The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

‘I Went Down to the Demonstration
to Get My Fair Share of Abuse …’

Posted on | November 7, 2011 | 24 Comments

Occupy DC demonstrators are illuminated by camera flash
while trying to storm the Washington Convention Center
in scene from video recorded Friday, Nov. 4, 2011

“Though they’ve mobilized a fraction of the people who turned out for just one Tea Party rally — the 9/12 rally in Washington, which drew well into the six figures — the Occupy protests have generated far more publicity. And, at least until recently, that publicity has been mostly favorable.”
— Glenn Reynolds, Washington Examiner

When I left home Thursday to attend AFP’s “Defending the American Dream Summit,” I explained that constant campaign coverage and other frustrations had brought me to the edge of complete burn-out:

When burn-out looms, one of the most important symptoms is an overpowering thirst. And I must maintain my health. IYKWIMAITYD.

My general plan was (a) to find Phil Kerpen and do an interview about his new book Democracy Denied, (b) do just enough reporting about Herman Cain and Mitt Romney’s speeches at the AFP event to justify the trip, and otherwise (c) relax and schmooze with my buddies in DC.

At first, things went according to plan. I met up with two stone-cold Cainiacs from New Hampshire, Mike Rogers and Chris Heneghan, who were kind enough to let me crash on the sofa in their suite at the Renaissance Hotel, and who also helped me cope with my thirst-related symptoms. Friday, I went over to the Convention Center and blogged a bit about Mitt and Herman, but had no luck finding Kerpen.

By late Friday afternoon, I’d given up hope for the Kerpen interview, but did get a chance to interview one lively Cainiac:

Ready to call it a day, I went to the AFP dinner with no plan other than to eat a free meal and chill out. But . . . news happens, and what followed were three posts — one, two, three — each of which got Instalanced, so that Saturday’s traffic was the best daily total we’d had in a month. Thousands watched the videos I posted, and the story behind the story is told in my column today at The American Spectator:

“WE! ARE! THE NINETY-NINE PERCENT!”
“WE! ARE! THE NINETY-NINE PERCENT!”
The rhythmic chant, kept in time by the accompaniment of a drummer, eventually deteriorated into chaotic shouting as the mob crowded around the entrance to the Washington Convention Center. A young woman held aloft her homemade 11-by-17-inch sign: “OCCUPY” with three red stars, a crude simulation of the District of Columbia flag. Flashes from dozens of digital cameras intermittently illuminated the frenzied scene by the glass doors, which were guarded by Metropolitan Police officers attempting to prevent the Occupy DC protesters from shoving their way inside.
“Peaceful! Peaceful!” some of the mob members shouted, as the self-declared “99 percent” were clearly on the verge of a full-scale riot Friday night outside the venue where the Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Foundation was holding its annual Defending the American Dream Summit. Before the evening was over, elderly women attending the “Tribute to Ronald Reagan” dinner would be shoved to the ground and three Occupiers would be struck by a car, but those incidents transpired later, after the protesters attempted to storm the doors of the Convention Center. . . .

Please read the whole thing. It’s kind of ironic how I stumbled into the middle of one of the hottest stories I’ve covered all year, when I wasn’t even planning to cover it at all.


Category: Fear and Loathing at the Defending the American Dream Summit

LIVE AT FIVE – 11.07.11

Posted on | November 7, 2011 | 9 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Greek PM Papandreou To Step Down

PM George Papandreou waves from his car after meeting with President, opposition leader

Agrees to step down in favor of unity government after strong pressure from EU

Oklahoma Quakes May Not Be Over
Swarm of small quakes shakes Oklahoma, more possibly on the way


As Sex Abuse Scandal Unfolds At Penn State, Paterno’s Future Uncertain
Athletic director’s head on the block after revelations



POLITICS
Thousands Circle White House In Trans-Canada Pipeline Protest

Environmentalist wackos visit White House

President misses protest, off playing golf

Thousands in Connecticut Enter Second Week Without Power

Accused Texas Terrorist Begins Trial Today

Obama’s Re-election Uncertain As He Struggles In Polls

Atlanta Police Arrest Five After #OWS Protest

Immigration The Focus Of Arizona Recall Election



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
European Shares Fall Further As Italy In Spotlight
G20 To Hold Yet More Euro Crisis Talks
Ryanair Lifts Profit Forecast
Best Buy Bags Mobile Phone Venture, Axes UK Chain
Oil Rises As Greece Moves to Salvage Bailout
Nikkei Edges Lower, Europe Woes Keep Investors Wary
France Finalizing More Austerity Measures
Ice Cream Of The Future Melts Into Bankruptcy
Are Student Loan, Education Bubbles Next?
Five Reasons Siri Is Not A Google Killer
Google Chief Agrees To Set Up K-Pop Youtube Channel
Mobile Patent Wars: A Look At How Everyone Loses
How B&N Could Set The Nook On Fire



SPORTS
Ravens Strike For Late TD, Stun Steelers

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger gets sacked by Ravens DE Pernell McPhee

Last-minute Flacco pass to Torrey Smith puts Ravens on top, 23-20

Giants & Eli Manning End Pats’ Streak – Again

Stewart Takes Texas (Video)

Stern’s Ultimatum Puts NBA Season In Jeopardy

#1 Tigers Win OT Slugfest Against #2 Tide

NASCAR Suspends Kyle Busch For TMS Races

Backup Goalie Gives Rangers First-Line Performance

Bengals Rally To Beat Titans, Notch 5th Straight Win

Dan Duquette Returns To Major Leagues As Orioles’ GM


Blues Fire Payne, Hire Hitchcock

Broncos, Tebow Beat Raiders 38-24



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
“She Told Me I Was The Father”

The Woman Who Would Be Bieber's Baby Mama

Yeater’s ex-boyfriend faced paternity claim over child, got slapped into the bargain
Somewhat related: No Truth To Rumors About Selena Dumping Justin

LiLo Crashes “J. Edgar” Afterparty

Kelly Osbourne Treated For Head Injury In Miami

Avril Lavigne Bloody, Beaten In Scuffle

Andy Rooney Dead At 92


“Twilight” Lovers Pattinson, Stewart Can’t Decide Where To Settle Down

Lionsgate Shopping “Harold & Kumar” TV Show

Benicio Del Toro Wanted For “Star Trek” Villain



FOREIGNERS
Russia Says Strike On Iran Would Be “Very Serious Mistake”
Nicaragua’s Ortega Has Big Early Lead In Voting
Carlos The Jackal Stands Trial For 1980s Terror Bombings
The Slaughter Continues In Syria Despite Arab League Deal
Boko Haram’s Deadly Attacks Show Nigerian Jihadis’ Growing Reach
80,000 Muslims Pray In The Freezing Streets Of Moscow
Ex-General Wins Guatemala Elections
Israeli Navy Intercepts, Detains Protest Ships



BLOGS & STUFF
Legal Insurrection: Politico Vs. Herman Cain By The Numbers
Lonely Conservative: Zuccotti Park “A Sliver Of Madness”
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: Lice Outbreak Announced At Occupy Portland
Outside The Beltway: Oh, Those Darn Meritocrats!
Via Meadia: Occupy Blue Wall Street?
Power Line: Occupy Crime Wave Update
OWS Exposed: 20 Year Old Vancouver Occupier Dies Of Drug Overdose


SOTD: Samurai

Category: Live at Five

Rule 5 Sunday: Outskirts

Posted on | November 6, 2011 | 8 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


This week, the Bondage continues at the Rio Norte Line with Olga Kurylenko. Also, Caterina Murino! Meanwhile, Joe Fein claims Kate Beckinsale for the Dark (or at least Goth) side. Randy’s Roundtable serves up Tashia McIntosh and Jennifer Hawkins for your midweek pleasure, while the POH Diaries take us on an airplane ride with Erin Andrews. Eye of Polyphemus settles this week on Lea Michele. Fishersville Mike has a pic of one member of the super-secret NFL Cheerleader Special Ops Team, and Jake Finnegan plugs his ears while choosing Julia-Louise Dreyfus as this week’s Burkalesque Babe.


El Opinador Compulsivo serves up more of Theo’s totty, a red shirt, an artistic shot of Kaley Cuoco, a beach scene, and an educational film on the effects of deceleration. Watch closely.


A View From The Beach goes north of the border for a look at Avril Lavigne, features some good reasons for “Better Red Than Dead” (no, not that Red), a less attractive Canuckistani woman, and wraps up with some Halloween-themed pinups. No wombats?


Last week, Soylent Green wished us a Soylent Halloween (LOOKIT THEM PUMKINS!), then went down under for some tit-illation, served up Rachel and Rebecca for the Humpday Hawtness, celebrated fellow bloggers’ millionth hits in the obvious fashion, did the needful for Corset Friday, and then served up a little something for Happy Hour.


Proof Positive doubles up after last week’s outage, with Capri Anderson, Frances Gifford, Beyonce putting da sex in da advertising, a (fake) topless Taylor Swift, Kaley Cuoco, Farrah Fawcett, and a sexy Brazilian beer ad.


Dustbury divides women into two groups: those on bicycles and those not on bicycles. Three Beers Later serves up Cynthia Fernandez, and Maggie’s Notebook presents a portfolio of Adriana Lima pix.


We end our Rule 5 roundup this week as we end most of them, with DaleyGator’s DaleyBabes. This week, it’s Japanese Baseball Babes, Lucy Liu, Emmy Rossum, Asian Babe Tuesday, Nikell Lyles, some Armenian attention whore, and Gwen Stefani.


Thanks to everyone for their linkagery! To be included in next week’s Rule 5 Sunday, send your links to Rule 5 Wombat by November 12. Can’t guarantee late links will be included!

Category: Rule 5

Breaking, With Drumbeats: Rise of the Planet of the Apes Sequel Confirmed!

Posted on | November 6, 2011 | 11 Comments

by Smitty

Furious Fanboys report:

After becoming a huge box office surprise at the end of the summer, Rise of the Planet of the Apes will definitely get a sequel. Deadline has confirmed the news, and that Andy Serkis will see a seven figure deal to return as Caesar. Director Rupert Wyatt will be back as well.

Sissypuss the Blog Kitty has confirmed, with some trepidation, an unexpected twist. Due to the need to pile all the cash in #OccupyResoluteDesks’s Canadian tour bus when it comes through Southern California for tribute, the sequel will consist of a Rupert Wyatt collaboration with Michael Moore on an #OccupyHollywood documentary.

Moore expressed glee that the #Occupy apes already have the story’s scatalogical angle in hand, albeit messily. The only real plot twist to await in all this is how they will pin the blame for societal collapse on Bush.

via Digg and Insty.

Category: #Occupy, Farce, Progressivism, Sissypuss the Blog Kitty

It Looks Like Greece’s Papandreou Will ‘Ouzo On Down The Road’

Posted on | November 6, 2011 | 7 Comments

by Smitty

CNN reports:

The country’s Cabinet was set to meet Sunday to discuss issues relating to Monday’s Euro group meeting, at which Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos will represent Greece, the reports quoted the spokesman as saying.
Venizelos is likely to remain in his post as finance minister in a new government, sources told Greek television. Candidates for the prime minister’s job include Petros Moliviatis and Loukas Papaimos, according to Greek television.
The new government will have a life of four months, according to Greek television, citing sources, and elections will be held in early spring.
The announcement comes amid economic and political turmoil in Greece and the formation of a coalition government tasked with saving the nation from bankruptcy.
A Greek default could drag down larger European economies, in particular those of Italy and Spain, as well as struggling Portugal and Ireland, analysts warn.

The article states that George P. survived the confidence vote. Parliamentary democracy has always been a bit murky, but, George P. is only hanging on while a new government is formed, isn’t that a de facto loss of the confidence vote, with a veneer of face-saving that no one seriously believes?

While one seriously wishes that the Greeks come up with a workable plan, this whole politics of failure continues to be just another tragedy. Or maybe a farce. Would that it could be sped up. Somewhere around Act CCCLXXVII, it started to get old.

Tyler Durden says, ‘maybe not‘.

via HuffPo

Category: Greece

Great Video On Democrat Party History

Posted on | November 6, 2011 | 14 Comments

by Smitty

I sort of knew most of this already, but the delivery here is quite good:

In the comments, @porklore is clearly a tool, repeating the ‘parties switched names’ myth. What would the motive of the GOP be, exactly, for giving up the right on the issue of race?

via Theo Spark

Update: linked at The Lonely Conservative.

Update II: linked at Nice Deb, who introduces some local black conservative women.

Update II: linked at Flopping Aces.

Category: Democrats

The Flying Machine? Execute Him.

Posted on | November 6, 2011 | 27 Comments

by Smitty

This would have been cool back in the day of innovation and capitalism. These foolish Germans are working on something that could have led to that flying car that Glenn Reynolds is always on about.  Apparently these Germans had not read their Bradbury. They don’t know that it is ‘unfair’ for some people to be smart and make the slackers feel bad things about their slackerhood. I’ll bet these Germans haven’t listened to Rush, either. (Aside: is it funny or sad that these music industry moochers want to label Rush a ‘Progressive’ act?)

However, we’re now in the inverted Era of Progress, where by ‘progress’ we really mean ‘regress’:
Emphasis mine:

October 28, 2011 — The White Salmon River in Washington state is flowing again as the nearly 100-year-old Condit Dam was disabled with explosives Wednesday. The reservoir draining took about 2 hours. Further demolition is scheduled in 2012. The event is a significant milestone for river restoration and dam removal nationwide.

It doesn’t sound like these guys are doing an improvement project. Rather, its the Noble Savage Myth playing out. While I don’t believe that these Progressives should be repressed in any way, we must, I repeat, must, expose them for the nutjobs they are and ensure that they don’t completely wreck Western Civilization in their pursuit of folly.

via Engaget

Update: Overpopulation myths.

Category: Progressivism

Dear Byron York: Huh?

Posted on | November 6, 2011 | 49 Comments

“This could have been Tim Pawlenty’s moment. With many Republicans writing off Rick Perry, worried Herman Cain can’t last, and perpetually dissatisfied with Mitt Romney, the former Minnesota governor might have gotten another look, had he stayed in the race. Given all the changes that have taken place in the GOP presidential contest, who knows? Pawlenty might have been a serious contender by now.
“Instead, Pawlenty is at home, having quit immediately after finishing third in the Aug. 13 Ames, Iowa, Republican straw poll. He has endorsed Romney — in what seemed a not-terribly-enthusiastic gesture — and he has publicly mused that maybe he got out too early. Indeed, there must be moments where Pawlenty kicks himself for bailing out of a race that proved much more volatile than anyone thought.”
— Byron York, “Pawlenty coulda been contender in this race”

No, sir, Mr. York. You’re completely wrong. Pawlenty’s mistake wasn’t quitting too soon. Pawlenty’s mistake was running for president.

Whatever his merits, Pawlenty lacks charisma. He’s less charismatic than Mitt Romney, and that’s saying something.

It is probably unfair that so many Americans believe that they can judge a man’s qualification for high office based on how he seems on TV. This process favors people who are good at seeming qualified, regardless of whether they actually are qualified. Nevertheless, we must live in the real world, and the reality is that “Minnesota Nice” didn’t play well on TV.

Back when he was actually running, people kept telling me that Pawlenty seemed weak in the debates. And the word “seemed” is inescapable in that formulation. Regardless of whether Pawlenty is weak, he seemed that way to a lot of people, and this was enough to destroy his candidacy. Because apparently the voters reckoned that whoever goes up against Obama must be ostentatiously strong. The fact that Michele Bachmann seemed stronger on TV than Pawlenty . . .

Finish that sentence however you wish. The point is that Byron York or anyone else who thinks Pawlenty would fare better now than he did three months ago is deluded. Pawlenty just didn’t have what it takes, and York’s revisionist “what if” hypothesis points to what was wrong with the idea of Pawlenty’s candidacy from the start. Pawlenty’s campaign was always more plausible in theory than it was in fact.

“Successful two-term Midwestern governor” is, theoretically, a splendid description of a presidential candidate. But when the successful two-term Midwestern governor has the demeanor of an undertaker, the theory is much less splendid than it might appear on paper.

One look at Tim Pawlenty ought to have been enough to dispel the theory of his candidacy, yet he was one of two names — along with Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels — mentioned by George Will in May as having a “reasonably certainty” of winning the GOP nomination and beating Obama. And one look at Mitch Daniels . . .

Perhaps you get my point. The TV Age doesn’t necessarily require successful presidential candidates to look like movie stars, although being an Evil Dead ringer for Bruce Campbell certainly hasn’t hurt Mitt Romney. Yet it is amazing that candidates like Pawlenty and Daniels, who simply don’t look the part, always strike pundits as so eminently plausible. Ditto the jolly jelly belly from Jersey, Chris Christie.

Also, Byron, you get a five-point foul for invoking “many Republicans” as a sock-puppet for espousing your own sense of the campaign. It’s a convenient rhetorical device, but it’s sort of a push-poll kind of thing — the “suggested sell,” as they say in food service: “Would you like to add a fried apple pie to your Value Meal, sir?”

“Many Republicans” can be deployed endlessly, e.g.: “Many Republicans are glad they don’t have to worry any longer about that boring blowhard Tim Pawlenty,” or “Many Republicans don’t even remember that a guy named Tim Pawlenty was ever a candidate for president.”

The last thing in the world we need at this point is a bunch of woulda-coulda-shoulda second-guessing over stuff that we can’t go back and change. Pawlenty is gone, and best forgotten, and I don’t want to hear any more about him.

Category: Election 2012, Tim Pawlenty
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