My Opinion Has Changed

Sony

A week or so ago I smiled mischievously as the hack against Sony was revealed. After a little more thought my opinion has changed. And, I guess I should add, I understand what happens when private emails go public.

For totally blameless Sony employees this has been a public undressing. Every detail of their personal life that crossed their work computer was laid bare.

Every number associated with their existence will have to be changed!

That’s a very 21st Century concept most of us don’t understand. Once something is in Google, forget it being forgotten!

Some of the Sony emails are brutal, but not unexpected. We all do a little of that with our friends (though probably not the Obama stuff–definitely not).

There’s no way Amy Pascal can survive. Amy: I said the same thing about Roger Goodell.

Sony’s lawyers are trying to quash the publication of any new details. God bless them if that works. Experience says it’s a fool’s errand.

One Of The Most Disappointing Experiences Of My Adult Life

President Obama was everything the staunchest Republicans have claimed. Governor Romney, on the other hand, was poised, warm and aggressive. I didn’t want to watch (and 22 hours later still haven’t watched) a series of “told ya’ so” pronouncements. My TV has been off all day.

It is no surprise to anyone who reads this blog, I support President Obama. With that in mind I was primed for last night’s presidential debate.

It was one of the most disappointing experiences of my adult life!

Last night on Facebook I posted:

“I have muted the TV because sticking my fingers in my ears and humming seems childish.”

I didn’t say why. Did I have to?

President Obama was everything the staunchest Republicans have claimed. Governor Romney, on the other hand, was poised, warm and aggressive.

I didn’t want to watch (and 22 hours later still haven’t watched) a series of “told ya’ so” pronouncements. My TV has been off all day.

I have only now begun to read a few of the post mortems. There’s been a lot of soul searching. Why didn’t the president call Romney out on his policy reversals and what are characterized as lies? Why was President Obama so wimpy? Why?

There are two debates yet-to-come. I still believe the president’s roadmap is the better way to lead us out of our malaise. However, I’d be a fool not to admit those still undecided were shown a much more acceptable Romney last night.

It is possible the election was lost in this debate.

I Can’t Believe I’m Siding With Rush Limbaugh

A few days ago Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke to the Huffington Post about presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s refusal to release more than a year’s tax returns and a call Reid claimed to have received from a Bain Capital investor.

“Harry, he didn’t pay any taxes for 10 years,” Reid recounted the person as saying.

“He didn’t pay taxes for 10 years! Now, do I know that that’s true? Well, I’m not certain,” said Reid. “But obviously he can’t release those tax returns. How would it look?

Reid is taking advantage of Romney’s refusal to release, but this is bull! As Jon Stewart pointed out last night, if you have to say “Now, do I know that that’s true,” it’s not true.

Today Rush Limbaugh piled on. There’s a small chorus of conservatives who’ve been calling on Preident Obama to release his college transcripts. Maybe he said he’s Kenyan? Maybe he had awful grades? Maybe… who knows. The president refuses.

“Somebody, I don’t know, said they went to school with Barack Obama at Harvard,” said Limbaugh. “And the guy told me that Obama got the lowest grades that any Harvard graduate ever got and that a bunch of professors gave him B’s and C’s when he didn’t even show up to class.”

Limbaugh said that the source hung up right after relating this information.

“Now, this guy from Harvard said lowest grades anybody ever got at Harvard and professors covered for him when he wasn’t even there,” Limbaugh continued. He said that he asked the source if there was any proof that could confirm the charge, but he was told that there was none.

“So, I am calling on Barack Obama to release his Harvard transcripts,” said Limbaugh. “Based on this – I got a call.”

“I don’t have to prove anything here,” Limbaugh continued. “The burden is on Obama. He’s the one that I’ve alleged got the worst grades in the history of Harvard.”

Touche! If Reid can say what he’s saying then Limbaugh can certainly do the same. It pains me, but what’s fair is fair.

I really don’t care about President Obama’s transcripts, but as I’ve blogged before I do want to see Governor Romney’s tax forms. I hope Harry Reid hasn’t made that less likely.

Seth Meyers Killed At The #Nerdprom

His best stuff was aimed at Donald Trump who was there and frozen in a disapproving stare. It was as beautiful an awkward moment as I have ever seen!

I have added video of both President Obama and Seth Meyer’s WHCD routines at the end of this entry.

Nerdprom, or more accurately #nerdprom is the Twitter hashtag coined by Ana Marie Cox (aka the original Wonkette) and used to flag tweets about the annual White House Correspondents Dinner. Nerdprom fits perfectly, because you can’t be a White House correspondent without being a nerd!

Tonight was the 2011 gala. Everyone in the ‘punditverse’ was there as were many highly placed pols. The President was there.

This has got to be C-SPAN’s highest rated night of the year, right?

I plugged the #nerdprom via Twitter and Facebook. Only my nerdiest of friends responded. Love you guys.

Helaine stepped up her already smoking world class hotness a notch or two when I came down after a nap and found her watching the #nerdprom pre-game show! Be still my heart.

The President’s routine was disappointing. Disappointing? Theme there?

I like him so much. I just wish he’d start to do what I want done.

Seth Meyers from SNL was the headliner. A few minutes in I said to Helaine, “He’s funnier here than there.”

That’s a real problem for a comedian playing an acoustically challenged venue like the DC Hilton. Comedy needs good sound.

As time went by the audience warmed up. I posted, “Seth Meyers killing at #nerdprom” to both Twitter and Facebook.

His best stuff was aimed at Donald Trump who was there and frozen in a disapproving stare. It was as beautiful an awkward moment as I have ever seen! Not a Trump fan here and the last few months haven’t changed my opinion.

Here’s Politico’s compilation of Meyers’ best material.

“CSPAN is of course the official network for wide shots of empty chairs. … CSPAN is one unpaid electric bill away from being a radio station.”

“Sen. Jon Kyl told me 90 percent of what [the White House Correspondents Association] does is abortions.”

“You know how you know I’m not in New York? In New York, no one is excited to go to a Bloomberg party. In New York, a Bloomberg party is five people standing outside of a bar complaining about Bloomberg.”

“Katie [Couric] was known best for asking those tough questions, like ‘Name a newspaper.’”

“Jon Hamm looks the way every Republican thinks he looks. Zach Galifianakis looks the way every Republican thinks every Democrat looks.”

“Donald Trump has said he’s running for president as a Republican — which is surprising because I thought he was running as a joke. “

“Donald Trump owns the Miss USA pageant, which is great for Republicans because it will streamline their search for a vice president.”

To President Obama: “I’ll tell you who could beat you: 2008 Barack Obama. You would have loved him.”

To President Obama: “If your hair gets any whiter, the tea party is going to endorse it.”

It’s good to be a nerd.

Drudge Teaches How To Poison Public Discourse

Is Drudge’s twenty minute headline reasonable? Even if it was posted before the meeting, was it valid three hours later? The problem is some people will see Drudge’s headline and stop there

“If it upsets you so much, why do you look?” The words were from Ann Nyberg. She was referring to the Drudge Report which I check a few times daily when I want my blood pressure elevated.

I cannot not look because every time I think I’ve seen the depths of his deceit he dives lower! And, of course, there are people who read his words and believe him without question.

This is not about the job the president is doing. There’s a lot to be upset by there. This is about passing fiction as truth.

20 MINUTE MEETING?!

That’s the headline right now under a photo of what seems to be oil executives leaving the White House. I see “seems to be” because I can’t identify any of these players by sight. The setting of the photo is enough to make the point.

As with most of Drudge’s posts it’s stark black type on a white page. The slug linked to a story on Politico.com, a political site with a right-of-center slant.

Of course I expected to be livid that the administration had been so smug as to only meet with BP for twenty minutes.

The six BP executives arrived at the White House around 10 a.m. and were still inside after noon.

Obama was scheduled to spend 20 minutes in the meeting.

Before the all-caps scream at 10:56 AM Drudge had posted a smaller though still inflammatory headline.

Obama meets with BP execs — for 20 minutes…

At 11:14 AM the larger headline went up, though as Politico reported the meeting was still in progress at that time. When the president spoke at 2:27 PM He said, “I just left a meeting.”

Is Drudge’s twenty minute headline reasonable? Even if it was posted before the meeting, was it valid three hours later? The problem is some people will see Drudge’s headline and stop there.

The president has finished speaking, but the headline’s still there! My blood pressure is spiking again.

The Probama Saga: Small Changes

Oh, it’s still Probama under-the-hood. The screencap on the left is a small comparison between the original Probama and the Daria Novak site today. There are some cosmetic differences–not many.

Overnight I wrote about my discovery Daria Novak’s congressional campaign website was built using Probama, a WordPress ‘theme’ (which defines the site’s look) which claims:

A timely WordPress theme for supporters of Senator Barack Obama’s political career and presidential campaign. Built-in control panel options allow easy management of images, video, podcasts and other RSS info.

That’s somewhat ironic as Ms. Novak is decidedly not an Obama supporter.

Truth is, if you read her bio, she is a very accomplished person. My blogging has nothing to do with her qualifications. She has done a lot. I just found the irony irresistible. I’d feel the same way if she were a Democrat using material designed to promote John McCain or George Bush.

Last night I wrote, “My bet is Daria Novak will soon have a new look on her campaign’s website–and again, it’s a really well designed site. I hope I’m wrong, but “Probama?” That’ll be difficult.”

Sure enough today the look is different. The background has been removed as has any reference to Probama in the code. That’s a shame because the original theme author, Darren Hoyt, who lets anyone freely use his work no longer gets credit. He isn’t totally surprised.

“Holy cow, that is really funny. I have actually gotten some email from people saying essentially, “I’m gonna use your theme to make an ANTI-Obama site, hahaha!” but I haven’t seen anyone using it quite this unknowingly/ironically.”

Oh, it’s still Probama under-the-hood. The screencap on the left (click it to enlarge) is a small comparison between the original Probama and the Daria Novak site today. There are some cosmetic differences–not many.

Here’s why I started this thread in the first place. I knew Ms Novak (or any Republican candidate) wouldn’t want to be associated with anything having anything to do with Barack Obama no matter how tenuous the connection. I’m guessing the same would apply to a Democrat in a similar situation. What she was using was well designed and suited her (and I assume approved by her)–it just made a positive reference to Obama.

Why does that mere fact make it bad?

If Candidate Novak can take anything away from this it’s that no one but me really cares. I posted a link to last night’s entry on Facebook and got no response from my 1,500+ friends. Same thing here, no comments.

Christmas Is For Eating

We’ve gotten candy and cookies already… rainbow cookies. Mmmmm. A box arrived today from Harry and David. I’m not sure who they are but they send snacks… and they’re certainly portly.

We’ve gotten candy and cookies already… rainbow cookies. Mmmmm. A box arrived today from Harry and David. I’m not sure who they are but they send snacks… and they’re certainly portly.

It’s Christmastime. Everyone thinks we’re underfed.

All that good tasting food has to be eaten. I wouldn’t want it to spoil. Harry or David would cry. I can’t be responsible for that.

No wonder the common wisdom is this is the weight gaining time of year! More food. Less Exercise. How could something that sounds so right be so wrong?

And then, with all this food bouncing in the door, comes this photo of Barack Obama wearing shorts and no shirt! I don’t even go into the shower shirtless. Not only that, his body look hairless (there are no tight shots of his ears, nose or back, but we’ll assume they follow the chest).

Seriously, if I would have known he was going to flaunt it I would have voted for McCain.

One of the people I work with said it’s because he’s ‘young.’ Please–spare me. I wasn’t built like that while in the womb much less a moment since.

Where the hell are those rainbow cookies. I feel a binge coming on.

The Hillary Trial Balloon

I might live to regret saying this, but it’s not going to happen.

It’s tough to go to a news website today and not see Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s names linked together. Here’s a sentence from the Times:

“Speculation in recent days has focused on the possibility that Mr. Obama would ask Mrs. Clinton, a second term senator from New York, to be his secretary of state.”

I might live to regret saying this, but it’s not going to happen. That prediction has nothing to do with the relationship between Clinton and Obama and everything to do with what amounts to a demotion for her.

As New York’s Junior Senator Hillary Clinton can speak her mind. If she disagrees with President Obama she can step in front of the cameras or onto the Senate floor and let it all out. As secretary of state she becomes his surrogate. It’s his policies, not hers, that she’ll be selling.

This is not to say secretary of state isn’t a pivotally important position. You can have a hand in world peace… or tumult. But you are not your own man woman. I sense that’s important to her.

Hillary Clinton will find a place of prominence in the Democratically controlled US Senate. I can’t image her not taking advantage of that.

I Cried

“Never,” was my father’s answer tonight when asked if he ever thought he’d live to see a black man in the White House.

I cried. I cried when John McCain spoke from Phoenix. He was gracious, eloquent and uncharacteristically warm as he conceded defeat.

I cried some more when Barack Obama spoke from Chicago a few minutes ago. It was an inspiring speech. When his wife came out and they embraced, I read her lips as she said, “I love you.”

What a wonderful night to be an American. What a transformational moment.

“Never,” was my father’s answer tonight when asked if he ever thought he’d live to see a black man in the White House. Never is a strong word. It’s a long way from never to where we are today.

I remember, probably when I was around ten, walking past the F.W. Woolworths in a little strip shopping center at Parsons and Jewel-a block from where I grew up. There were men walking in a circle, carrying signs. I didn’t understand at the time, but it was a picket line. The protest had to do with the Woolworths lunch counters in the south that would not serve ‘colored.” It was the beginning of the civil rights movement. It’s a long way from those pickets to where we are today.

We face immense challenges. Obama comes in off-the-bench with the team down a few touchdowns and time running out. I don’t know if he, or anyone, can get us out of our dilemma. We are in so deep.

Tonight, at least, there is hope.

Enough Already–Let’s Vote

In 1972 I waited in a long line at the Mallard Creek 2 polling place in Charlotte, NC to vote for Eugene McCarthy. “If you vote for him things will be awful,” I was told. I did vote for him. Things did turn out to be awful.

What makes this election different from the 11 other presidential elections I actually remember (Sorry Ike, I don’t remember ’52 or ’56) is how long it’s been heavily covered.

In the pre-Internet, pre-cable days candidates were on the stump, but mostly unnoticed by the general population. If you spoke in Chillicothe, you might have gotten some local TV coverage (in fact you prayed for local TV coverage) and maybe a short AP/UPI write-up, but no one else knew. Now, every breath you take, every move you make, they’ll be watching you!

Democrats pulling for Senator Obama equate this massive coverage to vetting and use it to thwart Senator McCain’s claim we know nothing of Obama. I don’t think McCain’s getting much traction here. We all feel, right or wrong, after all this time we know the candidates.

I remember reading somewhere that Bush-41 knew he was going to lose to Bill Clinton a few weeks before the election (I cannot find a citation fo this–but it is my memory) and then just went through the motions. It doesn’t look that way with John McCain, who I saw speaking from a town on the Tennessee/Virginia border a while ago. Still, it’s got to be tough to know you’re as far behind in the polls as he is.

I’ve always thought it was students and young adults who drove Lyndon Johnson from office. And yet when franchised as a very liberal young voter I never voted for eventual winners. Very frustrating.

In 1972 I waited in a long line at the Mallard Creek 2 polling place in Charlotte, NC to vote for Eugene McCarthy. “If you vote for him things will be awful,” I was told. I did vote for him. Things did turn out to be awful.

No one I knew was voting for Nixon and yet he ran away with North Carolina and the election in general. Since then I voted voted both Republican and Democratic in presidential elections. To be kind, I am not a bellwether.

At work I asked Intern Jacob if he was excited about this election and if he thought students were involved. He quickly answered yes. I found that encouraging.

Back in 1960 the election results were on all-night. The election itself wasn’t decided until the pre-dawn hours. Though I was just 10, I remember how exciting that night was (and I also remember primarily watching NBC). I was prepped for the same fun in 1964, but everything was decided quickly. Not every election goes down to the wire. In fact, most do not.

Tomorrow’s results will probably be known early and Barack Obama will go-to-bed President Elect Obama. In football he’d be seen as a prohibitive favorite… and yet they still play the games.

Intrade’s VP Scoop–We’ll See

I am paying attention because I sense Intrade is insightful.

The New York Observer’s website has “Intrade Loves Pawlenty’s Chances” as a headline this evening.

What kind of day has Tim Pawlenty had? The kind where your value on the Intrade Republican vice-presidential future markets shoots up by more than 50 points — while your chief opponent’s stock plummets by 31. The Minnesota governor is now trading roughly where Joe Biden was just before word of his selection by Barack Obama broke.

I don’t know a lot about Tim Pawlenty. Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t know anything about Tim Pawlenty. However, I am paying attention because I sense Intrade is insightful. It’s a conversation I had online last night with my friend Farrell. Intrade now has Tim Pawlenty as the prohibitive favorite to be John McCain’s vice presidential running mate.

We’ll know more tomorrow or over the weekend. Can you beat the wisdom of crowds? In the Internet era, can 60 million Frenchmen still be wrong?

Dear Friend

They both started their letter, “Dear Friend.” That gives me the opportunity to tell anyone reading, I find that particular greeting to be, on its face, insincere

In today’s mail, solicitations from John McCain and Barack Obama. They’re both looking for money. There’s a surprise.

They both started their letter, “Dear Friend.” That gives me the opportunity to tell anyone reading, I find that particular greeting to be, on its face, insincere. In many ways, it reminds me of how President Clinton called Monica Lewinski “kiddo.” We all know how that turned out.

I am surprised to see hardly any difference in either envelope. Both make points by underlining and bolding words (in one case, Obama does both simultaneously) in their text presentation.

Check boxes for contributions start at $25 for McCain and $35 for Obama. I assume that extra ten spot is based on research which shows there’s little extra resistance to the extra $10. In other words, those who give $25 would probably give $35.

Each envelope had a four page letter, postage paid return envelope, contribution form and in Obama’s case, single sheet glossy brochure. That implies research in fund solicitation is mature and both sides know the shortest route to my dollars.

In my moments of daydreaming, I have pondered running for political office some day. I’m just not sure how I could get past the fundraising part, which I find unappealing, but know is necessary.

Hooked On Politics

This is crazy. I have been watching election returns like it’s the Super Bowl and I’ve got a large bet down.

This is crazy. I have been watching election returns tonight as if it was the Super Bowl and I’ve got a large bet down.

(I know you know this in May 2008, but since this entry will be around for a while…) Barack Obama handily won North Carolina against Hillary Clinton, to whom he then lost Indiana.

The Indiana results came in as if they were from a movie.

First Hillary Clinton went strongly ahead by double digits. Then, as more votes came in, the margin shrank. When Senator Clinton gave her victory speech, she was ahead by 4%. Now that margin is 2% and shrinking, but nearly all votes are counted.

She will win Indiana, but not by enough to really claim victory. The pundits have been keeping busy this early morning, coming up with reasons she will leave the race, or should leave the race.

November seems so far away.

No Way To Make Friends

I’m a non-partisan complainer here, because all three candidates have heard another candidate’s faux pas and latched on to it. Politics gets defined in the gotcha moment.

Barack Obama has said stupid things.

Hillary Clinton has said stupid things.

John McCain has said stupid things.

Geoff Fox… please… you have no idea how many times I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth in nearly 40 year of radio and television ad libs.

In private, I’ve said stupid things that have offended friends in ways I never meant. Actually, I can think of a horrendous example from two weeks ago. These are words I wanted to reel back in as they were going out.

Ask Helaine. She’s been on the receiving end too.

I didn’t mean what my friend heard on the phone, or the words said to my wife in the car seat next to me. They know that. Why can’t politicians act that way too?

I’m a non-partisan complainer here, because all three candidates have heard another candidate’s faux pas and latched on to it. Why must politics get defined in the gotcha moment.

That’s not the way I want to live my life. I don’t want to be picked on because I’ve briefly screwed up. Take me for the sum and total of who I am.

Some of my friends have been friends for 30-40 years. Yes, it’s accomplishment. But if any of my friends, or my spouse, reacted the way ‘pols’ do, our relationships would be over.

I can’t respect anyone who acts that way. I can’t be alone. Are you candidates listening?

What To Make Of It

Both Drudge and The Huffington Post have linked to an op-ed piece in the Financial Times. It’s written by former Bush insider Karl Rove.

It is advice to Barack Obama. It claims to be a game plan for Obama to win the Democratic nomination.

What is this, a Twilight Zone episode?

Why would Rove would do anything to benefit Democrats?

It is widely suggested, Hillary Clinton runs the poorest of all the major Democrats versus a generic Republican candidate. Wouldn’t Senator Clinton be the Republican’s first choice for Democratic nominee?

My first thought was, maybe Rove is trying to torpedo Clinton’s closest rival? However, when you read the suggestions, they make perfect sense from a strategic standpoint. They would help Obama.

Maybe Rove just hates Hillary or the Clintons in general and will accept any choice instead of her?

The whole thing is a real puzzle. I can’t remember anything quite like this before. And the election is still a year away.