Early voting indeed!
Some new snapshots here.
If you donate monthly to support this blog and the radio show A. Thank you! B. There’s only a few days left in September! One time and monthly contributors are greatly appreciated. Click the “donate” button just under recent comments to your right. Help keep the conversation going!


Swing state – no idea which way it will turn.
Same here. I’m seeing an interesting pattern emerging with the yard signage– not many actual Mitt signs but tons for a local Repub candidate. If a large chunk of these households stick with the GOP to the top of the ticket, then Romney will win a very iffy part of Michigan that went blue last time.
red state with a blue governor, but has had blue governors in the past aka bill clinton!!!
Blue state with a red governor (Chris Christie.) May be closer than expected? If it is, Obama is toast.
Blue state with a blue guv.; aka, “Obama’s ATM.”
Doesn’t matter the fix is in. And in 2016 the 22nd Amendment will be gone.
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised, DE. After all, no one except “the one” can be trusted with all those awesome new powers.
you can count on that!
PA- Purple. R Gov. Philly still deep blue. Pittsburgh- blue. Scranton/Wilkes/Barre- blue State College and Erie- blue- the rest of the state is red.
We shall see which way the world turns when we get closer- the more hysterical the D’s get screaming it’s all over- the worse it is for O.
Speaking of polls, and now for an interesting history interlude: http://spectator.org/archives/2012/09/25/how-carter-beat-reagan/print
Hey, where’s the green button?
I’m predicting that VA will go red. Just a gut feeling. Supposedly Obama is up by a billion points but I’m not seeing that level of love. As a matter of fact, I’m seeing a decided lack of enthusiasm.
All that said, I have learned to never underestimate the choices a misinformed public will make. I was talking to a kid yesterday who hadn’t heard about the Benghazi cover-up (didn’t even realize I was talking about the assassination of Ambassador Stevens) and who didn’t know that Obama had, for all intents, endorsed blasphemy laws. There are a lot of uninformed people who will be voting, so anything’s possible.
BTW, John, just want you to know that you’ve become “can’t miss” radio at my house. You’re a great host and deserve a wide audience.
Thanks gxm17! I appreciate it. Doing what I can to push the show out there.
Here btw is an article by Neil Gabler on the journalistic “narrative” that sure as s–t will hit: R must now make a “rebound” to keep us tuning in to the MSM: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-gabler-romney-chances-media-20120927,0,3191534.story
yes, I predict MR will come back a bit in the standard polls we keep seeing. Then we’ll be told it’s swing back to Obi in the last week, but still to tight for anyone to be complacent. Another prediction: Some “horrible” revelation about MR is coming the weekend before election day. Timing is everything.
I don’t think we’ll have a terrible revelation about Romney in the last few weeks. He’s already allegedly murdered a woman with cancer, tortured a dog, and committed felony tax evasion. None of the above is true, but we’ve already gone there.
It’s kind of interesting, this is the time when campaigns usually try to lower expectations. It’s a political law, like gravity. You don’t want people to think you’re so awesome they don’t even have to bother to vote and you don’t want people to feel disappointed after watching your mediocre performance in debates. With the help of the media and the ObamaEgo, expectations have not been lowered, they’ve been raised.
Don’t forget, John, that two can play at the revelation game.
yes, Anonymous, revelation is the wrong word. I should have said some horrible ‘reveal’… as in another tape that makes him seem like a creep will somehow pop up…swiss bank stashes. something like that. NOT more he causes cancer stuff. I don’t think that works past august…the month when character defining takes place in our gamed system.
your mouth to God’s ears, Lola. Another campaign in which Obama avoids getting vetted is depressing.
I see why Tweety has been so insane lately. No one is watching him. He’s gotta get some PR!
CABLE NEWS RACE
SEPT. 27, 2012
FOXNEWS O’REILLY 2,841,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,511,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 2,185,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 2,080,000
FOXNEWS FIVE 1,960,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 1,857,000
CMDY DAILY SHOW 1,832,000
CMDY COLBERT 1,295,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,284,000
MSNBC SCHULTZ 1,235.000
MSNBC O’DONNELL 1,204,000
FOXNEWS FOX/FRIENDS 1,149,000
CNN PIERS 670,000
MSNBC MORNING JOE 552,000
CNN COOPER 477,000
it’s funny that the comedians have higher ratings than the other supposedly serious news after fox
haha!!! that’s how funny the rest of the news at the bottom have become.
If you already love Condell, this’ll be a treat. If you haven’t seen/heard him before, prepare to be instructed, heartened, and entertained.
this guy is so much fun to listen to it almost doesn’t matter what he says…which i often but not always agree with.
Also remind me to listen to this guy right before a show. Even if he’s a bit inflammatory even by my standards…his clarity is good for a radio dude to remember.
“… Even if he is a bit inflationmmatory even by my standards.”
JWS, say it ain’t so! Expound, please.
Well, NES, you don’t find him inflammatory? Maybe I’m misreading you. It’s his whole purpose, seems to me.
The ‘we don’t care about your feelings’ bit worked…. ’til he said ‘because ours are more important.’ Though I agreed with much of his rant, that’s when he crossed over to blowhard for me.
Funny that’s when he crossed over to blowhard for you, Jay, because that’s the crux of American thought process and feelings today. Including in comments on this blog. Although he’s more forthright about saying it, the “my feelings are more important than your feelings” belief runs throughout American viewpoint and discourse. It was never more obvious than in blog thread after thread during the 2008 Democratic Primary, and it hasn’t changed.
Right here, Anthony and run-dmc and some others, call me all kinds of names and lace comments about me with personal insults, then become offended -along with others on their behalf- if I respond with personal insults. Revealing they believe my feelings aren’t as important as theirs. I use myself as example but there are plenty of others, like the run-ins you and Tam have had with women here over feminism. What it reveals: freedom of speech is sacrosanct as long as you realize my feelings are more important than yours.
In the middle of discussion that’s gone on for days of spitting outrage over freedom of speech and everybody’s right to express it through YouTube, I post a YouTube video intended as humor and I get attacked six ways to Sunday for it. Now, nobody suggested I don’t have the right to post it, but then Obama never said the guy who posted the other YouTube, which was incendiary, not humor, didn’t have the right to.
This is a big flaw in today’s America for two reasons. First, the narcissism behind “my feelings are more important than yours” creates deeper divisions and resentments, and secondly because when feelings take center stage reason and facts are shunted off to the wings. Feelings as central focus belong in relationships with our lovers and friends. When feelings –especially the “mine are more important than yours” kind– take center stage in public discussion, about issues like politics and religion especially, we end up with cults and movements and wars. That’s not to say human beings can or should remove how the feel from discussion, it’s a matter of proportion and priority and the value a population places on feelings and truthiness versus facts and truth.
I love it! (the clip, not the Zaladrama)
This is America’s drama, and actually the world’s, Anonymous. It’s playing out in millions of mini dramas online and in tangible life in countless ways, like for instance what happened in that Mona Eltahawy video posted here. And as long as people continue to think it’s them over there, not me, not what I’m doing, not what I’m involved in, it continues to eat away. It’s only one part of the larger problem but it’s wide spread. I use myself and this blog as examples because it’s right here, we see it unfold, amplify and recede and return again (before dumb and dumber there was Mouse, before and after me there is someone else), and using present examples could make it easily understood by anybody here. Not saying it will, only that examples close to home sometimes make things easier to see.
“The ‘we don’t care about your feelings’ bit worked…. ’til he said ‘because ours are more important.’ Though I agreed with much of his rant, that’s when he crossed over to blowhard for me.”
Jay, I think the “because ours are more important” is meant to be a sarcastic turn-around swipe at Muslims always crying about their hurt sensibilities.
I do think he’s inflammatory, and well he should be in the face of the threat he’s talking about. But, he’s not “too inflammatory” given the context. In my view, he says what needs to be said on the Islamic threat to Western civilization and values. More people should say it.
Ah, get off your martyr soapbox, Zal.
Zal is such a pompeii ash.
Zal says – “Including in comments on this blog. Although he’s more forthright about saying it, the “my feelings are more important than your feelings” belief runs throughout American viewpoint and discourse.”
OMG – Zal is finally funny. He says the above seemingly with no trace of irony after claiming on another thread that he is constantly attacked because people hate that he is “always right” and then proceeds to whine about being supposedly personally insulted because he clearly feels that his feelings are paramount and he should be able to to say whatever stupid thing he wants without reaction. Now I admit – I did LOL at that. I rarely come across a less self-aware commenter on the blogs I frequent.
Of course, as we all know, he has the right to say or post whatever he wants – as long as the host allows him, or he posts on his own website. He doesn’t seem to understand, however, in that big brain of his that he doesn’t have the right to post something moronic and then NOT be called on it. Yeah – if you post something that manages to be not only stupid, unfunny but misogynistic all at once, you better expect to be “attacked six ways from Sunday.”
But, hey – if it took pointing out his idiocy in posting that to him to finally start to get through to him, witnessed by this whiny comment, then I say – Mission Accomplished.
I will say this to you directly, Zal. I’ve never once been offended by any of your insults to me – which indeed have been many. Just because I point out to the thread at large when you say something particularly off-base, that doesn’t indicate offense. You’d have to be FAR wittier for me to be offended by you. On the contrary, I find them humorous. Partly because you are so clearly not trying to be funny. And, partly because, when you are really on a roll, they are like some awesome gift of a completely surreal haiku with no connective logic.
Dang. I like this guy’s moxie.
But I’m perplexed by this whole “feelings” derailment. The terrorist attacks and the rioting have nothing to do with “feelings” and everything to do with theological fascism. It’s about control and oppression, intolerance and hate. “You don’t see the world the way I do so I’m going to kill you” has nothing to do with “taking offense.” It is a psychopathic expression of supreme self-absorption. Hurt feelings are when you don’t get invited to the sixth grade prom and go into a daylong sulk. Murderous violence is when you go on an arson and killing spree because someone half the world away doesn’t believe in your god. The two have absolutely nothing in common.
“The future does not belong to those who would slander the prophet.”
That has got to be one of the most stunning remarks I have ever heard from an American president.. Especially on the heels of the events of the last two weeks.
The traitor and liar Susan Rice skipped Bibi’s speech but sat politely through the bearded moron’s.
The msm pretended none of the above happened..
No wonder provocateurs are ranting, damn, I miss Christopher Hitchens..
Oh, yes – I miss the Hitch too. Sometimes he enraged me, but only because his arguments supporting positions I disagreed with were so breathtakingly eloquent – the bastard. Most often, he delighted me. He was the kind of writer whose words you savored like a rare perfect wine. He never disappointed.
“That has got to be one of the most stunning remarks I have ever heard from an American president.”
Yes! And I’m really quite rattled by it to the point that I’m contemplating voting for Romney. I’ve always thought that Obama was a misogynist, unprincipled asshat. Now I think he’s a very, very dangerous, misogynist, unprincipled asshat who really needs to be voted out of office, pronto.
What Sophie said!
“The future does not belong to those who would slander the prophet.”
Actually what Obama said was worse: “The future must not belong to….”. “Must” implies an imperative — a directive to make sure something does happen. A seemingly subtle difference, but significant.
Does Obama’s statement sound even remotely like anything an actual American would say?
Speaking of the Twilight Zone, we have two more jobs reports to release, three presidential debates to hold, and a Republican money bomb to be dropped..
I also love Zal equating the “zaladrama” to “America’s drama.” Nay – “the world’s drama.” He reminds me of an odd neighbor we used to have who would tell us we couldn’t walk our dog in front of his house in case it peed on the sidewalk because he was an “internationally important man.” I’m still laughing at the memory.
We, of course, used to refer to said neighbor as “internationally known, known on the microphone.”
Nes,
He seems to go too hard on Islam in general. That’s my beef – it makes me uncomfortable.
And I’ve no problem with discomfort – i think it often adds if one allows it in. His presentation is precise and I appreciate that – can watch and learn. I do agree with a lot of what he says too. I feel like I’m getting wound up to say “Yeah! Islam is bad!” in the clip instead of certain freaks are bad and need to grow up. That’s it, really. Not a huge problem. His line in the sand is not my line in the sand…
If there is one unifying theme shared by Muslims it is their intractable anti Semitism. It seems that Allah overlooked the Golden Rule when he created his messy, contradictory amalgam of Christianity and Judaism. A little discomfort with that might be justifiable.
yeah conner…i’d only say that anti Semitism is the fall back of many. Read the comments at zero hedge or prison planet some time. If the post has anything to do with iran or israel they go into full on ‘evil jew’ mode. There are traditions in Islam that are quite moderate. But I must say the moderates are sure good at keeping their mouths shut lately. Very disturbing.
What I love about the guy above is his willingness to just say “Get over it. We’re not changing our values because you get your feelings hurt.”
John’s right, conner.
I’m sure, like me, you remember the humorist singer Lehrer putting it succinctly in his song National Brotherhood Week in the 1960s:
As they say, it’s funny because it’s true.
Whether it’s Jews or Muslims or the child of an over-punishing parent, one of the worst things about being persecuted is you start to feel persecuted, and human nature responds badly to feeling persecuted. Historically, Jews have struggled with that of course, both persecution and then fallout from their response to feeling persecuted. African Americans and women and gays in America have struggled with it in their ways. And of course some individuals in every society are more persecuted than others. It could be argued that Jews dealt with it most productively by focusing their own on education and financial success, but human nature being what it is, those who would persecute Jews didn’t respect Jews for that, they only became angrier and more resentful of Jews for their successes, mocking them, warring with them, murdering them. In today’s world, Muslims feel the sting of persecution but, again, human nature being what it is, that experience doesn’t compel them to be more understanding of Jews, but even more resentful.
Well, the Yanks hate the Ruskies
And the Greeks hate the Turks
I really hate to say it
But they’re all a bunch of jerks.
“In today’s world, Muslims feel the sting of persecution….”
Zal, what persecution are you referring to? In most countries where Muslims ‘act up,’ they’re an overwhelming majority (who, incidentally, has scant care for the rights of religious minorities).
Understood, JWS. Appreciate the explanation.
I think it’s easier to understand the roots and rawness of Condell’s frustration and his “line in the sand” if one puts him in the context of where he lives. The USA has not seen even 2% of what a full-scale muslim cultural invasion looks like (and has proven to be in the UK and Western Europe)– but, you can get a sense of it if you follow UK and European politics. And, unfortunately, it’s not just the extremists or “certain freaks” — it’s entire communities of Muslims.
Is Islam an inherently bad religion? Not entirely, I suppose…but it does have much less to recommend it than modern versions of Christianity and Judaism. Is Islam inimical to the wellbeing of modern nation states? Yes, absolutely. It preaches a repressive totalitarian viewpoint, law, society, and governing structure. I continue to think it’s because Islam purports to be the absolute word of god, and, as such, is not subject to liberalization, modernization, or substantial interpretation. Submission is its diktat (in fact, that’s what Islam means – “submission”).
I didn’t say they are being persecuted, I said they feel the sting of persecution.
What am I referring to? The way many Muslims have felt since 9/11.
And in countries like France and the UK, it’s no secret the “natives” of those countries are as pleased about Muslim presence as the Jets were about the Sharks.
I like Zal’s comments a lot. I don’t see any evidence that he’s an Obot at all. He’s very clear that both candidates are equally loathesome.
He’s a drama queen which can be a real drag.
I second that.
Zaladonis is making sense.
I bet there won’t be any more dramatics with Lola, though.
I think both LonelyLiberal and Anoymous are correct.
Zal roolz, his critics drool.
Hey look. A Zbot!
Zbot.
The new Tofu.
Turns into anything nearby that agrees with it
I like it when droolers drool on command as you two dogs just did. Fetch, Fidoes, fetch!
You seem to be the expert on drooling… “Zal roolz!” You were drooling all over him.
Shorter Anonymous:
Do you know what “drool over” means, fanboy?
Why don’t you go troll one of the Web’s many fap sites and leave us adults alone?
“Zal roolz, his critics drool” is something an adult would say?
Yes, when he’s talking to a pair of three-year olds
It’s something a nerd would say who’s trying to be cool.
No one who’s trying to be cool would be posting on a political blog to begin with. If you weren’t so damn dumb you’d already know that.
I was agreeing with LonelyLiberal.
Late to the party as usual. I appreciate Zal’s comments. He is one of the most thoughtful commenters on here, IMHO.
Thank you LonelyLiberal, Sweet Sue and Senneth.
I haven’t read any of the comments about me after NES’s soapbox dig, mostly because I do realize the back and forth gets tiresome and I have a hard time not responding to insults (not one of my finer qualities!).
But I want to say I appreciate your kindnesses.
The battles between Muslims and Jews go back thousands of years, the difference is that they both now have nuclear weapons.. We must bear in mind that Islam isn’t too keen on the rest of us either, so a little collateral damage to the infidels would be simply an excuse for more celebration, ask a Coptic Christian about that..
Our president is behaving naively and stupidly, which is nothing new for him, but the rest of us may pay the price, for our gov’t's obtuseness. Some of us already have.
Condell rants against all religions,this is just the Muslim rant…yet he says he loves Christmas..go figure.
“Condell rants against all religions,this is just the Muslim rant…yet he says he loves Christmas..go figure.”
No wonder I liked him.
As an atheist, I enjoy the winter holidays. I don’t see anything odd about that. I even have a wall filled with Christian icons in a very prominent spot in my house. I love religious symbols, not for what they say about god, but for what they say about humanity.
The christians stole the winterfest from the pagans — we’re stealin’ it back.
Can’t say it better than gxm and Tamer on this score.
It’s interesting that this blog attracts so many atheists. That’s all. Just… interesting.
In most situations, it’s not prudent for an atheist to come out.
I work in advertising. I think I hit on a good campaign that takes Obama’s “strength” and uses it against him. I’ve got other executions. If you like, let me know how to spread it. I’ll send you jpg if you’d like to use it on your site or help me spread it too.
http://s1294.photobucket.com/albums/b602/politicalads/
Maybe people just feel free to be who they are here.
above response to Jay…
NES at 5:37 PM,
Great comment!!!!