Situation Awareness
Comments and Commentary from a member of the reality-based community.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Republicans: The Party of Stupid
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: August 7, 2008
From the article: |
Labels: 2008 Election, New York Times, Recommended Reading, Worst President Ever
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Depths of Desperation
It is always enlightening to see what a desperate campaign (or their followers) will resort to when they're down.
A current tactic by the conservatives is to cast doubt on Senator Obama's eligibility to even hold the office of the President. Article II of the US Constitution outlines the three requirements to be eligible for election as President:
- be at least thirty-five years old;
- have been a permanent resident in the United States for at least fourteen years;
- be a natural-born citizen of the United States
It is on that last item, "be a natural-born citizen of the United States" on which many have tried to "disqualify" Obama. They claim that his mother had to have been 21 at the time of his birth in order for Obama to be a natural-born citizen of the United States. But is this really the case?
I would direct these "detectives" to the United States Code, Title 8 > Chapter 12 > Subchapter III > Part I > § 1405:
A person born in Hawaii on or after August 12, 1898, and before April 30, 1900, is declared to be a citizen of the United States as of April 30, 1900. A person born in Hawaii on or after April 30, 1900, is a citizen of the United States at birth. A person who was a citizen of the Republic of Hawaii on August 12, 1898, is declared to be a citizen of the United States as of April 30, 1900. |
And that, my friends, answers that!
Labels: 2008 Election, Recommended Reading
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
GOP "Takes Pride in Being Ignorant"
In response to a question about what individual Americans can do about the high cost of gasoline, Senator Obama replied that individuals could inflate their tires to the proper pressure in other to improve fuel efficiency.
As is typical of rightwingnuts this commonsense answer was ridiculed (by taking it out-of-context, of course) and claiming it is the centerpiece of Obama's energy policy. And on par with a junior high school joke the McCain campaign came up with this:

And without realizing it the McCain campaign simply highlighted the obvious, they take pride in being ignorant, as Obama was more than willing to point out:
Way to go, Senator Obama!
Labels: 2008 Election, Recommended Reading
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The "Lesser of Two Evils"
Labels: 2008 Election
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The G in GOP Stands for Ghoul

June 25, 2008 at 06:26
The G in GOP Stands for Ghoul
by Mary Lyon
http://www.opednews.com/
I've heard of rooting for the bad guys, but this is ridiculous. John McCain's elite adviser Charlie Black opined to Fortune magazine that if there were another terrorist strike against our country in time for the general election, it "certainly would be a big advantage" for McCain's campaign ("a candid and very disappointing glimpse into the thinking of one of McCain's closest advisers.").
Wow. Nice. Which American city would you like to see take it in the shorts this time, Mr. Black? How many thousands of us are expendable for the sake of your candidate's success? Let's see, New York City has already been there. Same thing for Arlington, Virginia, home of the Pentagon. And don't forget New Orleans. No, that wasn't terrorism, per se, but it was still a disaster that needed - but did not get - government foresight and planning wisdom from seasoned, credible public service professionals as well as swift and effective response.
Is this the newest round of "October Surprise" paranoia? Or is it paranoia? A terrorist strike on American soil would be a major campaign boost for John McCain? Does it sound at all as though someone regards such a tragedy as a good thing? Really nice.
(read the entire article)
Labels: 2008 Election, hypocrisy, OpEd News, Opinion, Recommended Reading, WMDs
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
GWB: Worst. President. Ever. Part II
From the article: |
Labels: 2008 Election, History, Huffington Post, hypocrisy, Recommended Reading, WMDs, Worst President Ever
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Yes...An Amazing Accomplishment!
May 7, 2008 |
Labels: 2008 Election, History, Recommended Reading, This Modern World, Worst President Ever
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Keeping an especially sharp eye...
According to the "Hillary is 44" Web site/About page:
"We will keep an especially sharp eye on "progressives" or Democrats who repeat Republican talking points to undermine Hillary or any of our candidates."
Any of our candidates. Okay, that's plain enough.
Then just one question: Why does the entire site seem devoted to undermining the candidacy of Barack Obama for President of the United States? For example:
"Women will NOt vote for race-baiting, gay-bashing, women-hating Barack Obama in NOvember."
You know, the same Barack Obama endorsed by Hillary Clinton:
"The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand, is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States," Clinton told a crowd of 8,000 supporters during an emotion-filled rally at the National Building Museum in Washington. |
Hillary Clinton says: "And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me."
That's plain to all. Apparently, though, the "Hillary is 44" people have comprehension problems.
Labels: 2008 Election, hypocrisy
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
What do you think?
I was recently watching Star Trek: Insurrection, and it struck me that Ad'har Ru'afo looks a lot like John McCain. What do you think?
![]() | ![]() |
Labels: 2008 Election, Byline-Hans Meyer, Humor
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Show us the money...
If there's a so-called "whitey" tape out there I, for one, would like to see it instead of hearing all of the "I heard from someone who heard from someone who knows someone who has seen it" hype.
Even the National Review agrees.
Labels: 2008 Election, hypocrisy, Opinion, Recommended Reading
Friday, May 16, 2008
GWB: Worst. President. Ever.
There are those who erroneously claim that Jimmy Carter was the worst president ever. They cite the economic situation during his administration and the Iranian hostage crisis as proof of their assertion.
I would argue that, without a doubt, we are witnessing and living through this country's worst president ever: George W. Bush. It isn't a matter of the so-called "irrational hatred of President Bush." Nope. I believe that future historians will reflect what this Michael Hirsh article from Newsweek has to say, and it isn't pretty:
An Unnatural Disasterby Michael Hirsh In a month of horrific natural disasters—the China quake, the Burma cyclone—it's instructive to consider what one of the biggest unnatural disasters in memory looks like. That is the decline in America's position in the world from where we were when George W. Bush inherited power on Jan. 20, 2001, to what he will bequeath to the next president eight months from now. |
Labels: 2008 Election, History, hypocrisy, Newsweek, Recommended Reading, Worst President Ever
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The Reason for $4.00 a gallon gasoline
From our friends at Democratic Underground, and the 336th edition of The Top Ten Conservative Idiots (in this case, #7, George W. Bush):



Labels: 2008 Election, Democratic Underground, History, Humor, Recommended Reading, Worst President Ever
Friday, April 18, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Rightwing Racism on Display
This continues the discussion from tonight's broadcast of The Political Atlas.
On the right, bloggers accused Obama of offering "false moral equivalence," "blame whitey," and "the politics of grievance." ... One thing is clear: those who predicted that an Obama-John McCain race would lead to a "civil" debate about this country's future (we're looking at you, Andrew Sullivan!) are deluding themselves. If the conservative reaction to the Wright controversy is any indication, an Obama-McCain race would be just as nasty as a Hillary Clinton-McCain race. |
Labels: 2008 Election, hypocrisy, Opinion, Recommended Reading, The Hotline
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Response to Obama's Speech on Race from Andrew Sullivan
One of the best I've read:
Alas, I cannot give a more considered response right now as I have to get on the road. But I do want to say that this searing, nuanced, gut-wrenching, loyal, and deeply, deeply Christian speech is the most honest speech on race in America in my adult lifetime. It is a speech we have all been waiting for for a generation. Its ability to embrace both the legitimate fears and resentments of whites and the understandable anger and dashed hopes of many blacks was, in my view, unique in recent American history. |
Labels: 2008 Election, Andrew Sullivan, Recommended Reading
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Superdelegate Speaks...
Mitch Ceasar, Broward County DEC Chair, DNC Executive Committee member and Superdelegate to the Democratic Convention in August, had some great insights on this morning's broadcast of Situation Awareness:
Mitch talked about the chances of the so-called do-over election here in Florida, and what it will take to seat the Florida delegation. Plus, he answered the question, "Will the Superdelegates make the difference in Denver?"
This interview was featured on the home page of Blog Talk Radio:
The discussion continues next week when my guest will be Alison Berke Morano, Chair of the Pasco County DEC and Vice Chair of the Florida Democratic Committee Chairs Association.
Labels: 2008 Election, Free World Radio Network
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
The Law of Unintended Consequences
Florida's Republican-majority legislature, with bipartisan support, passed a bill moving Florida's 2008 president primary from March 11th to January 29th. Florida's Republican governor signed the bill into law. The idea was to give Florida an earlier voice in deciding who would be the nominees for the two major political parties, rather than leaving that honor to Iowa and New Hampshire and other small states.
As it turns out Florida's 2008 primary will be mostly remembered for the implosion of the Giuliani campaign and, to a lesser degree, the end of the Edwards campaign. Rather than being a "king-maker" Florida was just another early state whose primary results ended up making little difference in picking the parties’ nominees.
So, January 29, 2008 is history, as is 2008's Super Tuesday, and there's still no Democratic or Republican presidential candidate with enough delegate votes to secure the nomination.
Which brings us to the Law of Unintended Consequences. If Florida's primary was upcoming on March 11th, the nation's eyes would be focused on Florida (and Texas, a week earlier) as the real tipping point for the nominees, the “king-maker.” Instead, Florida is just an also-ran.
The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Labels: 2008 Election, Byline-Hans Meyer, Opinion
Monday, January 7, 2008
Liberal Ronald Reagan?
Obama emerges as a liberal Reagan who can reunite America
by Andrew Sullivan
The historical analogies for the phenomenon that is Barack Obama have already stretched credibility. For a while pundits likened him to the effete loser Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic party’s 1950s version of Labour’s Hugh Gaitskell, the greatest prime minister we never had. |
Labels: 2008 Election, Andrew Sullivan, Opinion, Recommended Reading
Friday, December 14, 2007
Huckabee Ties Giuliani for National Lead
From Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:
A new American Research Group national poll shows Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee are tied for first place in the Republican presidential race with 21%, followed by Sen. John McCain at 18%, Mitt Romney at 16% and Fred Thompson at 6%.
Just a month ago, Huckabee was in fifth place in the same poll with just 6% support.
Among Democrats, Sen. Hillary Clinton leads with 41% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 22%, and John Edwards at 13%.
Labels: 2008 Election, Political Wire
Monday, December 3, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Nelson Rockefeller versus Barry Goldwater
This was on WorldNutDaily. If they say it, well, it must be true. Right?
Then it was Nelson Rockefeller versus Barry Goldwater.
Today it is cross-dressing, adulterous, thrice-married Rudy Giuliani versus Pat Buchanan.
Let the games begin!
Labels: 2008 Election, hypocrisy









