Home > Jay Bookman > Archives > 2008 > December > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USConservatives should spare us their pity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Jacoby, a conservative columnist for the Boston Globe, asks a question that a lot of other folks on the right have asked as well:
“Can you hear the grumbling over in what Howard Dean used to call “the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party” over Barack Obama’s personnel decisions?
No Jeff, to tell you the truth, I can’t.
In its insistence that the left is angry at Obama, the Republican elephant has become a veritable Horton of Dr. Seuss fame, hearing tiny little sounds from tiny little people that no one else can hear. Yes, there have isolated squawks from isolated people about isolated decisions, but for the most part Obama’s supporters seem to be quite pleased with their man.
Obama ran on competence and moderation. He is now stressing competence and moderation as he puts his administration together. The only people who should be surprised are those who ran around like so many Chicken Littles, warning that Obama was a Muslim/Marxist/Black Panther in disguise.
You know, people like Jeff Jacoby.
During the campaign, he warned that Obama’s association with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright “raises doubts about Obama’s character and judgment, and about his fitness for the role of race-transcending healer.” He questioned whether Obama’s occasional brushes with Bill Ayers demonstrates “Obama’s idea of “respectable” and “mainstream” political thinking?” And if so, “doesn’t that tell us something about his judgment and standards?” He also wrote that Michelle Obama’s patriotism was fair game in the campaign.
Jacoby, in other words, has grounds to be surprised and probably a bit disappointed. But he and his fellow conservatives should stop trying to project their own emotions onto other people. It ain’t working.
Comments
By Officer Ziva David
December 24, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this
Sounds like sour apples to me from this Jacoby fellow.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 24, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this
During the campaign, he warned that Obama’s association with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright “raises doubts about Obama’s character and judgment,
In less than three weeks after the election, Oblahmasan has already been caught up in a scandal because of his “character and judgment,” and liberals lying and scheming about it does not make it go away.
This Jacoby must be some kind of soothsayer, eh?
By Wyld Byll
December 24, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
Jay, don’t you folks on the opinion desk have some knid of unwritten rule about criticizing each other?
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
JAY
I should think this is an excellent time for some on the left to post information about Obama’s background.
A couple of things I’d like to know about:
What did he publish during his tenure as Harvard Law Review’s president?
How were his grades/class rank at Columbia? Harvard?
Just who/what did he organize when he was a community organizer?
His medical records.
Any other background information on our new president since there seems to be a dearth of it.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 24, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this
But he and his fellow conservatives should stop trying to project their own emotions onto other people. It ain’t working.
He ain’t “projecting,” he’s quoting hahaha-
Barney Frank labeled the pastor’s views “very offensive” and pronounced himself “very disappointed” that Obama would invite him. The blog Liberal Rapture was more pungent: “Obama throws another middle finger to liberals.”-Jeff Jacoby
By Mike
December 24, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this
Jay, here is a clue:
The guy you are quoting is a conservative partisan hack. We expect him to mindlessly support “his side” and to mindlessly attack “their side”. You are exactly the same thing, you just happen to be liberal.
If you are disgusted by the behavior of the conservative partisan hack, you should know that you are no different and that you regularly engage in the practices that you claim to despise. Your hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness are truly heroic.
By GOP is gone
December 24, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this
As an Obama supporter I have only one requirement for his choices for cabinet members, competency. After eight years of Bush cronies in Washington, I want Obama to pick whomever is best for the job and will bring experience and bipartisanship to the administration to assist in cleaning up the abysmal mess that was left by Bush and Company. I trust his judgment and intelligence to chose the best person for the colossal job that needs to be done. I do not require that he chose a woman, Black, Hispanic or any other minority, just try to fix this mess. That will be a daunting task.
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this
S&T: as many people already know, Harvard Law Review students do NOT publish under their own name. On the other hand, being president of it means that your peers want you to lead it, which makes being the first BLACK President an incredible honor.
Grades are Columbia were not distinguished (not Honors-level) but good enough to get into Harvard Law (which means at least B level). At Harvard, he graduated magna cum laude in his class, the second-highest honor you can get.
He already released a letter during the campaign from his doctor detailing his medical history and indicating that he was very fit. Same as the other candidates did. You think he got himself an abortion that he’s trying to hide?
If you think there’s a “dearth” of information, it’s because you’re not looking in all the places where they keep trying to pin him as being “foreign” or “other” or “unknown”. That ship has sailed… and sunk.
By Ray
December 24, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
“Project your own emotions onto other people”…..Isn’t that what the last 9 mos has been on this blog? Each of the posters has done just that, project their emotions about as strongly as they could to either defile, ignore, criticize or demean those with whom they did not agree. And Bookman , you are the leader of the pack.
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this
s&t: heck, I knew all that and I’m not even “on the left”, unless you mean to the left of Ann Coulter, which isn’t hard. In fact, you’ll find that I tend to agree with the middle more than either polar… I just spend time reading more than just information that confirms what I already think.
By Clouds and Rumbles
December 24, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this
What did he publish during his tenure as Harvard Law Review’s president? Papers
How were his grades/class rank at Columbia? Harvard? Passing/Above failing
-Just who/what did he organize when he was a community organizer? People/Projects
-His medical records. Yes
-Any other background information on our new president since there seems to be a dearth of it. Yes
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
Poor Mike, lots of charges, nothing to back it up. He dispises Jay, but keeps coming back to comment on his blog. Funny.
Oh, and you abused the word “heroic”, using it on something that’s the equivalent of a wide receiver crossing over the middle of the defense to catch a pass knowing he’s going to get clocked. Better to save “heroic” for something involving life and death actions. Just my pet peeve, but it diminishes real heroes to assign the word to everything that’s more than just a typical effort.
By Copyleft
December 24, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this
They’re just bitter, Jay. If Obama had gone hard-left in all his choices, they’d be whining that he’s “a typical radical-socialist-commie-liberal, just like we’ve been saying all along!”
Since he’s been making sensible, centrist decisions they can’t find fault with, their only recourse (they HAVE to attack something) is to claim “he’s betrayed his far-left supporters, and liberals are outraged!”
You see, without hate to fuel them, the far right has nothing to work with. It’s sad, really.
But it’s more funny than sad.
By Mike
December 24, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
ByteMe:
I don’t “despise” Jay (learn how to spell). I despise the intellectual dishonesty of mindless pundits like him and the divisiveness and ignorance they spread.
My use of the term “heroic” was sarcastic and the usage has significant precedence in this context.
Maybe if you spend more time reading instead of arguing with strangers all day long, you would be a better reader and a better speller. In the meantime, you can come here and bleat your ideological party line and wallow in ignorance.
By lovelyliz
December 24, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
The neo-cons are every bit the sore losers.
By Mike
December 24, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this
“By lovelyliz December 24, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this The neo-cons are every bit the sore losers.”
Yes, unlike the gracious losers on the left. Such hypocrisy.
By Joey
December 24, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this
Jay:
In this performance you portray the Pot. Perfect casting. You deserve a standing ovation.
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this
Poor Mike, still trying to learn to converse with strangers. You working today, Mike? I am (since 5 am). You ever get a book published Mike? Anything other than a blog post or a vent? Anything since grade school? You ever edit a magazine?
Geez, make a typo and get attacked as being ideological.
Don’t attack a person unless you really know them enough to score a few points. Otherwise you’re just… what’s that word you used?… “bleating”, yeah, that’s the ticket.
Off to an appt. Back later maybe. Until then, don’t steal the silverware.
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.
By Wyld Byll
December 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this
By ByteMe December 24, 2008 8:59 AM
“Grades are Columbia were not distinguished (not Honors-level) but good enough to get into Harvard Law (which means at least B level).”`
Now, ByteMe, as a denizen of the Ivy League with many friends to applied to HLS and lesser schools, I can assure you that the entry threshold at Hahvahd Law is not a B. Could this mean that PEOTUS was an “afirmative action” baby or is one to believe that his work experience as a community organizer was such that normal admission standards were reduced?
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this
Excellent quote, Corporal.
By GOP is gone
December 24, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
Are not we ALL just pack members Ray, myself and you included?
After all, this is an opinion blog. Are not we supposed to give our opinions?
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
BYTE ME
He has never released his college transcripts.
He is a smoker. Don’t you want to know about his medical records?
When I hear the term “community orgainzer” I think of Jesus Christ and Adolph Hitler. There’s a big spread in there.
If he published under another name why hasn’t he identified at least one article?
I have Googled all of this information. You should too.
By Goldie
December 24, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
Merry Christmas to all Bookman-bloggers!
And may we all have a promising and prosperous New Year once our New President arrives in the White House! Many doubts about that happenin’ anytime before Jan. 20th…
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
Wyld Bill: Does it really matter? Will it make you feel better if he was or if he wasn’t? If he was given a leg up and took advantage of that to graduate near the top of his class, did it matter that he was given the leg up? You being charitable this Christmas or no?
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
To ByteMe
I’ve seen James D. Miles and author unknown. Hard to tell.
By GOP is gone
December 24, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
WB,
Maybe he just wrote a great essay and interviewed well. One thing I can assure you of, his father did not pull any strings.
By Fly in search of a wall
December 24, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Let’s see, “denizen” could just as easily be someone that empties the trash. Precisely what is it that you do there at Hahvahd other than “denizen” the place, Byll?
By Mike
December 24, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
“By ByteMe December 24, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this.
“You working today, Mike? I am (since 5 am).” Yeah, you seem to be working really hard, Are you “working” when you are posting to this blog all day long every day? You sure are a good employee. Regardless, what’s the point? Are you “heroic” because you dragged yourself out of bed to blog on your employer’s time? I’m off today, otherwise I wouldn’t be taking the time to thrash your juvenile arguments.
“You ever get a book published Mike? Anything other than a blog post or a vent? Anything since grade school? You ever edit a magazine?”
Nope, but I fail to see the relevance. I guess you must have to be asking the question. Are your “published” writings as full of spelling errors, poor grammar and broken logic as your incessant blog posts?
“Geez, make a typo and get attacked as being ideological.”
No you are an ideologue because you hew to partisan lines and hurl ad-hominem attacks at any who don’t share your narrow views.
“Don’t attack a person unless you really know them enough to score a few points. Otherwise you’re just… what’s that word you used?… “bleating”, yeah, that’s the ticket.”
Spare me your hypocrisy as you have no problems attacking me or anyone else who doesn’t share your narrow views.
“Off to an appt. Back later maybe. Until then, don’t steal the silverware.”
Useless comment with no context. I guess you find it amusing. Kind of like a small child is amused by meaningless name calling.
Keep on bleating!
By AJC/DNC Management
December 24, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
If you have any doubts about how dull and uninformed the Oblahmi kkkult members really are, just listen to them-
By GOP is gone December 24, 2008 8:55 AM As an Obama supporter I have only one requirement for his choices for cabinet members, competency. After eight years of Bush cronies in Washington, I want Obama to pick whomever is best for the job and will bring experience and bipartisanship to the administration to assist in cleaning up the abysmal mess that was left by Bush and Company.
Uh-huh:
Obama wants Bush war team to stay
Timothy Geithner to be Obama’s treasury secretary- Geithner was also closely involved in the design and execution of the Bush administration’s $700bn banking bailout
Ramble on zombies.
By Ray
December 24, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this
GOP,
Opinions are great, we thrive on them. But don’t tell me, Bookman, that we not “projecting our emotions on other people” every time we post. Opinion is emotional, especially if you strongly believe in what you say, and it appears that we have some pretty dedicated people who do this every day. You, and all of us, are doing the same thing that Mr. Jacoby is doing, projecting opinion….. and sometimes very strongly. Jacoby just happens to be a conservative.
By The BlogFather of Scroll
December 24, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
Andy: No onomatopoeia, moron.
By For States rights
December 24, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
Once again Jay’s column is nothing but an extension of what some other hack wrote. I can’t believe the AJC pays him for this warmed over column….oh wait a minute..yes I can believe it. This man and newspaper does not ever have an origional thought. Just more cut and paste from Bookman.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 24, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
I don’t know, if I were a socialist America hating pinko, I would be rather upset with Oblahmasan too.
Check it out, during the entire presidential kkkanmpaign your boy cast about the most arid and mindless slogans in history-
Obama: McCain Embraces Failed Bush Policies, blah, blah, blah, hopeandchange, blah.
But as soon as he’s elected, presto, he hires on all of the architects of those “failed Bush policies” almost as though he is Bushie the Third with man boobies.
HE THINKS YOU LIBERALS ARE STUPID, wait, hold up, HE KNOWS YOU LIBERALS ARE STUPID.
He lied right in your face, knowing full well that you were too dull and stunted to ever figure it out.
And sure enough, here your are, apologizing for your own betrayal.
Can you say robutts?
ew
By Peter
December 24, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
Republican’s are just P** they can’t Screw America, and America’s any longer………
There IS a GOD !
By spankmonkey
December 24, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
Merry Christmas!
By ghostwriter
December 24, 2008 9:58 AM | Link to this
Jay, I should think this is an excellent time for some on the right to post information about Bush’s background.
Why did Bush lie on his first (and unsuccessful) transfer form from his Texas Air National Guard unit to the Alabama ANG unit (see www.awolbush.com)?
What role did the Bush team play (including Lee Harvey Atwater) in spreading false rumors about a decorated war hero during the 2000 campaign?
What role did the Bush team play in squashing testimony by Sharon Bush in her divorce proceeding claiming that GWB (he was in his 40’s at the time) used cocaine at Camp David while his father was President?
What role did the Bush team play in destabilizing energy prices in California in order to remove Gov. Gray Davis as a potential rival in 2004?
What role did the Bush team play in releasing classified information to a former male prostitute posing as a reporter with unlimited access to the White House for the purpose of undermining the 2002 South Dakota senatorial election?
By Taxpayer
December 24, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
Happy Merry Christmas Eve, Jay and bloggers. Now get up and get out there and do some last-minute shopping — go forth and bring some joy to those capitalists out there wondering how they’re going to make enough to pay the Christmas light bill or enrich their nog with egg or fuel their UAW-approved transportation to the manger scene. ‘Tis still better to give and that’s why I love giving it to the rightwingnuts. I said Merry Christmas the other day as we departed the orthodontist and I think everyone in the place turned and responded in sync, “Merry Christmas.” It didn’t cost any of us a thing and I don’t even think that anyone’s feelings were hurt. After all, there was no intent to do harm expressed. 8>)
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this
I see name calling this morning.
That’s a no no.
Remember, it’s Christmas eve !!
By Bubba
December 24, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
Dear Jay: Steve Kornacki, writing in the liberal New York Observer, also says the left is disappointed in Obama’s choices. He himself says he believes the criticism is overblown, but he nevertheless says that there is a lot of criticism from “progressives.” So the notion that it’s just the right-wingers hearing something that isn’t there is patently false. But then you knew that didn’t you?
By Wyld Byll
December 24, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
By ByteMe 9:27 AM
It doesn’t really matter. Rather than hacking at PEOTUS, I was pointing out that a B doesn’t get one into HLS.
GOP is gone 9:31 AM
His father was probably a very favorable factor in the application process since he came over in a Kennedy sponsored airlift. At elite institutions, essays and interviews are more likely to knock you out than get you admitted. More likely than not the texture of PEOTUS’ story, taken as a whole, is what gained admission if he did not have the straight grades.
By Fly in search of a wall 9:32 AM
By Fly, I’m insulted, in my family only those who cannot cut the mustard attend Hahvahd. For our family, as we as the whole of the truely civilized world, Dartmouth is the badge of honour. I am an 8th generation legacy.
By AmVet
December 24, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
From downstairs,
GHT, interesting that one of the very worst poster boys for the hemorrhaging GOP — Pat Robertson — gives BushCo a C-.
I still think this a letter grade too high, but it is interesting that not all of the bootlickers remain so enamored with this clusterf&ck of a president and an administration.
There is MUCH anecdotal evidence that long-time Republicans, some life-long, have finally given up on this corrupted, immoral debacle of a political party.
How excellent is that?
Byll, bully for you. That such a huge percentage of Americans don’t agree with you, should matter a teensy weensy bit to the empirically challenged, but obviously doesn’t.
There are a lot of adjectives to describe BushCo’s “oversight”/orchestration of the corporate destruction of capitalism including FNMA/FHLMC, but I can’t imagine preemptive EVER being one of them.
You’ve done a helluva job, Brownie, Dickey Head, Rummy and Ashie! (the only man I can think of who ever lost an election to a dead man!)
No matter.
This inane justifying and apologist mentality will ensure the neo-cons keep getting slaughtered every other November. I believe the final count in the past two has been 60 - 4.
Ouch.
Which is, of course, a very good thing for the Republic and delights me personally to no end.
Get used to the pain, flat-earthers. This is going to be a very long four years (probably eight) coming up for you.
Happy Kwanzchristmakuh.
Pray for the rapture.
And rain…
01-20-09 The End of an Error
By getalife
December 24, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
82% approval rating.
Next.
By spankmonkey
December 24, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
Sigh…, I’m trying too Corporal…
Merry Christmas!
Now shape up or you all get a lump of coal tomorrow morning…
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
GHOSTWRITER
Those are all (probably false) accusations about an out going president. After eight years it seems like we know what we got.
I, OTOH, am just trying to find out a little bit about our new POTUS.
Now if you’re going to make inane accusations the onus is on YOU to prove them. Not on us to disprove them.
By The Fly has landed
December 24, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this
Byll,
Do they provide your trash bags or are you required to purchase your own. How about brooms. I’ve read some of your posts, dude. Now, did they pay you to attend or did you pay them. If the latter is the case, then Ken Nugent needs your number. He makes house calls, you know.
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this
s&t @ 9:26: Just got back. I see Mike DID steal the silverware. Damn him! Now we get to use the good plastic.
Anyway, to your points:
Smoking? My dad did it for nearly 40 years. 2-3 packs a day. Quit right after his first of four heart attacks. He just had his 82nd birthday. Lungs heal if you let them.
The community organizing: I hear if you read his bestselling book, you’ll learn more about what he did and for whom. No one has come forward to dispute that info, so it’s likely accurate, since it was a public activity involving lots of people. And with the number of people digging into his past, something about this would have come up if there was something truly negative there.
As for the HLR publishing: again, student writings in the HLR are not published under ANY name. It’s there without byline or attribution. And he spent years being a part-time Law professor, but chose not to publish and instead focused on teaching, and his students liked his teaching, so maybe that’s a skill he has.
By Wyld Byll
December 24, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
AmVet 10:10 AM
That which others thing does not drive me. I can review information, apply my experience, and make decisions - better than most, too.
Since you are skipping across blog’s, for the benefit of others, my original post is below:
Amvet
“But that he reacted as he did and performed so poorly in most Americans eyes is now undeniable. Even by his most ardent supporters.”
Speak for your self, I was proud to stand with President Bush then and I am proud to stand with President Bush today.
We will not, during our lifetimes, know them full extent of the terror threat with which he had to deal. I imagine it’s scope far exceeds that which most people believes exists. I am a man who has had t, in the corporate world, make decisions with economic consequences that impact the lives of others. My jobs have been big, but nowhere as big as President Bush’s. It pains me to see imbeciles who have never had to make (and live with the consequences of) a serious and complicated decision that has wide reaching effects mindlessly belittle the “man in the ring”, President Bush. Most of those who complain about President Bush hold him up against an impractical yardstick of how they want things to be rather than the yardstick of reality. Unless one knows the full context in which a decision was made, it is preposterous to call the decider an imbecile, moron, or dummy.
My bet is that when all is said and done history will look upon President Bush as a man who accurately identified the threats against America (see Fannie & Freddie, too) and took the correct preemptive actions. History will also determine that President Bush was unreasonably opposed, belittled, and hampered by a blindly ideological liberal opposition that deserves a place next to Neville Chamberlain in history’s pantheon.
Proud of President Bush, you bet I am.
Now that I have recapped my thoughts, Please tell me about the biggest decision you have ever had to make. Then tell what you did to control unknown variables. It is very easy to sit around and say, “I wish things were this way”, it is a lot harder to make things happen in a harsh reality. History will recognize President Bush favorably for that which he did to protect this nation and advance freedom.
By AmVet
December 24, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bookman, I have written that I too had serious doubts about the PE’s judgment vis a vis the people he has historically surrounded himself with.
There were legitimate reasons to do so IMHO.
And I still have grave doubts about whether this man is not just another corporate toady who has no real plan for the bottom 100 million Americans.
But perhaps, unlike the disgraced current CIC and his gang of bunglers, this leopard is smart enough to change his spots.
So far, so good as to his choices. And time will tell on he rest of his agenda.
And I find it illustrative and damning that the ever p!ssed off lunatic fringe of the rabid Reich-wing are praying to their favorite deity that this man is as horrific as their Hero of the Texas ANG has been.
To what end, I have nary a clue. Self-loathing? A wish to further wreck the lives of their children and grandchildren?
Understanding the neolith mind is damned near impossible.
Byll, I’m utterly sure my very fine resume pales in comparison to yours.
But surely a great scholar and Renaissance Man like yourself understands the concepts of red herrings and straw men, right?
And how sophomoric it is to ask me for that singular qualification as some sort of prerequisite for me to reasonably and intelligently assess the past eight years.
BTW, good luck on BushCo’s legacy. I agree that with time perhaps he’ll climb to a historical rank of only the second or third worst president in US history…
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this
BYTE ME
Well, thank-you. That’s more in four paragraphs than the mainstream media wrote about Obama’s background in over a year of campaigning.
So a professor of Constitutional law is qualified to be president how, exactly?
(I’ll admit that a lot of judges aren’t qualified to interpret the Constitution but what do you bet that Obama would appoint just those type of judges?)
Because he’s also a community organizer? He wrote a book? Because cigarettes don’t kill everybody that uses them?
Are Obama’s relatives in Kenya coming to the corona…, eh, I mean, the inauguration?
By RW-(the original)
December 24, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
You know, we on the right used to tell you leftists that the voices of the Daily Kooks etal were just fringe voices, but we were told by you (collective you, as I’m not familiar enough with Jay B’s writing to know where he came down on the issue) guys that they were in fact the new mainstream and a force to be reckoned with. You (collective…) used Ned Lamont to claim as proof that your moonbat(ic) wing was the new mainstream.
Now that we mention that your “new mainstream” is squawking about Obama throwing them under the bus you tell us they’re just a few fringe kooks.
Maybe you (collective…) should have just listened to us in the first place.
By Bosch
December 24, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
Merry Christmas everyone - today is my favorite day of the year.
We had our big Bosch Christmas party last night, lots of wine, food, singing and merriment. What a great night.
I can’t say the same for my head right now, but it was a great night.
Tonight I’ll go to church and sing Joy to the World, which will have a new meaning this year. Bush is going out, can’t hurt the country anymore, and Obama and Congress can get down to the business of governing this great country back to it’s pre-Bush days.
What a great day!
Merry Christmas indeed!
By American Made
December 24, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this
Sigh. Nothing still but point and blame, blame and point, point and blame again. From both sides. American Mades Christmas wish. Respect the office of the President (both present and past). Point to solutions rather than blame. Focus on the positive and not the negative. Be proud of what this country is, instead of what it isn’t. Above all, be thankful for what we have and not for what we don’t.
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
To Bosch
So you can practice with the meaning of the words.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this
S&T: your first question is easy, as any Constitutional Law professor would tell you: over 35 and American-born are the only requirements laid out in the constitution.
As to how he’s “qualified”, well, 66 million people voted for him and 365 electoral college delegates are pledged to him, so that makes him the President, whether you think he’s qualified or not. The same question could be asked of nearly every President. Is being Governor of a state qualification enough to be President? How about Senator from a state? How about Army General? To each their own on that question.
As for cigarettes: something kills everyone. We’re not made to be here forever. Gravity is probably the worst of the worst in terms of its effects on us, but we haven’t found a good cure for it. In general, that gets into questions The Corporal is usually more interested in answering.
As for his distant relatives, you’ll have to ask them. Probably not, since they were on his dad’s side and not the side that helped raise him and nurture him as a child and young adult.
You think Levi will ever marry Bristol now that the glare of the media lights have been diverted to the next shiny object?
By JB
December 24, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
Bosch, when you go to church why don’t you give thanks to Pres.Bush and the men and women in uniform that kept us safe from attack for the last 2,297 days so you could party. God Bless Them.
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this
Corporal: you don’t want to get banned for being a noisy “birther”, do you? You know about the thread from before where the rule was made.
I’m sure Congress will appropriate enough money for it and place it right where it belongs. No need to worry about that.
By @@
December 24, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
But then HE did drive that “hot rod” right into the Illinois state capital, didn’t he jay? I really don’t think your guy has ANY judgment which is why he’s handing it off to those who have what he lacks.
And you really shouldn’t refer to your far-left bloggers as isolated squawkers. They’re here to support you everyday.
How insensitive can you be?
By AJC/DNC Management
December 24, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
And if so, “doesn’t that tell us something about his judgment and standards?”
Uh-huh:
Many are focused on the contributions of the Arab states. Mr. Clinton started his charity in 1997 with four years to go in his presidency, a period when no American law provided for the most elementary public reporting of the enterprise. Still, the fact that Saudi Arabia is on the donor list comes as no surprise.
So where did all this fund-raised money go? Wouldn’t you want to know to which philanthropic undertaking the King of Saudi Arabia and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques committed himself? This information is not in the report — and it doesn’t look like President-elect Obama has any interest in pushing for further disclosure. Maybe the king just gave to general expenses.-WSJ
Yeah, and maybe they won’t want anything in return for all that money.
ew
By Chestatee
December 24, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
Jay
How about Jack Kingston complaining about no Southerners in Obama’s cabinet? I really believe all Republicans can do is complain - it’s obvious they could care about running the government.
By AJC/DNC Management
December 24, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
Liberals and their mindless “war on oil,” did I tell you they are not very bright?-
The Renewable Fuels Association, the industry lobby, is seeking $1 billion in short-term credit from the government to help plants stay in business and up to $50 billion in loan guarantees to finance expansion.
Of course, the ethanol industry wouldn’t even exist without the more than $25 billion in taxpayer handouts over the past 20 years. Congress only recently passed energy and farm bills that further greased ethanol production with a 51 cent a gallon tax credit, corn subsidies, plus increasingly stringent biofuel mandates. We were told, as usual, that profitability was just around the corner.-WSJ
Oblahmasan is a big corn boy so expect to see starving children world wide as Illinois farmers grow fat.
ew
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this
BYTE ME
Well, since you brought it up:
I don’t know about Levy and Bristol. But I and everyone else knows a hell of a lot about Sarah Palin thanks to media wobbleheads rummanging through her trash.
I find it funny that they didn’t do the same to Obama. That’s all.
By Copyleft
December 24, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this
Funniest line of the day:
So a professor of Constitutional law is qualified to be president how, exactly?
LOL! What OTHER qualification would be more ideally suited for the Presidency? Complaining about this is reeeeaaaallly reaching. It’s good to know that this s how desperately irrational the Obama-haters have become.
Thanks for the chuckle.
By williebkind
December 24, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this
OBAMA LIED!! OBAMA LIED!!
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
s&t: but they did! It’s just that it took place over 2 years instead of just over 60 days. In the compressed timeframe that St. Sarah endured, everything became a story that lasted a day or two. If it had been spread out over 2 years of campaigning, it could have looked less dire and damning.
Except for the rape kit story. No way was that one going to look less damning.
I’m guessing Levi’s going to “cut and run”. He doesn’t strike me as being a “shock and awe” kinda guy.
By Cindy
December 24, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
I am just thrilled that we now have politicians who “inhaled”.
Almost all of the founding fathers were active participants of the popular activities of their day; slavery, alcoholism, keeping of mistresses. We have forgiven them because of their great gift of the US Constitution. If they had been barred for failing the squeeky clean backgrounds folks demand today we would not have the freedoms we enjoy today. Those who don’t have a vast experience with people of all walks of life are poorly qualified to lead a country composed of those people.
By RW-(the original)
December 24, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this
It’s often hard to tell what might suddenly become taboo on this blog, but how on earth does a blog that censors as much as this one does justify allowing Levy Johnston and Bristol Palin to have their private lives mocked and ridiculed?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top 10 dud predictions
By Richard Nixon
December 24, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
By Mike December 24, 2008 9:10 AM I despise the intellectual dishonesty of mindless pundits like him and the divisiveness and ignorance they spread.
Just wondering, Mike, with a statement like that, what your thoughts are on Rush, Hannity, O’Reily (I could go on and on and on) since you despise those who divide.
I’m sure you despise them too.
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
COPY LEFT
Well maybe in your world it would be adequate to pluck a professor off a campus and place him/her in the White House.
Good thing the rest of us don’t live in fantasy land.
Presidents hire their own teams of lawyers to make sure they carry out their sworn duty to uphold the Constitution. Meanwhile they have a few other things to do. Personally I’d prefer to vote for a candidate who has at least shown some experience in the real world.
Obama has shown me none of that.
By drew
December 24, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this
Copyright says it best:
“You see, without hate to fuel them, the far right has nothing to work with. It’s sad, really. But it’s more funny than sad.”
That’s right…AJC/DNC, Sunshine, Ray, Mike…we are laughing our assses off at you funny, sad, losers. Keep ‘em coming!
BTW, I haven’t included the Corporal in this group because, even though he’s pretty funny, he’s not a hater, and he appears to at least possess a moral compass.
OK, then.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good day!
By Richard Nixon
December 24, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
Personally I’d prefer to vote for a candidate who has at least shown some experience in the real world.
With a statement like that, I sure you didn’t vote for George W.
By Midori
December 24, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this
hahahahahahahahahaha
By Cindy
December 24, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
Midori, LOL!
By Cindy
December 24, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
Clinton has his “blue dress”.
Bush has his “shoes”.
How would you like to be most rememebered?
By Ross
December 24, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
The election was an emotional one. Here is an outside and logical point of view as to why Obama has been elected. There are two reasons: 1) It was “white” America’s subconcious way of appologizing to the black community for the past discriminations. 2) The majority of American’s who voted were not politcally educated other than the liberal media’s corrupt coverage of the campaign. 3) Americans were so tired of the current administration, that they associated McCain with Bush and voted strictly on emotions. McCain was an experienced war hero and POW. Obama is an inexperienced conver-up. Go to Obamas senate records, he barley voted on any of the issues.
By Ross
December 24, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
The election was an emotional one. Here is an outside and logical point of view as to why Obama has been elected. There are three reasons: 1) It was “white” America’s subconcious way of appologizing to the black community for the past discriminations. 2) The majority of American’s who voted were not politcally educated other than the liberal media’s corrupt coverage of the campaign. 3) Americans were so tired of the current administration, that they associated McCain with Bush and voted strictly on emotions. McCain was an experienced war hero and POW. Obama is an inexperienced conver-up. Go to Obamas senate records, he barley voted on any of the issues.
By Midori
December 24, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this
Cindy,
looks like Ross needs some reality to go along with his Christmas spirit, doesn’t it?
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this
To ByteMe
No one (least of all me) is questioning the citizenship of Obama. Jay and the Supreme Court have already ruled on that. It’s a closed matter.
All I wish to do is to travel to Hawaii and due to this historic event pay homage to the birthplace hospital plaque that as a taxpayer I want to contribute to in order to help ease the burden on our already stretched Federal government.
Surely, you don’t question my patriotism as an American for wanting to do that? Do you ?
Now that said, some people on this blog have made borderline statements (I wish it had been a brick and Bush has killed thousands of people and done untold damage to this country….that’s something for him to be careful about). against the sitting President (and those posts stay up).
If Jay wants to delete this post so be it.
By Robert
December 24, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this
As usual when see any criticism, you react like a typical Democrat.
The AJC continues to lose circulation and advertising, but can’t seem to figure out why. Newspapers blame the internet. Wrong!!!!!
The reason people no longer consider the newspaper a source of news is that it is so liberal with writers like yourself. So what do we do? We go to the internet.
By ByteMe
December 24, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
Do the markers really go outside the hospital and not the home? Can’t imagine caring about the hospital where a president was born, instead turning their residence into the shrine, a la the house at the Naval base in Key West where Truman vacationed during his term.
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this
To ByteMe
Sine you asked (did you hear that Jay) …. ByteMe asked:
I think the U.S. Park Service places the plaque at the place of birth whether a hospital or a home (i.e., Lincoln’s log cabin birthplace).
On the other hand, Childhood homes (if available) are purchased, renovated, and set up as tourist sites.
Many times the actual buildings are no longer there but sure someone will remember on this one.
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
To Uncle Reamus
I don’t know if you are liberal or conservative but why don’t you post on these blogs for awhile to help encourage folks to be more civil, etc. ??
I could sure use the help !
By Abomi Nation
December 24, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this
Post of the year Uncle Reamus. Well said.
By Cindy
December 24, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
‘08 has been GREAT!
‘09 will be even more FINE!
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
DREW
You wrote:
That’s right…AJC/DNC, Sunshine, Ray, Mike…we are laughing our assses off at you funny, sad, losers. Keep ‘em coming!
This is the kind of rhetoric we’ve come to expect from you flaming moonbats. No substance, no argument, no logic; just a hate filled tirade that makes absolutely no sense.
Try to find some positive waves man.
By Pogo
December 24, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this
Jay, I have come to the conclusion that you are one of the most bitter and vindictive little invertabrates the Democratic party has pushed out of its anal orifice in many years. Come back and talk to us about Democratic party superiority and unification in about two years. This would be a treat to watch if it wasn’t for the fact that the future of the whole country is being jeopardized by this band of fools from both parties we have running this country. Oh, and in the words of Obama, “Uh, Merry, Uh, Christmas, Uh, Jay”.
By Midori
December 24, 2008 5:31 PM | Link to this
this reminds me of you, Sunshine. Pogo as well
By sunshine and thunder
December 24, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
MIDORI
It doesn’t take much to trigger that tiny little memory does it?
By The Corporal
December 24, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
Peace on earth; goodwill toward men.
MERRY CHRISTMAS !
By ghostwriter
December 25, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
Jay, Again, I think it is instructive for our friends in the Bush camp to ask themselves some questions about our outgointing President. That way they won’t become a victim of affinity fraud again.
By the way, am I really hearing talk of promoting Jeb Bush to run for a Senate seat? A quick review of his past business associates make Tony Rezko look like a Boy Scout. In fact if I remember correctly, one associate fled the country to avoid a Medicare fraud indictment. Hey Bush supporters, I dare you to look it up.
By Patricia Shannon
January 12, 2009 11:12 PM | Link to this
Considering the comments that are posted, the charge that Jay doesn’t allow dissenting comments on his blog is truly bizarre. Considering what is posted, what is not posted is likely illegal.