Hot Potato Mash

Jalen Rose Will Only Vote For Presidential Candidates With Great Left Handed Jump Shots

Cleaning out my computer I came across the above video which I never got around to posting. In it, former NBA player and left-handed jump shooter Jalen Rose describes what he looks for in a presidential candidate. It was filmed a few months before the election.

Ron Howard's Call To Action

Very cool!

Conservatives For Change

The Truth About Tax Plans

For much more info check out chartjunk.

The Middle Class

In theory Americans should vote for leaders who best serve their interests. The middle class is the largest voting block in the country and should have the most say in electing the next president. Below, themiddleclass.org analyzes just how well the current crop of candidates has represented the bulk of the American electorate...

It is because of numbers like these that Republicans can never rely on issues based campaigning and instead relentlessly use fearmongering and Swift Boating to win elections.

Paris Hilton For President

According to Funny or Die stats, Paris Hilton's presidential response ad to John McCain's absurd Obama celebrity ad has now garnered 6.5 million views:

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

And now you can buy your Paris for President memorabilia...

If Only Europeans Elected Our President

Who would you vote for for President?

DEMOCRATS COLLUDING WITH BUSH TO GUT 4th AMENDMENT TO COVER THEIR OWN CULPABILITY

That's right folks. Democrats will pass a Bill in the House tomorrow that will eviscerate the 4th Amendment and grant after the fact immunity to lawbreaking corporations in an effort to cover their own asses. Is it possible to get any more craven?

To put this law in context, even the Republican controlled Congress couldn't get this legislation passed. But now that the Dem leadership has been exposed to have had knowledge about the Bush administration's illegal spying on Americans (and did nothing), Dems are jumping at the bit to coverup their actions.

And just where o where is Barack Obama? As the Democratic Party leader all he need do is make a simple phone call telling Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to shelve the destruction of the 4th Amendment until after the election. Yet, despite his repeated claims to be adamantly opposed to this legislation and for the rule of law, he remains dead silent. Nice leadership.

Face it people, unless Barack Obama changes course by tomorrow he will prove himself to just another politician. And the right wing noise machine will be able to rightfully claim that Obama is all rhetoric and no substance.

PLEASE CALL THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN AND TELL THEM TO KILL THIS BILL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE: (866) 675-2008 [Dial 6, then 0, on the menu]

Keith Olbermann

Terrorists on The View

Michelle Obama guest hosts on The View and, gasp, fist bumps Whoopi, Joy, Elisabeth, Sherri and Barbara. For those not in the know, Fox “News” has suggested that the Obama fist bump might be a “terrorist fist jab”.

Technorati Tags: Michelle Obama, The View

Subdued Hillary Fails To Mention Obama Once In West Virginia Speech

It's all over folks.

Part 1 (9:54)

Part 2

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

Bill Moyers On The Jeremiah Wright Controversy

Bill Moyers eloquent and thoughtful essay (6:26) about the Jeremiah Wright controversy. Note that Moyers references the double standard in the media between black preachers like Jeremiah Wright and white ones like John Hagee with whom I recently spoke to and asked about the controversy surrounding his endorsement of John McCain. When speaking to me at a lunch attended by mostly Jews Hagee blamed everything on his support for Israel. You can read a transcript of our conversation and listen to the audio here.

UPDATE: Frank Rich on the Jeremiah Wright/John Hagee-White Christian Evangelist double standard.

Technorati Tags: Bill Moyers, Reverend Jeremiah Wright

Inside Pennsylvania

My politically active friend Todd Cammarata, who teaches Government, weighs in from Altoona, Pennsylvania late last night:

“I've spent many, many hours canvassing over the past 6 weeks and I'll be taking the day off work tomorrow for GOTV. 

The good news is that I continue to be impressed by the Obama campaign.  We've had an office here in Altoona since mid-March with a paid staffer and LOTS of volunteers.  Keep in mind, I've NEVER seen a paid staffer for a national campaign in this town - democrat or republican.

The campaign has been very organized and the calling and canvassing very targeted.  Much better than Kerry was for the general in '04 or Casey for Senate in '06. 

Plus Obama actually visited here (the infamous bowling stop - which I just missed getting into by just a few minutes).  I took 35 of my students up to the rally  at PSU- it was crazy... 22,000+ people packed onto the lawn at Old Main!  Yesterday Sen. Casey was back in town and I got to meet him.  It's been fun to matter for the first time ever!

Hillary, on the other hand, has had no paid staffers here at all and she didn't even visit central PA until last night.  I really can't understand it...this is supposed to be one of her strongholds and she basically ignores the area until last night.  Word is she only got about 1,000 people.

So things on the ground look great, but I realize that we're up against an aging demographic here so I'm not about to get too overconfident.  The way I look at it, so long as we can keep any Hillary win in the single digits I'll consider it a victory. 

I did take a break today to go see Bill.  I had to.  He was in Ebensburg - a little town very close to where I grew up.  I've got to say it was pretty cool and very weird seeing one of the most famous people on the planet in my little corner of the world.  I shook his hand and got my copy of his autobiography signed.  It was an honor to see him.  It's too bad how he's tarnished himself in this campaign...but I can't help being a little bit in awe of the first and only winner I've ever supported.

Anyway, wish us luck tomorrow.”

Late today Todd adds:

“The neighborhoods that I hit today were a bit disappointing.  That coupled with the talk I'm seeing on some blogs about a late Hillary surge has got me feeling a little down right now.  I'm just hoping it stays in the single digits.  There's just too damn many old people in this state.  Forget about race, forget about gender, imo it all comes down to age...I think this is a struggle between the past and the future of the party, and while I think youth will eventually win the war, I'm feeling like it just might lose the battle in PA today.”

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Pennsylvania Primary

A BETTER FUTURE

Voting has begun for the MoveOn.Org Obama In 30 Seconds ad competition. I have already watched a number of terrific citizen created commercials and encourage all to visit the site and vote. Also check out the two submissions below which I had a hand in making.

I put together and submitted, “A Better Future” (above), which stars Stacie and the adorable Kent Rasmussen. I recorded Stacie's impassioned and heartfelt reason for voting for Obama outside of the Democratic debate in Los Angeles on January 31, 2008. Natalia Abrams also contributed to making this video.

“A Better Tomorrow” (above) was written and directed by my friend Rob Pearlstein who also wrote, directed and starred in the hilarious Matumbo Goldberg which I posted last month. My major (cough) contribution to the video was giving feedback to Rob on the script.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, MoveOn.Org

MUST WATCH: Glenn Greenwald On Democracy Now

Part 1 (9:53)

Part 2 (8:02)

Democracy Now mashup of ABC debate questions (3:09)

“Great American Hypocrites: Toppling the Big Myths of Republican Politics” (Glenn Greenwald)

Technorati Tags: amy goodman, democracy now, media, Glenn Greenwald

HARDBALL Slams Obama For NOT 'Taking Down His Opponent' During Debate

Much has already been made about the horror show performance of ABC News moderators Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos who spent the first 42 minutes of last night's democratic debate pummeling Obama “entirely on specious and gossipy trivia”. The two alleged newsmen spent half the debate on such pressing issues as Obama's “bitter” comment, the patriotism of Obama's pastor, Obama serving on a board with a member of the Weather Underground and Obama's decision not to wear a flag lapel pin.

With the above absurdity in mind, it was particularly refreshing to see Obama refuse to attack Clinton for her sniper fire lies despite being baited repeatedly by Stephanopoulos:

“I think Senator Clinton deserves the right to make some errors once in a while”

Refreshing that is unless you are a member of the mainstream media which clearly takes offense to Obama's above the fray tactics. For evidence of this one need not look any further than Chris Matthews, Chuck Todd and Bob Herbert's inanity on Hardball this afternoon.

One hopes that Obama learns a lesson here and next time slams Clinton or McCain or whoever for completely superficial non-issues in order to please our media whores!

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, hardball, Hillary, MSNBC, Chris Matthews