Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
Elizabeth Dole is continuing her campaign in North Carolina of smearing her opponent, Kay Hagan, for simply associating with atheists. We atheists are the “most vile, radical liberals in America,” out to wage war on Christmas and stock boy scout troops with homosexuals, and we actively support political candidates who are atheists. I know … how dare we.
I have a personal reason to be offended, however. The Dole ads cite endorsements by two atheists, FriendlyAtheist.com and DaylightAtheism.org. Now hang on…what’s so scary about the Friendly atheist? And Daylight Atheism sounds positively pleasant. Couldn’t they find one mean, cruel, truly frightening atheist to give a testimonial, like maybe one with an obscure and somewhat intimidatingly intellectual name?
Yeah, I’m feeling left out.
I will say anyway that if you live in North Carolina and you have an opportunity to vote for the open-minded and thoughtful Kay Hagan and against the Rovian slimebeast named Elizabeth Dole, please do so. If she’s got the endorsement of the Friendly Atheist and Daylight Atheism and even Pharyngula, you know she’s on the side of goodness and light.
Perhaps this image will help fix the differences between the candidates in your minds.
We have another debate coming up shortly, so here’s an open thread for you all to chatter on…if the software lets you.
There will be no drinking games allowed that encourage alcohol consumption every time POW is mentioned.
<sigh> If ever I hear the words “my friends” again, I shall gag.
Defining moment for me was when McCain insisted that Obama was dangerous because he would speak too loudly (while later castigating him for advocating diplomacy), and Obama came back to point out that McCain was the one singing “bomb bomb bomb, bomb Iran”. In other words, McCain was a desperate fraud while Obama was calm and well-spoken.
Although I also felt Obama was thin on specifics and rich in politician-speak. He didn’t thrill me, but he was solidly better than his opponent.
Oh, yeah…and when McCain called Obama “that one”. That was condescending and creepy.
The reason you shouldn’t vote for the McCain/Palin ticket is the odious John McCain himself. Talk about sleaze — the man has been a creepy, bullying, spoiled beast his whole life.
Similarly, in local politics, Michele Bachmann is corrupt. How these people achieved such a high position in our country’s leadership is incomprehensible.
The infamous anti-gay legislator from Oklahoma, Sally Kern, was interviewed by the Oklahoma Daily. The story has some fine bon mots, like her definition of evolution:
Kern defined evolution to me as “the process of wanting to create something or have something be perfect. Get rid of that which is not healthy and strong.”
That’s a very common creationist misconception: they can’t imagine a natural process that doesn’t have wants, that is lacking that teleological impulse.
The writer sent me the outtakes from the interview. If you want more Kern uncut and uncensored, look below the fold.
Here’s the VP debate exactly as I remember it: Palin was cheerful, folksy, always evading the questions and changing the subject she was prepped for, and completely devoid of substance. I especially liked the introductory ground rules, which the media have taken to heart: “Due to the historically low expectations for governor Palin, were she simply to do an adequate job tonight, and at no point cry, faint, run out of the building, or vomit, you should consider the debate a tie.”
The ‘folksiness’ grates, as Patricia Williams notes — it’s a misleading proxy for authenticity, and authenticity is too often regarded as a proxy for competence and knowledge. We need leadership that actually has some skill in managing, now that we’re deep in this crisis the last folksy boob we elected led us into, and instead we’re getting a beauty queen whose major qualification seems to be the ability to drop the ending “g” from words. That would be OK if she had some ability beyond that, but nope, it’s not there.
Another example of the contrast: Biden and Palin were asked to name the past vice presidents they admire most. Palin fumbled, mentioned first Geraldine Ferraro (who only ran for VP) because she “shattered part of that glass ceiling”, and then named Bush Sr., because she liked vice presidents who went on to become presidents. (Right. Chills run down the spine, don’t they?) Biden didn’t hesitate and said Johnson, because of his knowledge of politics.
Oh, but Palin does have one other talent: she’s a well-trained attack dog. I think we can expect much more of this kind of slander from the Republicans in the next few weeks. She has come right out and accused Obama of associating with terrorists now.
Mrs Palin described Mr Obama as someone who saw the US “as being so imperfect… he is palling around with terrorists who would target their own country”.
Mr Obama served on a charity board several years ago with Mr Ayers, who is now a professor at the University of Illinois.
The White House hopeful, who was a child when Weather Underground was active, has denounced Mr Ayers’ radical past.
I expect she’ll start talking about how Obama is a Muslim who will want to be sworn in on a Koran soon. It’s all going to be lies and innuendo from the Republican side from here on out, and it might just work — especially if she says it with a dimple and a smile and a few lazily formed gerunds.
Popescu is running for some political office (the article doesn’t say what), and he recently gave a talk at a high school where he frankly stated his views.
“A young man asked me what I think of homosexual marriages and I said I think homosexuals should be executed,” he said. “My whole reason for running is the Bible and the Bible couldn’t be more clear on that point.”
I get the impression that this guy doesn’t have a chance of winning his election, but still — it’s likely that saying homosexuals are evil will cost you fewer votes than saying you don’t believe in any gods, at least in this country. That always seemed backwards, to me.
Got your popcorn and jujubes? Ready for the clown show? The debate begins shortly, and this is the place to leave your comments.
Half an hour in, and I’m seeing Biden being good and specific with facts at his fingertips, and doing a good job of answering questions with substance. Palin is an airhead who’s spouting more fluff and ignoring the questions — she keeps going back to energy and pretending she’s an expert. It’s very annoying, but she’s not descending into fumbling babble-babble, so I’m sure the audience is going right along with it. Come on, Biden, slam her back on the futility of thinking Alaska’s relatively tiny oil reserves can save the country.
Jebus, now she’s pretending to be an environmentalist.
I’m really disappointed that Biden wants to deny homosexual marriage, just like Palin.
Oh, no. SHe just praised Henry Kissinger and claimed that those foreigners hate our freedoms. She’s another Bush.
I’m happy with Biden so far — he’s good at bringing everything back to McCain’s record. Palin just fudges McCain’s record at every step.
Man, Palin is revolting: she just said that all those Washington insiders are the same (including McCain?) and that Joe Biden has been approving of McCain’s war plans all along. Ugh.
And if she claims she’s a maverick one more time … she’s a Republican tool, get real.
WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL PALIN THAT ALASKAN OIL RESERVES ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE?
Shining city on a hill, beacon perfect, force for good…empty, dishonest platitudes. We’re not going to become a better country with a gladhander who thinks we’re already perfect in charge.
Oh, good! Biden charges up and denounces this “maverick” nonsense. Best part of the debate so far.
All over. Biden clearly won — he sounded presidential, human, intelligent, and actually addressed the questions without being too harsh on Palin. Palin was a flag-waving cheerleader, with a voice that really grated on me, and she was evasive in answering questions. She didn’t pull any major gaffes, though, so since everyone had exceedingly low expectations for her, they’ll probably think she did fine.
No big knockout, then. No huge embarrassing boo-boos from either side to keep the media entertained. I’m still mostly reassured that Biden will be good in the job.
