Bill Loves his Burgers... Impressive Clinton Ad

The Clinton campaign must have a top marketing firm working their ads, because this is pretty damn good.

Hillary pokes fun at herself and her husband, and gets a charming hand from the people of Iowa. Not bad.

This video is off, the sound doesn't start until about 10 seconds in. So check the link here to see a corrected version.

NBC's March Madness Metaphor

This morning, NBC News has a pretty cool metaphor for fans of college basketball and politics. As the Dems prepare to debate in Vegas, Domenico Montanaro draws similarities to the infamous UNLV teams of the early 90s.

LAS VEGAS, NV -- Thanks to Drudge, last month's debate in Philly, and Clinton's new position on drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants, tonight's Democratic showdown here at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas could be pretty interesting. Will Drudge's report of a Clinton camp warning to moderator Wolf Blitzer not to "pull a Russert" influence the debate? (Blitzer and CNN deny hearing from the campaign.) Will Clinton go on the offensive after playing defense at last month's debate? Did the New York senator -- by issuing a statement yesterday saying that, as president, she wouldn't support giving drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants -- open herself up to further charges that she evades tough questions? And given the UNLV venue, will Jerry Tarkanian or Larry Johnson be in attendance? Actually, that famous UNLV team could be a good metaphor. They seemed unbeatable until they met a more cerebral, though less talented, opponent. UNLV lost their undefeated season and the championship because they couldn't handle the pressure of a rare close game. Can Clinton handle the pressure now that she doesn't seem so inevitable?

Spitzer backs off...

NY Governor Elliot Spitzer has backed off his plan to issue drivers licenses to some of New York's 1,000,000 illegal immigrants. "You don't need a stethoscope to hear the pulse of New Yorkers on this issue." 75% of New Yorkers (and 55% of New York Democrats) oppose the plan.

This isn't good for Spitzer, because he takes a loss on an issue he led the way on nationally. It keeps the status quo of his stalled first term as governor.

It's also bad news for Hillary Clinton. Her double-talk during the last debate was on a question about Spitzer's plan (she was for it before she was against it). Clinton said she understood why Spitzer was doing it, and commended him for it, but wouldn't come out and support or denounce the plan. Now that Spitzer pulled it, the Clinton stuff will remain in the news and she looks bad for even halfway backing a plan that went nowhere.

As I've noted, I am a big fan of Spitzer. I worked for his campaign for governor and even met him. But he's had a rough go so far. That brings me to my point: Michael Bloomberg is on the cover of Newsweek this week, under the heading The Billion Dollar Wildcard, speculating about a Bloomberg '08 run for the White House. Like that's never been done before.

Anyway, I don't think Bloomberg will run for president, but I think he wants to be president. He's not going to win in 2008. You don't need two New York mayors running, and a third party isn't going to win, and he's too ambitious and pragmatic to run a wasted effort. So, in 2010, I think Bloomberg will run against Spitzer for governor, and see how the White House shakes out. That makes so much more sense from his point of view. He's the only Republican (once he converts back to the party) who has a shot to beat Spitzer.

The Plant Can Talk!

A Grinnell college student at the center of the Clinton question- plant controversy gave an interview to CNN about her experience. This is a must see...


The whole thing is pretty damn shady, and goes to the whole "anything to win" storyline that is really beginning to dog the Clinton campaign. It comes on the heels of her constant non-answers during the last Democratic debate, so the Hillary backlash is gaining some momentum. These are the first real missteps of her expertly run campaign. It will be interesting to see how she and her people handle them.

The upcoming debate in Vegas will be huge, so stay tuned...

The Last "Great Man" Standing?

This morning, famed New York Times columnist David Brooks (the Times' resident conservative) has an excellent profile of the "Last Great Man in the 2008 Presidential race." I'm not sure if Hillary Clinton was an option for this distinction, but somehow I have a feeling Brooks throws her in with the "un-great" masses.

To Brooks, and at least one political consultant he quotes, John McCain is the last "great man" standing.

When Brooks talks about being "great" he does so in the political scientist or sports writer sense. He's not endorsing McCain, any of his ideas or what he stands for. It's more of an objective label that certain people get from just being themselves. Ted Wiliams' swing, Willie Mays going back on a fly-ball. In McCain, Brooks points to his unflinching openness and unparalleled energy.

Telling the truth is a skill. Those who don’t do it habitually lose the ability, but McCain is well-practiced and has the capacity to face unpleasant truths. While other conservatives failed to see how corporations were insinuating themselves into their movement, McCain went after Boeing contracts. While others failed to see the rising tide of corruption around them, McCain led the charge against Jack Abramoff. While others ignored the spending binge, McCain was among the fiscal hawks.

Even though McCain is no where near the media darling he was eight years ago, Brooks says that his principled stances on the Surge strategy (he was the first Republican to the party on that one), and immigration reform (again, an honest effort), show you the kind of man he is. As if he needed to prove himself after living as a POW for six years.

Quote of the Day 11/12

"There are a lot of Americans (who say), 'Why didn't you go get him?' Well, I'm confident that losing men and women as a result of sniper fire inside of Baghdad would have turned the tide of public opinion very quickly."

- Then- Texas Governor George W. Bush on Veteran's Day 1997, in a speech in which he praised his father's decision not to push into Iraq and destroy the Iraqi National Guard during the Persian Gulf War. Bush said that the decision avoided an ugly "guerrilla war."

Apparently, his father agreed with the assessment. Of his son's comments, former President George H.W. Bush said: "I think he got it right." He then referred to Vietnam: "... one guerrilla war in my lifetime was enough."

UK Telegraph: The Dollar is Bad (but in a bad meaning good kind of way)

Writing for the Telegraph out of the UK, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard (who holds the record for most British name ever) predicts the US is well on its way to reclaiming its status as the world's dominant economic superpower.

He notes that as our money is devalued, countries will begin to learn that globalization "cuts both ways," as jobs stream into the US (apparently, IT salaries in India are now up to $18/hr.-- I'll take that). To support his claim, Evans-Pritchard notes the last time the US floundered economically, it rebounded stronger than ever after a dollar devaluation (from 1988-1992).

The factor working most in America's favor?

At the end of the day, the US remains the only major power still producing babies a rate high enough to survive through the 21st century as a dynamic society.

China's workforce will peak in 2015. The country will then tip over into the steepest demographic decline ever recorded. It will be old before it becomes rich, doomed to second-tier status.

There are more details, anecdotes and evidence offered in the article, so it's worth the read. As a bonus, it has finally shed a little light on why I had to pay $15 for a burger this summer in London.

RIP David Serrano

Two nights ago, my friend, David Serrano, fell onto the train tracks at the Mamaroneck train station, and was hit by an oncoming train and killed. David was smart and friendly. He was 26 years old, and taught middle school science.

Clinton Vulnerable, Romney Rising

The air of invincibility that surrounded the Clinton campaign just weeks ago has taken a serious hit on the heels of her poor debate. Check out these numbers.

Clinton's New Hampshire lead, while still formidable, has shrunk nine points in one poll and 10 in another. According to the polls, her support has shifted to Obama, who picked up the 5 points she lost.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is on the rise. He now leads by 12 points in New Hampshire (32 to Giuliani's 20). As we've covered, Mitt's strategy rests with the early states, so this poll is great news for him. The former governor of Massachusetts cannot lose the New Hampshire primary, and it appears that he's exactly where he needs to be.

There are seven weeks until the Iowa primary.

Recap: The Gore-acle on 30 Rock

As I mentioned last month, Al Gore taped an episode of 30 Rock, and it aired tonight as part of NBC's "Green Week."

Gore had a pretty minor role, but that show is hilarious and I'm doing my part to keep it on the air. So, check it out online here for free. I'll post my favorite quote from the episode below, and feel free to post your own in the comment section. Or you can just send them to me during my weekly 30 Rock fan club chat on mindgrapes.net... ok that's not real, but if anyone wants to start it let me know.

(my future ex-wife)Liz Lemon: Jack you have to fire Greenzo!
Jack Donaghy (reading over focus group test results): Are you crazy? They love him in every demographic: colored people, broads, fairies, commies. Gosh, we gotta update these forms.

NYC Lawyers Appeal to Musharraf (as if he'd listen)

Yesterday, the President of the NY State Bar Association, Barry Kamins, sent a letter to the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, General Musharraf. The letter was designed as a plea to the good nature of the General (as if he had one) to stop beating and imprisoning lawyers within their borders and to restore a separate and independent judiciary. Kamins makes reference to both international law and Pakistani constitutional law in an attempt to quell the flagrant human rights violations that are currently taking place in Pakistan. Kamins suggests that Musharraf must reestablish constitutional order as a means of preserving democratic principles in that nation. This seems to be another failed attempt at a democratic republic in the Islamic third world. But it is evident that the concerned citizens of the United States, specifically some of its legal minds, continue to evaluate the progress made internationally regarding the rule of law. Unfortunately, this kind of peaceful protest will not have the slightest impact on General Musharraf's decisions on how to govern his country. But thanks for trying, Barry. Here is the link to the letter:

http://www.nycbar.org/pdf/report/Musharraf_Nov7.pdf

Another First for Bush

For the first time in his seven year presidency, the Senate overrode President Bush's veto today.

The president vetoed a Water bill that, according to the New York Times, "funds hundreds of Army Corps of Engineers projects, such as dams, sewage plants and beach restoration, that are important to local communities and their representatives. It also includes money for the hurricane-hit Gulf Coast and for Florida Everglades restoration efforts."

The president called the $23B bill too expensive, and "his supporters have noted that the Army Corps has a backlog of $58 billion worth of projects and an annual budget of about $2 billion to address them."

The Senate's 79-14 vote completed the veto the House started Tuesday with its 361-54 vote. This is the first override since November 1997.

So, now that this is in the history books, let's take a look at other "firsts" for President Bush and his Administration:

- December 28, 2000: President- elect Bush is in late- night meetings discussing his choices for his cabinet. First time working past 7pm.

- February 18, 2001: President Bush has to travel to Europe for a G8 summit, not realizing that German TV doesn't carry the cable network USA. First time missing WWE Monday Night Raw.

- January 14, 2003: While watching football, President Bush chokes on a pretzel and loses consciousness. First time almost dying from a snack food. (That one is true.)

- May 20, 2005: President Bush addresses the nation about the struggle in Iraq. First time the word "freedom" is used as a noun, verb, adjective and adverb in the same sentence ("Freedom-lovers love freedom, their freedom-filled country, and the free people working to freedomly freedom that country. It's hard work!")

- October 1, 2006: President Bush hands his wife, Laura, sugar when she was actually pointing to half-and-half, apologizes. First time admitting a mistake.

Vote Obamas for Premier! Very Nice!

Borat Sagdiyev is back in the news. He recently conducted an email interview with news service Reuters to promote his new guidebook to "the glorious nation of Kazakhstan and the minor nation of U. S. and A."

Here's what Borat had to say:

Q: Which country to do you prefer -- Kazakhstan or the USA?

A: "I very much preferring Kazakhstan - it nicest place in the world! Please, you must look on my guidings book and then come visit. Bring your whole family and stay at Astana Funworld Resort - it have beautiful beaches, almost totally free of landmines and the sea is guarantee to have no jellyfish, shark, or any other marine life."

Q: Which people are smarter?

A: "Kazakh peoples is definite has more powerful brains. Government scientist, Dr. Yamak have prove that our glorious leader, Premier Nazarbamshev have IQ of 412 and a brain that extend into most of his chest - it no surprise that he have never fail in complete any jigsaw puzzle. Since 93 percent of Kazakh people is direct relate to him within 3 generations, rest of population also shares this great intellects."

Q: What advice do you have for people traveling around the United States?

A: "My book contains many useful informations for Kazakh peoples traveling to US and A - for example, best places to photograph ladies without their knowledge, location of Grand Canyons if you need place to dispose of a wife and location of Kazakh Embassy and where to go if you want to shoot a Redindians."

Q: When can people expect to see you in Kazakhstan again?

A: "I already in Kazakhstan, living very happilys with my new wife. This morning, I was awoke by my clock-radio (electronic LED), after which I remove my wife from her cage and she make me delicious breakfast of western cereal 'Frosties', which I have with delicious fresh milk from her chests. I then attach her to her plough and send her into the fields before returning to my bed until she come back at luchtimes to feed me again. Life is very nice for us."

Q: Who do you favor for President in the United States?

A: "I cannot believe that it possible a woman can become Premier of US and A - in Kazakhstan, we say that to give a woman power, is like to give a monkey a gun - very dangerous. We do not give monkeys guns any more in Kazakhstan ever since the Astana Zoo massacre of 2003 when Torkin the orang-utan shoot 17 schoolchildrens. I personal would like the basketball player, Barak Obamas to be Premier."

High Five!!!

Rudy Reels in a Big Fish (not to be confused with 90s ska band Reel Big Fish)

Today, Pat Robertson, a standard-bearer for the Evangelical Christian movement, endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president. This is huge for Rudy, who has courted social conservatives despite a pro-choice, pro-gay stance.

This hurts Mitt Romeny, who has tried to take the "real conservative" mantle, and Fred Thompson, who probably doesn't care.

In his endorsement, Robertson wrote:

It is my pleasure to announce my support for America’s Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, a proven leader who is not afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all Americans. Rudy Giuliani took a city that was in decline and considered ungovernable and reduced its violent crime, revitalized its core, dramatically lowered its taxes, cut through a welter of bureaucratic regulations, and did so in the spirit of bipartisanship which is so urgently needed in Washington today.

Interestingly, Robertson noted Giuliani's promise to appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of John Roberts and Antonin Scalia.

Meanwhile, John McCain scored some points with social conservatives as well with the endorsement of Senate colleague and former Presidential candidate Sam Brownback.

What's odd is that in endorsing McCain, Brownback verbalized doubts about Giuliani's elect-ability, but elect-ability seems to have motivated Robertson to endorse Rudy.

The bottom line is that Christian conservatives are still split, but Rudy is now a viable option.

Picture of the Day 11/7

French President Nicholas Sarkozy jokes around with President Bush at a reception in Washington.

Sarko l'Americain (Sarko the American), as he's called in France, has made no secret of his admiration for the United States, particularly our work ethic and popular culture. He's vacationed in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire (a la What About Bob?), jogged (an American act in itself) wearing an NYPD t-shirt, and threatened military action against Iran.

Somebody get this guy a Social Security Number!

While he has been critical of President Bush's lack of leadership on the environment and of our nearly 50 million uninsured, Sarkozy is regarded as the most pro-American French president in decades.

"I've come to Washington to bear a very simple, straightforward message. ... I wish to re-conquer the heart of America. I want to re-conquer the heart of America in a lasting fashion," he said.

The French president also paid tribute to American veterans who fought in World War II and ended by proclaiming "Long live Franco-American friendship."

To Be Or Not To Be: Actors/ Politicians—Friends or Foes?

I don’t deny getting most (ok, all) of my political information from late night TV. There’s nothing more infuriating to me than reaching the pinnacle of an article only to be told to find the remainder on page 26D. I mean who has time to navigate those unkempt, colorless pages when they’re falling out of place? Not to mention, that yucky black residue stains my alabaster fingers.

When watching the Colbert Report the other night, I found myself wondering, is he serious about running for President? Or is this a parody, a farce? Is he making a mockery of the American public? Or does he just like Doritos? Does Stephen Colbert truly want to be the leader of the Free World?

I pondered some more and asked myself, does Colbert have a shot at this? Could he actually win this “race”? I thought about the Robin Williams’ movie “Man of the Year” where the host of a late night political talk show becomes President. Would life imitate art? (Though, I don’t know if you can call a Williams’ movie art these days—long gone is Mork’s staggering genius).

Then I got to really thinking—brooding, if you will—are politicians just actors filling political roles and characters? They have speechwriters, campaign managers, even make-up and hair people; their lives parallel those of actors, as they are handed a script and directed accordingly.
(Act I; scene 2: Interview with Oprah; Act II; scene 4: New Hampshire Primaries; Act III, scene 7: The Convention; Act IV: scene 5: Election night; Act V; scene 3: Inauguration; Act V; scene 5: The First Couple’s first dance; fade to black. Fin.)

It’s no wonder actors find the metamorphosis to politics painless and almost seamless. After years of silver screen success, Ronald Reagan jettisoned himself into the Presidency. Sonny Bono found himself a seat in the House of Representatives. And Shirley Temple became a U.S diplomat. Even the former WWF wrestler Jesse Ventura governed Minnesota.

Currently, California harbors two of the most famous actor/ politicians of them all: Clint Eastwood (Mayor of Carmel) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Governor). But my favorite is Law and Order star/ former U.S Senator Fred Thompson who is making a bid for 2008. I am a little concerned, however, that some Americans may mistake Senator Thompson for his character Arthur Branch. It’s easy to get to know Branch as the southern, ball- busting DA. But who is Thompson?

It seems that Americans naturally pigeonhole people. We check boxes to discern identities, ethnicity, and income. We don’t like flip-floppers. We want our candidates to fit a mold and stay there. We use political parties to draw imaginary lines while political figures have become simple caricatures.

This is easily seen in the common depiction of Bush as the Texas Cowboy. And those running have already been branded: Edwards is the pretty boy, Romney the rich kid, Hillary the (dare I say?) bitch, and Obama the token non-white guy. What is this? A Presidential race or The Breakfast Club?

SCENE.

To Be Released Today......

Hillary's lead on Obama drops 6 points in New Hampshire. She is now only 10 points ahead of Obama. One month ago she was 23 points ahead, before the debate she was 16 points ahead, now she's at 10. Obama owes a special thanks to John Edwards....... we all do. Keep it up.

If you smelllalalalal.......what Ba-Rack is cooooking.....

One Regressive Step for Blacks, One Regressive Leap for Our Time

In today's Boston Globe, Charlie Savage writes about how President Bush has found a legal trick to stack the US Commission on Civil Rights with conservatives who share his philosophy on justice, as it pertains to race. The commission, which is in its fiftieth year, is made up of eight members, and party representation must be equal between Republicans and Democrats, with the Congress appointing four and the President the next four. Independents can also serve on the commission.

That is where the injustice begins. There is no penalty for, say, a Republican member to switch her registration to Independent, as Commissioner Abigail Thernstrom did immediately following President George W. Bush's reelection. Of course, a change in party affiliation doesn't necessarily correspond with a change in philosophy. The article contends Mr. Bush was able to appoint more conservative members to the commission, thus negating any concerns the moderate and liberal members would have.

Mr. Savage explains how the Justice Department provided the White House with the legal reasoning for such a devious maneuver, tutoring then Senior Council Alberto Gonzales on why no court would overturn the practice.

Is any of this surprising, or even beyond this administration's capacity to exert control over what it deems is within its sphere of influence? The same administration that believes in torture, warrantless wiretapping, and the essential neutering of the other two federal government branches, sees civil rights to be something worth politicizing. They don't mind censoring reports that speak to the health effects of Global Warming, and they don't mind making sure that Black Americans have inadequate voting resources, as in Ohio, 2004.

It's no surprise then why the top Republican contenders skipped out on the Tavis Smiley debate in Baltimore earlier this fall, since they obviously won't provide suggestions on how they would rectify this adulterated commission. Like the old Palestinian adage, the conservatives never fail to miss an opportunity with respect to Black Americans.

Quote of the Day 11/6

"Our production will stop in the next couple of days because we will stop writing. The strike lasted five months the last time . . . this could be that long."

- Tina Fey writer, star and executive producer of 30 Rock to CNN yesterday on the picket line. If this strike interrupts my programs I am going to be pissed. Last night, late night programming went into unexpected reruns with Letterman, Leno, Conan, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, The Late Late Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live all repeating.

In a show of solidarity with his staff, Daily Show host Jon Stewart (a former TV writer), will pay the Daily Show and Colbert Report writing teams out of pocket for the next two weeks.

Barack Obama also weighed in on the strike: "I stand with the writers," Obama said in a statement. "I urge the producers to work with the writers so that everyone can get back to work."

So here's a shout out to Liz Lemon (my future ex-wife)... the letter Dennis gave her after she broke up with him, the perfect speech for a guy with a broken heart:

Dear Liz Lemon:

While other women have bigger boobs than you, no woman has as big a heart. When I saw you getting ready to go out and get nailed by a bunch of guys last night, I knew for sure it was over between us. And for the first time since the '86 World Series, I cried. I cried like a big dumb homo. And if it was up to me, we would be together forever. But there's a new thing called "women's liberation" which gives you women the right to choose and you have chosen to abort me, and that I must live with. So tonight when you arrive home, I will be gone.

I officially renounce my squatter's rights.

I'll always love you. Goodbye and good luck. I'll never forget you.

Manning vs. Brady

Yesterday, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning faced off on the football field. I'm a huge Manning guy, Brady, not so much. So while Tom may have prevailed on the gridiron yesterday, there's a more important playing field-- Saturday Night Live. I've posted their best SNL skits below, both are hilarious, and you can judge for yourself.

Peyton-SNL
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