@newtgingrich MUST IMMEDIATELY condemn his supporter who shouted "string him up" re: @barackobama

On Saturday, January 21, 2012 during Newt Gingrich's victory rally in the South Carolina primary a Gingrich supporter can be heard shouting out "string him up" after President Obama is mentioned. Essentially the lynching of our nation's first African American President was encouraged during a Republican primary event. If Newt Gingrich is going to be taken seriously he needs to condemn this type of rhetoric.

Andy Card claims Obama 'Has Pounded His Chest a Little Too Much', forgets Bush's enhanced flight suit

In an interview with Der Spiegel former Chief of Staff for former President George W. Bush, Andy Card, shows just out of touch members of the Bush administration are when he states the following about Obama:

"I think he has pounded his chest a little too much. He can take pride in it, but he does not need to show it so much."

And after the interviewer pointed out that Obama has refrained from acting too triumphant Card replies:

"I thought his statement was subdued, but I think his schedule is not subdued. Personally, I think it is premature to go to Ground Zero, in New York. I think my role model in this would be George H. W. Bush, when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. It was a day to celebrate, but we did not dance on the Wall."

Rather than going on with a long explanation calling bullshit on Card's assessment I will just let two pictures taken at public events do the talking. The first one is of George W. Bush following the end of major combat operations in Iraq and the second is of Obama after Osama bin Laden was killed.

President George W. Bush, May 1, 2003

President Barack Obama May 5, 2011

Looking at these two pictures I'm not sure how Card's assessment of Obama's handling of the aftermath of the bin Laden raid can be taken seriously. President Obama has been measured and respectful in response to this historic event and to imply otherwise is just bitterness on the part of Bush administration officials.

Republican lies are why Obama's bump in the polls may last a while

A Washington Post/Pew Research Center poll released today showed that President Obama's approval ratings jumped 9 percentage points to 56% in the immediate aftermath of the attack that killed Osama bin Laden. According to the Post this is his highest approval rating since 2009.

Conventional wisdom suggests this bump might be temporary. I am challenging conventional wisdom for two simple reasons, the American people are waking up to the lies being told about our nation's first African American president and he is distinguishing himself as a mature, calm, cool and confident leader.

Two significant developments last week, the bin Laden raid and the release of the long form birth certificate, made many Americans look at Obama differently. Additionally Obama supporters, like myself, are encouraged by the swagger he has displayed since he gave his budget speech on April 13, in which he took Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and the House Republicans to task.

A PARTIAL list of the lies include:

1. He is a socialist
2. He is a Muslim
3. He was not born here and has no birth certificate
4. He is not serious about the war on terrorism
5. He is weak on national security
   
6. He wants to raise taxes on all Americans
7. He doesn't lead
8. He was going to kill granny with death panels
   

Republicans/conservatives/teabaggers can only lie about Obama so much, and when those lies are proven to be false those doing the lying will pay a price, the subject of those lies, Obama, begins to reap benefits.

While the economy continues to struggle and unemployment remains high, the lies being told about him have played a significant role in his low approval ratings. As time goes on Americans are beginning to and will continue to view him differently.

Many people who have been in the "disapprove" column voted for him, they genuinely like him, but they had concerns about him. These concerns have been reinforced by the lies being told. Many of those folks started to believe the lies, but the events of the last few weeks have given him the opportunity to answer his critics and show America he is not the man that the Republicans/conservative/teabaggers make him out to be. Hell, even 70% of teabaggers are beginning to wake up and realize that is the House Republicans who are the enemy of Medicare, not Obama.

They have taken their best shots at Obama and they have done some damage, but he didn't loose his head, he just kept going. His pushback on Ryan's budget, chastising the press for focusing on the birth certificate, comforting of Alabama residents, calling Trump out to his face, while planning to take bin Laden out and succeeding, gave many of his detractors a reason to look at him differently and his supporters a reason to hope again.

The bump might be temporary but even if his normals drop a bit he continue to trend up, Obama is back and America is falling in love with him again.

Hey America, I’m sick and tired of African American men not being good enough for you

On behalf of President Obama, Muhammad Ali and my deceased grandfathers its time to start treating Black men with the same respect afforded to white men at birth



By John V. Moore
@johnvmoore

I am really pissed off and quite frankly hurting. Today President Obama released his long form birth certificate to answer questions about where he was born. I can’t remember this being an issue for any other American president or presidential candidate in recent history (there were some concerns about Martin Van Buren & Chester Alan Arthur). While Obama’s opponent in 2008, Senator John McCain, was in fact born in Panama, it is President Obama who was forced to prove he was born here.

The message to all people of color, especially African American men is: “You are not good enough.”

That’s my take away and the only way to change my mind is through actions, not reassurances that this has nothing to do with race. This is a very sad day in America and everyone needs to reflect on what just happened.

Despite growing up apart from his mother, being raised by his grandparents, graduating from two Ivy League colleges, serving as the first African American President of the Harvard Law Review, being a community organizer, teaching at the University of Chicago Law School, serving in both the Illinois and United States Senate, being elected the first Black President of the United States and more importantly being a role model for American fathers, he still had to prove he was “good enough” to be considered a real American.

He was held to a different standard, he was “othered.” The legal document he previously provided, his Certificate of Live Birth, was “not good enough.”

While its easy to marginalize the birthers, led by Donald Trump, the media deserve a plethora of blame. The fact that they kept giving him a platform, analyzed the accusation and re-aired it, is despicable, just despicable. The media is complicit in this birther hysteria, there is no justification for the airtime Trump got for making outlandish statements about Obama’s birth certificate. Dan Rather got fired for mistakes he made reporting on George W. Bush’s military record, while NBC pimps Trump’s birtherism for ratings for “The Apprentice.”

Why one standard for Rather and one standard for Trump? My take away is that we are being told that Obama “is not good enough” to be afforded the same respect Bush was.

Can anyone tell me what documents that George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Baines Johnson and John F. Kennedy were forced to provide regarding their birthright citizenship?

Now that Obama has directly addressed the birther issue by presenting his long form birth certificate, Trump has moved on to Obama’s academic records, demanding that he release them. The implication is that the President was not smart enough (read “good enough”) to get into to two Ivy League institutions. Many African Americans in college or corporate American must constantly prove that they are qualified and not some affirmative action beneficiary. When white folks get into college or get jobs it’s assumed that it was based wholly on merit, while the assumption for Black folks is that we can’t get into school or get hired without affirmative action.

Make no mistake affirmative action has helped many people of color as well as women and it is still necessary, but when someone distinguishes his or herself as the best and the brightest, as Obama did at Harvard Law School, its because he/she deserved it.

This “not good enough” treatment for Black men is nothing new, in addition to the well documented episodes experienced by historical figures over the years, there are millions of personal stories that shared by our ancestors that really hit home.

In his autobiography Muhammad Ali noted that although he had just won a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics and heralded as an American hero, he was denied service at a “whites-only” restaurant in Louisville. You see, even though he represented America in the Olympics he “was not good enough” to eat in a restaurant.

Flora Lee Burford, Barbara (Burford) Moore, Bruce Burford, John Burford

John Burford, my deceased maternal grandfather, was part of the “Greatest Generation” having served in World World II, but when he returned home to Joliet, Illinois, he was not allowed to eat in downtown restaurants, join the YMCA or go swimming at Nowell Park Tuesdays through Sundays. He and his family were allowed to swim there on Monday mornings, because the pool was cleaned on Monday afternoons. Grandpa Burford served his country, but he was “not good enough” to be afforded the freedoms he fought to protect.

Samuel Moore

Samuel Moore, my deceased paternal grandfather, did not serve in WWII, rather he was a brick mason in Selma, Alabama. During the war he found himself working alongside German prisoners of war who, in accordance with the 1929 Geneva Convention, were assigned to labor details throughout the south. At lunch time the German prisoners of war were allowed to eat inside local restaurants. Grandpa Moore? Despite being a hard working American man who was raising a family, he wasn’t “good enough” and had to eat outside.

The people who wouldn’t allow Grandpa Burford to join the YMCA or Grandpa Moore to eat inside were pillars of their respective communities and raised kids, many of whom are most likely grandparents now. I often wonder what stories did they pass down, what lessons they taught future generations, what were their legacies?

As I said earlier the media is complicit in this, in my mind they wear the same jacket that Trump and the birthers wear. At this point I don’t want to them to drop the story, I want them to spend as much time looking at the motivations of the birthers and the role that race played in this controversy.

Doing so will send a simple message to President Obama, Muhammad Ali, the late John Burford, the late Samuel Moore and African American men in general. . . “you are good enough.” We know that, we just would like you to acknowledge that.

Sarah Palin calls Obama "half white or half Black," wants him to "refudiate" NAACP

During a recent appearance on Sean Hannity’s show on FOX NEWS, in which she was pushing back at the NAACP’s resolution on teabagger* bigotry, Sarah Palin claimed that they didn’t care if President Obama is “half white or half Black.”

While Obama embraces his mixed parentage, he identifies himself as African American, not biracial, not “half white or half Black,” but African American. Folks who are biracial or of mixed heritage have every right to declare how they want to be identified and everyone else should respect their choice.

Make no mistake Palin meant this as a diss, a racial dog whistle, intended to defend teabaggers against charges of racism and other forms of bigotry, while at the same time reminding her like minded audience that he is not like them, he is different.

She is implying that white folks can’t be racist against some one who is “half white,” while at the same time reminding folks he is “half Black.” Let’s not forget that Palin’s buddy, radio host and pill popping bigot Rush Limbaugh refers to Obama as a “Halfrican American.” These references have a purpose and its not a celebration of Obama’s diverse background.

In the same interview Palin called on Obama to “refudiate,” (yeah the crazy lady made up the word “refudiate”) the NAACP for its resolution condemning the teabagger movement for the bigotry that is directed at Obama as well as others.

Think about that now, Palin wants Obama to “refudiate” (I guess that means repudiate) folks who are speaking out against the bigotry directed at him. Seriously?

Whenever the teabaggers get together the bigoted signs and rhetoric are not far behind. Lets not forget the time they called Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights hero, the “n-word,” spit on Congressman Emanuel Clever and called Congressman Barney Frank the “f-word,” all in one day.

The racially charged atmosphere that surrounds the teabaggers’ protest is just sickening. Whether its the picture of Obama dressed up like a witch doctor, Tea Party leader Dale Robertson carrying a sign with the “n-word” on it or the kid carrying a sign that says “Obamanomics: Monkey See/Monkey Spend,” its not surprising that many African Americans, including yours truly, as well as decent people of all backgrounds are alarmed by the overt racism on display at these events.

Rather than Palin pandering to her fellow teabaggers she needs to call them out, “refudiate” their bigotry, accept the NAACP’s resolution and challenge her friends to be above the bigotry that has defined their movement. Anything short of that is unacceptable, but sadly expected.
*I refuse to defame a special moment in American history but comparing this ignorant band of blithering idiots to the true patriots who took part in the Boston Tea Party.

Obama understands responsibility of being 1st African America president, Steele doesn’t understand his

Today on Good Morning America, GOP Chairman Michael Steele, fended off the criticism surrounding his stewardship of the Republican party by implying that it could be racially motivated.

From the Huffington Post:

Appearing on "Good Morning America" Monday, Steele was asked whether he was being criticized unfairly over expenditures on items such as private jet travel, high-end hotels, and bondage-themed nightclubs, because of his race.

"The honest answer is, 'Yes,'" he said. "Barack Obama has a slimmer margin. A lot of folks do. It's a different role for me to play and others to play and that's just the reality of it. But you just take that as a part of the nature of it."

Now that Steele has his back up against the wall because of his spending, especially the spending associated with the lesbian bondage club incident, he is playing the race card.

This is just ridiculous, when Steele compares his struggles to that of President Obama he ignores that simple fact that whenever Obama’s race is relevant he conducts himself in a manner that many of us in the African American community can take pride in. As for Steele, when his race is relevant he often plays the role of the mistrel.

Writing in the Grio last week Dr. Boyce Watkins noted:

“One problem for Michael Steele, however, is that even if this story is not true, the public is going to believe that it is. The tale of the financially irresponsible black man is an easy sell to the American people, particularly among conservatives. Notice that the language used to describe Michael Steele as arrogant, out of touch and economically irresponsible is similar to the dialogue aimed at President Barack Obama.”

While Obama is comfortable in his skin and not afraid to speak in his Blackcent on occasion or engage in what some might consider behavior associated with being Black (playing basketball being my favorite), he carries himself in a manner that pushes back and challenges some of the most negative stereotypes associated with Black men.

Steele on the other hand seems to think his role at times is to play a character. Let’s not forget when he said the GOP needed a “hip-hop makeover” and that it was going to launch a public relations offensive that was going to be “off the hook.”

One of the funniest moments in Steele’s tenure as head of the GOP was when Obama mocked Steele to his face during the 2009 White House Correspondents’ Dinner saying:

"Michael Steele is in the house tonight. Or as he would say, 'In the heezy.' Wassup?"

Steele stood up to call attention to himself as if Obama was talking to him man-to-man, however he didn't realize the President was leading the world in laughing at him.

I believe that the GOP selected Steele to be their “cool Black guy” in response to the Democrats’ “cool Black guy.” The only problem is that Barack Obama is a thoughtful, competent, inspiring individual who wants to be a transformational leader and happens to be both cool and Black, whereas Steele is just a simple fool.

Illinois Tea Baggers Cheapen and Shame Our Nation's Service Men & Women's Sacrifice and Service

Illinois Tea Baggers Cheapen and Shame Our Nation's Service Men & Women's Sacrifice and Service (via Democratic Underground)

In 1941, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor two brothers, related to six US presidents, enlisted in the Army.

In 1944, these brothers, Stanley and Ralph Dunham went ashore at Normandy and served their Nation fighting the Nazi’s across France, Italy and Germany. Another young American, Stanley’s, brother-in-law, Charles Payne, fought with Patton’s Third Army and was among the troops that liberated the prisoners at the Nazi Death camp of Buchenwald.

In 1945, upon return from Europe, Stanley and his wife Madelyn, who had served the nation’s war efforts by working on a B-29 assembly line, settled down and started a family.

In 1961, a grandson was born to the Dunham’s at the Kapi’olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital, in Honolulu United States.

In 2008, that grandson won the election for President of the United States by a 9,522,186 plurality.

In 2009, on the 5th day of the 9th month, a group of Americans gathered at Bureau County’s Soldiers and Sailor’s Park in Princeton Illinois, a park dedicated to honor the service and sacrifice of all of America’s service men and women. On that day, the grandson of Stanley and Madelyn Dunham, on this hallowed ground, was compared to Adolph Hitler, his name was mocked and his citizenship questioned.

Today, Sergeant Stanley Dunham rests in the Punchbowl National Cemetery where he was buried with full military honors. The light from Sergeant Dunham’s, and his family’s sacrifice, and service, will brighten the shadow that one day darkened Bureau County's place of honor on that regrettable day in 2009, a day that will be not long remembered and quickly tossed on the trash pile of history.


mike kohr
Princeton, Illinois

Mike Kohr represents the 18th District on the Bureau Illinois County Board and is President of the Depue/Bureau County Democratic Club

Our first (and maybe last) blind item: is another African American woman running for Senate?

We heard this morning a rumor that another African American woman, very well established in Chicago and with a VERY IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL SUPPORTER, will be announcing her intention to run for President Barack Obama's Senate seat.

If true, Cheryle Jackson's campaign may be doomed before it even starts off.

As we said, this is our first (and maybe last) blind item. Our sources tell us this can happen today if it does we told you so. If not, we are new to this blind item thing ;)

Boss Limbaugh BUILT his career by being a divisive, bigoted, demagogue, those offended by Wanda Sykes jokes should get over it

This morning America awoke to criticism that comedian Wanda Sykes crossed a line when she joked that Rush (Boss) Limbaugh was “the 20th hijacker” during Saturday night’s White House Correspondents Dinner.



Looking for and manufacturing controversy where one does not exist is an unfortunate practice of many in the mainstream media, talk radio and the blogosphere. Dealing with issues such as the economy, health care and other things impacting Americans on a daily basis must be too bothersome.

Folks like Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News and the London Daily Telegraph’s Toby Harnden have taken Sykes to task and some have even called out President Obama for laughing at the joke. One can only wonder how much time cable news will dedicate to this manufactured controversy and whether or not White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs will be bombarded with questions about it during his next briefing.

While Lupica acknowledges that, “Limbaugh is another gasbag in this country who has gotten rich on meanness,” he also asks what would happen if Limbaugh dared to cross the line with jokes that Sykes is “half-a-terrorist?”

Well Mr. Lupica the answer is: he would and has already become a mega-rich, influential power broker that no Republican would dare cross.

Limbaugh will most likely respond to Sykes today so lets see if he “keeps it classy.” The speculative moral equivalency about what would happen if Limbaugh did the same thing is BULLS@&T!

For the last two decades he has DONE THE SAME THING and has gotten rich and famous as a result. This behavior has become so accepted that he has inspired other divisive, bigoted, demagogues like Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and Michael Savage who have also laughed all the way to the bank.

For years Limbaugh and his ilk have had no problem calling folks they don’t agree with un-American, socialists, fascists, feminazis, etc. They also rail against political correctness run amok, HOWEVER whenever anyone swings back and lands a punch they scream bloody murder.

As for President Obama laughing at a joke about a man who calls him an Halfrican American, Barack the Magic Negro and has wished that he will fail? Get over it and get a life . . .Boss Limbaugh had it coming.

Black Planet: Top 10 Racist Rush Limbaugh Quotes

Your weekly Presidential address

Your weekly Presidential address

Presidental Weekly address

The President's weekly radio address via YouTube 2.21.09

For those not getting the racist connect people feel re: New York Post cartoon. . .

. . .remember these great gems from the campaign trail:

Is Rep. Aaron Schock LYING? He claims 1,400 Caterpillar employees have asked him to oppose the stimulus

Now before folks over react, we are NOT accusing Schock of lying, we simply do not know the truth. HOWEVER, we know the UAW supports the stimulus package and many Caterpillar employees belong to the union. Furthermore we learned today that when President Obama mentioned that folks reach out to Schock and urge him to support the bill Obama many in the room cheered.

So is Schock being truthful when claims that none of his supporters have urged him to support the bill and 1,400 Caterpillar employees have urged him to oppose it?




Here is video of President Obama in Peoria including his recognition of Congressman Schock:


Peoria Journal Star: Schock gets nudge on stimulus

EAST PEORIA —

Nothing like a nudge from the leader of the free world to vote yes to the stimulus package. In front of hundreds of spectators. Live on national television. Sweetened by a ride on Air Force One.

“There’s added pressure, yes,” freshman U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, said after Obama acknowledged him while visiting Caterpillar Inc.’s Building HH to promote his economic stimulus package.

“Stand up, Aaron. Aaron’s still trying to make up his mind about our recovery package,” Obama said before his prepared speech.

“So he has the chance to be in the mold of Bob Michel and Ray LaHood. And so we know that all of you are going to talk to him after our event because he’s a very talented young man. I’ve got great confidence in him to do the right thing for the people of Peoria.”
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Obama's prepared remarks 2.12.09, Springfield, IL

Remarks of President Barack Obama in Springfield on Feb. 12
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER Posted Feb 12, 2009 @ 07:58 PM Last update Feb 12, 2009 @ 08:06 PM
As Prepared for Delivery:

It is wonderful to be back in Springfield, the city where I got my start in elected office, where I served for nearly a decade, and where I launched my candidacy for President two years ago, this week – on the steps of the Old State Capitol where Abraham Lincoln served and prepared for the presidency.

It was here, nearly one hundred and fifty years ago, that the man whose life we are celebrating today bid farewell to this city he had come to call his own. On a platform at a train station not far from where we’re gathered, Lincoln turned to the crowd that had come to see him off, and said, “To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything.” Being here tonight, surrounded by all of you, I share his sentiments.

But looking out at this room, full of so many who did so much for me, I’m also reminded of what Lincoln once said to a favor-seeker who claimed it was his efforts that made the difference in the election. Lincoln asked him, “So you think you made me President?” “Yes,” the man replied, “under Providence, I think I did.” “Well,” said Lincoln, “it’s a pretty mess you’ve got me into. But I forgive you.”

It is a humbling task, marking the bicentennial of our 16th President’s birth – humbling for me in particular, I think, for the presidency of this singular figure in so many ways made my own story possible.

Here in Springfield, it is easier, perhaps, to reflect on Lincoln the man rather than the marble giant, before Gettysburg and Antietam, Fredericksburg and Bull Run, before emancipation was proclaimed and the captives were set free. In 1854, Lincoln was simply a Springfield lawyer, who’d served just a single term in Congress. Possibly in his law office, his feet on a cluttered desk, his sons playing around him, his clothes a bit too small to fit his uncommon frame, he put some thoughts on paper for what purpose we do not know:

“The legitimate object of government,” he wrote, “is to do for the people what needs to be done, but which they can not, by individual effort, do at all, or do so well, by themselves.”
-Click here for more-

Right wing blowhard Roe Conn ridicules Henrietta Hughes

We knew it wouldn't take long for right wingers to ridicule Henrietta Hughes, the woman who tearfully recounted living in her car due to homelessness to President Barack Obama in Fort Myers, Florida today.

Roe Conn took her to task and mocked her for wanting a kitchen, as if she was trying to get her house remodeled. Anyone with brain and/or heart, Conn has neither, understands that Ms. Hughes was talking about the stress of living in her car and how she needs help. Her reference to the kitchen was about needing the basics to live and regaining her dignity.

When a caller tried to explain what Hughes was saying and talked about the plight of the homeless that she witnesses in her Chicago suburb she was mocked as well.

Click here to listen.

UPDATED NOTE: Thanks to Oliver Willis for sharing this post to his readers! Welcome to Oliver and his readers!

Henrietta Hughes facing homelessness asks Obama for help

President Obama is in Ft Meyers, FL today holding his second town hall meeting and a woman named Henrietta Hughes stood up, was crying, let him know she is facing homelessness and asked for his help. He went over to her, hugged her and told her his staff will look into seeing what can be done to help her.

Ms. Hughes just became an instant celebrity and we bet media is falling all over themselves to talk to her. The good news is she might get her much needed help, however we expect her struggle to be scrutinized.

Ms. Hughes could very well become the face of the need for the stimulus bill.

This might be Obama's "I feel your pain" moment.

Conservative POUTRAGE: Elisabeth Hasselbeck demands that Obama condemn Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews and others. . .

On THE VIEW today Elisabeth Hasselbeck threw her typical conservative temper tantrum while discussing the war of words between President Obama and the pill popping bigoted conservative mouthpiece Rush Limbaugh. Hasselbeck is POUTRAGED because Obama is not telling Democrats to not listen to MSNBC’Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews.

(continued after the video)



Excuse us Ms. Hasselbeck, Limbaugh went on record saying that he hoped Obama failed. Did Olbermann and Matthews ever go on record and say that they hope President Bush failed? They may be very critical of Bush but did they ever say they wanted him to fail?

NOPE, there is difference, a big difference between being critical of a president and hoping he fails. Given the over the top knee jerk reactions that the wingnuts had whenever anyone was remotely critical of Bush, Limbaugh’s words could be considered treasonous.

Does anybody remember what happened to the Dixie Chicks?

Hasselbeck and her fellow right wing poutragers need a reality check and they need that reality check quick. She continues her campaign to be the stupidest person on earth.

Rolling Stone on the Blago debacle

Rolling Stone: Blago's Revenge
On the eve of Obama's historic inauguration, the Democrats allowed themselves to be outfoxed by a craven scum eater

MATT TAIBBI Posted Feb 05, 2009 9:02 AM

God knows if any of thisis the president's fault, but in their handling of the preposterous scandal surrounding Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic Party leaders under Barack Obama have brought us all hurtling back to the nightmarish prevarication of the Clinton years — those horrifying days when the party's enduring inability to act decisively allowed Barnum-esque con men like Ken Starr to hold all of America hostage.

For almost two decades now, the Democrats have blazed up every joint in sight, only to freeze at the crucial moment of inhalation. Clinton kicked off two excruciating terms of Solomon-esque waffling by splitting gays in the military right down the middle and ended by only half-admitting to being swallowed whole by an intern named Monica Lewinsky. Then came history's first three-base balk in Florida (with James Baker waving Bush around to score), followed by a senseless war in Iraq that Democrats thought to oppose only once it became inexpedient to support.

All this bullshit, we hoped, might end with Barack Obama. But then came Blagojevich, a sleazeball whose massively publicized success in scheming a way to drop turd in the new president's inaugural punch bowl is a gate-crashing leap above station on the order of Paris Hilton screwing her way into a speaking role in Gandhi or Amadeus. It's a political disaster that happened only after Democrats once again froze in the headlights at the crucial moment, trying to flee in two different directions at once while a third-rate bookie in a tracksuit seized control of the U.S. Senate.

The irony is, before the curtain on his act got pulled back by the FBI, Blagojevich somehow got himself elected as an Obama-style reformer, railing against corruption and entrenched power. In fact, Obama himself helped craft Blagojevich's first campaign in 2002 against the "business as usual" administration of his Republican predecessor, George Ryan, serving as a key adviser along with current Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.
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