And all the conspiracy theories are true...

Labels: Hillary, Obama, snl

Labels: Giuliani, music video, Obama

This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words: dead, torture (perhaps I should have said "enhanced interrogation techniques"), dick (as in Cheney), hell, and shoot. Thank goodness for Matthew Yglesias' blog.

In other news:

Obama raised $32.5 million in the second quarter (CNN)

What do voters really mean when they label themselves "independent"? (WP)

Giuliani says the Engel v. Vitale and Abington v. Schempp supreme court decisions in the 1960s "went too far." (TPM) I'd say Giuliani's taking this pandering to the base thing a bit too far.

In case you didn't know, Joe rocks my Ryan Adams-loving socks...

Labels: church and state, Giuliani, independents, Obama

One possible explanation for Dick Cheney: He's the 4th branch of government

The Washington Post is running a great 4-part series detailing Cheney's role in major administration decisions.

• Some random country singer doesn't have a crush on Fred Thompson, just his politics. Unlike Obama...
  
• Did you know? Hillary Clinton's been poll-testing negative attacks on the other Democratic front-runners. Also noteworthy: according to Patterico (see blog), she's going to win the nomination because all the metaphorical skeletons in her closet have been rotting on the White House lawn for years.
• from the Post: how Kelly Clarkson can save her career.
• The Harry Potter movie kiddos have some fashion problems. I'm also going to take this opportunity to point out the "Outstanding" I got on the most recent Wombat. I'm such a nerd.

Labels: Cheney, facebook, Harry Potter, Hillary, Kelly Clarkson, myspace, Obama, Thompson, Torture

Never before has this important aspect of Obama's candidacy been made so clear. This video is hilarious.

Labels: music video, Obama

The Presidential Candidates attack online and on YouTube in "Cluster F@#k the White House"


Meanwhile, Romney tries to disprove one flip-flop accusation from the McCain campaign and reveals another. McCain seems to be going very seriously negative on Romney - his campaign bought the url "www.mittvsfact.com."

Labels: Clinton, Daily Show, Giuliani, Gravel, Hillary, McCain, Obama, Romney

I looked and looked, and can't seem to find any polls from the 3rd Democratic Debate...yet.
However, depending on which poll you look at, Hillary Clinton is either beating all the other Democratic contenders by huge margins (SurveyUSA), or Obama just caught up to Clinton (Gallup) and is just about 1% ahead. My prediction of an inevitable Giuliani shrink in poll numbers still hasn't happened. However, on Clinton, I can say this - her numbers can only go down as voters get to know the other candidates.
Do or don't watch the Republican Debate in New Hampshire tonight, I don't care. I'll be watching it, though.

Yesterday the Washington Post ran a truly telling story on the negative psychological impact our interrogation policies (torture or not) have on the interrogators themselves - note the difference between the U.S. interrogator and the one from Northern Ireland.

Finally, Stephen Colbert's stunning accuracy on the Democratic Debate:

Labels: Colbert Report, Hillary, Obama, Torture

This debate was the strongest one yet - all the candidates were far better tonight than they have been in previous debates, though Obama was a little flat. Earlier I highlighted Richardson and Biden as having the distinction of having cleaned up their act, but it was true of the whole field. Edwards seemed eager for a fight; consider his statement on the Iraq funding vote when he attacked Obama and Clinton in the same sentence. The real question for Edwards: how hard did he kick himself after he realized that he hadn't said getting the troops out of Iraq would be the first thing he would do in office (100 days question)?
I'll be on the look-out for other blogger responses, footage, etc. to follow up on the debate.

P.S. - I listened to a Fred Thompson speech this afternoon, and I think I may have been wrong about him having moderate candidate potential. Absolutely not.

Labels: Biden, Clinton, Edwards, Obama, Richardson, Thompson

Biden has been doing surprisingly well in this debate, and Bill Richardson's performance has been a lot better so far in this debate as he showed off two of his major strengths: immigration and energy. Obama's performance so far seems somewhat mediocre for him. Edwards appears to be trying to create conflict amongst a generally unified group of candidates. I'll have more to add when the debate's over - it's about to start again.

Labels: Biden, Edwards, Hillary, Obama, Richardson

I’ve been thinking about doing a post similar to this one for a while, since it’ll be useful to have to deal with the questions I get about my stance on the 2008 candidate field.

The Question: How do you evaluate the candidates?

In my mind, there’s a serious distinction to be made between the candidate best suited to make decisions about the future of the U.S. and the candidate in the best position to lead the country in a new direction. Were I to make such a decision in 2001 or 2002, the choices in the first category would be obvious: John McCain and Bill Richardson. Of this year’s field of candidates, it is the two of them who stick out as having most astoundingly served the nation, Bill Richardson as a Congressman, US Ambassador to the UN, Secretary of Energy, and Governor of New Mexico; and John McCain as naval aviator and then a POW for 5 years during the Vietnam War and, later, a Senator representing his state for 20 years.

Is in comparison to the current front runners in both parties that these candidates properly stand out – Rudy Giuliani has never served in office except as major of New York City and U.S. Attorney. Nothing about him qualifies either actually or symbolically for President of the United States. His current stance as front-runner is the sole product of his opportunism in taking something that the United States sees as one its greatest tragedies and using it to launch himself into a position of great power (if you’re a Heroes fan it’s worth noting how Giuliani’s path to Presidency oddly mirrors Sylar’s). Giuliani is also notable for a bit of cronyism and dealing harshly with those (especially the press) who disagree with him (see Ferrets). He has a lifetime muzzle award?

Obama’s lack of true qualification is slightly more benign; he was on track to take the slow and certain path to a Presidential campaign with seven years in the Illinois senate and what was sure to be a noteworthy career in the Senate. Along with this, some aspects of Obama’s biography place him in a unique position to run for president; with his book Dreams from My Father, written before his entrance into politics, he demonstrated a long-standing unique outlook on the nation’s complicated racial politics. Likewise, having chosen to work for Saul Alinsky's coummunity organizing group (which recently received some interesting press attention), it is clear that his plans for himself always involved public service. In some ways, this puts Obama on equal footing with Hillary Clinton, whose own political achievements will always be seen in the shadow of her husband’s. Obama fits into the 2nd category by which to judge the candidates - having seen him in person and followed him closely, I can say with some certainty that he has the ability to provide a type of inspirational leadership that the country currently lacks. The real question to ask is how important this type of leadership is in choosing a president.

Back to the real world: noting that Bill Richardson will probably never make it in with the Democratic front-runners due to his sad lack of charisma and public speaking ability, I have no clear preference between the top three Democratic candidates. I campaigned for John Edwards in 2004, and I like both Obama and Clinton, though I have a slight preference for Obama. My only hope for those three is whichever one of them wins the nomination and possibly the presidency will consider Bill Richardson as their Vice President or Secretary of State.

….Which leaves the Republic field of candidates. Noting my distaste for Giuliani, and considering that Romney has changed his position on every social issue the religious right cares about and has basically no integrity left to throw out the window, McCain is clearly the best candidate for the Republican nomination. Every Republican presidential candidate supports continuing the Iraq war in some form, and McCain is the only one to have clearly articulated an Iraq policy distinct from the status quo (see here). Were McCain to win the election, his career in the Senate acts as proof that he knows how and when to compromise effectively, and that his concerns are not simply partisan ones. His greatest downfall is that of his party: he supports an unpopular and unsuccessful war. With the only good option for an incoming president being to minimize the Bush administration’s damage by withdrawing from Iraq while leaving in place some type of structure that will diminish the blow to the region when Iraq eventually collapses, a Democrat will probably win the 2008 election. But the 2008 election will serve to the international community as a test of the American public on the Iraq war, and for a debate on the issue to happen, each party must put forward its strongest voice. John McCain is the only Republican who can fill those shoes. If he does win the election, those in the U.S. against the war will at least be able to live with hope, knowing that McCain has the experience and wisdom necessary to change his mind.

I know there are some problematic things about McCain's candidacy I didn't cover, but I think this post is a bit on the long side as it is.
Mystery Pollster asks, "Who won the Republican Debate?" The answer: not Giuliani, but Romney

Labels: Edwards, Giuliani, Hillary, McCain, Obama, Richardson, Romney

The Link Dump:

• On the Attorney firing scandal: Bush directly ordered Iglesias' firing with some encouragement from Karl Rove (Talking Points Memo, which has been following the story with a microscopic level of scrutiny, notes some sketchy source-usage)...and Alberto Gonzales is going to testify today...two-thirds of Americans see the Attorney firings as politically motivated...
  
• Hillary Clinton: Are the polls inflating her likely primary numbers? + Do the Clintons have Israel-Palestinian policy all wrong?
• John McCain: David Brooks and I seem to see him the same way right now
• John Edwards...is podcasting!
  
• the Imus "scandal": Hillary embraces identity politics while Barack Obama runs far, far away
• More Presidential fun: The New York Observer profiles the candidates' Iraq strategies based on their advisers, Obama vs Hillary vs Edwards on the policy front (The Economist), George Bush almost exploded himself....
  

Labels: Alberto Gonzales, Bush, Edwards, Hillary, Imus, Karl Rove, McCain, Obama

The White Stripes have finally gotten around to announcing the release date for Icky Thump, and it's (drum roll) June 19 in North America, Southeast Asia, and Japan and June 18 in the UK and Europe. Somehow I feel like us North Americans just got put down. (Source)
I think the cover art is funny-looking, like a Sgt. Pepper wannabe?

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah tour, skip some really important cities (the band's website). I didn't post on this earlier, so I'm trying to get away with it while I still can.

4-10 Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
4-11 Northampton, MA - Pearl Street Night Club
4-12 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
4-13 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
4-14 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus
4-15 Buffalo, NY - The Town Ballroom
4-17 Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
4-18 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
4-19 Athens, GA - 40 Watt
4-20 Jacksonville, FL - Freebird
4-21 Orlando, FL - The Club at Firestone
4-22 Fort Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
4-24 New Orleans, LA - Republic
4-26 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
4-27 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
4-28 Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ
4-30 Kansas City, MO - VooDoo Lounge
5-01 Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
5-02 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
5-03 Indianapolis, IN - Vogue Theater
5-21 Melbourne, Australia - Hi Fi Bar
5-22 Melbourne, Australia - Hi Fi Bar
5-23 Sidney, Australia - Enmore
5-24 Brisbane, Australia - The Zoo
5-25 Brisbane, Australia - The Zoo
7-04 Lisbon, Portugal - Superbock Super Rock
7-06 Cluses, France - Festival Musique En Stock
7-07 Evereux, France - Festival L Rock Dan Tous Ses Etats
7-08 Zurich, Switzerland - Rote Fabrik
7-10 Dusseldorf, Germany - Zakk
7-11 Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhagen Jazz Festival
7-13 Dour, Belgium - Dour Festival
7-14 Southwold, England - Latitude Festival
7-15 Glasgow, Scotland - Indian Summer Festival
7-17 Munich, Germany - Muffahalle
7-18 Florence, Italy - Arrezo Wave Festival
7-20 Carhaix, France - Carhaix Festival Les Vieilles Charrues
7-21 Angoulême, France - Angoulême Festival Garden Nef Party
7-22 Benicássim, Spain - Benicássim Festival
7-25 Nyon, Switzerland - Paleo Festival
7-29 Mt. Fuji, Japan - Fuji Rock Festival
9-02 Stradbally, Ireland - Electric Picnic

Yeah, yeah...there's a new Rufus Wainwright album, Release the Stars, coming out on May 15, so he's announced some tour dates which display blatant NYC & London favoritism. (Source)

On politics...

• McCain: "Unless we fight to prevent it, our withdrawal will be coupled with a genocide in which we are complicit" ....In one sentence, all my hopes for a McCain turnaround on Iraq have dissipated. Plus, he praised Obama on Iraq and got bitch-slapped in return.
  
• The situation (McCain winning the GOP primary) grows more hopeless on other fronts: Fred Thompson revealed to Fox News that he has cancer in remission. Which probably means he's running. Damn.
• Meanwhile, **a little-noted story in the Washington Post yesterday** made me smile for miles and miles. And miles.
  

Labels: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, McCain, Obama, Rufus Wainwright, Thompson, White Stripes

Last night was drag ball in Oberlin, and I made a pretty sketchy man. I may post a photo or two later.

Johnny Cash - Boy named Sue

Meanwhile, some other linking thoughts...

• What happens when you place a Grammy-winning classical violinist at L'Enfant Plaza (in DC) during rush hour? The results.
• More Giuliani stories compiled: He pushed for Bernard B. Kerik as the next secretary of Homeland Security and despite Kerik's bad financial, ethics, and corruption record, the White House went ahead (needless to say, Kerik wasn't confirmed). Plus, he doesn't seem to know the difference between Sunnis and Shi'ites (do you really want this guy making foreign policy in the middle east?) and he's still firmly for legal abortions (and the right is really going to go for this???)
• A great Obama moment in Iowa + Has Hillary lost her mojo?
  
• Oh, McCain and Iraq. Will that story ever end...?

Labels: Giuliani, Hillary, McCain, Obama

The news of an upcoming New Pornographers album happened while I was on blog leave, but today Pitchfork released an interview with A.C. (or Carl) Newman in which he revealed some more details about the album. It's to be called Challengers, and will be released in August.

As for the tracklisting, some Dan Bejar songs to appear on the album are "Myriad Harbor," "Entering White Cecilia," and "The Spirit of Giving," and some of the other tracks are "All These Things That Go to Make Heaven and Earth", "Go Places", "Challengers", and "All the Old Showstoppers." Newman also mentioned that the album is quieter and includes a 6-and-a-half minute song, something unusual for the NP's. From the interview, it also sounds like Neko Case will be touring with NP's in the fall, though Dan Bejar is unlikely to (if you've ever been to a New Pornographers' concert, it's pretty freaking obvious that he HATES playing live). Read the full interview here.

Upcoming Tour Dates
April 28 - Indio, CA at Coachella
June 18 - London UK at Bar Academy SOLD OUT
June 19 - London UK at Borderline SOLD OUT
June 20 - London UK at 93 Ft East
June 22 - Pilton UK at Glastonbury Festival
July 4 - New York, NY at Battery Park w/ Midlake
July 15 - Chicago, IL - Union Park at Pitchfork Music Festival

The New Pornographers - Star Bodies
Buy Twin Cinema
The Band's Website / MySpace

Meanwhile, Iron & Wine will be releasing a new single on July 10 to promote the upcoming album, The Shepherd's Dog; Wilco has added new tour dates; and Kaiser Chiefs has announced some.

P.S. - Obama raised about as much money in the first quarter as Hillary, but with more donors.

Labels: Hillary, Iron and Wine, New Pornographers, Obama

Need more convincing that Giuliani would make an awful president? Here's the latest evidence. It involves Ferrets.

Meanwhile, can McCain see straight in regards to Iraq? Although I've been rooting for him for years and believe he would make a great president, the best out of the Republican lot, two things about him concern me greatly: Israel and Iraq. The recent reports about McCain's trip to Iraq, after which he claimed that he could stroll the streets of Baghdad, show that McCain and other Senators were intensely sheltered and guarded. I fear McCain is projecting his feelings about Vietnam onto Iraq, something that could become incredibly dangerous were he to become president.

Meanwhile, I hope Hillary is sweating campaign contributions, because Obama's going to catch up...

Here's a greatly hilarious video on the "devastating human cost of foreign immigration"...(from the Onion)
Immigration: The Human Cost

Labels: Giuliani, Hillary, Iraq, McCain, Obama

....otherwise known as campaigning for the 2008 Presidental Election
Some of this week's fun:

OBAMA vs CLINTON

• Obama will be speaking at a commemoration of Bloody Sunday (1965)...earlier this week, he went on NPR to talk about it, and thoughtfully answered some tough questions about issues of race
• A Genealogist recently found records indicating that Obama had several ancestors who were slave owners...the article drives fear into my heart for Obama. In many ways, he is an antithesis of the things he represents. Only time will show whether American voters can see the man simply as himself.
  
• While Obama makes gains with black voters, Hillary finds herself lagging behind.
• Meanwhile, a sample of right-wing bloggers sees Hillary as the more threatening Democratic contender than Obama
• Obama might still be able to use public financing...(McCain too)
  

MCCAIN ON IRAQ
McCain announced his candidacy earlier this week, but what people didn't notice...



EDWARDS

• The only big thing in the news about him this week came from Ann Coulter

Labels: Anne Coulter, Edwards, Hillary, McCain, Obama

Labels: Obama

I've been listening to the upcoming Ted Leo & the Pharmacists album Living With The Living, coming out on March 20th (pre-order) and can't remember the last time I had this kind of initial reaction to an album from a band I knew as well as I know TL&P.

It's exactly what I would have expected.

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists were never pretentious. I think of the band's sound, and the straightforward power-chord-based guitar, the impossibly fast vocals, everything that screams "Ted Leo" - everything is still there. What's different? The introductions lack the more low-key draws of 2004's Shake the Sheets that built to the climax of a first verse, which inevitably led to an overwhelmingly energetic chorus. As a result, the songs are more monotonous, and feel less like the build up to an explosion. Sure, the content of the lyrics is more sophisticated - "Sons of Cain" attempts a grand metaphor, comparing Cain's journey to Ted Leo's own personal journey to sing out. He gets away with it, but there's a sacrifice: the catchy factor.

I don't mean to drag down the album. While not nearly as good as I'd like it to be, it's not a disappointment - a rare phenomenon for successful bands not built on experimentation. So I say, download it, buy it - you'll get what you were listening for, but not much more.

(MP3's finally taken down by request)

Tour dates:
3-1-07 & 3-2-07 San Francisco, CA
3-4-07 Stanford, CA
3-28-07 Philadelphia, PA
3-29-07 Washington, DC
3-30-07 Carrboro, NC
3-31-07 Atlanta, GA
4-01-07 Orlando, FL
4-02-07 Miami, FL
4-04-07 Baton Rouge, LA
4-05-07 Houston, TX
4-06-07 Dallas, TX
4-07-07 Austin, TX
4-09-07 Tempe, AZ
4-10-07 San Diego, CA
4-12-07 & 4-13-07 Los Angeles, CA
4-14-07 San Francisco, CA
4-16-07 Portland, OR
4-17-07 Seattle, WA
....there are more tour dates posted in the mid-west, you'll have to look them up yourself......

The band's website

----------------------------------

Meanwhile, Barack Obama was in Cleveland yesterday, and I went to see him. His stump speech was good, nothing out of the ordinary, although very populist in nature. Plus, I GOT TO SHAKE HIS HAND!
Nothing will shake my resolve to work for McCain in the primaries, though....

Labels: Obama, review, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, tour