It’s no secret that this country’s news media swallowed a big fat stupid pill at some point in the past. But Christ almighty... I’ve about had it.  We must be at the point where "the press" is jumping the proverbial shark.  I’m an avowed news junkie... have been since I can remember.  But I don’t watch TV news much anymore.  I can’t stand it.  Why...? Because...

I don’t give a rat’s ass about Reverend Jeremiah Wright  ... or Reverend John Hagee, for that matter.  In fact, I don't give a rat's ass about a hell-of-a-lot of other things...

Republicans and McCain sure don’t have a lot to run on, do they?  

So what do they do?  They attack Barack Obama over comments Ed Schultz made at a fundraiser for the North Dakota Democratic-Non-Partisan League party.  Well, I was there... and the comment was just a throwaway line in a forgettable intro which was only filling time.  Take the jump to find out what was going on and why they really are in such a huff...

There’s one explanation about why Obama does better in so-called Red States rather than traditional Blue states that I haven’t heard that should actually be quite obvious.  Hillary has the inherit use and advantage of the 90s organization that was put together by the 92 and 96 campaigns by Bill.  He only focused on those few states that were deemed winnable and ignored all the others to the point that we Red State Democrats were left flapping in the wind by ourselves, abandoned by the National Party and left to fight on alone because it was thought Republicans will always rule the day out here.  So Hillary has a head-start over Obama where Bill has historical supporters and organization, and is far behind Obama where Bill never showed up in the 90s and where Hillary never intended to try this time around until it became apparent she should maybe pay attention.  

A lot of us rural Democrats have always thought this was and is a bullshit strategy... jump the fold to see an example of Obama's help taking place on Friday...

Former President Bill President goes on the March 4th Rush Limbaugh show the day of the Texas primary (Rush had a substitute anchor that day because he had conveniently felt the flu coming on the day before...yeah... right)... and they have the audacity to talk about Ken Starr tactics?  Limbaugh... who for 15 years now has ranted about the evil Clintons... actually had them on his show?   I’m sorry, but this is too much.  

I first saw this at Andrew Sullivan’s blog... and yes... Sullivan does have a major Hillary phobia that needs treatment that does him no service.  He had picked it up (the story...not the phobia) over at Talking Points Memo.

There's so much that could be said here... but

I came across this phenomenon a few years ago while looking for some information about what had happened on a specific day in the White House.  Called "A day in the life of President Bush" these posts on Free Republic go on and on adoringly.  I had assumed this blarney had come to an end... but then that was too much of a reality based assumption.

In short... these people have to be psychopaths... when you consider the ills this Administration has imposed upon our country and world.  The beginning of each day’s entry welcomes you with "enjoy your visit to sanity island" along with a picture of a beach scene including the token palm tree.

Those of us who hang out in cyberspace managed to raise about $14 million the last couple of days for Clinton & Obama.  That’s great.  The internet is going to free politics from the big money in the future.  Yes, they will still accept the big checks... but every $ received from us little guys actually buys their freedom.  And it’s great reading about these happenings.  And when you find someone doing an excellent job covering the progressive movement, we ought to be willing to ante up to keep it coming.  

Such is the coverage of Al Giordano aka the Field.    Al is heading back to his day job unless we ante up a few $ to keep his sharp eye covering the elections.  All you have to do is go to this page and click on the little green button up in the right hand corner which will direct you here.  It is so easy that I was able to ante up 25 bucks.  So it is time to pay up once again... those of us who have forsaken print media... for there is no free lunch!

I, like everyone else, am extremely frustrated by the inability of the Democratic majority to change the direction of this country.  And I am particularly frustrated at Senate Democrats for not illustrating clearly to the public the major reason for this impotence – the Republican minority in the Senate and their constant objecting (filibustering) of everything and anything.

The old cliché that "pictures are worth a 1,000 words" is quite true for the following chart.  It depicts the number of annual cloture votes that have been held each year from 1971-2007.  With one week left before the Senate breaks for Christmas, the Republicans will likely add to the mind-boggling 77 filibusters they have clocked up so far this year - almost double the 42 filibusters that took place last year.  You remember that year, when Republicans threatened to go "nuclear" because the Democratics weren't allowing an up or down vote and blocking the will of the Majority?  Well jump beyond the fold and take a look at what pikers the Democrats are when it comes to throwing sand in the gears of the Senate.  

As numerous posts today have noted, James Carville told the Democratic Party to raise the stakes by $5 million to help fuel the Cat5 storm zeroing in on the GOP... Charlie Cook said he'd make it $10 million:

Carville suggested that the Democratic Party should... fund... Democrats... in second- and third-tier districts--the next 30 to 50 Republican-held seats... Carville went as far as to suggest Democrats go to the bank and borrow $5 million. If I were them, I'd make it $10 million and put $500,000 each of these 20 districts.

If the Party does $5m... how about the Dailykos community matching that to get to Cook's $10 million? The passion I've read here these last three years tells me that most of us would gladly give $100 (or much more) to rescue our country (and the world) from the grips of the lunatic fringe now in control.  So if half the Kossacks gave a C-note - $20 to 5 candidates of your choice - we'd raise that $5m!  Imagine that.  Yes, when donkeys fly you say... but how about 10% of us doing just $10 each for 5 candidates?  $500,000 would certainly help.  And if we messed up and did $5M...

I'm livid.  I've had enough.  And I want to do something that I haven't done before - donate to candidates other than those who represent me.

But I don't want to piss my donation away.  I want to amplify it, so it has some chance of offsetting the $7.8 million shit storm coming our way from the NRCC.

So, who should we donate to?  Who will join me in sending $10, $25, $50, or whatever you can dig up to help out 5 or 10... or all 30 of our candidates running in the districts targeted on the NRCC hit list, listed below the fold? The List includes links to all 30 of the targeted Democratic Candidate's websites...

It's time to dig deep guys and gals.  Let's take our country back!

My email to the Today Show this morning:

First, Ann Coulter pollutes my morning cup of coffee... and now this morning, Bill O'Reilly.  

I choose not to watch such trash.  And such human garbage is beneath the standards of the Today Show, a reason I have tuned to it in the morning since I can remember.  But if the Today Show wants to court the Faux News viewer, i.e. the type that is enamored with the vitriol tossed about by the likes of Coulter and O'Reilly, then you obviously aren't interested in keeping as an audience someone like me.  In other words... if you continue to give nuts such as these a platform to shout at me in the morning, I will continue to switch the channel, as I have these two instances.

And you know what?  Good Morning America and Charlie Gibson weren't all that bad...

Being bombarded by the Faux News propaganda in airports, bars, etc. is bad enough... I'll be damned if I'll allow them to invade my home!