It must really suck to be Maureen Dowd. I seldom read her screeds, but bloggers and such were writing about her dismissive column today about Palin. Reading this godawful piece, I am reminded of how the worst sexists are often women. She treated Hillary Clinton like crap, so why should I be surprised with her attitude towards Sarah Palin? Because Palin was a beauty contestant and “Miss Congeniality,” she is an airhead. Because she didn’t go to Harvahd but instead to a despised state university

McCain chairman Rick Davis, together with a televised address from John McCain, just finished his press conference with reporters about the future of the Republican National Convention this year in the face of hurricane Gustav. The upshot is that all plans are up in the air, with the exception of the formal party business on Monday of getting a quorum to officially nominate John McSame and Sarah Quaylin. Of course, the GOP cannot afford politically to appear to be engaged in convention festivi

Michael Kinsley points out that the Palin choice puts a shadow over John McCain’s honesty as well as his judgment and temperament. The choice makes it clear that he never really meant all those attacks on Obama’s lack of “experience.” That’s one kind of lie. And to defend the choice he and his friends are forced to pretend that Palin’s eighteen months running Alaska and six years as mayor of a small town are relevant “experience” for her appearance on the world stage. For someone running on “hon

National have released their first billboard. The PR says: The billboard, on taxation and migration, was launched in Auckland this afternoon. The same billboard is going up at sites in Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Tauranga. “Our first election billboard promotes our intention to introduce an ongoing programme of personal tax cuts. It will be a responsible and a transparent programme,” says Mr Key. “National will build on Labour’s planned October tax cuts. We will treat those as

Ah yes, it’s an election year. How do I know for certain? As Jeff Brown, who’s married to a native Ohioan- smart guy- recently twittered to me: “Ohioans’re gonna be very popular in the next 9 weeks. As usual, you guys are the babe at the prom without a date.” Every four years we are courted and kissed by those same folks who forget we are here the rest of the time. I don’t welcome or enjoy the attention. I wish the federal government would forget we are here completely. I don’t want to be trot

Not! Of course, it was a pretty silly claim in the first place, and the claim that the proximity of Alaska to Russia put Sarah Palin toe-to-toe with Vladimir Putin was silliness on stilts. But now the Adjutant General of the Alaska National Guard tells the AP that, while the Governor oversees the Guard’s domestic functions, he and Palin play no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard. The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is

The Hollow Man Conscience is the inner voice that warns us somebody may be looking. H. L. Mencken In this election, it is the character of the candidate that will matter the most. That, and pretty much that alone, has been the core campaign message Republican candidate John McCain has been peddling to all and sundry for nearly two years. His devotion to this particular talking point has come to resemble the kind of passionate zeal rarely seen beyond the compound walls of survivalist mil

Good news: Airports have been re-opened in Thailand. Bad news: The political crisis is far from over. Protesters are still camped inside Thailand’s Government House. They have been demanding the ouster of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The leader is accused of being a puppet of ousted Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra. Members of People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are the frontrunners of the protest rallies in Thailand. The group is accused of fomenting chaos and military adventurism. In

The McCain campaign didn’t even check out Palin’s hometown newspaper.

The Advocate has a new piece out this weekend, entitled New Survey Says 54% of Voters Against Prop. 8: A new California poll on voter attitudes has turned up lucky numbers for gays and a slap for conservative opponents. Conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California, this statewide survey shows that 54% of likely voters are opposed to Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to wed. A Field Poll just three months ago found a hair-thin majority of Californians,