CAN YOU FEEL THE THRILL RUNNING UP YOUR LEG?
July 22, 2008
John McCain’s campaign released this compilation video to show how “in love” the media is with Barack Obama. I suppose the video would be more effective if 90 percent of the clips weren’t of Chris Matthews — someone we’ve all determined by now is a complete and utter tool.
But I think the larger point is: the McCain people are acting like a bunch of whiners right now. And it’s sad.
They’re having to fight for attention because exactly no one is excited about the prospect of a McCain Administration and they’re bitter over it. They resent their situation; they resent the fact that McCain doesn’t attract ratings and can’t get it up even with the Republican base.
Well, MD has a message for the McCain campaign: “boo-fucking-hoo.“
OH IT’S TIME FOR SOME CAMPAIGNIN’
July 16, 2008
I can’t decide which visual I like best: the prissy, unicorn-riding Barack Obama or the swollen-faced, bikini chasing Bill Clinton; one thing’s for certain though — this video is the most we’ve seen of Hillary Clinton in weeks.
(JibJab)
Hours ago, while unleashing his most blistering attacks of this campaign, John McCain dropped the “c-word” when speaking about Barack Obama and the economy, in a move that is sure to create a political firestorm and prompt a great deal of backtracking by the presumptive Republican nominee.
During what appear to be prepared remarks for a town hall event in Denver, John McCain said the following:
MUSICAL DISTRACTION: REUNITED
June 27, 2008
To celebrate Hillary and Barack making sweet political love this afternoon, Meaningful Distraction is proud to bring you today’s Musical Distraction: Reunited, by Peaches and Herb.
With lyrics like this, can you think of a more appropriate song? Just substitute Hillary for Peaches and Obama for Herb and look what you get…
HERB Obama
I was a fool to ever leave your side
Me minus you is such a lonely ride
The breakup we had has made me lonesome and sad
I realize I love you ’cause I want you bad, hey, hey
PEACHES Hillary
I spent the ev’ning with the radio
Regret the moment that I let you go
Our quarrel was such a way of learnin’ so much
I know now that I love you ’cause I need your touch, hey, hey
CHORUS: BOTH
Reunited and it feels so good
Reunited ’cause we understood
There’s one perfect fit
And, sugar, this one is it
We both are so excited ’cause we’re reunited, hey, hey
JUST FEEL THE LOVE WASHING OVER YOU
June 27, 2008
Though you might not know it from reading MD today, other things did happen in the world besides little person sex and Lark and me looking for new jobs.
For example, a fairly symbolic event took place in little town called Unity, New Hampshire.
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton color coordinated and came together for their first (of many) big, public love-ins — designed to keep old, white, Democrat women from being seduced by the charms of an old, white, Republican man this November.
Halperin has some pleasant / awkward exchanges from the event which I’ve summarized below, and I’m sure that a few million videos of it will pop up in a few moments, so when they do we’ll be sure to post one of the better quality versions here on MD.
Obama:
“Today I could not be happier and more honored and more moved than to stand here as allies…”
“I’ve admired her as a leader, I’ve learned from her as a candidate — she rocks, that’s the point I’m trying to make — I’m proud to call her a friend.”
He mentioned the importance of both Hillary and Bill Clinton’s involvement in the party, saying “We need them.”
In the worst line of the event, after saying how much Hillary rocks, Obama thought to add: “I still don’t know how she does it in heels.” (wtf?)
He ended by saying: “Let’s get to work.”
Clinton:
“New Hampshire has a special place in my heart and I’m here today to ensure that come November New Hampshire will have a special place in Barack Obama’s heart as well.”
She said that they are creating an “unstoppable force” to bring about change.
Asked that NH put Obama in the White House and introduced Obama as “The next President of the United States.”
And, in probably the best line of the event, Clinton joked about their “spirited dialogue” during the nomination fight saying, “that’s the nicest way I could think to put it.”
About 6,000 people were gathered in the fields of a town with only 1,700 residents.
In a closed door meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Barack Obama reportedly admitted that he QUOTE “bit his tongue,” “many [...] many times during this campaign.”
Some have wondered if the Democrats went too far during their intra-party slug fest, with most claiming that it was Sen. Clinton (and her husband) who crossed the line over… and over… and over again.
All this shows is that Obama wanted to say a lot more but didn’t because it wouldn’t have been consistent with the “new politics” he’s calling for. That, and, he probably was — and to some extent still is — worried about women defecting to McCain.
One thing’s for certain: even though I was hyperventilating at times over Sen. Clinton’s remarks during the primary contest — I always recognized that she wanted to lace into him even deeper than she did, but pulled up — because the party elders would have come after her with the heat of a Nova if she went into the depths of Dem vs. Dem smear Hell.
She can play dirty, likes to play dirty, and never pledged not to. He can play dirty, doesn’t favor playing dirty, and to do so would run counter to principles his campaign was founded upon.
So in my mind, in spite of all her many impolite remarks, it’s still Sen. Clinton, not Obama, who deserves the 2008 Purple Heart for Exemplary Discretion in Political Combat.
Obama and Hillary will be campaigning all next week in a step towards party unity.
Democrats = Love!
NY MAG STARTS THE POSITIVE SWING BACK ON HILLARY
June 16, 2008
And so it begins. And thank goodness.
Now that Hill has dropped out of the race, the positive reports have started to come in and people have finally stated to use flattering images of her instead of finding the one in which she looks most wrinkled and haggard. She is no longer a threat and can only serve to help the Democratic party, so even Hill haters, should embrace this new outlook.
The mag states, “while she won’t be president, she has become something far more interesting.” In Hill’s own words, she has, “I believe that I’ve succeeded certainly in diminishing if not eliminating the commander-in-chief barrier for women candidates in the future.”
She goes on to say, “it’s much bigger than me. And women know that…The contrast between the outrage over anything concerning race compared to anything concerning gender was incredibly out of balance, I thought.”
HILLARY & SEXISM IN THE MEDIA: IT’S TIME TO FIGHT BACK!
June 13, 2008
Hill has been plagued by sexism throughtout her entire campaign and I am happy to say that women and her supporters are fighting back. Here on Meaningful we have posted “Media Hall of Shame” videos and are joining the voices (see related links below) calling for Obama and Hill to address sexism in a speech.*
*(Which according to Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who supported Hill and is now speaking for the Obama campaign, is unlikely to happen since Obama “already incorporates themes of discrimination as a societal problem into his speeches.”)
The majority of the media however, feels that these allegations are false and that they only arose once Hill has fallen behind. Basically-crying sexism is a way to scapegoat.
Well fuck that!
Meaningful Distraction has already strongly denounced Rep. Anthony Weiner’s proposal to allow more foreign models into this country to find work.
We feel that we have more than enough beautiful girls for that job right here; girls whose heart bleeds Red, White, and Blue.
But if you want to know why the NYC pol has recently become obsessed with re-populating our country with genetically flawless XX chromosomes, here’s the reason: Meet Ms. Huma Abedin, the Congressman’s new girlfriend.
THE CLINTON’S GANGSTA-STYLE HIT LIST
June 12, 2008
Hillary has stepped down graciously, but make no mistake — Her and Bill are pissed off!
Doug Band, chief gatekeeper to former President Bill Clinton, is responsible for keeping track of the couples friends and enemies.
“The Clinton’s get hundreds of requests for favors every week,” Terry McAuliffe, chairman of Mrs. Clinton’s presidential campaign, tells the NY Times. “Clearly, the people you’re going to do stuff for in the future are the people who have been there for you.”
Insiders have revealed that the people who have left the Clinton camp to jump on the BAM bandwagon are being referred to as “ingrate,” “traitor” or “enemy.”
[UPDATE: For more on this story, click here].
This one could just as easily be filed under “Your tax dollars at work,” but U.S. Congressman — and 2009 NYC mayoral candidate — Anthony Weiner recently introduced a bill in Congress to make it easier for models from foreign countries to come to America.
The problem arises from the limited number of “H1-B” work visas issued by the government to foreigners. These coveted all-access passes are typically reserved for people capable of performing “highly specialized” labor in the states. (Evidently, walking catwalks and whoring with Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t quite rate to the fine folk at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Though it may not appear as such, what Weiner’s proposing may lead to civil unrest, gender-warfare, and threatens to torpedo the Democrats’ chances of winning back the White House.
TPM has a fascinating bit of reporting about a religious experience in which Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal took part that can only be described as an exorcism.
Jindal, a devout Catholic, wrote about an instance back in 1996 where he and a group of college students tried to cast Satan out of the body of a woman named “Susan.” Set against a backdrop of chanting, the group appeared to be observing what was, in Jindal’s words, “a tremendous battle between the Susan we knew and loved and some strange evil force.”
Jindal further writes:
“The students [were] engaged in loud and desperate prayers while holding Susan with one hand. Kneeling on the ground, my friends were chanting, ‘Satan, I command you to leave this woman.’ Others exhorted all ‘demons to leave in the name of Christ.’ … Susan lashed out at the assembled students with verbal assaults.”
OBAMA’S VIZ MAKES GRAPHIC ARTISTS SWOON
June 8, 2008
This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, but since my first blog post (ever) was only last week I’ve yet to write about a field very near and dear to my heart: graphic design.
I was reading a news release from the Democratic National Convention Committee about the person Obama just installed to act as his go-between this summer, Matthew Nugen. In and of itself not all that newsworthy I suppose; certainly not as interesting as Obama’s decision to ban federal lobbyist and PAC money from going to the DNC — demonstrating party leadership consistent with his campaign’s principles.
But what caught my attention was the new DNCC logo. It’s pretty good, and not just as far as political ads go.
If you want to get a sense of how campaign artwork has evolved over the years, check out this awesome collection of U.S. presidential election logos, from 1960 to the present. It’s really a very cool repository — and it reminds you how many people ran for president that never even registered as a blip on the national radar.
Now, I have no idea whether one of the things Obama’s team insisted on — since he became the party’s standard bearer — was stepping up the quality of the Democratic Party’s design work, but this would not be hard to imagine, at all.
Obama has destroyed both Clinton and McCain in the area of campaign visuals. The latter two never had a chance in the begining and are only now (McCain anyway) trying to jack Obama’s syle.
Let’s take a look at some of the campaign 08 design work — with even more visuals, including some political art — after the jump.
HILLARY CLINTON CAMPAIGN SIGN AND WEBSITE
JOHN MCCAIN CAMPAIGN SIGN AND WEBSITE
BARACK OBAMA CAMPAIGN SIGN AND WEBSITE
This is pretty funny. Off the Bus has video of Obama and Hillary supporters trying to come together to work out their differences during a “unity pub crawl.”
The two camps planned to pre-game at separate bars then meet at midnight at a mutually agreed upon watering hole to make love.
Only, love wasn’t on tap that night. Watch them squabble like morons and drunkenly try to use campaign talking points to win the upper hand.
If you’ve never worked a campaign, this type of thing is standard between rival factions. But drunken fights just aren’t as cool when the topic is politics; people just sound kind of lonely and sad.
Evidently they looked for John McCain supporters that night but they were already in bed.
(via HuffPost’s Off the Bus)
“The wounds of sexism need to be the subject of a national discussion,” QUOTE, Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic Party.
Gloria Steinem, QUOTE, “advised that Mr. Obama deliver the same sort of ambitious speech about sex that he did on race.”
The campaign is said to be, QUOTE, “considering such an address.”
But wait:
QUOTE, “Many Clinton supporters say they will not be able to make their peace with the Obama nomination until they know Mrs. Clinton’s role on the ticket, in the campaign and in the party.”
In their minds, QUOTE, “It’s going to take more than a speech saying that Hillary has made great strides and that will help his children.”
I’ve argued earlier that in order for Obama to make a pitch to women about gender or sexism, ala what Dean and Steinem are talking about, he needs to make it with Sen. Clinton as part of a tag team unity tour. I mean physically with her. In the room. Holding hands if possible.
It’s about authenticity. On race he has it — hence the reception his race speech received. On gender she has it — thus any attempt by him to talk about sexism could backfire / be ruthlessly exploited unless she’s there holding his hand and making it alright.
And it wouldn’t be weakness on his part to ask her for help in this way, just the opposite. She’s these women’s champion. Hillary has to be there with him to speak about women’s struggles and sexism…and how in order to continue what Hillary started her supporters need to vote Obama, et cetera.
Because that Ol’ Rascal John McCain is going to make a play for the ladies this November — and — by hook or by crook, he may get him some.
(via NYT, photo: Todd Heisler, NYT)
HOT FOR MS. NOONAN
June 7, 2008
Peggy Noonan was head speechwriter for President Reagan. Her pen produced some of the most beautiful political addresses of the last century. Today she’s an author and columnist for the Wall Street Journal, where she’s written, in my view, one of the two best political columns this election.
She’s a Republican. But she’s an old-school Republican. Much classier, smarter, and less prone to blind partisanship.
Though I disagree with her politics, I’m hot for Peggy Noonan. And have been for a while.
[UPDATE: Damn. Dead Last? That can't be good. What about the all that YES WE CAN?... This Da'Tara creature ought to feel pretty good about herself right now, after all, she just killed Hope].
I just want to point out that the horse Obama picked to win the Kentucky Derby — Big Brown (no kidding) — is now poised to win the Triple Crown. I know virtually nothing about horse racing except that this is kind of a big deal. A quick Wiki search tells me that it’s been exactly 30 years since a thoroughbred named “Affirmed” took the Crown.
You may have heard that the horse Sen. Clinton backed — Eight Belles (the female horse) – tragically collapsed on the track and had to be euthanized (put to death) shortly thereafter. Seriously!
The horse John McCain was banking on came out of retirement to compete, and even then, nobody paid attention to him.
(Photo: Al Behrman, AP)
HILLARY: “YES WE CAN!”
June 7, 2008
Sen. Clinton suspended her campaign today with a gracious and resounding endorsement of Sen. Obama.
Overcoming an honest yet sensitive opening statement: “Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company,” she went on to give what I think was the most ambitious — and progressive — speech of her campaign.
She spoke warmly about her experiences on the campaign trail and what her candidacy has done for women across the country: galvanizing untold numbers, across generations, who came to see her as embodying their own life struggles to compete in a male dominated society.
When she pivoted to Obama she used clear and unambiguously supportive language, carefully crafted so as not to gush. When she borrowed his signature ”Yes We Can,” it sounded neither false nor forced, and it give me hope for her ability to help heal the party’s wounds.
I’ve said earlier that, in many ways I think Sen. Clinton’s actions in the months to come will be almost as important as Sen. Obama’s, if the Dems are to take back the White House.
The money line from her speech, rhetorically speaking, was: “Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it.”
Even the boos that were audible in the first half of her speech seemed muted towards the end. This, I hope, will be symbolic of what happens over the next 6 months: the Democratic ”family” being able to let go of grievances and hard feelings to realize the importance of not letting John McCain privatize our social security, abolish reproductive freedom, swell the national debt and turn the country’s back on the idea of affordable heath care for everyone.
Showing magnaniminty and restraint, people will look back on this speech and praise it more for what she did not say than what she did.
(Photo: Mark Wilson, Getty Images)
UPDATE: **Transcript and Video after the jump**
UPDATED: WE DON’T BELIEVE IN “JOHN McCLINTON VOTERS”
June 6, 2008
I noted the possibility of this earlier, but I’m increasingly coming to the opinion that this effort to draft “Hillary Clinton supporters for John McCain” is really the brainchild of some clever Republican operatives.
There’s no question that frustration abounds in many traditional Democratic circles. But not only does this smell fishy, it feels all too familiar.
THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY…
June 5, 2008
I’m digging his body language at the AIPAC event yesterday. Head down. Attentive. Deferential. We gotta use kid gloves to defuse this situation.
(Photo: Time Magazine)
PRAY FOR US DEMS
June 5, 2008
Just a quickie on this developing news that HRC will “suspend” her campaign on Saturday. For those that don’t know, for her to suspend her campaign is NOT the same thing as her formally withdrawing from the contest. Suspending her campaign means she will retain control over hundreds of delegates at the Democratic convention in Denver this summer, unless she releases them beforehand. Watch for this.
Now, smart people are working on an amicable solution. How to “handle” Hillary (and her faithful) is the $64 trillion dollar question of the moment.
One thing is certain: the absolute worst thing, for the party (and our nation), would be if Sen. Clinton’s supporters, paradigms of civility that many are, attempt a coup d’état on the convention floor.
I couldn’t put it any better than my esteemed colleague and favorite person in the world, Shadow Campaigner, did-Hillary stepping out now is a testament to her strength and grace.
When she began her campaign she symbolized establishment and is now exiting as the voice of the working people. Her transformation was astonishing and for someone often described as “cold,” she elicited true, deep felt emotions from people. Her wins were ecstatic, her failures spectacular and each high and low were felt by her suppoters with intense personal feeling that hasn’t existed in politics for decades.
I feel, as one of her staunch supporters, both a fierce sense of denial and an intimate sense of loss over her defeat. This is the first time I ever truly, whole-heartedly believed in a candidate, the first time in a long time I was inspired by a politician.
I’m just going to go ahead and fucking say it-I was backing her because she was a woman and I am not ashamed. I wanted her to win for my mother, my grandmother, for women who feel invisible because of their vagina, for the daughter I may never have and young girls I will never know.
SWEET CAR-O-LINE
June 4, 2008
(Artist: Stanley Tretick)
This was a savvy move. Tipping his hat to the Kennedy family while at the same time giving a high profile woman the job of picking a vice-president other than Sen. Clinton.
UPDATED: HILLARY TO WAVE GOODBYE ON SATURDAY
June 4, 2008
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
[Update: apparently the event was moved from Friday to allow more supporters to be in attendance; and she indeed appears to be "suspending" her campaign].
No doubt you’ll hear more from larkny on this subject, but my first reaction to the news that Sen. Clinton is retiring her campaign on Saturday is: it’s amazing — and a testiment to her strength — that she even carried on this long.
Despite my deep reservations about some of her tactics, her ability to get out there, make her case — and smile — day after day amidst a constant barrage of process questions and calls for her withdrawl evidences a level of determination that’s really quite remarkable.
