DavidMixner.com - Live From Turkey Hollow

I couldn't have, and haven't said it better. I'm disgusted by this DOJ DOMA brief. What is going on? I kind of expected it from Clinton but I'm honestly suprirsed it's coming from Obama. If not now, when?

DavidMixner.com - Live From Turkey Hollow

Kent Conrad's "co-op" idea is stupid:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/11/741441/-Conrad-Against-Public-Option,-Pushes-Co-Ops

Without prohibiting pre-exisitng condtions as a qualifier, it solves very little. Yes a co-op should have lower "fees" like a credit union since the profit doesn't go to shareholders but back to members, but a co-op will still want to exclude people with pre-existing conditions or premiums will be too high to attract any members. Health care can be fixed with two laws: 1. Require all insurers to offer three national plans with decent coverage options and prohibit insurers from offering similar plans at lower costs (i.e. they can set whatever price they want for these plans, they just can't marketing something cheaper to "healthy" customers. 2. Eliminate the abilty to disqualify patients. If the insurer doesn't want to cover that patient, that patient's insurance can be transferred to the "pool" the cost of which would be spread among all insurers. The "pool" will obvioulsy be full of "sick" people only, so it will be similar to auto insurance, but as long as the insurer has to offer this plan to its healthy patients and unhealthy ones, they won't be able to "squeeze" unhealthy customers out of the benefits of that plan. Go one step further and make the "standard plans" be tied to some plans offered to healthy customers as set by "the market."

Op-Ed Columnist - The Big Hate - NYTimes.com

I think this is very bad for the country, clearly, but it's also really bad for the Republican party. We need a two party system and I don't think this is the best way to get back to that.

Op-Ed Columnist - The Big Hate - NYTimes.com

Michael Steele was outraged by the DHS report saying the right wing extremism was on the rise. Then bam. George Tillar gets killed by one and one of 'em opens fire inside the Holocaust Museum.

DreamWorks will get its $325 mil

Does anyone really care?

DreamWorks will get its $325 mil

DreamWorks' plan to raise $325 million in lender financing -- part of a funding scheme covering at least three years of film production -- is now oversubscribed with verbal commitments, and its bankers soon will begin closing on the loan syndication.

Europe Lags as U.S. Economy Shows Signs of Recovery - NYTimes.com

This might be jumping the gun, but if it's true, it's baaaaaaaaaddddddddd news for the Republican party and their "just say no" tactics.

EEurope Lags as U.S. Economy Shows Signs of Recovery - NYTimes.com: "There was more evidence Thursday that the United States economy might be stabilizing, if not rebounding, even as economic reports in Europe remained gloomy."

GQ Blog on men.style.com

I'm really digging Barney Frank these days.

GQ Blog on men.style.com

Please. I have to have one rule: If you want me to explain something, and if you’re gonna assume that when I explain it I support it, then I can’t explain it to you.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright discusses President Obama and Jews -- dailypress.com

Rev. Jeremiah Wright discusses President Obama and Jews -- dailypress.com

"Them Jews ain't going to let him talk to me," Wright said. "I told my baby daughter that he'll talk to me in five years when he's a lame duck, or in eight years when he's out of office. ...

Oh dear.... Lucky he didn't say this during the campaign. It is slightly more nuanced in context though. Does make you wonder what Obama was thinking having him as his pastor if he says such stupid things.

Shep Smith attacks right-wing 'crazies'

1. Do the right wing conspiracy theorists really believe EVERY official in Hawaii, even if they were Republican, would certify a birth certificate fraudulently?

2. If 69M Americans want to elect a non-citizen President, who cares?

Shep Smith attacks right-wing 'crazies'

Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, host of the top-rated evening cable newscast, believes Americans challenging the eligibility of Barack Obama to hold the office of president are "crazies," saying "there is no truth whatsoever" to the suggestion Obama is not a "natural born citizen."

Search Results Poll * June 10, 2009 * Christie Has 10-Point Likely V - Quinnipiac University – Hamden, Connecticut

This is the tippng point for the MSM. They will begin the story likne of "Tide turns againgst Dems." Mark my words.

Search Results Poll * June 10, 2009 * Christie Has 10-Point Likely V - Quinnipiac University – Hamden, Connecticut: "Christie Has 10-Point Likely Voter Lead In New Jersey, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Corzine Approval Drops To New Low"

Donald Trump ousts Prejean as Miss California - washingtonpost.com

Donald Trump ousts Prejean as Miss California - washingtonpost.com: "LOS ANGELES -- Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, who stirred up trouble for herself when she said gays shouldn't be allowed to marry, got the word from pageant poobah Donald Trump on Wednesday: 'You're fired.'"

Good riddance, I say.

Driven and Powerful, a Mogul Adds More Heft - NYTimes.com

Driven and Powerful, a Mogul Adds More Heft - NYTimes.com

I doubt this is very good for Rahm or Obama. Endeavor has a lot of baggage in its past that could be used as cannon fodder by the GOP Ari is too closely associated with the White House.

Jamie Rector for The New York Times

Ariel Emanuel

Today, Mr. Emanuel has a $10 million home in the Brentwood neighborhood; a pipeline to the White House through his brother Rahm, its chief of staff; and a sprawling new talent agency of his own design, called William Morris Endeavor Entertainment.

Jay-Z

President Barack Obama!

David Plouffe

Joe and Jill Biden

Beautiful

United Airlines

Dear United Airlines,

You suck.

Merry Christmas,

-Lenny

Sent from iPhone

Celebration Sushi

Obama wins!

Election day polls closing now

Election Day 4:24am

Dixville Knox goes blue!

Boiler Room

 

 

Election Day, November 4^th

• 1 pass through universe just dropping door hangers
• 2 knock attempts through GOTV walk universe
• 3 attempts through GOTV call universe—California
• Win!

 

5:00am – Phone tree wakeup calls

5:30am – Boiler Room check-in #1: Report that all staging locations are open and all volunteers are present

6:00am – Doorhanger shifts begins, volunteers arrive

6:30am – Boiler Room check-in #2: Report number of doorhanger volunteers out

6:30am – Morning visibility shift starts:  send all staging location volunteers, other than the Staging Location Captain, to do visibility

8:30am – All staging location volunteers back, visibility ends

9:00am – GOTV Shift 10 begins, doorhanger shift returns

9:30am – All GOTV Shift 10 volunteers out the door

10:00am – Boiler Room check-in #3: Report number of walk packets out in Shift 10 and any problems

11:30am – Lunch food arrives at staging locations

12:00pm – GOTV Shift 11 begins, Shift 10 volunteers return

12:30pm – All GOTV Shift 11 volunteers out the door

1:00pm – Boiler Room check-in #4: Report number of packets back from Shift 10 and number of packets out in Shift 11, and any instructions for redistributing volunteers and resources during final shift

3:00pm – New lists for evening shift arrive at staging locations

3:30pm – GOTV Shift 12 begins, Shift 11 volunteers return

4:00pm – Boiler Room check-in #5:  Report number of packets out in Shift 12 and number of packets back from Shift 11, get instructions from Boiler Room for where staging location volunteers and staff should deploy for final shift   

5:00pm – Remaining staging location volunteers train and deploy any straggler canvassers, then deploy themselves.  Smaller staging locations are shut down.  Larger staging locations remain open with only one volunteer remaining. 

6:00pm – All staging locations closed, everyone on the streets. 

6:30pm – Staff and volunteers assigned to monitor high-risk long line precincts proceed to polling locations to keep voters in line and report problems

6:50pm – All other staff and volunteers proceed to polling location in the precincts they were canvassing to check for lines

 

***STAFF IS NOT DONE FOR THE DAY UNTIL GIVEN THE EXPLICIT ALL-CLEAR FROM THEIR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR***

9 Days to go.  Clearly Barack is going to win.  And I think win very big and in surprising states.  Is it because of McCain's horrible campaign?  Because of the financial crisis?  Iraq?  Yes and no.  I do think there is something underlying all this that is indeed historical.  It's not just that Barack is black.  It's also that he is cool.  Really.  He feels new, progressive, post political in a lot of ways.  Obviously there is a historic nature to him being the first black president (Morrissey eat your heart out!), but I feel like there's something much deeper than that.  Granted I'm coming from a perspective that is very much inside the bubble, but if you look at the polls, if you look at states as varied as Colorado, Virginia, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota... something is happening here that is transformational.  Most of the attention has been on Barack being black and the historic nature of that.  But he's also young, Internet savvy, good looking, poised, cool, intelligent, articulate, worldly.  I was thinking while watching the rally yesterday at Bonanza high school, that, I'd feel completely comfortable sitting down with this guy and having a beer.  I certainly wouldn't say that for John McCain.  The guy is too weird.  But I can't say I would feel terribly comfortable having a beer with Clinton (too full of himself), Kerry (boring and stiff), Gore (stiff).  But Barack.  Sure.  I think we could talk about music, politics, economics, religion, movies, foreign affairs, fine wines, and probably what kind of beer he likes.  In the end, I don't think people quite realize that a big portion of the population, certainly the Facebook constituency, probably feel exactly the same way.

The next president of the United States

Obama rally

Dan at the rally

Barry Manilow watches Barry Obama

Eye on the press

Cameron's field pitch at Obama rally

Matt and Aida Blue

T's birthday

Katie has a beer

Me and Maria

David Zhao Smiles!

Bette Gets Out the Vote

That's an egg on that burger!

What John Gilbert is always doingbon his Blackberry

Dan and John Gilbert at Clinton Rally

Vegas Skyline

OF Capt Breakout

Chenault and Olivia

Chenault and Monica

All Staff Conference Call

LA in NV

Bit of a madhouse this morning.  Lots of cleaning up canvass packages from the weekend.  Four LA volunteers, three disabled people who wanted to help, no Jordan....  Lots of other questions.  Market up 950.  Is it possible this can be distant memory in just two weeks?  Doubt it but you never know.  But I still stand by the fact that McCain is a lousy candidate.  He just can't seem to stay on message.  You definitely feel a little draining of enthusiasm in Nevada (amongst volunteers) as the polls seem to rise.  It'll be pretty sweet if this continues.

Sent out over 200 California volunteers today!  Mad house.  Got chilly.  John Lewis came out strongly against McCain and Palin's comments.  I don't see how McCain wins this election at the moment.

Evening conference call

My diet yesterday:

Breakfast: 0

Snack: various tootsie rolls, crackers, tortilla chips

Lunch: 0

Snack: Trader Joes chips, Hummus

Dinner: 0

Cups of tea: 12

Oy! 

Mr McCain, Are You Nervous?

I'm on love!

The War Room - kind of

Rain

Friday, October 3, 1 Day to Voter Registration Deadline

Breakfast: Egg McMuffin, free apple from Artisan

Lunch: Fries and Vanilla shake from In-N-Out

Dinner: Panda Express, Chow Mein, Rice, Vegetables

Snacks: Granola bars, trail mix, chocolate, 16 cups of tea

Artisan

Biden vs Palin

Hoobastank at UNLV

Dinner

The debate

A draw?

Nevada

I've said it a million times.  And stand by in the face of what is clearly obvious. John McCain is a lousy candidate.  And it matters.  I think we've seen today a real turning point in the campaign.  McCain has just come off seeming confused, disorganized, reactionary, gimmicky.  Everything we don't want in a president and it's just, well, un-presidential.  And where is Palin?  Being interviewed by Katie Couric using the interview technique speed course she took, to basically admit either she has no idea what John McCain's record in the Senate is or she does and isn't telling.  

My biggest fear in all this is in wondering how low the McCain campaign will sink to win?  Will they roll out the race issue in full force?  Will they throw a Harold Ford at him?  When will the next shoe drop?

Stay tuned...

What a difference a six months makes.  So I've gone from supporting Hillary, mostly out of a feeling that sexism was at play in the criticisms she was getting, and the lack of respect for her many years in public service she was getting, to supporting Obama.  A lot (see the end of the post).  

My pivot point was Bill Clinton and the Virginia primary.  His comments were about race and he knew it.  Sure it's true that blacks in Virginia were overwhelmingly voting for Obama, to a degree, just because he was black.  Like they did for Jesse Jackson.  That's something the Obama campaign did not want to own.  They didn't want the perception to be that Obama got votes gratuitously. But let's be honest, of course he did.  Now, I wouldn't vote for a gay Republican president but I sure as hell would vote for a gay Democrat over Hillary or Obama.  That's an issue that matters to me.  And for me it speaks to a lot of other things that candidate probably believes in.  So of course some voters in Virginia voted for Barack for no other reason than his being black.  All the power to them I say.   So, I guess Bill was just telling the truth.  Right?  Wrong.  There are some truths that are just truths and others that are truths used to tell lies or to inflame.  And that's what he was doing.  Not the worse use of racism in a campaign possible.  He wasn't saying because Barack is black you shouldn't vote for him.  I truly think he was injecting race as much as he was saying the votes he got were from voters with a bias.  Just like Hillary was getting among women.  And that's the point.  It's not a fair comment to make.  It had repurcussions he knew it would have and he did it anyway.  And Hillary just sat back and let him.  

The second pivot point for me was the Jeremiah Wright scandal.  Now, I'm sorry but I'm certain the anger toward Jeremiah Wright from the right and the MSM was racist.  I think the black community has a lot to be angry about and if that came out in his sermons then so be it.  And I hate the jingoism of everyone being so angry about him saying "God Damn America."  But it was bad and it was played up and it was having an effect.  And what did Barack do?  He gave a brilliant speech about racism.  He didn't immediately run away from Wright.  He stood by him.  And he talked fairly openly about race in this country.  That to me was not only brilliant but it was the mark of a remarkable leader.  He did and said the right thing.  And he did it in a way that was about "winning."  That's what Bill used to do.  

So I switched at that point and started supporting Barack.  And he did not let me down.  His speeches, his political instincts, even his compromises seem smart to me (FISA nothwithstanding).  

All this to say, that I've agreed to go to Nevada for five weeks to help out with the Obama campaign.  Vegas here I come!

So, I thought this email to my Ralph Nader-voting-friend Ryan was a little more succinct than my last post about why I think Obama is a myth.

...

Ryan,

I won't reply to all but I do like the last word.

I don't know how "change" got equated with "tone" which then equated Bush with Clinton. It was a brilliant but false strategy of the Obama campaign. We don't need a change of tone in Washington we need a change of parties and then a tough, ruthless, savvy politician to ram liberal policies through an unwilling and ferocious opposition party. Maybe Obama can do that, maybe he can't but I guarantee that this Mr. Nice Guy persona is going to follow him around like a ball and chain for a good 12 months of his presidency. And then he'll either get tough and be accused of hypocrisy or he'll feel constrained by playing nice and get nothing done. In either case you'll turn against him because it won't be the ideal you voted for. The left doesn't want to hear it but this idealism is a different side of the same coin that got Americans to go to Iraq in the first place.

And if you think that Barack wouldn't have voted for the Iraq bill as a Senator you should ask yourself why, in the face of overwhelming evidence from health care progressives, and the experience of every western country with universal health care, he continues to defend lack of mandates as a viable way to get universal health care. He is sticking with it even though he knows it's wrong out of political prudence and that political prudence will be a platform from which he won't be able to stray if elected. He's only doing it because "mandate" doesn't play well in polls. You cannot afford universal health care if the young and healthy don't subsidize the costs of the older segments of the population. Period. It's a lie that if it's cheap enough 23 year olds will buy it. It's a lie and he knows it. His base is young people and it doesn't play well to tell young people they'll have to buy insurance even if they don't think they need it. And that's why he's sticking to it. And he'll be stuck with that position if he's elected. And it's as disingenuous but far more costly than any politically expedient position Hillary is running on.

If he wins I hope I'm wrong. I hope when he gets into office he says "I was wrong, we do need mandates, I know I was elected on a platform without it but I'm going to turn my back on that campaign pledge and put mandates into the package." That would be great if he did that, unfortunate that he'd have to and a field day for the Republicans if he does.

-L

Oscars... Boy were my predictions (see below) off!

So now it's looks like a clean sweep-ish for "No Country For Old Men". They will get best picture, director, supporting actor (Javier Bardem), and adapted screenplay. Daniel Day Lewis will get actor. Actress is tricky. It should be Marion Cotillard but Julie Christie seems to have the momentum. Supporting actress I'm pretty sure will go to Amy Adams. Original screenplay to Diablo Cody.

Not that anyone is asking, but here's my opinion on the primaries. I'm backing Hillary. But I like Barack just fine. Mitt Romney is a shill. John McCain, by George Bush standards, would be like having Dennis Kucinich as president. I'm backing Hillary for a lot of reasons. First all this talk of Barack Obama changing the tone in Washington is a load of big fat baloney. I hate silly naiveté when it comes to the fate of the world. It's amazing to me how much people loved Bill Clinton when he was president, hated the Republicans for their constant witch hunts, and now blame Bill Clinton for the "tone" in Washington and have forgotten who started it in the first place. I guess it's just Bill Clinton they didn't like, Barack Obama on the other hand, they'll love! Those Republicans are going to get all cuddly with a black president even though their Southern strategy, the one that got them so much power, was largely based on racism. Americans never cease to astound me in the childish simplicity toward which they are so easily blown. Naiveté is what got us into the Iraq war in the first place (okay, I know that doesn't help the argument for Hillary, but still...). I also think it's incredibly sexist to equate Hillary's experience alongside Bill in the White House is the same as expecting Jack Welch's wife to run GE (thanks Chris Mathews). It's so sexist. To act as if she wasn't his partner in their many years in politics is just horribly... well, sexist. So, that said, I really have nothing against Obama, I just think he is going to have an awful lot of learning to do, we can't afford that time, and we don't need it. A deft, seasoned politicians could step into the White House and change the mood of the world in about a heart beat. And then they have to cease that good will, act on it quick, and get things done before they are running for their second term. I don't think Barack can do that. He doesn't have the rolodex. He has to rely on advisors because he doesn't know half of these people. So Obama is going to spend six months to a year having his campaign of "change" force him to be Mr. Nice Guy, until he realizes that that won't get him a cup of coffee much less universal health care, environmental changes, education reform, and a host of other things. He'll be spending all his time reaching across the aisle until he realizes that buzzers keep going in his hand. Then he'll start to get tough, all of the "he's a nice guy" people who voted for him will get disillusioned, the Republicans will pounce, he'll change advisors left right and center and it will take a long time for him to recover from that. And believe me health care without mandates will be a waste of time. If nothing else, his unwillingness to back away from this shows you that he understands politics (i.e. admitting your wrong is death) and is willing to play those games, but that he doesn’t really have enough experience to pick the right policies in the first place and is willing to hide behind that to the detriment of the country in order to get other priorities accomplished. Sounds a lot like Bill Clinton to me. So, a bit rambling, but basically I do think Obama is a fairy tale. His message of change is simply that a one word message: change. No idea how he's going to "change" Washington, no proposals to do that, and definitely no big bright light bulb telling us how he'll get anything done at the same time. And everyone's eating it up. I'm not willing to roll those dice, which is definitely what it is, because it's simply not necessary. This isn't about changing the tone in Washington. It's about pushing the liberal agenda through a thick thorn of money, power and ignorance. Yes, Hillary is the devil we know, but I'm not sure that's such a bad thing. She's also the devil I know can get things done. Can Barack? Maybe, maybe not. I'll back him 100% if he wins the primary but I'll be saying I told you so for the next four years. I think he can work it out, he's smart, he'll make the adjustments, but those adjustments will use up very precious time.

I Shore Love Dallas!

Silverlake Farmers Market

Yummy!

Sunny California

Doesn't get much better...

This was the cartoon that played before National Treasure Book of Secrets

Which led me to believe that National Treasure would be short if not sweet. It was neither. I read an interview with Helen Mirren where she said she was being given script changes just before going on set so it was obviously something that was
rushed into production to meet a Christmas release date. Nick Cage was decent in it actually but everyone else just seemed to be floundering. Talk about implausibilities swept under the carpet about 15 million times... Of course, none of that hurt it's box office grosses. So there you go.

30000 Feet Up

Dallas

All I really need to see of it.

Spell Check

The intuitive spell check on my phone doesn't seem to be.

-Lenny

Sent from iPhone

So LA

So ok going to Petco to get cat food. I'm in my BMW with my black
sunglasses on. Andrew calls from London. I answer on my iPhone. On
my way on a lady with flyers starts talking to me. I saw, "Excuse me
I'm on my phone." She gets angry and yells out "God that's so LA!"
We exchange words. I suggest that it's awfully rude to interrupt when
she can see I'm talking to someone. Andrew gets impatient. I wished
I had said "I think people in Idaho have cell phones, cars and
Petcos." Turns out the flyer was a picture of her lost dog. I am
disturbed by this this post-exchange revelation. Was she rude or
should I have paused my phone conversation to see what she wanted?

-Lenny

Sent from iPhone

That's the moon at 6am in LA