! Service Employees International Union. Yuck. Uhh...So I hear that John McCain is offering "more of the same". Have you?

I want to face fuck the SEIU president until I blow a huge load in her eyes.

8:35: I'm pretty sure Arizona Gov Janet Napolitano is a man. Scary looking -- and sounding -- man.

8:50: Speaking of scary men....I needed a break and switched to TLC where it is Half Man Half Tree hour. Some fucked up dudes.

9:20: I don't care how drunk I get, this is boring shit. Bob Casey made me want to abort myself he was so dull. Where's Hillary? When does she come out? Or better -- where's Bill? Is he tom morrow? Shame, I want him speaking as much as possible.

10:00: Still waiting for Hillary....

10:40: Quite a video they put together. But a low energy enterance for Hillary. And Chelsea is more than bonable. This is the type of Convention coverage you expect out of TtP.

Michelle Obama is beyond bonable. Downright sexy.


It's tough to tell if this is a kinda-bad, low-energy Hillary speech; or just a normal, kinda-bad, low-energy Hillary speech. I actually forgot how not good she is at this type of thing. You know, speeches.


10:57: OK, I'll now say that she does seem to be doing more than her fair share for Obama. The back half of the speech is pretty damn good. Even gives a plug for hubby Bill, who hasn't gotten much praise during this convention.

Civics Lesson from McCain: 'I'm not being elected dictator"

McCain in an interview with Politico says he will not make a one-term pledge, something that many conservative pundits had hoped for. He also pledges to work with Congress to make decisions for our country because in case you didn't know, we aren't electing a dictator in November. Apparently our country is like a republic. Or something like that.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — John McCain stated unequivocally in an interview with Politico on Wednesday that he would not pledge to serve only a single four-year term, rejecting a suggestion that some allies believe would allay questions about his age and underscore his nonpartisan message of putting country first.

“No,” McCain said flatly, “I’m not considering it.”

There has been speculation that McCain, 71, could couple a single-term promise with an untraditional running mate such as Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) to make the case that he would shove political interests aside and run a consensus-oriented government with the Democratic-held Congress.

On how he would be different from Bush:

“Let’s show the American people ... that there are opportunities for us to work together for the good of the country,” McCain said. “And I think that [the Democrats] would benefit as much or more as I would.”

McCain added: “I’m not being elected dictator — I’m being elected president. And you have to work with Congress. And they know the priorities as well as I do.”

As for those priorities, and specifically what the two parties could accomplish together in the first 100 days of a McCain presidency, he touched on spending cuts and entitlement reform before talking in more general terms.

DNC Refuses to Face the Feces

As part of their continuing effort to drain anything even remotely fun out of their the upcoming convention, the Democratic National Committee has put its foot down and banned anybody from carrying their urine or feces to the event. The Rocky Mountain News has the straight poop:

Poo and pee dominated a public hearing Monday on a new law that prohibits people from carrying certain items if they intend to use them for nefarious purposes.

The law, crafted in advance of the Democratic National Convention, was adopted unanimously by the City Council.

But not before a hearing laced with comedy and profanity.

Representatives from some of the groups planning large-scale protests during the DNC this month said the ordinance was unnecessary and accused city officials of fear mongering.

"The intent of this ordinance is to try to smear protesters and make them look as if they are somehow criminal or somehow going to engage in some kind of gross conduct," said Glenn Spagnuolo, an organizer with the Re- create 68 Alliance.

The ordinance makes it illegal to carry certain items, such as chains, padlocks, carabiners and other locking devices. It also prohibits the possession of noxious substances. Two of the most frequently used examples of a noxious substance are a bucket of urine and a "feces bomb."

I'm certain that you are as outraged as I am. First they force us to give up fried food. They they make everybody go green. Then they drove the hookers away. Now this! It's a horrible vision of what awaits our nation.

"I'll See You At the Debates, Bitches"

The back and forth over John McCain's attack ad featuring Paris Hilton has resulted in a pretty funny response from the celebrity cocksucker herself. Shit, her response to the energy crisis ain't half bad. Is it too late for the LP get a new candidate?

And while we're on the topic, neither candidate should be giving Hilton too much flack or getting too upset at being compared to her. McCain has, ahem, accepted campaign contributions from the Hiltons. And Barack Obama compared himself to her in a Washington Post interview:

"Andy Warhol said we all get our 15 minutes of fame," says Barack Obama. "I've already had an hour and a half. I mean, I'm so overexposed, I'm making Paris Hilton look like a recluse."

No Happy Endings At This Year's Political Conventions?

Seems that way. It turns out they aren't good for at least one area of the economy, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Some outcall services that have sex for sale seem in agreement with activist groups that would like to eradicate the business; both think the influx of 35,000 visitors during the Sept. 1-4 [Republican] convention will mean a rise in prostitution.

On the other hand, St. Paul police spokesman Tom Walsh said his department discussed the issue with police in New York and Boston, which hosted the 2004 Republican and Democratic conventions, respectively.

"And what they have reported to us ... is that there is not an increase in that kind of traffic," Walsh said.

***

"In 2004 there were all sorts of media reports that sex workers were coming from all over the country to New York City because there were going to be so many potential customers during the Republican National Convention," said Juhu Thukral, director of the Sex Workers Project at New York's Urban Justice Center. "The reality was that a lot of [prostitutes] we heard from said they were leaving because there was going to be such a strong police presence, and so many people coming to town."

Read the whole story here.

I'm guessing the Republicans are too busy with the pay-per-view movies in their hotels and the Democrats are too busy with each other. Where's Eliot Spitzer when we need him?

Bob Barr: Busted, Broke, Begging

In other LP candidate flame-out news, it appears that Bob Barr, the party's presidential candidate, ain't exactly Ron Paul when it comes to raising funds, according to the Wall Street Journal:

In perhaps the most desperate sounding e-mail solicitation yet this election cycle, third party Libertarian candidate Bob Barr’s campaign manager sent out a plea today to supporters to raise $15,000 each day this week—or else.

Under the subject line, “Have I said or done something to offend you?” Russ Verney writes, “You see, I have to report that unless we receive and immediate cash infusion of $85,000, our progress will stop dead in its tracks. To be very blunt, I am presently faced with bills equaling our bank account balance, and I know there are many more expenses on the horizon.”

According to the latest report with the Federal Election Commission, Barr’s campaign had just $69,000 cash on hand at the end of June, and he raised just under $200,000 last month.

We Ain't Got Time To Let You Bleed Us

Sonny Landham, the 70s porn star and 80s action movie star turned Libertarian politician, may not become the next senator from Kentucky after all. The Kentucky LP has officially withdrawn its support for Landham. Now it may not have a candidate on the ballot at all this fall.

What made them do this? Ahem:

Last week, Landham publicly remarked that Arabs should not be allowed to travel to the United States. He said Arabs should not be in America's schools, and he said the United States should have bombed Saudi Arabia, Syria, and other Arab nations.

In a statement, the state party said it stands for tolerance of all people, regardless of race, creed, sex, and national origin.

Hmmm, I guess it is hard to square that with a guy who calls Arabs "camel dung shovelers" and says we should be "bombing them back into the sand until they surrender."

Hat tip: Reason's Hit & Run blog

Jindal?

Interesting timing: McCain goes down to New Orleans on Thursday...The same day Obama gives his big, look-at-me speech in Germany.

The Obama Decade

It would be nice to see Obama occasionally called on these verbal missteps. You know, like the media and pundits did with Bush. Jack Tapper at ABC:

Today on CBS's Face the Nation, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in Afghanistan, told the paparazzi-pursued correspondent Lara Logan that "the objective of this trip was to have substantive discussions with people like President Karzai or Prime Minister Maliki or President Sarkozy or others who I expect to be dealing with over the next eight to 10 years.

So in the course of one week we have one candidate who is "just about" figured out the internet, while the other guy doesn't appear to know how long he would be Constitutionally able to serve...in the position that he's running for. Great. Now I remember why I started blogging less about the election and more about sex crimes and drugs.

McCain Just Now, "Learning to get Online" Also to "Make Toast" and "Program the VCR"

McCain doing his best to not sound like the out-of-touch Grandpa that we all know he is in an interview with the NYT. From Politico:

John McCain says in an interview published this weekend that he has begun learning the wonders of the World Wide Web, but does not yet e-mail or have a BlackBerry.[...]

“I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself,” McCain told Adam Nagourney and Michael Cooper of The New York Times.

“I don’t expect to be a great communicator, I don’t expect to set up my own blog, but I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need.”

McCain said websites his staff often shows him include The Drudge Report, Politico.com and Real Clear Politics.

"I will have that down fairly soon"? Fantastic. Great to know that he's almost figured out how to double-click on the Internet icon and then type in google.com. If he wasn't able to get that in like 3-5 weeks we might have cause to worry about his age, intelligence and over-all ability to lead the most powerful nation in the world. But because he will have that down "fairly soon" we all can relax.

Story here.

Rainbow Coalition Meets Audacity of Hope And, No, They Can't All Just Get Along

Jesse may not want to run nothing but his mouth, but at least he does do that spectacularly. From the New York Post:

WASHINGTON - In a vulgar tirade caught on tape by Fox News, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said he wanted to "cut his [Barack Obama's] nuts out" and he accused the fellow Chicagoan of "talking down to black folks" by giving moral lectures to African-Americans, source said.

Jackson's shocking quotes were picked up by a hot mic before an interview on health care in Fox's Chicago studio last Sunday.

Fox planned to air the recording on Bill O'Reilly's "The Factor" show.

In an effort to blunt the controversy, Jackson issued an apology.

Of course now that he has Jackson's nuts in hands, Obama was gracious in accepting the apology. From the AP:

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton noted that the Illinois senator grew up without his father and has spoken and written at length about the issues of parental responsibility and fathers participating in their children's lives, and of society's obligation to provide "jobs, justice and opportunity for all.

"He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Reverend Jackson's apology," Burton said.

It gets better still. Now Jackson's kid -- the one who isn't a bastard -- is talking smack about his old man:

Jackson's comments sparked something of a family feud. His son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., said he was disappointed by his father's "reckless statements."

"His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee _ and I believe the next president of the United States _ contradict his inspiring and courageous career," the younger Jackson said.

And while we're at it, why not replay a golden oldie?:

The comments are not the first the elder Jackson has had to explain after believing he was off the record.

In 1984, he called New York City "Hymietown," referring to the city's large Jewish population. He later acknowledged it was wrong to use the term, but said he did so in private to a reporter.

A 3rd Bush Term

Obama's bold plan...To continue and expand faith-based programs:

CHICAGO - Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans that would expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and -- in a move sure to cause controversy -- support their ability to hire and fire based on faith.

Obama was unveiling his approach to getting religious charities more involved in government anti-poverty programs during a tour and remarks today at Eastside Community Ministry in Zanesville, Ohio. The arm of Central Presbyterian Church operates a food bank, provides clothes, has a youth ministry and provides other services in its impoverished community

Full story here.

Libertarian Candidate Spotlight: Sonny Landham

Mr. Landham is running on the LP ticket in Kentucky, targeting Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. Who is Landham? Well, he's a movie actor who appeared in such films as 48 Hours, Poltergeist and Predator. Before that he appeared in porn movies, something that he now argues is no big deal:

"That was 30 years ago," he said with a laugh. "If you've seen the porno movies, you've seen my shortcomings."

Checkout his personal website here (sfw).

Well, Death IS Better Than Representing Staten Island ...

The Staten Island GOP just cannot catch a break. First, their incumbent candidate, Vito Fossella, admitted that the woman who bailed him out of jail after a drunk driving arrest was the mistress who had had his bastard child.

Now, the guy local GOP party hacks picked to run for his seat, Francis H. Powers, has dropped dead:

Mr. Powers, who had never before run for public office, agreed to run after a series of elected officials declined to enter the race.

So I think we can put this one in the Dem column.

Obama Wouldn't Let Muslims In th....Hey, Look at those Boobies!

Two really dense campaign workers wouldn't let headscarf wearing women in a camera shot during an Obama rally. Politico:

Two Muslim women at Barack Obama's rally in Detroit Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women's headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.[...]

That incident began when the volunteer asked Aref's friend Ali Koussan and two other friends, Aref's brother Sharif and another young lawyer, Brandon Edward Miller, whether they would like to sit behind the stage. The three young men said they would, but mentioned they were with friends.

The men said the volunteer, a twenty-something African American woman in a green shirt, asked if their friends looked and were dressed like the young men, who were all light-skinned and wearing suits. Miller said yes, but mentioned that one of their friends was wearing a headscarf with her suit.

The volunteer "explained to me that because of the political climate and what's going on in the world and what's going on with Muslim Americans it's not good for her to be seen on TV or associated with Obama," said Koussan, who is a law student at Wayne State University.

Fantastic stuff. I hope the Obama campaign sticks with this new style of politics, that seems eerily similar to old style identity politics.

In more important news...The Obama camp pointed out that the above picture, taken the day after the no headscarf incidents proved that he doesn't hate Muslims. I dunno about that, to me it just proves that he likes 19 year old boobies.

Politico story here.

The Morning Afternoon After

I didn't watch the coverage last night because I was too busy doing important things like having sex and eating ice cream, but reading the blogs and online media today, everything is all about the historic and remarkable event that occurred last night when a black man won the nomination of his party. To which I say...Great! Fantastic! Good for Obama, and hope this proves to be a magic pill for our collective white guilt (which fortunately in my case was overshadowed by Catholic guilt, which not too long later was defeated by a healthy dose of porn, drugs and unprotected sex. If only white guilt was defeated so easily.)

In the meantime I think we have an election that we can all cry about, where are choices are a leftist Senator from Illinois who wants us all to come together to "remake" America, (presumably not in a way that would appeal to either me or any of you in our limited reading audience), or a demented grandpa from Arizona who thinks America speaks to him in his sleep and who’s major campaign strategy is to appeal to neither anyone on the Right or Left. Brilliant.

The only thing we have to look forward to is a possibly of a Clinton 3rd party run (not likely I guess, but it's fun to think about) and/or Bob Barr taking a few percentage points of the total votes.

Clinton to Bow Out Tonight

AP:

WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton will concede tonight that Barack Obama has the delegates to secure the Democratic presidential nomination, campaign officials said, effectively ending her bid to be the nation's first female president.

The former first lady will stop short of formally suspending or ending her race in her speech in New York City. She will pledge to continue to speak out on issues like health care. But for all intents and purposes, the two senior officials said, the campaign is over.

Most campaign staff will be let go and will be paid through June 15, said the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to divulge her plans.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that we are done with Hillary...McCain-Clinton '08 anyone?

UPDATE: Sean Higgins e-mails:

Statement from the Clinton Campaign

The AP story is incorrect. Senator Clinton will not concede the nomination this evening.

Bob Barr Is The Libertarian Party Nominee

The former Georgia Republican congressman has won the nod to be the Libertarian Party's 2008 presidential candidate. It was close; Barr didn't get it until the sixth round of balloting. Quite a few in the party looked on him as an interloper and tilted towards more purist candidates. But he convinced enough of the party regulars that his conversion was sincere and scratched out a victory.

This is bad news for John McCain and the Republican Party. Barr has indicated he'll pitch himself to disaffected GOP voters. Reporters are already writing their "It's just like Nader in 2000" stories.

It also spells the end of the political ambitions of Mike Gravel, the former Alaskan senator and batshit insane 2008 Democratic presidential hopeful. After losing out there he switched parties and made a bid for the LP, thus becoming a two-time loser:

"I just ended my political career," he said. "From 15 years old to now, my political career is over, and it's no big deal. I'm a writer, I'm a lecturer, I'm going to push the issues of freedom and liberty. I'm going to push those issues until the day I die."

Gravel left the Democratic Party after he was excluded from some Democratic debates because he failed to meet fundraising or polling thresholds. He said the Democratic Party no longer represented his values because it continues to sustain Iraq war, the military-industrial complex and imperialism.

... And Gosh Darn It, Big-Titted 'Hos Like Me

I'm not 100% on this but I think comedian Al Franken, now running for a Senate seat in Minnesota, may be the first such candidate to have published an essay containing the phrase, "within just five or ten minutes my cock was hard again and ready for action."

From a 2000 humor piece Franken wrote on virtual sex for Playboy magazine:

I was escorted through the modest single-story cinder block think tank by IPS senior fellow Dr. Julie DeVine, a futurist trained at MIT, the Minnesota Institute of Titology, which has a controversial doctoral program.

As Dr. DeVine led me to the Future wing of the institute, I couldn't help but notice that she is an extremely attractive blonde with a tight, round ass, legs that won't quit and firm but ample breasts. So ample, in fact, that she received a full scholarship from MIT.

At first I thought it was my imagination, but when Dr. DeVine escorted me into the virtual reality room, she seemed to be coming on to me. She allowed her bodacious breasts to brush against my face as she lowered me into the prototype of the Virtu-Screw 2000. "How does that feel?" she cooed. I didn't know if she was referring to the Naugahyde bucket seat or to the two erect nipples pushing through her white lab coat and nearly poking my eyes out. ...

I found myself extremely attracted to the vulnerable side of this sexy scientist, and when I offered to comfort her, she accepted, kissing me full on the lips and inserting her tongue into my mouth and moving it around suggestively. Then she reached down and started rubbing my crotch, and within just five or ten minutes my cock was again hard and ready for action.

BBQ Bash at the Senator's House

McCain invites 3 VP contenders to his Arizona compound for a weekend of "socializing":

Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, and Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts and a onetime rival for the Republican nomination, have all accepted invitations to visit Mr. McCain at his ranch in Sedona, Republicans said.

What a depressing top 3. Jindal is OK, young at least, but Romney and Crist? Talk about two uninspiring picks...

Next Up, Health and Human Services Secretary Richard Simmons

The Democrats' ongoing efforts to convince skeptical Red State voters that they are not a bunch of nagging nanny-staters and annoying hippies occasionally bumps up against the fact that the Democrats remain a bunch of nagging nanny-staters and annoying hippies.

To wit, this Denver Post story on preparations for the Democratic National Convention this summer, headlined: "Caterers find eco-standards tough to chew."

Fried foods are forbidden at the committee's 22 or so events, as is liquid served in individual plastic containers. Plates must be reusable, like china, recyclable or compostable. The food should be local, organic or both.

And caterers must provide foods in "at least three of the following five colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple, and white," garnishes not included, according to a Request for Proposals, or RFP, distributed last week.

The shrimp-and-mango ensemble? All it's got is white, brown and orange, so it may not have the nutritional balance that generally comes from a multihued menu.

"Blue could be a challenge," joked Ed Janos, owner of Cook's Fresh Market in Denver. "All I can think of are blueberries."

This is supposedly for ecological as well as nutritional reasons. But, as one caterer points out, it is not clear that any of this actually is environmentally sound:

Joanne Katz, owner of Three Tomatoes Catering in Denver, cheers the committee's environmental aspirations and is eager to get involved with the convention, but she wonders if some of the choices the committee is making are really green.

Compostable products, such as forks and knives made from corn starch, are often imported from Asia, delivered to the U.S. in fuel-consuming ships. But some U.S. products are made from recyclable pressed paper. Which decision is more environmentally sound?

See, if you eat a bacon doublecheeseburger or a Philly cheesesteak in a styrofoam container, you don't have these problems.

No Love for the GOP

The Politico lays out the depressing outlook for the GOP come November.

Bob Barr Interview

Over at NRO. Barr on the Republican Party:

NRO: What convinced you that it would be impossible to reform the Republican party from within?

BARR: The fact that the Republican party has evidenced absolutely no interest whatsoever in moving back toward concepts such as the rule of law and away from concepts such as the so-called unitary executive, which flies in the face of both common sense and constitutional history in terms of separation of powers — a Republican party that for several years while the party controlled both houses of Congress and the White House did not move in the direction of shrinking the size, the scope, or the cost of government and has moved significantly and consistently to increase federal spending.

Read the whole thing.

Vote for Me, My Name isn't George Bush

I'll admit, that's a decent stand alone campaign strategy, but Barack may need to start finding some deeper foreign policy experience outside of his middle name. From an interview with Jeffery Goldberg in The Atlantic:

“This is a guy who spent some time in the Muslim world, has a middle name of Hussein, and appears more worldly and has called for talks with people, and so he’s not going to be engaging in the same sort of cowboy diplomacy as George Bush,” and that’s something they’re hopeful about. I think that’s a perfectly legitimate perception as long as they’re not confused about my unyielding support for Israel’s security.

Full interview here.

Barr-ing the Door to McCain?

Former Republican congressman Bob Barr announced yesterday that he is seeking the Libertarian Party nod. With Alan Keyes having lost his bid for the Constitution Party nod that means ace Kazakhstan reporter Borat scored an interview with only one man who'll be on the presidential ballot this fall. Barr, you'll remember, was the one punk'd into thinking he had just eaten cheese made from breast milk.

Actually it is not clear that Barr will be on the ballot either. At the press conference to announce he bid he reaffirmed his anti-abortion views, his anti-immigration views and soft-pedaled his opposition to the war in Iraq. He's for a troop withdrawal, but not an immediate one and would not create a timetable. In response to a question about military bases abroad he said he would "re-evaluate" the need for them but indicated some may be needed to defend American interests. And the former drug warrior hasn't changed on that too much either; he's still "personally opposed" but would allow states to hold referendums on things like medical marijuana.

So he's likely to face some opposition from hard core LP members when the party meets (later this month I think) to pick it's nominee.

Should he get the nod, Barr made pretty clear that he'll go after John McCain's base, votes the senator can ill-afford to lose. As the American Spectator reported:

"When asked what his problems were with McCain, he quipped, 'How long do we have here?'"

Hello, Oregon Secretary of State? What Are You Wearing Now?

Oregon is doing it's part to boost voter registration. From KTVZ, "Central Orgeon's News Leader":

A mistyped phone number just inside the Oregon Voters' Pamphlet is now drawing some unwanted attention to the upcoming election.

Voters' Pamphlets just started hitting mailboxes across Oregon last week, and each county has its own version. But one phone number that's inside every copy in the state is making headlines.

Inside the front cover, in a letter from Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, a 1-800 number is listed for voters to register on the phone. But as it turns out, the number has nothing to do with elections, voting or Oregon's primary - it's an adult hotline.

The recording then prompts you to dial another number - this one far more graphic.

It's an honest mistake that's now in some 1.7 million pamphlets across Oregon.

I Shouted Out "Who Killed the Clintons?" When After All It Was You And Me

After Hillary Clinton got her clock-cleaned in North Carolina and nearly lost in Indiana Tuesday, the main question now is why they hell does she still run? Is it ego? Massive self-delusion? Or is her campaign simply so punch-drunk after 5 months of ass-whuppings that they cannot see straight?

I'm going for the last possibility after reading this press release from Team Hillary:

So Hillary’s victory in Indiana - fought out against the backdrop of an ailing economy - is all the more incredible. We started out behind in both the public and internal polls.

For example, our March 13 poll showed Hillary trailing by 8 points, while our latest poll gave Hillary a 5 point lead. [Bold in original.]

Okay, but you won Indiana by just 51-49%. So what you are saying is ... that you blew a five-point lead? And you are citing this as proof of how well you did? After Clinton blew $6 mil more of her own money on the race?

Geez, woman, wake up and smell the reality. It's over. Take your consolation prize of a life-time U.S. Senate seat and be happy.

Barack Obama: Agnostic?

Sean Higgins has a piece worth reading up at the American Spectator questioning Obama's religious convictions.

I'd agree with most of Sean's piece only adding on a semi-related note that as a whole Obama strikes me as a guy who is just generally unsure about a lot of things, not just questions about where your soul is, or if dead people go to heaven. It's the biggest joke of his whole "I'm not your typical Washington politician" shtick -- He is, only he looks a bit different than your usual Washington politician. For example: I don't think that Obama is a secret Black Nationalist, or that he agrees with much that Rev Wright had, or currently has to say. I'd be willing to bet he joined Wright's church in the first place only because that's what he thought he was supposed to be doing as a hopeful black politician in Chicago, or even more simply -- as a black man in Chicago.

What's so scary about Obama is that so many people buy into his shtick. Where's the healthy skepticism -- and I'm calling out Obama friendly libertarians here -- about Barack's version of Hope and Change? It appears to be woefully missing in the conversation...

McCain Fails To Get 80% of the Vote in IN and NC

That can't be the outcome the McCain camp was looking for in IN and NC when their candidate is supposed to be the GOP nominee, running virtually unopposed.

"Tomorrow, we shall achieve the victory, that the kingdom of God may come on earth as it is in heaven...

..and all those who love the Lord and will vote for Obama, say Amen.” --- Rev. Joseph Lowery


Read Byron York's NRO piece on a Michelle Obama appearance yesterday in North Carolina.

Admittedly, I've had my fun in the past with our potential First-Lady-in-Waiting, and mainstream conservative journalist have torn into her like a hungry pack of hyenas; but for all the armchair psychoanalyzing that the media has applied to Bush, you would think they could spare a minute or two to check out the Obamas' baggage that seems to weigh on them like a heavy rock.