Strollerderby : mitt romney

Morning News - GOP Calls Sotomayor Racist

Brett Singer — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:00:00 GMT

The Republican/Conservative Hive Mind Coalition has decided how to attack Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor. What is it? Drum roll, please... She's a racist! This comment from Rush Limbaugh is... well, you decide: "Limbaugh called the president 'the greatest living example of a reverse racist,' and said that he has picked another for the Supreme Court vacancy of retiring Justice David Souter. Limbaugh later equated Sotomayor to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke." David Duke? Huh? The comment Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich and Hive Mind members are clinging to is one that Sotomayor made at a Duke Law School symposium in 2001: "a wise Latina woman would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

I haven't read much about Judge Sotomayor, but I think the GOP Hive Mind is grasping at straws by clinging to one quote that she made. How difficult would it be to review cases that were before her while she served as a judge, and to talk about those? I've said plenty of things that I wouldn't want thrown back at me if I were up for an important post. (Supreme Court seems unlikely since I don't have a law degree, but maybe I could be the head of the Department of Video Games and Comic Books.) Also, as a white man who grew up in the Bronx and worked for two years at a job where there were many Latina women, I can honestly say that a great many of them reached better conclusions than I did. So there.

Speaking of the GOP, Mitt Romney seems to think he's still running for President. He's mad at President Obama for the way he's handling our foreign policy. (Grrr... Mitt is angry... Grrrr...) I love how it's OK for people to criticize the President when said President is a Democrat. Remember how we were all supposed to support President Bush because we were a nation at war? That attacking the Commander-in-Chief of the United States could be damaging to troop morale, and make us look bad in the eyes of foreign leaders? I guess that doesn't matter anymore.

One more political item -- Dick Cheney (aside: if my name were "Richard" I wouldn't use "Dick" as my nickname) admitted that there was "no link" between Saddam Hussein and the September 11th attacks. But he still thinks we did the right thing by marching into Iraq. He, too, took issue with President Obama's policies. I'm not 100% positive about this, but didn't various Bush administration officials and the Republican/Conservative Hive Mind spend a lot of time and energy telling the public that Saddam Hussein was, in fact, involved in the September 11th attacks? If so, what is Cheney saying now -- sorry, my bad?

On to less important matters. Susan Boyle checked into the hospital after losing "Britain's Got Talent." She is said to be "suffering from exhaustion," which I think officially makes her a real celebrity, since I have never heard of anyone other than a celebrity checking into a hospital because they were tired. (I know, that's reductionist, and an over-simplification, and probably other words that basically mean the same thing as those two. Bear with me, I'm exhausted.) The funny thing about Susan Boyle? She didn't "lose." She came in second. She was a complete unknown and now she's famous enough to check into a hospital for exhaustion without being laughed at. She will certainly have some sort of career in the entertainment business if she wants to. How is that "losing"? A year from now, let's see who has had a better career -- Susan Boyle or the dance troupe Diversity. My money's on Boyle.

OK, one more serious thing: a federal judge has ruled that "Guantanamo evidence must be made public." This is "the unclassified evidence that it says justifies the continued imprisonment of more than 100 Guantanamo Bay prisoners." So, you know. So there.

Here's a headline you don't like to see: "Federal Reserve puzzled by yield curve steepening." It's one thing if I'm puzzled by financial matters facing our nation. But the Federal Reserve? They shouldn't be puzzled. They should know stuff. Lots of stuff.

Finally, something silly and utterly unimportant. Kathy Griffin says that Eminem walking out of the MTV Movie Awards was "a stunt." What happened? Sasha Baron Cohen, aka Bruno, stuck his heinie in the rapper's face.

Here's what happened:

And here's what Kathy Griffin thinks of it:

See? Now you know everything you need to know to start your day. Enjoy!

Image: Latina.com

Dad Charges Daughter With Grand Theft Auto

Morning News - Mike Tyson's Daughter Injured

13 Year Old Alfie Definitely Not A Dad

Morning News - Pirates Make a Mistake

Brett Singer — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

They might be terror on the high seas, but that doesn't make them smart. A group of pirates mistook a French military ship for a commercial vessel and attacked. (The CNN story actually uses the word "oops.") The French Navy captured 11 of the scalywags. Despite the fact that these stories are in no way amusing, I'm finding it difficult not to make bad pirate jokes. Avast, me hearties! That sort of thing. I know it's wrong but I'm still getting used to the idea of modern-day pirates. I'll get there eventually.

Amazon may release a new Kindle with a larger screen. This could be good news for newspapers who seem to be losing more money every single day. As Jeanne points out, they could also be used for textbooks. Would you read on a screen if it were big enough? I think the barrier is price. The current Kindle is priced at $359, which is much less than it used to be, but still kind of expensive for mainstream use.

The S&P 500 "jumped", moving into positive territory for the year. Not to be an eternal pessimist, but it's only May. Don't get me wrong. I'll take whatever positive news I can get about the stock market. But I think I'll keep the champagne on ice for a few more months, you know what I mean?

Speaking of money, President Obama wants to collect more tax revenue from money that is being kept in offshore accounts. I've never understood how this is legal. Don't you have to pay taxes where you earn the money, not where you keep it? And if a company does business in another country, but they're based in the United States, shouldn't they pay U.S. taxes? As you can see, I don't know the answer to these questions. Maybe the flat tax is a good idea. Wait, forget I said that.

Oh, the virus formerly known as swine flu? We're not scared anymore. But it could come back with a vengeance. But don't panic. Just keep washing your hands. A lot. Got that?

Take that, Apple! The Blackberry Curve is outselling the iPhone. Maybe. But the people with iPhones are sooo much cooler. Just ask them. (No offense meant if you have an iPhone and like or even love it. It's just that Apple fanatics can be fairly annoying, as this NSFW page deftly illustrates - click to read it, but I warned you.)

Remember Mitt Romney? Ran for President? Supported gay marriage until he didn't? He, sadly, does not seem to have gone away. He also gave a little dig to Sarah Palin, at least according to the Boston Globe. When asked about Sarah Palin being on Time Magazine's list of "The World’s Most Influential People", Romney said, "I think there are a lot more influential Republicans than that would suggest. But was that the issue on the most beautiful people or the most influential people? I'm not sure. If it's the most beautiful, I understand. We're not real cute." Which I suppose was meant to imply that Palin is getting by on her looks. Or something. The Globe points out that Romney, despite saying that he doesn't think of himself as "cute", "was on People magazine's list of 50 beautiful Americans in 2002." This is why I don't like him. He seems not to care at all if what he's saying is true. As a commenter at Boston.com puts it: "Multiple choice Mitt, pull his string and he'll tell you just what you want to hear."

And finally, something that I know we've all been very concerned about lately. Janet Jackson's breast. The Supreme Court told an appeals court to reconsider their ruling on "Nipplegate", meaning that CBS may have to pay a $550,000 fine after all. Well, thank goodness. I thought those criminals were going to get off scot-free. We cannot expose our children to such filth! Especially not during the Super Bowl. They need more time to show ads for beer and Viagra.

Image: Amazon

Morning News: Anti-Gay Church Lays Off Workers (After Spending Gobs on Prop 8)

Madeline Holler — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

It's the embarrassing twist of fate that makes this story so tragically comic.

Focus on the Family, the Colorado Springs-based evangelical Christian ministry and media empire, announced yesterday it would lay off more than 20 percent of its workforce due to financial difficulties. The conservative group, led by its founder and president James Dobson, is coming off a spending spree that pumped more than a half a million dollars in the California Proposition 8 campaign, a gay marriage ban.

Focus on the [very narrow definition of] Family also donated $83,000 worth of non-monetary support to get the ban passed. It was the seventh largest donor group in the nation. And now there are financial problems? Sweet Jesus, you have a sense of humor!

Speaking of Christians with a sense of humor, Mike Huckabee (remember him?) is still going after Mitt Romney in his recently released memoir/political manifesto "Do the Right Thing." Romney's spokesperson replies that Huckabee's digs are petty and beneath the former Arkansas governor.

Newt Gingrich told Bill O'Reilly he thinks all the protests against Prop 8 show "there is a gay and secular facism that wants to impose its will on the rest of us." Or have equal rights, but whatever.

Swedish health officials will no longer classify transvestitism, fetishism, fetishistic transvestism, sadomasochism, gender identity disorder in youth and multiple disorders of sexual preferences as diseases. Sweden, why always Sweden?

Is this a good time to transition to Bill Clinton? Anyway, he might pose a problem to Hillary getting a cabinet position. His non-profit and business dealings might pose a conflict of interest for the possible future secretary of state. It has been so hard to keep loving Bill.

More familial ties: Joe Biden might be gaming the system a bit in order to get his son appointed to his soon (but not too soon)-to-be-vacated Senate seat. Biden's apparently holding out until right before inauguration day, so that Delware's governor-elect can do what he's told and keep a Biden in Congress.

Or Biden's just being a family cave man. Researchers have found evidence of the importance of the nuclear family even way back in prehistoric times.

Are the Obama's getting close to making a school choice for the girls? Reports are they were at Georgetown Day School tossing the ball with their Secret Service agent.

A 16-year-old Japanese school girl might be the first female to play for the major leagues in that country. Apparently she's got a crazy good knuckleball. Ganbatte, Yoshida-san!

Finally, Lord help us! The atheists are organizing!

Morning News: The Second Thing Michelle Said After Obama's Historic Win

Mom Kicked Out of the PTA for Position on Prop 8

Prop. 8 Protests Spawn Hope and Great Photos

Pregnant With Palin

Photo: hellocolorado.com

Kids Shuffle Down the Campaign Trail

Madeline Holler — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:34:00 GMT

Besides a young Chelsea Clinton and Jimmy Carter's little girl Amy, the children of the presidents in my lifetime have been teens or much much older. So it's fun watching this year's campaign, as Political Nanny, as a voter, and especially now as a mother. I know how challenging it can be to take kids to the store -- what new version of hell must it be to drag them all over Iowa and beyond? Yet this election is just littered with little bitty kids! Miss Emma-Claire Edwards and Malia Obama, Hayden Thompson and Mitt Romney's son's son.

Sure, everyone's putting on a good face. And mercifully, reporters haven't run any footage of total meltdowns on the trail (politicians' kids melt down too, right?). It's all happiness and precocious repartee, sledding, eating, pressing the flesh.

So what do you think of this, taking young kids out of school to help daddy stump? Cruel? Selfish? Or opportunity of a lifetime for a two-year-old? What do you think it's like? Do they feel the losses? Stay up for returns? Watch their fathers crumble into a heap on a hotel bed and think people are being mean to him and making him lose? I imagine, from the child's perspective, it's a lot of sweaty adults with bad breath asking you the same questions at every stop.

However, I'm inclined to say that no matter how boring it must get for them, it's got to be better than not seeing mommy or daddy for days and weeks on end. I'm sure the quality face time is also lacking, but who am I to judge? I wave away my kids just to write emails.

In any case, time to say bye-bye to all your new friends in Iowa, young Dodd girls, because that state's history and Daddy's moving on.