— The banner quote at Barak Obama's official campaign site.

There are a lot of people who would love to find a politician they can believe in, who truly cares more about principle than principality. A lot of those people are sharp and sophisticated. But Barak just isn't the guy they should buy into.

For what it's worth, I thought when the controversy broke over Obama's long-term pastor the not-quite-right Reverend Wright that it was more a sign of a politician not knowing when to ditch a problematic association than a sign of fealty to anything coming from that pulpit. Being a member of that church gave Obama credibility with his early constituency, and I always assumed it was simply cold calculation that put Barak in those pews.

Nothing I've heard since makes me think any differently.

Still, I liked Obama. He struck me as a smart, articulate political operator who might actually shake things up in Washington. His down-the-line progressive/liberal voting record didn't bother me too much because frankly the Presidency isn't really an Imperial office, and the amount of damage he could do in setting policy from above would be severely limited by his ability to move things (or not) through Congress.

I believe in gridlock, and think it a good thing.

What Obama brought (I thought) was an outsider's perspective to the whole game, impressive native intelligence, and a truckload of charisma. The Obamanicas were not a bug in my mind (unlike the troglodytes who were trolling for Ron Paul) but a feature; the office of the Presidency may not be Imperial, but it is certainly show biz, and both Reagan and Clinton did good by forcing people to respect the position even if they disagreed with the current occupant.

A pair of bookend incidents has changed my mind.

First, something that made a stir, but didn't change the game much. An Obama advisor apparently back-channeled to Canada that Obama wasn't serious about screwing around with NAFTA. A lot of explanations were tossed out by the Obama campaign, Canada tried to make nice-nice, and for the most part it had been forgotten.

Then the Wright controversy comes along, and Barak's "brilliant" speech explaining why it's okay for some people to preach "God Damn America" because you know they don't really mean it. Or something. And those who do have some history, you dig?

That speech was Obama's biggest blunder up until now. A non-apology apology is almost always worse than saying nothing at all, even if the press reports are loudly effusive though a bit muffled because the reporters are so deeply into kissing tuchus. The love goes away. The quotes don't.

Then comes Bitter Gate. Or Cling Gate. Whatever you want to call it. Have to repeat the quote:

"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them," Obama said. "And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

That's pretty breathtaking. Not since college has someone been more up-front in calling me and my family not-too-smart, morally damaged, pathetic god-bothering gun-loving rednecks.

So yeah, my estimates of Barak's native intelligence took a nosedive, considering a big win in Pennsylvania keeps Hillary! in the race, and that the quote is going to lose a lot of states for Obama in November, assuming he actually gets there.

But then I read this little factoid from Bill Bradley at Pajamas Media:

And from the standpoint of Obama campaign figures, the material was gotten under false pretenses. One top Obama hand speaks of the campaign and candidate being blindsided. Fowler was a supporter, a contributor, an activist, a blogger, not a reporter. With the event closed to the press, Obama spoke with less care than he would have otherwise had he known a reporter, of any sort, was in attendance. [Emphasis added.]

Everybody has been talking like Obama "misspoke". Obama claims it himself. Excuse me, no. He was speaking to ultra-rich San Franciscans from whom he wished to raise money. It was a "Save the Whales" speech, only instead of large marine mammals, Obama wanted these patrons to contribute to the salvation of the Great White Rednecks. Which obviously contribute less to the cultural zeitgeist than do humpback whales, but one must respect all of Gaia's creatures, no matter how vile.

There's are words for a person who will say anything to any crowd, as long as that person thinks the crowds don't overlap. Inspirational ain't in the list. Neither are "ethical", "reliable", "honest", etc. For that matter, in the modern world where cell phones can shoot video and little old sycophantic ladies have blogs, "smart" can no longer be applied either.

So maybe Obama can still bring show-biz glamour to the Office of the Presidency. I don't know; I honestly don't think he can get there now, considering he's bitch-slapped most of middle America. I just feel sorry for the folks who can't let go of the dream of a politician who isn't a Grade A Bastard.

Well.

What I've always figured was Hillary! would win a squeaker. Nothing on the Republican side to inspire any but the base to get out and vote. Most of the rest of the 50% who wouldn't vote for her even if Malcolm X was the only other choice would just sit it out. She'd get her base plus Independents who liked the idea of a competent woman as President and voila, a low turnout and another co-Presidency.

Well, the Democratic Primary race has become a choice between a candidate for whom 50% of the electorate wouldn't vote if Malcolm X were the only other choice, and Malcolm X.

Yes, that's unfair to Obama, but he did worse than whiff badly at a great opportunity to hit one out of the park. (He could have fundamentally changed American politics by defining exactly how he differed from the old racialist politics of Sharpton et. al.) Instead he hit a monster pop-up that let people see exactly how much sympathy and respect he had for the racialists, and how little he was willing to do to actually change anything.

So the mainstream media is chanting "back back back" while the outfield, second baseman, and short stop (blogs, Hillary!, and McCain) are camped underneath in short centerfield. Somebody's going to field that airball (most likely Hillary!, in the form of finessing the delegates at the Democratic National Convention) and Mighty Obama will be out.

Meanwhile, the only real thing Clinton had going for her was her air of inevitability, and the associated assumption of competence, Well, kiss that goodbye, and say hello to all the reminders of exactly why so many people dislike her so thoroughly.

My predicting ability has been lousy re: the Republican primaries, so I'm not as confident in this prediction as I might have been hadn't I been so far in the tank for Rudy, but I don't see how McCain loses in November.

Assuming, of course, he makes it that far. Damn, the man looks old. Nothing wrong with that (Reagan was no spring chicken when he took office, and he made it through eight years, but then again, he didn't spend time in the Hanoi Hilton) but the Presidency is a hard, hard job. McCain's VP pick is going to be very, very important. (And if it's Huckabee, I'll vote for either Malcolm X or the Shrew.)

Gah, what options.

If any of the Spitzer daughters are reading this, please stop now.

No, the Presidential race this year is muddled. I mean, forget that my fourth favorite Republican is going to be the nominee. (The first three were Rudy, Fred Thompson, and Romney in that order.)

On the Democrats side it will be either the Screecher or the Holey Man.

I mean, with Obama, there really doesn't seem to be any there there, other than naked ambition and the willingness to say something with utter conviction to one crowd while backchannelling to the Good Old Boys that it's just talk.

And then there's Hillary, and I just totally lost what the difference would be.....

Oh, wait, the difference would be that she's putatively heard Bill talking in his sleep, and she took notes or something, so she's at least taken the Presidency 101 course vicariously. Obama didn't even CLEP it.

Whatever.

So to Karol's commenter Shawn who said...

Just you? I'm seeing a clash between politics as usual and a new politics based on hopeful change.

...I would recommend he listen real close to the lyrics to Baba O'Riley before getting too invested in the hopeful change thing. Especially if the agent of said change happens to have cut his teeth in Chicago politics.

I mean, jeeeezus. How gullible can an electorate get?

On the other hand, both of them strike me as less stupid than a bucket of bricks, so the Democrats will be fielding their best challenger since 1992, one way or the other.

So I guess this is a better-than-average cycle for this Republic, heaven help us.

A diver who suffered a fatal shark bite in the Bahamas this week is part of a trend of increasing attacks around the world despite plummeting populations of the majestic fish.

If sharks are so threatened in the world's waters, why are attacks on humans on the rise?

Well, it could be because they're pissed off...

Ronulans screwing up the Pajama Media polls.)

What you don't get is much in the way of traction with the 99.9% who, when confronted by some really odoriferous statements and views, tend to tune the loon out.

Ron Paul has gotten attention from old media because he's this cycle's Republican Freak. (Remember Pat Robertson? How about Pat Buchanan?) The fact that he's also drawn the support of members of the population who each know at least four words of Klingon and aren't afraid to use them, just adds spice to the dish.

(Or sauce for the goose, as Spock might say.)

Note: I left the original version of this post as a comment on Roger L. Simon's blog. I've edited it a bit, but not much.

Liz had one for New Years. It hit me and the kids a few days later. Monday and Tuesday nights I was sick as a dog (have no idea why the nights were worse than the days, but they were) and the babies spiked little fevers (like 100.5) off-and-on over the same period.

Meh.

Anyway, yesterday was better, except for the babies' Synagis shots. RSV is bad news for babies, especially premies, but let me tell you, the shots aren't any walks in the park either, at least from a decibel perspective.

The doctor says they're too young to have memories of experiences a month apart, but I'm convinced Hunter knows the pediatrician's office. As soon as we were in the examination room and I started undressing her, she went into total I'm–mad–as–hell–and–I'm–not–going–to–take– it–anymore meltdown mode. This continued for the entire hour and a half that we were there.

No fun.

Anyway, a picture for you (click for a glorious expansion):

Hunter can be a bit fussy about eating. She has this habit of pulling the old ninja slap-the-sword-out-of-line trick when the bottle or the spoon is coming toward her mouth, pretty much randomly. I was trying to feed her solid food while she was in her buzzy seat (she'd earler decided she didn't want to eat in her high chair) when she slapped not only the spoon, but the whole two-sided bowl containing rice cereal in one half, sweet potatoes in the other, out of my hand and onto her lap.

As you can see from the picture, that she considered fun.

Yes, it has been a long time between posts. With the political season heating up, and with it turning into such an interesting political season, posts may be a much more regular occurrence. ]]> http://www.gojou.net/whatsapundit/2008/01/tis_the_season.html http://www.gojou.net/whatsapundit/2008/01/tis_the_season.html Fatherhood Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:01:58 -0500 Taking Pictures.

Today is the first day I stay home with our children alone.

Liz just left for work. She got me up from my too-short nap (I foolishly read the latest Harry Potter for an hour) at 6:30, and both babies went off as soon as she left the room to shower. So instead of drowsing for another half hour or so, it was fuss and feed and change from the get go.

The most either Hunter or Aden sleep at a time is about four hours. Our routine is for me to stay up for them from 10:00 in the evening until 4:00 in the morning so Liz can sleep enough to be coherent during the day. Then I sleep for a couple of hours, get back up, and care for them through the day, then sleep for another three hours after Liz gets home. With luck I'll be able to nap off and on during the day.

So until the twins actually can sleep in the night, I will be one sleep-deprived mofo.

Anyway, after her bottle and having her diaper changed, Hunter has settled right down, dozing in her boppie pillow. Aden on the other hand is wide awake and having none of this quiet-time shit. So he's strapped to my chest in a Baby Bjorn, which in general he thinks is the Best Thing Ever.

And just to do something, I start singing to him:

Nighttime on The City of New Orleans,
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee.
Half way home, we'll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea.
And all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news.
The conductor sings his song again,
The passengers will please refrain
This train's got the disappearing railroad blues.

Way back in the early 80's I would occasionally take the train between Charleston WV and Baltimore where I was going to school. It was one of those old-style trains, with the ancient leather seats with an amazing amount of legroom. That train was called the Cardinal, apparently because the Cardinal is the state bird of most of the states the train ran through. As I recall it ran from Chicago to Boston, taking a leisurely, scenic loop in the process. Hence the stop in Charleston.

As far as I know it still does, but I wouldn't bet on it doing so for much longer. Which is a shame, because I would like to take my family back to West Virginia on that train some time. It was a beautiful way to travel.

But now I have a son and he's curled on my chest, and I am singing to him about trains, and I'm remembering being young in a time that was already really past the time of trains, but riding a comfortable old dinosaur into a future I would have no presentiment of whatsoever, and thinking how lucky I was, have been and am.

And I started crying for the first time since they were born.

Life is good.

Good night, America, how are you?
Don't you know me I'm your native son,
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.

The details: Hunter weighs in at an (estimated) 5 pounds, 3 ounces, while Aden tips the virtual scales at 3 pounds, 3 ounces. Both are active and besides for Aden's noted issues, seem happy and healthy.

[11:47] ashidome: I need to go on bedrest

[11:47] whatsapundit: thought so

[11:47] whatsapundit: okay, what does that mean

[11:47] whatsapundit: hmmmm.

[11:47] ashidome: And come twice a week to check the babies

[11:47] ashidome: Still at the appointment

[11:47] whatsapundit: okay

[11:47] ashidome: Gotta go on disability for work

[11:48] whatsapundit: can you work from home?

[11:48] whatsapundit: or is this really "bedrest"

[11:48] whatsapundit: and not just rest

[11:49] ashidome: Its greatly decreased activity

[11:49] whatsapundit: okay

[11:49] ashidome: Watching tv

[11:49] ashidome: Lying in bed

[11:49] whatsapundit: knitting

[11:49] ashidome: Yeah

[11:49] whatsapundit: okay, we can do this

[11:49] ashidome: Some computer time but should be done in bed

[11:49] ashidome: I'm getting more details

[11:50] whatsapundit: we have the old laptop and a bedtray, that works

[11:50] whatsapundit: assuming you can sit up in bed

In a way, this news is a relief. I've been worried that Liz was trying to be Superwoman, and maybe this will allow her to accept some help / let go of some stuff.

The problem though is one of the twins isn't doing nearly as well as the other. Today's weigh-in has Hunter at 3 lb 12 oz, Aden at 2 lbs 5 oz.

Damn, my stomach hurts.

[10:25] whatsapundit: just heard a rumor that <REDACTED> resigned

[10:25] whatsapundit: from a source that I trust

[10:25] ashidome: Okay...

[10:26] ashidome: That blows

[10:26] whatsapundit: yep

[10:26] whatsapundit: very very bad sign

[10:29] ashidome: Oh I thought not paying people was very very bad on its own

[10:29] whatsapundit: we've got so many scary signs we look like an australian beach

Okay, this should have been continued over at Alarming News, but the comment section broke down at a response to a point I raised, and since I think it's an important point, I am re-publishing the last two comments followed by my rebuttal over here.

myrna, Rudy has said he would appoint strict constructionists to the Court. Do you think he's lying? (Yeah, I know the rap that the judges he appointed in NYC "leaned left", but consider the talent pool he had available, please.)

And as an aside, the fetishization of abortion is one of the reasons I refuse to call myself a Republican. (The flip side is the fetishization of abortion is one of the reasons I refuse to call myself a Democrat, too...)

Everyone keeps trying to resurrect Reagan. Well someone tell me exactly what the Gipper did to fight the wave of abortions sweeping the land in the 1980s.

Anyone?

It's a wonder there's been any children born at all in this country since Roe v. Wade.
Posted by: Mark Poling at April 9, 2007 02:03 PM

Well Mark, you can worry about the 'fetishization' of the abortion issue, and I'll worry about its 'trivialization'.

I wonder how a person who supports Roe v. Wade can be taken seriously when he says he will appoint strict constuctionist justices. Aside from overturning Roe, there are a number of ways a President's politics can affect abortion policy - parental notification, partial birth, etc.
Posted by: myra langerhas at April 9, 2007 03:02 PM