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I'm afflutter...
Floating all day on the good vibes as a result of my evol C-Span watching ways.
Screw the fucking networks people. C-Span is the only way to go, unless you just want just the highlights. In that case, stick with PBS or NPR. I've heard that CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, and the sundry broadcast networks sucked donkeyballs in covering the opening night.
Some random thots:
All in all, the DNC is making me hyper to see the RNC next month.
And I just realized:
*sooooob* I'll be at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
writercon on Thursday and I wanna hear at least Kerry speak.*soooooob*
Oh, really important:
In this cornaaaahhhhhhh, Michael Mooooooooooooore!
In this cornaaaahhhhhhh, Bill Ooooooooooo'Reilly!
TONIGHT ON THE SPINZONE! FOXNEWS! WHERE "FAIR AND BALANCED" IS NEITHER!
8 PM!!!!!
*skips up and down in joy*
Reports from the Fleet Center indicate that at one point O'Reilly and Moore were on the floor of the convention center, red-faced, and screaming about what a lying liar the other one was.
*imagine Druscilla-like clapping*
You know? I'm partisan. I want Moore to win. But a knife fight like this? I don't care who wins, I just wanna see blood on the floor.....
On more mundane matters, the area around Boston is eerily quiet. The bad traffic is not happening anywhere. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen Boston and the surrounding area this empty or traffic-free.
Last night, I hoped on the MassPike Westbound to get home at 6 p.m. I could've shot a cannon down the road and not have hit any cars.
Now, true, the big help is that traffic on the Pike is restricted through Boston, which means a reduced flow of cars heading west out of the city. But the really scary part is that EASTBOUND was nearly deserted as well, and that's the part of the Pike that's restricted.
Not that anyone is complaining. We're all grateful.
But it is eerie to see a non-gridlocked Boston.
Someone said they read in the Boston Globe or Boston Herald that approximately 70% of the Boston workforce opted to take their vacation this week. I belive it.
Heeeeeey: My fellow Massachusittes! (Massachusetters? Massachusettains?) I've got a quick question for you: My Dad and I were debating the other day about a specific sign the MassPike used to have:
The Pilgrim's Hat with the Arrow Through It (It's now just a Pilgrim's Hat).
Anyway, there is (to my knowledge) ONE MassPike sign that still has the old design. I know it's near one of the Western Tolls. I want to say it's around Pittsfield or the connector to the New York Thruway, but I'm not sure. Anyone know the answer? I can't seem to find it and my Dad doesn't remember where it is.
Screw the fucking networks people. C-Span is the only way to go, unless you just want just the highlights. In that case, stick with PBS or NPR. I've heard that CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, and the sundry broadcast networks sucked donkeyballs in covering the opening night.
Some random thots:
- Getting dissed by Carter is kinda like being called a fucknut by Gandhi, I'd imagine. I love how Southerners can sound so wonderfully polite and reasonable while ripping someone a new asshole. It's a talent I admire because it utterly eludes my grasp as a conversational art form.
- Truthfully, I love Carter as a crotchety old bat. I love how he was dead on all along about foreign oil. Looking back, he was right about a lot of things. It's sad: We had a great man in the White House and we didn't appreciate him when we had him.
- Oh, and Jimmy? HIT HIM AGAIN! I'll even hold your coat for you.
- Course, not that Dubbya gives a shit about what Carter (IMHO, an actual, honest-to-God-praise-Jesus example of Christianity-in-action man) thinks or the Dems.
- There's something Evol Genius in Carter making the hardest verbal hits against Dubbya, who's actively and cynically courting the religious vote.
- I've been seeing lots of FLove for Gore's speech. I appreciated his humor (having seen him do a stump speech or two back in my bad ol' reporter days...I admit to rather liking the dude), but frankly, Carter and Clinton kicked his ass in the oration department.
- I've also seen Clinton give a speech live (at the height of Whitewater, no less...in New Hampshire...at a "town meeting" with the local citizens...) and honestly, he was seriously off his game that night, so I wasn't impressed with his oration skills.
- I knew the Devil had a Silver Tongue, but to see Silver Tongue itself at work...
- Clinton's speech was masterful. He painted himself as one of Bush's "base" (top 1% of earners), thereby defusing the "us" vs. "them" argument. In fact, I noticed Clinton doing a lot of arguing for the opposition before carefully blowing it up. An excellent dialog or setting up pins and then knocking them down.
- Is it me, or does the Democrats' "inclusivity" message sound a hell of a lot like the Republican Party's "big tent" message from a ways back?
All in all, the DNC is making me hyper to see the RNC next month.
And I just realized:
*sooooob* I'll be at
writercon on Thursday and I wanna hear at least Kerry speak.*soooooob* Oh, really important:
The Real Fun Happens Tonight!
In this cornaaaahhhhhhh, Michael Mooooooooooooore!
In this cornaaaahhhhhhh, Bill Ooooooooooo'Reilly!
TONIGHT ON THE SPINZONE! FOXNEWS! WHERE "FAIR AND BALANCED" IS NEITHER!
8 PM!!!!!
*skips up and down in joy*
Reports from the Fleet Center indicate that at one point O'Reilly and Moore were on the floor of the convention center, red-faced, and screaming about what a lying liar the other one was.
*imagine Druscilla-like clapping*
You know? I'm partisan. I want Moore to win. But a knife fight like this? I don't care who wins, I just wanna see blood on the floor.....
On more mundane matters, the area around Boston is eerily quiet. The bad traffic is not happening anywhere. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen Boston and the surrounding area this empty or traffic-free.
Last night, I hoped on the MassPike Westbound to get home at 6 p.m. I could've shot a cannon down the road and not have hit any cars.
Now, true, the big help is that traffic on the Pike is restricted through Boston, which means a reduced flow of cars heading west out of the city. But the really scary part is that EASTBOUND was nearly deserted as well, and that's the part of the Pike that's restricted.
Not that anyone is complaining. We're all grateful.
But it is eerie to see a non-gridlocked Boston.
Someone said they read in the Boston Globe or Boston Herald that approximately 70% of the Boston workforce opted to take their vacation this week. I belive it.
Heeeeeey: My fellow Massachusittes! (Massachusetters? Massachusettains?) I've got a quick question for you: My Dad and I were debating the other day about a specific sign the MassPike used to have:
The Pilgrim's Hat with the Arrow Through It (It's now just a Pilgrim's Hat).
Anyway, there is (to my knowledge) ONE MassPike sign that still has the old design. I know it's near one of the Western Tolls. I want to say it's around Pittsfield or the connector to the New York Thruway, but I'm not sure. Anyone know the answer? I can't seem to find it and my Dad doesn't remember where it is.
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I think his engineering background tripped him up as well, but more in communicating ideas because I think he grasped a lot of things really well but had a hard time getting people to listen.
As an ex-President, you're right. He does kick ass. He went out and rolled up his sleeves once he left office. Plus, Habitat for Humanity is definitely a good "bootstrap" organization for the working poor. I dealt with them in my reporter days in some pretty poor cities and towns. One thing I remember: in one town it seemed like the local Habitat organization was made up of the Quakers ('scuse me, I meant "The Friends") and Unitarians. You wanna talk marriages made in heaven...
But, yeah, I can respect Carter's religious belief because: 1) He didn't shove it down people's throats; 2) He puts it into action rather than just thumping the Bible; 3) While it may have guided his presidency to an extent, he also understood his job meant he should be President for everyone, not just people who shared his personal moral vision.
An interesting sidenote: People attending the convention said Amy Carter is one of the nicest, most gracious, most unspoiled former First Daughter they've ever met. She was apparantly the picture of Southern Charm and hospitality in the Carter Family Box last night.
One of teh Carter people even rescued Michael Moore and cartoonist Tom Tomorrow from a crush of admirers by dragging them into her father's box.
Here's the link for that story: http://www.thismodernworld.com/weblog/mtarchives/week_2004_07_25.html#001657
And another: http://atrios.blogspot.com/ (Scroll down until you hit "Convention Coverage")
Heh. Wonder what people will say about the "Bush Twins."
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Hmmm. They haven't been knocked up yet? They haven't been caught drunk lately? They didn't inhale?
I should stop. It's just too easy.
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My wife is all over this convention, though. It's what her doctorate is in, so I understand her junkie behavior on this one.
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When I heard him speak, he was still just the Vice President and Presidential candidacy was still in the (not-so-distant) future. He was relaxed and really worked the crowd.
I saw Clinton on an off-night in a hostile environment (props to him for showing, just the same). So, even though I KNOW Clinton is a good speaking, that one appearance colored my opinion of him as a speaker, unfair thought it is.
Still, he does have a bit of Elvis in him, that Big Dawg.
I did vote third-party in 2000. I figured: "What the hell?" Massachusetts was going for Gore anyway, so I voted for Nader as a protest. Since it's a winner-take-all system for Electoral College votes, it was like throwing my vote in the trash.
Right now, though, I'm so pissed at Nader that I wish I can revoke my 2000 vote.
I understand what your wife is going through. I can't believe that I still need my freakin' fix and am watching the convention with such rapt attention. If she hits the computer at all, point her to the links on my LJ. The blogging coverage is kind of interesting. This is the first convention that gave press credentials to the political bloggers, as will the RNC next month.
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Yes! Yes! He looked so sweet and grandfatherly and twinkly and harmless, and then it was like WHAMWHAMWHAM. Wonderful.
Course, not that Dubbya gives a shit about what Carter (IMHO, an actual, honest-to-God-praise-Jesus example of Christianity-in-action man) thinks or the Dems.
You gotta imagine the Dubya campaign manager (who is that?) is combing the Rolodexes: "Fuck, we need a Nobel Prize winner. Do we have one? Can we pass off Bush and Blair getting nominated with a straight face? No? What about Giuliani?"
There's something Evol Genius in Carter making the hardest verbal hits against Dubbya, who's actively and cynically courting the religious vote.
Yes. I'm not a huge fan of organized religion, but it was one of those "Christianity is a great idea -- try it sometime!" moments.
Clinton's speech was masterful. He painted himself as one of Bush's "base" (top 1% of earners), thereby defusing the "us" vs. "them" argument.
Clinton is the Great Ccommunicator IMHO (if he doesn't beat Reagan at that, they at least tie). I've never seen a politician with a greater gift for making people think he was speaking directly to them, that he gave a shit about them.
In this cornaaaahhhhhhh, Michael Mooooooooooooore!
In this cornaaaahhhhhhh, Bill Ooooooooooo'Reilly!
TONIGHT ON THE SPINZONE! FOXNEWS! WHERE "FAIR AND BALANCED" IS NEITHER!
((stunned)) O christ. Like that won't be on the 24-hour-news-cycle 24 hours straight....
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As for a Reagan v Clinton smackdown: Too bad we'll never see it. Reagan was in the grip of Alzheimers' when Clinton had the stature and now Clinton is left. Yup. Talking to a crowd is such a lost art.
Can't wait to see what Ron Reagan is gonna be like tonight. He's a speaker at the DNC and his focus will be on de-politicizing the sciences, especially stem cell research. This is gonna be hella fun: The Demmies got a Reagan, the Repubs can't get anyone from the family to make an appearance.
Bush's political career is backed by Teh Evol Karl Rove. He's the Repub Campaign Strategist. I think the phrase "evil genius" is what you're looking for when describing him.
And *snicker* Nobel Prize winner...
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Oh, yeah -- and I have to wonder how much television has to do with that. Although Barack Obama was pretty damned awesome (and is it me or am I seeing Clinton rhetoric all over the "politics of cynicism or a politics of hope" bits?). And Ron Reagan on stem cell research so soon after Reagan's funeral -- not to be crass, but ghod that was a coup. CNN keeps saying "Maria Shriver is here! She's a Kennedy! Married to Arnold! She'll be at the RNC! So they'll have a Kennedy!" Between that and Mo Rocca I switched to straight-up CSPAN. Ahhh, CSPAN, how I heart thee.
Teh Evol Karl Rove
OH yeah that guy. The spousal overunit calls him the Well-Manicured Man (John Ashcroft is the Smoking Man).
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Anyhow, I thought the speeches - all of them - were brilliant, in different ways. Carter pulled out the heavy ammo and lobbed it hard (though I do not agree with everything he said, which I'm guessing is going to be a recurring theme with the Dems this year, since I'm pro-Iraq-war). Gore had comedy going for him (he must have a new speechwriter - he was never funny before. "You win some, you lose some, and there's that little-known third category"? I was laughing my head off....).
And Clinton sounded freaking inspirational, like the tapes I've seen of Reagan, Kennedy and the Roosevelts. Not that I hadn't noticed it before, but he's in that league, definitely.
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Clinton was the Big Dawg.
But Carter? He's just The Man.
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I was a Carter supporter from way back in the day; when he left office my mantra was "history will vindicate him", and I believe that it did. What I can't believe is that I missed his speech last night!!! I need to troll around and see if there's a transcript of it somewhere. I did get to see Gore and Clinton, though. (Yes, I fell asleep around 9 for a little bit. I'm a sad, sad woman.)
I was in Boston for the book signing and got to meet The Bill and shake his hand. I'd vote for him again in a heartbeat. His speech had me bouncing in my seat and cheering out loud. Gore did very well; it's a shame that we never got to see this dynamic when he was in office. It was Clarke's book that was the real eye opener for me - the picture he painted of Gore was of a man much more in charge and engaged and decisive than he came across in his public appearances.
Not for anything you could offer would I watch O'Reilly.
I think I remember that Mass Pike sign years ago when you entered MA from 84 in CT. I travel the Pike east into NY fairly often; I'll have to keep an eye out for it.
Have a great time at writercon!
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For some reason, CSPAN isn't giving me the RealPlayer versions, but here's their site: www.cspan.org.
The convention site has the Carter Transcript: http://www.dems2004.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130840&ct=158731
LoRes Video of Carter's Speech is here: http://mfile.akamai.com/12294/mov/dncc.download.akamai.com/12294/07262004/terry_mcauliffe_100.mov
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::points to husband:: He did. He works for one of the banks just outside of town and decided it wasn't worth dealing with the 93 restrictions.
Traffic was nasty on Sunday. The roads were full of lost and confused out-of-towners.
I remember seeing that Mass Pike sign, too. I habitually travel from 128 down through Springfield, so it could be somewhere there. But I've gone out to the Stockbridge area frequently enough that it could be out there that I've seen it. And that was little to no help to you at all. ::grin::
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Like others have said - great man. Not a particularly great president. What I respect about his faith, is that it's sincere and deep. W's faith, IMHO, feels shallow and self-serving to me. All belief, and no understanding. And as a Jew, I don't identify with it.
Clinton's got skillz. There's always the "good Clinton" and the "bad Clinton", but when he's "on" he's really on.