European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Saturday Open Thread

by Colman
Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 09:49:35 AM EST

Apparently one of the consequences of failing to ratify the Lisbon Treaty was constant rain for August. Who could have predicted that?

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Saturday Open Thread | 57 comments (57 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

We're just in from a very wet splash through the park on the horses: they'd been pretty much cooped up all week so they needed the run, but it rained heavily, the park is soaking and there was a thunder storm not far enough away ...

.. now for a hot shower and I think Christopher and I are going to find a warm corner to curl up in a read books/drool/nap/scream a bit. I'm not sure who's going to be doing which task.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 09:56:42 AM EST

The cat is checking in (4.00 / 3)

to see if the mice are dancing!!!

Greetings from raining Prague.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:01:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

We've stuffed ourselves full of food, chatted aplenty, walked and been rained on and now we are sipping tea/coffee/beer in the cafe of the Globe bookshop - my new favourite place.

Good to see that the bad weather is being shared by other ETers who cannot be here with us!

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:04:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Prague calling : this is Prague (4.00 / 3)

A cracking day, apart from the constant rain that only really stopped while we were in the Globe.

Barbara was not wrong about the venue for the meetup, it was pretty spectacular, very late 19th century bohemian decedance. I have to say I imagine Paris would give its eyeteeth for a louche place like that. And the food was great as well.

After that a sodden march to the globe. then after waving goodbye to Migeru and johnny, off to the Olympia bar on the other side of the river buy which time it had finally finally stopped raining. A classy restaurant bar we visited cos we wanted a not-noisy place where we could have good food and beer. As it was away from the main tourist traffic and the hordes of stag-nighters, it was a lucky choice in meeting our hopes exactly.

I actually felt bad drinking from a litre tankard of beer (jeez, I'm finally getting to be girly) but managed without burping :-)). So one step forward, one step back.

If I can get up in time, we're off up the Castle tomorrow morning. hopefully the weather'll be better.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 04:42:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

I can't believe how much rain we have been getting all summer here in Ontario. - And it's been amazingly cold as well.

2 nights ago we had a blanket on the bed - in August!

Now I know who to blame. Ratify that treaty! We're calling uncle over here.

We are for Justice and Mercy, and Truth and Peace, and true Freedom. Edward Burroughs 1659

by edwin on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 10:02:26 AM EST

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Well it's mid August, and I've just lit the coal fire, as the house is starting to smell just that bit damp.

I've had several people come and tell me that this current damp spell is absolute proof that Global warming dosn't exist....

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 11:41:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

This is what we'd expect from warming: much wetter summers as the warmer atlantic air picks up more water and dumps it on our heads.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 11:58:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

Same here, but people just do find it hard to grasp.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:19:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Skip the details, just say ... (none / 0)

... climate is a heat engine ... more heat, more extremes of all sorts.

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 12:12:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Skip the details, just say ... (none / 0)

Well today I had complaints about the name, "It shouldn't be allowed to be called global warming if we're not going to be hotter and dryer with better summers".

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 04:16:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Skip the details, just say ... (none / 1)

What should it be called, then? "Global groan more rain than ever before in Ireland and Wales"?

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 04:20:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

OK ... then add the kicker ... (none / 1)

... The climate is a heat engine, so more heat means more extremes all around ... drought, flood, even cold snaps. That's why they call it the "climate crisis".

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 06:14:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Too much rain during the growing season has always been a concern in Europe. Get too much and grains don't ripen or they rot in the fields. That's pretty much the reason European agriculture centered on grass and stock raising: sheep, cows, and goats, during the Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, and up to the Eleventh Century, more or less.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:45:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

I got this in the weekly newsletter from my organic delivery people:

The unusually high amount of rainfall over the past few days has drastically reduced our range of local vegetables for the coming week. Here's hoping for a bit of sunshine to make our hard working farmers smile again.
[...]
As I mentioned above our local vegetables this week are severely depleted. However we will still have Irish leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, potatoes, onions and cherry tomatoes.

Woooo for summer. The tomatoes are really good though.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 02:37:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Who was it that said, "Ireland needs two things. One, to get rid of the British. Two, a helluva big roof."?

One down. One to go.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 03:29:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

About 15 years back the farmers were unable to harvest because the fields were too wet and the tractors too heavy.

If we continue to get the amount of rain we have been getting all summer, we are in danger of it happening again.

Our apples and tomatoes are splitting and our peaches are mealy and our basements are swimming pools.

We are for Justice and Mercy, and Truth and Peace, and true Freedom. Edward Burroughs 1659

by edwin on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 10:43:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

We may turn on the heating for an hour later for much the same reason.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:00:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

It was oddly mild here last week. Usually we're up in the high-80s/low-90s, and we've gotten back to that now, but high-60s to mid-70s was the state of things for a bit. Very low humidity, too, which is bizarre for this time of year.

We've had a ton of rain, too. 125-150% above normal. Should make for a decent-looking autumn, unlike last year.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:21:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 0)

That must be hard to take in the summer. We had a couple of weeks of 40ºC that seemed like they would never end.

At least you took your vacation trips early and Christopher won´t sunburn his first year.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 10:02:42 AM EST

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 0)

Um. Actually, we've booked ten days in Naxos in early September ...

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 10:06:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 0)

These ET jet setters....

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 10:43:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Get it while the jets are still a-flying. (none / 1)

The End of Aviation

NB. The title oversells the piece ... its about the decline of air travel, not the end of air travel.

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 12:18:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

Crappy summers are the risk you take living here. The problem is that this is really heavy rain so we're getting flooded roads and all sorts of fun.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 10:08:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Veep Prediction (4.00 / 3)

Alright, so I'm betting Obama picks his veep Monday or Tuesday. My bet is Tim Kaine, and I'll explain the pick briefly. I should note that Al Giordano over at The Field made what I thought was a series of good points on Kaine, too, and some of this is expanding on his stuff:

Kaine is from Virginia, where Obama clearly wants to play. Virginia's worth more than Indiana, and, as it's a fair bit more liberal than Indiana (read: Evan Bayh), it's more likely to flip. (Kaine also understands GOTV in Virginia and played a big role in it back in February.)
He's got working-class roots (father was a welder, think mother was stay-at-home) in Kansas City, Missouri, so nails the "everyman" element and maybe a lil sum'in'-sum'in' in a swing state. Think John Edwards, but kinda ugly, with a milder lower Rust Belt/eastern Plains kind of accent, and without the "slick" thing (like Edwards or Bill Clinton) or the constant reminders about being the "son of a mill worker".
Not terribly exciting to listen to, mostly because he clearly suffers from Honkie Rhythm Disease. (Sometimes he's very good, but sometimes he emphasizes words incorrectly and comes off as a little clumsy. Not on the level of Peyote Bill, though.) Tinny voice, kind of like Dean. But he can clearly stay on message. Seems to have no problem dealing with the talking heads and their stupid questions.
Speaks fluent Spanish (actually better on the stump in Spanish than in English).
Only 50 years-old. (This is the deal-breaker for Kathy Sebelius. She brings no regional advantage, and she'd be 68 in 2016.) Kaine is at the ideal age for a potential 2016 veep.
First statewide officeholder outside of Illinois to endorse Obama back in February of 2007. This gets to the whole "comfort" issue. Kaine seems to be a true believer, and more than the others (possible exception of Sebelius) sells the "new and different" thing pretty solidly. And that does matter, as John Kerry and John Edwards can tell you. They campaign well together, seem to like each other, etc.
Lastly, my personal impression of Kaine, The Guy, is like Al's: Kaine is pretty down-to-Earth. He's neither a bulldog nor a rock star, as veep picks tend to be. He can be a little bit of a waffler. Fucks up now and then as governor. But he's pretty honest about it. And he does, as Al said, emanate a certain fundamental decency. (I say that, but obviously it is not a fully informed, search-committee type level of knowledge by any stretch of the imagination. Kaine could be a total asshole, but these are just my impressions.) Rather than an "I own the room" kind of figure, he's more the "Wow, I can't believe I'm standing in the room!" figure.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 11:09:47 AM EST

Re: Veep Prediction (4.00 / 2)

I would prefer Gov. Richardson, as you know. He brings the solid chance of locking-in the Latino vote and the possibility of lowering the GOP vote in south Florida. He has solid foreign policy experience. He has demonstrated an interest in building alternative energy systems. He's slightly left-of-center which seems to be where the Obama campaign is heading.

He also brings a lousy public presence and he is a horrible public speaker.

No idea who the Obama vetters are looking at. One thing we can be sure of: they will pick the person they predict will help the most to win the election.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:30:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (4.00 / 3)

I like Richardson, too. I'm still thinking it's one of the same three people I've been looking at the whole time (Sebelius, Kaine or Richardson). I think Sebelius is unlikely, for a variety of reasons. Kaine and Richardson, unfortunately, each have many things that it'd be fantastic to see in the other.

I'd give Clark a nod given the theme for Wednesday night (veterans). Maybe that's a tip-off (doubtful). But I never saw Clark as anything but a clumsy and (politically) wimpy version of Jim Webb. As with Edwards 1.0, I remember Clark 1.0 (others apparently don't), and I didn't care for it the first go-'round -- the difference between the two being that Edwards could conceivably, to me, win an election. Having made the mistake of supporting Edwards prior to Iowa, I'll go with my gut instinct this time and remain Not Wild^TM on Clark.

(Note: I do think Clark is more genuine than Edwards. I just don't think he has any real driving force behind him. I think he's interested in the presidency simply because running is an option to him as a kinda-sorta liberal with the word "General" before his first name, not because he has any great desire to do something. I could certainly live with him as veep and even president. I'm just not wild about him.)

I know the netroots love Chris Dodd, but it seems to me little more than deification without all the facts (which, as I've noted, happens a lot on our side of the aisle). I like Dodd on civil liberties, of course, but it also seems he's in bed with the mortgage fraudsters and their enablers on Wall Street.

And I understand that as a combination of his state and being in politics so long. He's from Connecticut. The mortgage fraudsters and Wall Street are big business in Connecticut, and the housing market there probably blows right now. But overall, look: He's from Connecticut, really old, and as much a Washington Insider as one can be. So no regional appeal, no "VP as Heir" possibility, and possible damage to the nominee's brand. His mini-scandal with Countrywide Financial worries me, too, in an election in which nobody should be within a thousand miles of guys like Angelo Mozilo (the real Great Orange Satan).

Warner wants to be a senator. Meh. He'd guarantee us Virginia, and he's a better Dem than he's been given credit for in the past by people like...me, but we need that Senate seat whether Obama wins or not. And I think Obama can win Virginia by the force of his ground game. Warner also probably gets us some reverse-coattails, too, anyway by running for the Senate.

So, yeah, Kaine or Richardson. I'm going with Kaine as the person I think he'll pick. But it's more for the sake of a fun bet than anything else.

I, honestly (and thankfully), do not think Evan Bayh will get it.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 01:10:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (4.00 / 2)

Dodd doesn't bring anything to the table. The Progressive and Liberal wings of the party are going to vote for Obama. New England is already sewn-up for Obama. Running a "liberal" senator from the NE with a long senate voting record to pry into may actually hurt with Undecided Independents and Moderates. (Ya know. Morons.)

I don't think Sibelius can swing Kansas and even if she could what else does she bring? Women? Maybe. That's the sort of thing polling is good for, in fact necessary IMHO. And the vetters are keeping this process tight.

I don't like Clark and I don't like the tradition of running generals for political offices. The US is militarized enough without putting them at the top of the food chain.

We need Warner in the senate. We also need him to running for senate to encourage people to vote party line: for Obama. He's too valuable for GOTV in Va to waste as the Veep candidate. Taking Virginia means the GOP is really in a bad situation EV wise.

Don't know enough about Kaine to have an opinion.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 01:29:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 0)

Thought you'd find this bit from The Field funny:

And Saturday Reading: James Wolcott lights a candle for Lieberman as McCain's VP pick, and explains why Biden is an unlikely choice for Obama. (I do have to hand it to Obama, though, who must have Biden convinced he's on the docket: Normally, during an international dust-up like the one in Georgia, Biden would be all over the cable news networks. That he's not is an indication that at least he thinks he's got a shot at the number-two position, and so is laying low. Regardless of whom Obama chooses, he's accomplished something that nobody, but nobody, has ever accomplished in US politics: coming between Joe Biden and the TV news cameras.)

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 02:06:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (4.00 / 2)

LOL esp. the bit:

[Obama's] ... accomplished something that nobody, but nobody, has ever accomplished in US politics: coming between Joe Biden and the TV news cameras.

Biden's gotten that rep but is he that much worse than any other politician? I don't watch the news (sic) anymore, so not up on the latest.

Lieberman? As McCain's Veep? Ain't gonna happen. The McDuck needs to placate the Fundies, Conservatives, and Christian Right. Lieberman wouldn't carry Ct, might help in Florida, and would go nowhere elsewhere.

I think Huckabee is McCain's best choice. The Fundies, Conservatives, and Christian Right would swoon. Everybody else would vomit. Also he doesn't have national experience so that line of attack against Obama would be compromised.

Overall, the GOP first string is weak with little appeal outside their core areas. The second-string is even worse. They may go with the governor like wossname of Indiana to shore-up a red-ish state. That would be the safe decision and I don't see McCain looking beyond safe.

Oh ... throw Pawlenty (sp?) of Minnesota in the hat, too.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 04:01:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (4.00 / 2)

Nah, Pawlenty's Dan Quayle. Can't get McCain Minnesota, so why bother? I wouldn't be surprised to see Pawlenty as the keynote speaker at the GOP's convention, but veep? Not gonna happen.

I think McCain, if he has any mind left, will go with Mittens. Mittens defends him in the Mormon West, and might get him a shot at Michigan. It's Mittens or bust.

With you all the way on Lieberman. Lieberman's useless to everything but David Broder.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 04:14:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 1)

Romney has the advantage he could self-fund ... a consideration given the GOP money problems. ;-)

The Mormon vote is going GOP, anyway. Romney might have some influence in Michigan -- at least everybody keeps saying he can -- and maybe polling says Romney brings in some votes in Ma. Downside: the goper base is ignorant, stupid, and bigoted. Putting a Mormon on the ticket will drive the fringe of the base to the Constitution Party.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 04:30:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 0)

Oh, I disagree. The Mormons seem to love them some Magic Negro Remember Utah on Supah Tuezday?

True enough that the wingnutosphere might lose its shit over Mittens. All a question of whether or not McCain's base -- the voters, not the media (so, really, the GOP's base, not McCain's) -- flip out.

Which will freak them out more? A cultist or a black guy?

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 06:00:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (4.00 / 2)

I'm not convinced that Romney and Pawlenty are different persons. Have they ever been seen together?

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 03:25:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 0)

Oh, they're definitely different people. Remember Mittens is part of the nobility. Daddy was a senator. Pawlenty's actually got working-class roots. Pawlenty's also at least somewhat popular in his home state, whereas Taxachusetts is still cleaning up after Mittens, who went out of his way to bash his home state in the primaries. You know how the Reps hate Massachusetts.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 11:28:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 1)

I wonder what the approval rating for Paws is in Minnesota. He's the most vapid Minnesota politician to come along in my lifetime (in stark contrast to Ventura before him) with Colman a close second. All he's done in his time is use public money to get the NHL back into town and squeezed infrastructure budgets a year ahead of the bridge collapse.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 03:48:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 0)

To be fair, hockey should be a big deal up there, since Minnesota is practically Canada anyway. And, as far as Pawlie is concerned, a bridge collapse in Minneapolis just means dead liberals.

You know, kind of like 9/11 in New York.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 04:53:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 0)

It takes a bit more than sports to get people behind politicians in large American cities. If there were a dearth of sports options in the Twin Cities, then it might have had some importance.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 06:00:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Where slightly left of center means ... (none / 0)

... right of center on economic issues and between the center of the voting population and the center of the whole population on social issues?

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 12:22:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Where slightly left of center means ... (none / 0)

Pretty much.

Specifically: Gov. Richardson has tried to implement a state-wide Health Care Plan, created and funded a state alternative energy structure, pushed through a light rail system in the Albuquerque area. In US terms these are all "Left" programs.

On social issues, Richardson fits well with the DLC crowd - mainstream in NM. AFAIK Richardson doesn't care about social issues, mostly - IMO - due to their being somewhat orthogonal to the rest of the country.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 01:04:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Where slightly left of center means ... (none / 0)

Social issues are more an East of the Mississippi thing, too, I think. People don't tend to care as much out there, even in traditionally red states. Look at that abortion initiative in South Dakota, the marriage amendment in Arizona, and Tester running against the PATRIOT Act in Montana back in 2006.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 04:55:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Where slightly left of center means ... (none / 0)

The aggressive support of NAFTA makes regional sense for a New Mexican, since even if it is a net loser for employment in the country as a whole, New Mexico would likely be one of the winners.

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 05:34:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 0)

I'll note, too, that I read on one of the blogs (trying to find it now) that Obama is apparently in Richmond on Wednesday. Kaine was the mayor there before he became Lt Governor. Possible announcement spot, or first campaign stop? We'll see.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 01:16:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 1)

Read, somewhere, Richmond has a large, mostly unregistered, AA population. Getting these people to the voting booth is important if O wants to take Va.

Should this be true, we may be seeing the Obama campaign strategy: get the candidate into Bush States, put him in the area(s) where he can generate crowds, have volunteers work the crowd to get people registered and into the local campaign. If so, McCain and the GOP is going to have to start expending candidate time and money in the Bush states. They can't afford to lose anymore Bush states and they can't let Obama widen the battlefield. The more states in play, the greater the chance some will flip.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 01:36:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (4.00 / 2)

Yes, very high black population (58%), with many unregistered, but black populations tend to have a lot of unregistered voters. I've remarked that Richmond is a lot like Atlanta, but leaning more working-class than professional, in that you have a heavily black, heavily Democratic core with some very, very right-wing 'burbs along with some moderate ones, and also a very suburban city (small city proper, large metro area).

Ramping up black turnout there could help offset getting slaughtered in SW Virginia. SW is going to be ugly to watch on election night outside of Blacksburg (Virginia Tech), and it usually comes in long before NoVa, I'm told. Fortunately, there just aren't that many people out there. Most are in Tennessee. McCain's going to win everything W and S of Richmond. Obama's going to win SE and the closer-in DC 'burbs (Arlington and Alexandria out to Woodbridge, Manassas, etc). McCain wins the Shenandoah Valley/Appalachia. The race will be decided to the somewhere between Woodbridge and Richmond, and somewhere between the closer-in NoVa 'burbs and the Valley.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 01:55:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Veep Prediction (none / 1)

Can't argue with any of that.

Obama needs to recapitulate the Webb coalition plus increasing the raw numbers of AAs to offset loss of white voters who went for Webb.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 04:11:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Kaine is terribly pro-coal (none / 1)

and not much like by the grassroots, from what I hear. His main positive is apparently that they hate Bayh more.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 05:39:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Kaine is terribly pro-coal (none / 0)

Sure, but everybody looks good next to Evan Bayh. Bayh is just another in a long line of Indiana losers (Quayle, Hamilton, and so on) who made it onto the list by being just stupid and talentless enough to not piss off or threaten too many people in DC.

Fair point on coal, but I think there's some exaggeration about Kaine's role, or lackthereof, there, if I remember the stories in the paper correctly.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 06:18:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

Having just sat and watched the Olympic 100m mens final. I must say that the winning runner Usain Boult was absolutely phenomenal.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 12:16:08 PM EST

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

Greetings from the Kolkovna restaurant/bar. Czech cuisine majors heavily on beer and meat.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 03:28:04 PM EST

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 0)

I´ll take it!

Have a good time and post more pictures.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 03:34:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

Don't forget the dumplings.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 04:06:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

Yes, but we just leave those till we've eaten all the meat, checked the fat for slivers of meat, spooned up the gravy. And then, only if we really have to cos the waiter won't let us leave the table till we've touched them, do we disturb the dumplings.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 04:58:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 0)

The Palestinian diaries are being misery-trolled by mikep. eabrain. Could an FP help him out?

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 03:32:42 PM EST

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

STOP THE PRESS!!!!!!!!!!!

McCain just lost Colorado and very likely the election.

I am absolutely serious.

Read:

The water compact that Colorado and other upper basin states have with California and Arizona should be renegotiated, U.S. Sen. John McCain said Thursday.
In a telephone interview with The Pueblo Chieftain, the presumptive GOP candidate for president said the water sharing agreement reached in 1922 between seven Western states doesn't take into account increases in population and the changing water needs.

McDumbass just done do a Cheney. He whipped out his old 12 gauge, loaded that sucker, cocked it, aimed, and then blew his own foot off. The only thing Obama has to do now is get a hold of a tape and/or video of McCain saying this and play it for the next 80-odd days.

Jesus. What a frickin' dumbass.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 16th, 2008 at 06:14:24 PM EST

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Having read Cadillac Desert earlier this year, as a politician I would avoid any water rights issues at all costs.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 03:24:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (none / 1)

Hell, they already got video somewhere. McCain had a habit of starting appearences in CO with the joke, "Hello, I'm here for your water."

Hah, hah, boy-toy of an Arizona heiress in Colorado, jocular reference to down-basin / up-basin tension over the Colorado ...

... except now they can run the joke and follow it with a text box ... "but its no joke ... {quote}"

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 12:28:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Saturday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

McCain's handlers are undoubtably throwing tantrums. This is one of those things that fly under the national radar but is vital locally. This is going to be a Big Deal in Colorado. How much of a big deal will be seen over the next two weeks.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Sun Aug 17th, 2008 at 01:12:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Saturday Open Thread | 57 comments (57 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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