comment #1

spoiled says ...

Dowd is inhaling her own inner sulphur. A genuine skank.

comment #2

Gaydos says ...

Just saw a report that Bill WILL NOT attend Obama's acceptance speech.

Is Todd reading? Add that to the list of reasons the Clintons give me the creeps.

Even if it proves false, you get the vibe: power hungry weasels that will rip your flesh if you get in their way. FYI: Dowd has been an absolute poetess at capturing their inner Red Queeniness.

So just as Hillary triumphs, Bill steals the spotlight with a story about his whereabouts on the big night. I have a suggestion for Wild Bill's Thursday night plans: Give the guy a couple of hookers and a bag of blow and let him join John Entwhistle at the Big Orgy in the Sky.

We all need to move on and get the country back from the Republicans.

comment #3

spoiled says ...

So Dowd getting the hate from a peppery McCain guru is her poetic insight? And you want who to win?

comment #4

BurmaShave says ...

That was fast. Wells, I would point Hillary's question back at you- is this election about the future and what is best for this nation, or about hating her? Because right now you are being a bad Democrat. If you want to throw back you not a Democrat, you just support Obama, then this is even worse.

Also Dowd is so full of shit, this suits her narrative on modern women seething with hatred. And remember she was the one who was writing about Hillary hijacking his convention. Seriously, let the healing begin, and knock this shit off. You're playing into GOP hands, I promise you they are reveling in it.

comment #5

Walter Sobchak says ...

She spoke with Mike Murphy?! But, but he's one of THEM!

comment #6

spoiled says ...

Well, Republicans do know a lot about submerged hate.

comment #7

Mr. Gittes says ...

Have democrats forgot the narrative of the past eight years?

A narrative that includes: Rumsfeld, Cheney, Libby, Gonzales, Katrina, Iraq, Katrina, Gitmo, deficits, and on and on...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but has any of the featured speakers mentioned Dick Cheney once?

comment #8

moviesquad says ...

People are probably just bitter that this whole election/convention crap is interrupting what used to be useful blogs and news sources with a bunch of off-kilter cheerleading of the false promises made by the hollywood approved politician-of-the-moment.

comment #9

Gaydos says ...

This is tiring but moviesquad, what the eff does "hollywood approved politician of the moment" mean? Aren't there about 15 million votes across a few dozen state primary wins under his belt? Should I also mention the respected leaders from business and politics who have endorsed the guy as well as the measurable excitement around the world about his candidacy? Were the 200,000 folks in Berlin stage-managed by Spielberg? Please find a Rush worthy way to spin that stirring event into a showbiz associated negative. But be creative: I listen to rightwing radio and I think I have heard pretty much all of their best attempts already.

comment #10

Marty Melville says ...

Dowd's columns are almost inevitably about her rather than her subject (not that that's a bad thing... see most of Wells' posts), and this one is no different...

That "weird and jittery" vibe she's getting is simply the sound of her brain not being able to process what's going on around her into one conveniently snarky comment that would effectively bash Clinton, Obama, McCain and the pimply yet strangely attractive porter who dropped her luggage on the way up to her suite.

Odd because she had a terrifically clear-headed column regarding McCain just last week... maybe the mile high atmosphere is making her twice as dizzy.

comment #11

Walter Sobchak says ...

You're a liar, Gaydos. You don't listen to "right-wing radio" anymore than you watch Fox.

comment #12

Marty Melville says ...

"You're a liar, Gaydos. You don't listen to "right-wing radio"

Well, since you're here to cut and paste them, he doesn't really need to go to the trouble, right?

comment #13

Walter Sobchak says ...

I don't blame a liberal for not listening to "right-wing radio" (I find a lot of it awful, such as Savage, who's fake btw, and Kevin James), but it does get tiresome hearing them describe something they have no idea about.

For example, hate Rush all you want, but if all he did all day was scream at the top of his lungs about all the things he hates, nobody would listen to him.... It's almost as comical as hearing liberals talk about Fox News. Again, I have some of my own problems with Fox (their tabloidyness), but it's not how folks like y'all describe it, either.... that is, a bunch of talking heads staring at the camera saying "vote Republican!" all day long and/or Sean Hannity pretending to be a non-biased newscaster.

The hate is primarily on the Left... and that's a fact.

What ARE you all gonna do when Bush is gone? What will you all do with that vitriol?

comment #14

spoiled says ...

What ARE you all gonna do when Bush is gone? What will you all do with that vitriol?

Get Happy!

comment #15

Walter Sobchak says ...

For example.... look at all the HATE directed at people you once loved? Joe Lieberman, Bill and Hillary, Zell Miller (Bill Clinton's key-noter back in '92)

John McCain?

2004 mantra: "McCain's the only Republican I can tolerate because he's a maverick and he's funny chiding Bush on 'The Daily Show'"

2008 mantra" "McCain is the single worst piece of vile to ever walk this earth! They should've tortured him for ten years!"

comment #16

MilkMan says ...

I watched Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride tonight.

It's too bad there's no journalists out there like Hunter S. Thompson, Someone who could cover the elections from the point of view of an anarchist.

What an actor that guy was. It's no wonder he was surrounded by movie stars. Thompson created a mythological character. From scratch. On his own. He wrote his own lines and directed his own scenes. And then, when he got tired of playing that character, or was too afraid of not being able to play that character anymore, he left the stage.

Sean Penn had a lot to say about Thompson, saying it in his usual bruised barroom poet way.

What I don't understand about Penn though is that he hangs out with Thompson and Bukowski and talks about his love for Saroyan and William Kennedy and Hemingway and Shephard, and then, when it comes time for him to sit down and write, he produces nothing but pages and pages of sub-Springsteen melodramas.

So Penn likes to read that stuff, but he doesn't want to write that kind of stuff, because that stuff takes time, and Sean Penn doesn't have a lot of that, because he's too busy acting and drinking and surfing and fucking to really hunker down and grind out the nitty-gritty.

HUNTER THOMPSON: What are you doing?
MOTORCYCLE COP: Give me a kiss.
HUNTER THOMPSON: Good God, man, are you crazy?
MOTORCYCLE COP: It gets lonely out here sometimes.

Too bad David Foster Wallace doesn't take speed anymore. He could've been the one. Imagine a DFW piece on the Republican Convention.

comment #17

plastiqueelephant says ...

Walter Sobchak: I live in Australia where Kevin Rudd, our version of Obama beat John Howard, our version of Bush. What have we liberals done? Been happy, optimistic and proud of our government for the first time in a long, long time because often the vitriol was based on truly held positions rather than knee jerk partisanship. It's easy to attack people by making them defend their integrity rather than their issues. But it lowers the dialogue and political culture to a pretty bloody low denominator. Which I guess is only resort when one occupies hard-to-defend positions on the right.

comment #18

plastiqueelephant says ...

Walter Sobchak: I live in Australia where Kevin Rudd, our version of Obama beat John Howard, our version of Bush. What have we liberals done? Been happy, optimistic and proud of our government for the first time in a long, long time because often the vitriol was based on truly held positions rather than knee jerk partisanship. It's easy to attack people by making them defend their integrity rather than their issues. But it lowers the dialogue and political culture to a pretty bloody low denominator and rips everyone off by denying the chance for meaningful political dialogue.

comment #19

Walter Sobchak says ...

So long, suckers!

comment #20

swordandpen says ...

"The hate is primarily on the Left... and that's a fact."

This from someone who regularly posts here accusing those who don't agree with his political views of over-simplification and sweeping generalizations.

Yet, your posts have demonstrated what? That you have rational discussions or that you're as big a blowhard as the character whose name you appropriated.

Why don't you look at when this hateful atmosphere passing as discussion started? No, the divisive Bush presidency and the hateful rhetoric of the right had absolutely nothing to do with it. They're completely innocent. They weep at night on their pillows saying over and over again, "Why are those mean liberals picking on us? We only wanted to lower everyone's taxes and get rid of that baddie Saddam Hussein!"

If Obama wins, my bets are the usual right-wing loudmouths on the board will disappear for a month like they did after the 2006 elections. Then, you'll see how happy some of us will be when some people stop passing their personal resentments off as political insight around here.

comment #21

corey3rd says ...

speaking of journalists: When's Colin Powell speaking at the convention? William Krystal swore it was going to happen - where the hell is it? Man got paid fat dollars to file a bogus scoop. Here's my rumor: Mayor McCheese will be John McCain's VP pick.

comment #22

AuggieBenDoggie says ...

Even though I've voted democrat most of my life, this is why i've never registered as a democrat. The hatred in this thread and a few others is awesome.

You even have a poster here liking to see Bill Clinton die so as not to possibly trouble Obama's speech. Wow. You guys (democrats) just cannot stop eating your own even if it can cost an election.

Among the intellectual set it seems more and more as though the support for Obama is based more on a desire to atone for some historical wrongs and prove to the world that we are not the country where you can kill a man with blowtorches because of the color of his skin and get away with it, then it is about getting a Democrat into office and fixing the very deep problems this country has.

The philosophy of the Obama supporter seems to be that if you impede his progress in anyway, you are evil and/or a racist who must be silenced and stopped at all cost. Very democratic.

comment #23

Indeed says ...

AuggieBenDoggie: "The philosophy of the Obama supporter seems to be that if you impede his progress in anyway, you are evil and/or a racist who must be silenced and stopped at all cost. Very democratic."

Its sad how true that is. Ive mentioned something along those lines a few times before, which is why now (even though Ive never voted Republican) I'm branded a right-winger on these boards.

I guess common sense is bi-partisan these days.

comment #24

Dave Polands Gut says ...

How is Obama not W the 2?

two inexperienced guys with no credentials or accomplishments. two non military serving guys wanting to be commander in chief. two guys who have to take someone with 3 decades of experience on their ticket. two guys who cant give a straight answer.

seems like the left is trying to elect someone they spent 8 yrs bashing

comment #25

BurmaShave says ...

That's the simplistic reasoning that forces you to live inside David Poland.

comment #26

moviesquad says ...

Gaydos: Hollywood can also get about 15 million suckers to see even the worst movies, so I'm not too surprised that Obama has gotten that many votes. Just ask Wells about how many people Hollywood will con into seeing Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

comment #27

Yves says ...

Drama is conflict, and since all news shows except for those on PBS and CSpan are entertainment, you need drama to keep people interested.

comment #28

buckzollo says ...

Walter Walter Walter
You are as they say on MSNBC "post rational." FYI dickbags like Rush, Hannity, and O'Reilly pander and misinform their audiences. They present issues with a bias, often distort and even lie. Rush, especially, is an entertainer. They mos def put party ahead of country. If you want to listen to hypocritical blowhards enjoy, but don't try to sell me shit and tell me it is shinola.

comment #29

corey3rd says ...

Do you need to be reminded that George W Bush did serve in the military. Sure it was the National Guard, but that's still lacing up the combat boots. Since Obama didn't have deep pockets daddy, it wasn't a wise move to join the army with a Harvard college loan. Plus what was really going on when he'd be up for military action? Guy was still in law school when Desert Storm struck.

If anything, John McCain is the second version of George W Bush. he's a man who has coasted through much of his life using his legacy as a passkey. He should have been flunked out of Annapolis. He didn't make that much of an effort while there. He wast captured and spent time in a POW camp. but maybe if he had tried harder, he would have been flying a better mission. Or at least be on the real track to being like dad and Grandpa. Like W, McCain was the Boss' son. Finally he screwed his way into a rich and powerful family that could get him into D.C. He didn't have to battle too hard for his Congressional gigs in Arizona.

Barak doesn't mind arguing a point. he wants information - even from those who think he's wrong like Joe Biden. McCain is all about loyalty. He doesn't want to argue. He can't even answer a simple question about birth control and Viagra. he wants flunkees and not experts. he wants to be given the information that will support the view of the people he has determined will elect him.

But at least McCain knows how to bring down the atmosphere on Leno with his tales from the cellblock. His North Vietnamese captors swear they never tortured him.

comment #30

Three says ...

AuggieBenDoggie: "The philosophy of the Obama supporter seems to be that if you impede his progress in anyway, you are evil and/or a racist who must be silenced and stopped at all cost. Very democratic."

Here we go again - attacking another straw man. Question: Why is it that Republicans spend so much time attacking arguments that few people are making? Answer: because they have no response to the core arguments made by the opposition.

No, BenAuggie and Indeed, the majority of Obama supporters don't believe that "anyone who attacks Obama is a racist" - although there are certainly elements of the Republican party who are appealing to the closet-racists in the country.

No, their main problem with Republicans is the paucity of their ideas. Republicans appeal to the basest of our emotions: fear of those that are different, fear of change, a loathing of those who are educated and who speak with nuance, and a desire to reward those who inherited, rather than earned, their wealth.

So here comes a candidate who speaks clearly, who doesn't lower himself to the schoolyard taunts and childish branding of Republican simpletons. Someone who - unlike the Republican candidate - worked his way up on his own, without help from a rich benefactor. Someone smart enough to engage the details of policy.

And what do the Republicans do? Do they engage on the issues? No, they can't, so they appeal to the stupidest element of our society by promulgating hateful internet campaigns that Obama is a Muslim (as if there is something wrong with that), by trying to say that he is unpatriotic, blah blah.

So please, AuggieBenDoggie and Indeed, enough with this self-pitying victimization.

comment #31

swordandpen says ...

"Drama is conflict, and since all news shows except for those on PBS and CSpan are entertainment, you need drama to keep people interested."

Which is why when either side claims oppression or victimization due to the rhetoric, it is inane. Both parties play the game in presenting the shallowest arguments while appealing to the worst in people (although they do it to varying degrees). That's politics in the television age.

What I find funny is the self-victimization of the conservatives on this board, as if we all have short-term memories when they claim mostly "lefties" are full of hate. So the last 8 years of politics hasn't been exclusionary and close-minded as dictated by the Bush administration?

To paraphrase Kevin Spacey from "The Ref", let me buy you all wooden crosses so that the next time you feel victimized, you can climb up and nail yourself to it.

comment #32

AuggieBenDoggie says ...

To swordandpen: Here is the typical Obama supporters blather that proves the point; criticism = enemy. Where exactly did I say I was a republican?

comment #33

swordandpen says ...

Because my post really paints either party in such a positive light.

comment #34

swordandpen says ...

paints = portrays

comment #35

Indeed says ...

Three,

I would respond to your post point by point but considering it looks as life 100 Daily Kos members threw up in a bucket and splattered it all over the monitor Im not going to bother.

But I will say that by throwing around the words "simpletons," "loathing of those who are educated," and so forth while attempting to describe people who...at the end of the day...just dont agree with your method of how to get the country from point A to point B (because in reality, every citizen is looking for basically the same end result...they just want to take a different path to get there) it really just goes to show that youre no different than retards like Hannity or Coulter that say pretty much the same thing about Democrats.

Its also funny that someone like yourself will probably spend a good amount of time watching these conventions, studying debates, and reading transcripts of town hall meetings between now and November when you knew coming into this election (as you probably did in '00, '04, and will continue to do in the future) that you were going to vote for whoever had the (D) next to their name.

comment #36

Gaydos says ...

Walter Sobchak (sounds like a communist name to me) you ignorant slut:

Shall we go through what was talked about this week on Rush and O'Reilly? I listen so much I suggested a story to my paper about people leaving their Rush posts for O'Reilly who is making a big point this week about NOT being a Republican mouthpiece. My theory is that the unrelenting GOP echo and anti-Obama drone is driving listeners away. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm listening.

However, you wonderfully embody everything that Obama voters are against; ignorance, self-righteousness, pettiness, partisan tomfoolery, not to mention the kind of stupidity and corruption we assumed were only the hallmarks of tinhorn dictatorships, not America.

I'm trying to be polite here.

Never voted for the Clintons my poor malignant rightie friend and happily helping Obama Biden any way I can.

comment #37

Three says ...

Ah, Indeed rises to the bait, responding with the internet equivalent of, "I know you are but what am I?"

But there is a distinction between calling individuals who are terrified of those different than themselves "simpletons", and the right-wing's appeal to that very group. I am not making appeals ad bacculum or ad metum - the Republicans are. Contrary to your suggestion, I am not bothered that people disagree. What disturbs me is the manner in which these arguments are made - the absence of rational discourse in the Republican playbook.

And let me disabuse you of another erroneous assumption: because someone criticizes Republicans for appealing to peurile instincts of the uninformed does not make one a Democrat. It makes one a rational thinker. (FYI, I am registered independent).

comment #38

Movie Watcher says ...

Fox News has one hand in their pocket, and the other in the Republicans' pocket. And Walter and his ilk are there to watch it all.

comment #39

MovieBob says ...

Bill might not attend Obama's speech?

Bloody brilliant. I swear, I detest the Clinton's, but it's just stunning how good they are at this.

See, it's the same game they used in the primaries: She's the one actually running (in 2012, after they torpedo Obama) so she makes nice and gives unity speeches... while Bill makes like he's the "crazy" bitter one. That way, he gets to say and do whatever subtle (or not) Obama undercutting stuff they need him to and NONE of it falls on her, because "everybody knows" he's a jerk she can barely control. If anything, it just makes her PUMA supporters like her MORE: "Oh, that POOR woman... he keeps hurting her chances, I can so relate to that."

Hill-Dog's speech was 90% about her and the struggle of women, 8% about Obama and BARELY 2% about McCain or even Bush. It was the kickoff to her 2012 run, nothing more nothing less. Just you wait.

comment #40

snackyx says ...

"Do you need to be reminded that George W Bush did serve in the military. Sure it was the National Guard, but that's still lacing up the combat boots."

You are fucking kidding, right?

comment #41

MathewM says ...

The parts I watched were good. Since she's officially "out" for 2008 you can tell she's a lot less tense than during the primaries.

Regardless, while Democrats tend to deliver better speeches and have a better way with words than most Republicans they still go over board with them. Kucinich's speech is good example. He was great with the enthusiasm and the phrasing but what the hell was up with the constant "Wake UP America..." ad naseum. The prancing around on stage made him look like an idiot and he was pretty much preaching to a half empty choir. I got and related to about 50% of what he was saying but if he would of toned it back and instead of preaching to the converted opened up his phrasing it would of been more effective.

comment #42

Indeed says ...

Three,

You can call it "rising to the bait" if you want, but you did direct your response specifically to me.

Im not going to bother going into the second paragraph of your response considering its simply more generalizations and name calling...stuff this country can do without.

I too am a registered independent. Thanks for proving my point by (like many others on here) assuming Im a neo-con Fox News worshiper simply because I find it easy to point out how laughable many of the Obama supporters can be. It was also easy to shake my head in shame when Hillary Clinton, a woman who I wouldnt support yet apparently had the support of millions upon millions of American citizens, was constantly told at every turn to simply drop out of the race and hand it over to Obama. Trying to silence millions upon millions of citizens...its amazing how un-Democratic the Democrats can be.

But hey, thats just my opinion.

comment #43

spoiled says ...

"So please, AuggieBenDoggie and Indeed, enough with this self-pitying victimization."

Proving his point about rabid Obama supporters.

comment #44

Three says ...

Indeed, if you read my posts, you'll see that I never assumed that you were a right-wing simpletons or a Republican.

My criticism of you was for complaining that anyone who criticizes Obama is called a racist. That's simply untrue.

And you apparently do not appreciate the difference between "namecalling" and valid criticism.

comment #45

Mgmax says ...

At the risk of sounding like George Prager, honest to God, this is the worst thread ever on this site. Strangers insulting each other in the serenely idiotic confidence that their side is only just and noble, and the other side invented nastiness and low blows. Yeah right.

Wells, comments on this site were a failed experiment. It's regressed to the lowest common denominator. Time to say the hell with it.

comment #46

Mr. Buckles says ...

Milkman,

It's just not realistic to place man of action Sean Penn in the league of great writers. He seems to have a similar soul, but he's not a natural writer, he adapts craft for the screen - it's not an artform like the others practice.

That said, if you want to find someone in the spirit of Thompson, try Matt Taibbi. While he sometimes tries too hard, he still practices a scorched earth prose that is the byproduct of an intelligent adult being treated like a stupid, fucking kid - and we're talking real world stupid, practically brain dead. He has equal venom for both parties, he just doesn't believe in the system anymore or that we even tolerate it.

Check out his stuff for Rolling Stone and on smirkingchimp.com. Also, it must be said that his reporting from the Kerry campaign trail in '04 is especially inspired (chronicled in his book Spanking the Donkey) which depressed him so badly that he resorted to dropping acid and following the candidate around in a viking costume to try and get an interview - fucking priceless. It certainly echoes HST.

comment #47

spoiled says ...

"Wells, comments on this site were a failed experiment. It's regressed to the lowest common denominator."

The fish rots from the head down.

comment #48

frankbooth says ...

We'll miss you, Mgmax.

comment #49

dangovich says ...

Wells, comments on this site were a failed experiment. It's regressed to the lowest common denominator. Time to say the hell with it.

Communist!

comment #50

MilkMan says ...

Don't worry. Mgmax will be back. Posting comments on Ann Coulter's site is going to get boring once he realizes that no one is paying attention to him.