Screen Door on a Battleship

From a NYT article on freshman Republican efforts to cut the budget:

“There are consequences for our actions,” said Representative Paul Gosar, a freshman from Arizona. “We’re not here to shut the government down, but it is going to take everyone to tango.”

Doesn't he at least watch tv?

End of an Era?

Joe Lieberman announced today that he would not seek re-election. That shouldn't come as a surprise given his continued alienation from the Democratic Party. He would have been hard pressed to withstand a Democratic Primary challenge, and would have likely ended up losing in a primary like he did in 2006. Unlike 2004, however, he probably would not be able to count on Republican support to lift him to victory in the general election running as an independent. After a Republican tidal wave in 2010, Republicans are going to have an easier time finding a better candidate than Alan "Gold" Schlesinger.

Though some may point to this as another step in the increasing polarization of American politics, to me this is more than that. It is the end of a personal era of politics. In 2000 I turned 18 just a day before election day. I like to think maybe it was that election cycle that spurred my interest in politics. I could vote. Not only that, but I could vote by just a day. Maine was a battleground state, or at least reasonably competitive. George W. came to the state in October, I went and watched. But Joe Lieberman, running for Vice-President came to Bangor on my birthday.

I skipped a soccer banquet to go. Soccer was not my passion in high school, but I think in many ways I identify it as one of my greatest accomplishments in high school. I had a miserable time with some of my teammates, I wasn't a star, but I worked to get into better shape than anyone the summer before my junior year to make the varsity team. I invested a lot into it. But I skipped this banquet to go see Joe Lieberman.

In 2000 he seemed more reasonable than either presidential nominee. I've admired him as he tried to work for what he thought was right and best in spite of party pressures. Those are qualities to be admired despite what one thinks of his politics.

For me, an era began on November 6, 2000. I was eligible to vote. Joe Lieberman arrived, as the Bangor Daily News described it, "at the dank airport hanger" at the Bangor International Airport to win the hearts and minds of Mainers in that 2000 election. He did, in a way, win mine and helped cement my interest in politics.

Nominations

Kahl says my blog is all about baseball.
So, here's a link to McSweeney, one of his favorites, on the Sotomayor confirmation hearings.

And if you think the first question is irrelevant, check here

Enjoy.

Just some Political thinkings

"I run because it angers me ...... All you Minnesotans take a good hard look at all three of us. And you decide: If you were in a dark alley, which one of the three of us would you want with you"
-Jesse Ventura, July 9, 2008

Yes, Jesse Ventura is at least seriously contemplating running for Senate in Minnesota.
I'm not sure what to think. A comedian who isn't really funny, a wrestler who tries to be serious but fails, and a schmoozer. Can I just say I love Minnesota? Politics there are fascinating to watch. You have to wonder what goes through a Minnesotans' mind when they see these three and realize that they are picking between them to have one of them represent them in the U.S. Senate. How it just makes me smile.

Then there's also this in response to Ventura's quote:

First of all, Ventura just told us that he's angry, and we know he's pretty huge. And if I remember correctly from watching the WWF as a kid, he's kind of shiftless and unpredictable. For all I know, he'd take advantage of the darkness of the alley to whack me with a folding chair.

For all of you voting in Minnesota. Just don't get whacked by a folding chair. Then again, my Governor was also in The Predator.

Another way to Pick a President?

What a tie!
Fresh off it's hit piece, the NYT published this photo along with an article about possible VP candidates to join McCain's campaign.
I also blogged about it over at my new political gig. Check it out if you get a chance.

A new way to pick a President

In the midst of studying the new ways to influence voters through media, I have never seen nor heard of any effects from staring contests.

Working Late (Version 2007)

 

While some illuminate a dome or a building, UCSD chooses to illuminate a funky chicken. (La Jolla, CA)

Everything that's right with political junkies

In response to an article in the New Republic remarking about the momentum building of winning early primary states, our good friend Virginiacentrist writes:

"Yeah. If I'm Romney, I'm running ads in all of the post-NH states with Mitt Romney making an acceptance speech in Iowa/NH with big headlines that say, "Romney wins" and tons of balloons falling. Voters will say: "Duhhh....me like winners and balloons....me vote for Romney...."

"Same deal with the dems after Iowa. If Edwards or Obama manage to win, they need to run ads IMMEDIATELY in NH that basically have Obama or Edwards with balloons and confetti falling giving speeches and holding their arms up and what not while using the word "winner" and maybe the phrase "look at those shiny balloons" over and over. Then they'll win NH by 20% as old people travel to the polls and write in "Barack Balloons Obama" or "John Confetti Edwards"

"Primary voters are dumb."

Such sophistication and analytical research.

Everything that's wrong with Academia

You end up getting this:

"Coordination by precedent, at its simplest, is this: achievement of coordination by means of shared acquaintance with the achievement of coordination in a single past case exactly like our present coordination problem. By removing inessential restrictions, we have come to this: achievement of coordination by means of shared acquaintance with a regularity governing the achievement of coordination in a class of past cases which bear some conspicuous analogy to one another and to our present coordination problem. Our acquaintance with this regularity comes from our experience with some of its instances, not necessarily the same ones for everybody."

-David Lewis, Convention: A Philosophical Study

At its simplest???? gaaaaaaaaah.
Bill Watterson was right.

My academic problems: writing this while I should be reading that.

Travis Buck

One of the few highlights of the game was this amazing grab by the A's Rookie Right Fielder Travis Buck:



PS-Let me know if the video isn't working. I've been having some troubles with it.

Pawlenty Signs of Fall

Because the Pawlenty Campaign decided not to buy yard signs the party decided to go ahead and get a large quantity of them. This weekend was the date of distribution around the state.

I went up to Duluth with a stop in Mora, over to Grand Rapids, and then back to the Twin Cities via Brainerd. It was glorious.

It's been five years since I've seen these.

And I've never seen them on Mille Lacs Lake.

I-15 Encounters

Utah is green in the spring as you drive along I-15. And sometimes you run into friends from summers before.

"It's weird when people from my Boston world come visit me here." -TB