Bush taking it easy

There's an article in the Boston Globe today about George W. taking it surprisingly easy on the campaign trail lately; he doesn't seem to feel any urgency. The article speculates on reasons, but doesn't hit on the obvious one: Bush isn't bothering to make any effort to win the election because he knows he doesn't have to. The fix is in.

In the last day or two I saw a quote from Bush speaking privately (he thought) to his supporters; I thought it came from the "Without A Doubt" NYT article by Ron Suskind, but I haven't been able to find it there. Basically Bush told his followers "Don't be surprised if I look bad for a while in this campaign, until a few weeks before the election."

I wish I could find that quote...it really made it seem pretty clear that Bush knows that he can't lose, no matter what.

Of course, that could just be because he thinks he's been sent by God...but I don't think so.

Bush taking it easy

There's an article in the Boston Globe today about George W. taking it surprisingly easy on the campaign trail lately; he doesn't seem to feel any urgency. The article speculates on reasons, but doesn't hit on the obvious one: Bush isn't bothering to make any effort to win the election because he knows he doesn't have to. The fix is in.

In the last day or two I saw a quote from Bush speaking privately (he thought) to his supporters; I thought it came from the "Without A Doubt" NYT article by Ron Suskind, but I haven't been able to find it there. Basically Bush told his followers "Don't be surprised if I look bad for a while in this campaign, until a few weeks before the election."

I wish I could find that quote...it really made it seem pretty clear that Bush knows that he can't lose, no matter what.

Of course, that could just be because he thinks he's been sent by God...but I don't think so.

One thing...

Okay, I'm really not a sports guy. I'm pure geek, I swear. I'm only aware of the rudiments of modern sports because of my deep, long-standing ties to Boston. And I really don't care about sports, or hardly at all.

Hell, when I was young quite a few people thought I was gay, and my complete lack of interest in sports may have been part of the reason. Okay?

But all that said, I have to say that I'm surprised by a lot of the coverage of the Red Sox/Yankees game, and even by the comments of a lot of Yankees fans. I understand disappointment - I am a long-time Red Sox fan, after all, even though only in the most tenuous sense. And you can bet that I understand bitterness and anger.

But Lowe pitched a hell of a game with his tendon temporarily sewed into his skin. Anyone who can't respect that sort of guts has some serious issues.

Of course, I'll also admit that it seems like a really stupid thing to do, and I would never do it in a million years. Not for a baseball game, anyway, no matter how important. But that said, I'm amazed that more people aren't acknowledging that it took inhuman fortitude to pitch a winning major league baseball game under that sort of pain.

One thing...

Okay, I'm really not a sports guy. I'm pure geek, I swear. I'm only aware of the rudiments of modern sports because of my deep, long-standing ties to Boston. And I really don't care about sports, or hardly at all.

Hell, when I was young quite a few people thought I was gay, and my complete lack of interest in sports may have been part of the reason. Okay?

But all that said, I have to say that I'm surprised by a lot of the coverage of the Red Sox/Yankees game, and even by the comments of a lot of Yankees fans. I understand disappointment - I am a long-time Red Sox fan, after all, even though only in the most tenuous sense. And you can bet that I understand bitterness and anger.

But Lowe pitched a hell of a game with his tendon temporarily sewed into his skin. Anyone who can't respect that sort of guts has some serious issues.

Of course, I'll also admit that it seems like a really stupid thing to do, and I would never do it in a million years. Not for a baseball game, anyway, no matter how important. But that said, I'm amazed that more people aren't acknowledging that it took inhuman fortitude to pitch a winning major league baseball game under that sort of pain.

NPR bull^%@

As I was driving home last night I was listening to NPR. I actually kind of despise them - they're anything but liberal - but it's pretty much Hobson's Choice, since I don't care to listen to the crap that Clear Channel puts out on its ubiquitous "music" stations.

As they often do, the NPR whores were covering politics. A couple of things stuck in my mind. Or my craw.

One was a story about those goddamned undecided votors. The guest, a polling expert, said "According to polls, the thing that undecided votors dislike most about John Kerry is his flip-flopping."

Huh? Let me get this straight: Undecided voters dislike John Kerry because they think he's...not decisive enough?!?

These people need a serious boot to the head.

Mind you, I'm not even going to TALK about the mental qualifications of people who mindlessly swallow White House talking points.

The other thing that got to me was this. A reporter was doing a story about the standing of the USA in world opinion. She said that world opinion about the US had become "polarized".

Now, polarization means a movement towards two opposite positions. But as far as I know, world opinion has been moving in only ONE direction - against George W. Bush and, to a lesser extent, America (look for anti-US feeling to increase if we actually elect the bastard this time). If there are any countries out there that like us BETTER than they did four years ago, I haven't heard of them.

Chalk it up to the media's noxious habit of pretending to be impartial by insisting that there is no such thing as the truth, I guess.

Note to self: remember to program in the new Boston and Providence carriers of Air America Radio.

NPR bull^%@

As I was driving home last night I was listening to NPR. I actually kind of despise them - they're anything but liberal - but it's pretty much Hobson's Choice, since I don't care to listen to the crap that Clear Channel puts out on its ubiquitous "music" stations.

As they often do, the NPR whores were covering politics. A couple of things stuck in my mind. Or my craw.

One was a story about those goddamned undecided votors. The guest, a polling expert, said "According to polls, the thing that undecided votors dislike most about John Kerry is his flip-flopping."

Huh? Let me get this straight: Undecided voters dislike John Kerry because they think he's...not decisive enough?!?

These people need a serious boot to the head.

Mind you, I'm not even going to TALK about the mental qualifications of people who mindlessly swallow White House talking points.

The other thing that got to me was this. A reporter was doing a story about the standing of the USA in world opinion. She said that world opinion about the US had become "polarized".

Now, polarization means a movement towards two opposite positions. But as far as I know, world opinion has been moving in only ONE direction - against George W. Bush and, to a lesser extent, America (look for anti-US feeling to increase if we actually elect the bastard this time). If there are any countries out there that like us BETTER than they did four years ago, I haven't heard of them.

Chalk it up to the media's noxious habit of pretending to be impartial by insisting that there is no such thing as the truth, I guess.

Note to self: remember to program in the new Boston and Providence carriers of Air America Radio.

Okay, personal meme, yadda yadda

I saw this on unquietsoul5's journal (he got it from lubedpumpkin), and instantly thought: "That looks like fun. But I'd be insane to do it myself, because A) no one cares, and B) really, no one cares - and anyone who does either doesn't read this or already knows this stuff".

But I'm really bored, so I guess I've gone insane. :D

I've added a few additional questions.
( Read more... )

I can't believe I finished this.

Okay, personal meme, yadda yadda

I saw this on unquietsoul5's journal (he got it from lubedpumpkin), and instantly thought: "That looks like fun. But I'd be insane to do it myself, because A) no one cares, and B) really, no one cares - and anyone who does either doesn't read this or already knows this stuff".

But I'm really bored, so I guess I've gone insane. :D

I've added a few additional questions.
( Read more... )

I can't believe I finished this.