A young man I’ve known since he was a tyke turns 18 today.
His mother, a person I’ve known since she was an adult, is throwing him a birthday party tonight. Much as I love politics and big event days like today , I’d sooner be stranded in a small car with Bill Maher, Al Sharpton and a vat of sauerkraut…in Death Valley…in July… than miss Max’s wingding. My comments on Super Tuesday results, if I have any, will come later. But if you’re of a mind feel free to comment on results as they come in.
Soft prediction: Romney wins Ohio, Virginia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Vermont and Tennessee. Gingrich wins Georgia. Santorum wins Oklahoma and North Dakota. Paul wins Alaska.
JWS — Happy B’day to the young man. 18th is a major marker — one crosses the Rubicon on childhood.
Not anymore, NES. Now they cross it once they leave home and don’t return. From what I’ve seen with my friends, who are losing chunks of their retirement savings daily, that could be as old as 30 or more.
Newtie wins GA; not a surprise.
Santorum wins TN; not a complete surprise, but NOT good news for the rest of us.
Romney wins VA and VT; no big surprise there.
More later….
Romney wins MA; not surprising.
Santorum wins OK; not surprising.
OH is too close to call.
ID and Alaska not in.
ND went for Santorum, handily.
Santorum seems to be opening up a lead over Romney in OH….UGH. Still too close to call with only ~ 28% reporting. (If Santorum wins OH, he’s going to be effin’ insufferable.)
Romney’s running away with it in Idaho. Big whoop….
OH is a real nail-bitter. C’mon Ohians — don’t go to the Sanitorium!
Today I was at the dentist. He’s a HUGE obot and fortunately a really good dentist. So he says to me:
“All this talk about integrity is just making my head explode. I can’t stand it anymore. You’ve got a bloated old man who is into three-somes, another who wants to send women back to the 17th century, and another who has an off-shore bank account and won’t open his tax records to scrutiny!”
So I said. “And they want to run against a president who won’t open his records to the public, supports sending guns that are being used against our own border patrol, to Mexico, and thinks killing anyone he wants without seeking judicial review is just fine.”
I waited until he was done in my mouth before I said it. I have a strong sense of self preservation.
That was brave anyway. What if you have to go back?
John, I think its really sweet of you to go celebrate that young mans 18th. You’re a good hearted soul.
Good hearted sure…sometimes… But I was a guest at a kick ass Brazilian place in Glendale (his father is from Rio) – I’m so in for that. Eat veg about 90% of the time now… not tonight. The food was amazing…Though there are only so many versions of The Girl From Ipanema one needs to hear at one sitting..
Also they are the nicest people. And he’s a delightful young man. AND realized before I left that it was gonna a be a somewhat dull night on the election front.
Well, I’m glad you had fun! We’ve eaten at few Brazilian restaurants that we liked. As far as Girl From Ipanema, I prefer the original bossa nova version with Jobim playing guitar & Astrud Gilberto singing.
oops, meant to say “A few Brazilian restaurants” not “few”. (few sounds like we’ve eaten at lots & didn’t like them) We liked them all, great food, music, party atmosphere. Funny how one letter changes the meaning of a sentence.
Can’t get eno’ of Ipanema sung by Gilberto or Bebel.
Ohio was called for Romney.
Looks like Kaptur beat Kucinich. I think that’s a good thing. I like her.
wild about Kucinich. He’s thinking of moving to Washington State?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/kucinich-faces-uphill-battle-for-redistricted-seat/2012/03/05/gIQA6MFrvR_story.html
Glad Kucinich is out. He’s such a fake “hero” of the left. All talk and no spine.
My predictions from above: So far I’m 8 for 9. Called Tenn wrong. Alaska has yet to report.
Interesting that the majority of Catholics and women supported Romney in Ohio and even Ga. This proves my point, that moderate people of any religion or none at all, are not focused on social issues.. I still think the sane majority just wants to keep the focus on the economy, gas, and why we are constantly at war. Since we all live on the same planet, is it not possible that some Indies and even Dems have similar concerns ? Addressing these concerns is exactly what O is desperate to avoid.
Most people have similar concerns but that gets pushed aside in favor of acting out turf wars or personality conflicts.
Look at the fights that break out here despite the fact that most people here would agree about top concerns.
What’s happening with Rush Limbaugh right now is a prime example. As that piece NES posted chronicled very well, several lefty commentators have said disparaging things about women in the past few years (including calling Gerry Ferraro and Hillary “fucking whores” and I think someone called Sarah Palin a c**t) and those on the left have barely said “boo” about it, but they’re trying to ruin Limbaugh and supposedly it’s all about misogyny. Well it’s not about misogyny, if it were the same people would’ve gone after Matthews and Maher and Schultz et al; it’s about other anger being projected onto this event.
If a candidate’s successful enough at what I’ve described Obama (and candidates like Reagan and Dubya, along with their Atwaters, Roves and Axelrods, do), people will vote against their biggest concerns and best interests. Another good example is the fact that so many working class people voted for Bush against Gore.
Sometimes it feels as if the majority has gone down the rabbit hole, and Jerry Springer is waiting at the bottom of it.
As to the fights that break out here, I understand that all too well, especially among the elderly. There is a certain type of oldster who identifies with what they see as feminist or progressive ideals, no matter how irrelevant or unlikely the issue. It makes them feel young and hip, and they hope, an object of their grandchildren’s admiration.. They may be trying to make up for a lack of interest during the times when basic issues were actually on the table, and when they meant something.
Mostly, I suspect, they stem from a place of anger and disappointment, neither one of which is greeted warmly at family picnics.
Not saying that many social issues don’t still need and warrant attention, some desperately so. But in the bigger picture, they won’t matter a jot, if we are living in a ruined and un-free country, and a dangerous world.
I do speak from experience, almost always, the one of many advantages of the golden years. My first marriage crashed on the rocks of my involvement in the feminist movement, I have never, ever regretted that choice. Being lectured on what women’s and progressive movements have devolved to, is therefore, somewhat galling, but I know my principles haven’t changed, the movements have .
This is a point you make repeatedly and it’s spot on.
I think the reason it gets dismissed by so many is either they don’t understand the depth of trouble we’re heading into or their thought process is missing a sense of proportion.
And that’s more evidence of what I described. If the true issue being discussed is feminism then the experience of a feminist who’s been around for decades is valuable, but if turf wars and personality conflicts are the real driving factors in a dispute then actual experience of a life long feminist is meaningless because it’s besides the real point.
sophie, I believe you have expressed your opinion on this ad nauseam.
Give it a rest.
sophie: it seems like you’re implying — and please correct me if I’m wrong (because I don’t want to pick a false issue — that feminism has achieved its goals. I used to think that too — but only before Hillary’s run and the clear evidence of the forces of misogyny that aligned against her. That opened my eyes, and then some. Once my eyes were opened, there was no question but that I would vote for, contribute to, and otherwise zealously support her (notwithstanding the fact that, politically, she and I probably agree on less than 30% of the issues). Barack Obama encouraged, engendered and rode the crest of the sexism wave (both among Dem voters and the media). I think it’s indisputable that, but for Obama’s run, Hillary would be President today. (As JWS has sagely pointed out, ’08 was a Dem year and anyone with a D after her/his name would’ve beaten McCain in ’08.) So, if you agree with me that Hillary’s failure to get the WH was the product of deep and broad sexism, then, a fortiorari, you must agree that feminism has a long way to go before it can fold its tent.
Why do I place so much emphasis on the need for a US woman president? Because everyone — nationally and internationally — places a lot of emphasis on the US presidency. Until we get that prize, the movement is not over. (Mind you, it probably won’t be over even after that, but the shattering of that glass ceiling will be monumental, and will cause a ‘sea change’ in the way women are viewed and treated.)
P J..That is good advice, but other’s opinions get expressed ad nauseum too, often at my expense. I think we all agree on the basics, however, and I will do my best to move on. I regret losing my sense of humor here..But I have been so mis-characterized, over-analyzed and personally attacked, it is hard to keep my funny bone active.
Not complaining, because the site is unique, and many of the posters are so well informed, a few left hooks won’t kill me.
You’re breaking my heart here, Sophie.
NES..You are correct, there are still bridges to cross and hills to climb. Hillary’s campaign is water under the bridge at this point, is it not ?O was a wholly created golem, contrived by the media,and the Chicago Sydicate. I wish Hill had not been cowed by the R card, but almost any candidate would have been. It was a lose/lose standoff.
When the Women’s movement started, it was about power, freedom and equality of opportunity.It wasn’t about freebies and wanting More than men had… . No one, to my knowledge, expected a third party to cover the fare on the Equality bus, most of our generation did not come from that school of thought, our greatest generation parents did not raise us to be ‘takers,’ any more than they were.
Now I look at some of our feminine political peers, and they are just as corrupt, maybe more so, than the men, Boxer, Feinstein, Pelosi,Jackson-Lee, are not what we imagined as role models.Not even close
.
Women are still under-represented in Engineering and the Sciences,along with some medical specialties, and while that is changing, I know of no restrictions on them to apply for those fields. That is just one example of an area where women have not seized the moment, so to speak. .
My concern is that none of this matters much if we do not have at least, a somewhat more stable and free country, and that should be the focus right now.
“Hillary’s campaign is water under the bridge at this point, is it not ?”
– Not for me it isn’t. Shouldn’t be for any woman, really.
“My concern is that none of this matters much if we do not have at least, a somewhat more stable and free country, and that should be the focus right now.”
– Surely we can focus on two things at once.
are people watching the Breitbart Obama tape story today? I saw the bit linked on Drudge and it’s the opposite of inflammatory as far as I can tell. He introduces some Prof. and says some nice things about him. The end. I guess a bunch more is coming out on Hannity tonight and they claim the clip is edited. But now I wonder if – in the right wing echo chamber land – an innocuous tape is somehow seen as radical…in their world a college student and a Prof. no one cares about can be turned into a big deal…but only in their heads. I guess we’ll find out later. But unless it’s Obama talking about a secret plan to take over the government or something it won’t matter. If it’s just a left leaning future POTUS talking about lean leaning ideas and a left leaning college professor. yawn. it will only be compelling to the World Net Daily crew.
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/03/07/Buzzfeeds%20Selectively%20Edited
I haven’t seen any of it but even if Obama got up there and talked about taking over the world it wouldn’t matter.
Bush/Cheney/et al showed how that stuff plays with their New American Century.
In the politics of personality it doesn’t matter. And, as history shows, that’s damned dangerous.
U may be right Zal. We’ll see when the full tape is revealed. I do think there is some content that could change outcomes or votes. It would have to be extraordinary – not a 20 something guy in college being a lefty…which is what millions of 20 something college guys are.
I’ve yet to see anything from Breitbart that stood up to scrutiny which is why I suspect this tape will not mean much. Counter to that though – it is interesting that the Obama camp chose this day to release a 17 min. doco on their man. it’s almost as if they are scared… the obama “counter programming” has been steady and not very subtle.
Interesting. Any idea what the content might be?
I haven’t followed the story at all.
You’re right, JWS. As I tweeted today and recently, it’s a big YAWN.
I haven no idea what is in THIS tape. I meant there are things in the world that could hurt even the most protected candidate. I doubt seriously they have anything that approaches this level.
Short of video of Obama in flagrante delicto with little boys or girls, I say he’ll still be President this time next year.
The kinds of smarmy things Obama does aren’t going to hurt him in today’s smarmy culture.
NES.. One of the signs of intelligence is the ability to hold 2 Opposing thoughts at one time..! When just survival is uppermost in people’s minds, the support for sideshow
issues is simply not there..And yes, I think we are long overdue for a woman President, and I still think it should be Hillary.providing she can get the smell from Obama’s cigs out of her clothes. And p.s. if it’s Your issue or Mine, it’s not a sideshow, I know that..
If anything, the OWS movement should have been a very big deal, it is current, it is tangible and it could have been a force for change, but it went from having terrible spokespeople to sheltering criminals, and threatening public health and safety…This is not the way to win the culture wars.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghan-president-endorses-clerics-strict-code-of-conduct-for-women-worrying-activists/2012/03/06/gIQAxljsuR_story.html?wprss=rss_linkset
I hope Hamid Karzai’s wife beats him, regularly.