loved the Daily Show's Joe the Plumber bit last night!  I thought their bit about the media's overcoverage of the Obama girls' first day at school was hysterical too--John Oliver hiding in Malia's locker, and Samantha Bee disguised as a lunch lady.  It's funny because it's only a slight exaggeration of reality.  Kinda like Tina Fey's imitation of Palin.  (Tina Fey, who owes her career to Palin, cause, you know, she was nothing before Palin came along.)  

I think we keep going back to the old celeb favorites because ego and ambition are easier to understand than the economy and Middle East relations.

The Surgeon General posting doesn't require House approval, not sure about the Senate.  I doubt Gupta would have much involvement in the healthcare insurance debate--I think he would just be out there discussing health issues like obesity--but he does seem like a corporate tool to me.  I'm sure Obama is looking at him as a trusted, familiar face who can deliver the "get fit" message convincingly.              

As we count down the days until the Reign of the Imperial Dubya, let us not forget the deeds he has done:

The George W Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages and
accepting donations.
 
The Library will include:
 
The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction;
The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won't be able to remember anything;
The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't even have to show up;
The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in;.
The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out;.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.
The National Debt Room, which is huge and has no ceiling.
The Tax Cut Room, with entry only to the wealthy;
The Economy Room, which is in the toilet;
The Iraq War Room. (After you complete your first visit, they make you  to go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth visit.)
The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery;
The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty;
The Supreme Court Gift Shop, where you can buy an election;
The Airport Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators;
The Decider Room, complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.
 
Note: The library will feature an electron microscope to help you locate and view the President's accomplishments.
 
The library will also include many famous Quotes by George W. Bush:
 
'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.'
'If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.'
'Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.'
'No senior citizen should ever have to choose between prescription drugs and medicine.'
'I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change.'
'One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.'
'Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.'
'I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.'
'The future will be better tomorrow.'
'We're going to have the best educated American people in the world'
'One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures.' (during an education photo-op)
'Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.'
'We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.'
'I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.'...George W.Bush to Sam Donaldson
 
PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY!
 
Sincerely,
Jack Abramoff

I have never understood why Republicans could not admit some members of their party screwed up. I don't get the Stevens praise. Democrats have no such trouble, at least here in IL. Blago was impeached by a Democratic controlled house. We know slime when we see, even if it is our own party. And, our last gov, a repub is in federal prison. Why are people calling us crooks? Seems to me like we put the bad guys away?

Cherryl:  That was priceless.  Thanks for a good belly laugh this morning.

I hear we are being called the "Attack Dog" thread. Don't know what thread the respectful folks over there are reading, but it certainly isn't this one, lol...

Attack dogs.  How nice.  Oh well, I knew I was wasting my breath.

The countdown to Inauguration Day is officially in the single digits!  Whoooo hooooo!!

Obama was equivocal yesterday about pursuing legal measures against Bush/Cheney but I'm relieved that he has spoken out unequivocably against torture.  Even if you want to put the ethical issues aside, interrogation experts have stated repeatedly that torture doesn't work as an interrogation technique, that it produces false info or no info.  I heard a former CIA interrogator say that much time and effort was wasted in Afghanistan pursuing false leads given under torture and that the best info they got came from befriending the prisoners.  He was there, he ought to know!

And then there's the no small issue of who they've been torturing.  Cab drivers?  Farmers?  A lot of people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, who weren't terrorists and have no info to give.  Yes, I'm sure that if it were the neocons' family members who were wrongfully imprisoned and tortured they'd probably be demanding that we drop some bombs in retaliation.  But if it's poor Afghans and Iraqis, who cares?  Their tough luck for being born there.  Collateral damage.  

On a much lighter note, I thought it was funny that Malia and Sasha got Stephanopoulos to ask their dad about the puppy.  They're two determined girls! 

A week and a day, hooray! 

Sorry about your landlady, Amy, she sounds like a cowardly pill.  Maybe this news will brighten your day (and no doubt will piss off your landlady!):

New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, a vocal gay rights leader, will open President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration with a prayer on Sunday's kick-off event at the Lincoln Memorial.

"I am writing to tell you that President-Elect Obama and the Inaugural Committee have invited me to give the invocation at the opening event of the Inaugural Week activities, We are One, to be held at the Lincoln Memorial," Robinson wrote in an email to friends.

The announcement comes after weeks of outcry from the gay community over Obama's choice of evangelical, anti-gay pastor Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation.

"It's important for any minority to see themselves represented in some way," Robinson said in an interview with the Concord Monitor. "Whether it be a racial minority, an ethnic minority or, in our case, a sexual minority. Just seeing someone like you up front matters."

Robinson is the first openly gay diocesan bishop in the Anglican Communion. "God never gets it wrong. The church often takes a long time to get it right. It is a human institution, but one capable of self-correction," Robinson told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "I believe in my heart that the church got it wrong about homosexuality. There is great excitement in my heart to be living in a time when the church is starting to get it right."

Robinson said he would love to sit down with Rick Warren but believed that the California pastor has "perpetrated lies about the gay, lesbian and bisexual community."

Amy, I would have done the same as you did w/your landlady. Unfortunately, she's in the position of power. And if you love your apartment you don't want to jeopardize continuing to live there.

And you have every right to be angry about it. I would have had a really hard time keeping my mouth shut. You did good girl!

I am so glad Obama is covering all aspects of our continuum--both politically and spiritually. I am looking forward to the day of celebration next Tuesday. I think there should be a special holiday--everyone take off the day from work and watch this historical day.

In with the new, and out with the old. Obama will catch more flies with honey than vinegar!! He will certainly raise our reputation in the world!

I heard the Obama's are deciding between a labradoodle or a welsh something or other (both hyperallogenic). If they can't find one from a rescue group or shelter, then by all means they should buy from a responsible breeder.

Off to get a binding on my daughter's quilt. She has a friend having a baby in April so I have to get going on a baby quilt for her little girl. It's so great to see the generations born and moving us forward. At least I know that we (including my friends) live our lives with open arms and live by the golden rule. We teach that to our babies and grandbabies. They will grow up to be responsible members of our country. Hopefully, they will live in a peaceful time without wars or presidents who think they are an anointed King--like Bushy! Just hope we can put his type of political persona to rest--he can become the poster child for "this is what you don't do when you get elected president." And hopefully there won't be a bunch of fools wanting to vote for this type of politican.

Happy day all. And just a week till the first great monumentous, historic event in US of America!! 

Whooooooooooooooooooooooooo-hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

LA,

I vote for Porti to!!! What a PUMPKIN!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just a few more days!!

Tracey

Good grief.  I just watched the Bush press conference from today.

Thank goodness we are almost done with that pathetic, small, stupid, petulant, incompetent man.

WhoooHooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!  Only 6 more days!!

I need to go revive the inauguration thread and finalize plans for dinner next Wednesday night with some bco sisters!