Right Wing Nut House

My latest for PJ Media deals with the failure of blogs to fulfill their promise of changing politics for the better while racing with the rest of media to the gutter.

A sample:

I suppose it was unrealistic to expect that the political blogosphere might make some positive contributions to the 2008 election campaign. But judging by the smears and lies that are either created by bloggers or are simply echoed again and again on websites both right and left, along with the painfully shallow emphasis on whatever bloggers can blow up into a “gaffe” by hugely exaggerating some minor misstatement by either candidate, one is left with the sad conclusion that most blogs are contributing absolutely nothing of substance to this election.

Perhaps it is time to pause and ask “Is this the best blogs can do?”

Yes - if you peruse this site you will see I am a prime example of a blogger who deals in these “gotchya” themes. But I also try and cover the race from the perspective of a serious analyst who weighs the import of many of these gaffes and how they will affect the race.

I have also tried to debunk smears on both candidates while taking a more realistic view of Mr. Obama than many of my more conservative readers like.

That said, I realize my shortcomings in this area and make no apologies. I like having a few readers now and then and if I were to turn all wonky on you (and I hate wonk writing) both you and I would be miserable. And God help us if I ever got to the point where I had to be fair and balanced when it came to writing about the left!

So you see, my friends, I am trapped by my own choosing in this little cocoon of trivia and mud slinging. This blog is what it is and I am what I am and you can like it or take your eyes elsewhere. That is the beauty of the blogosphere.

So enjoy!

Blogworld and Las Vegas are calling me away this weekend as I travel to Sin City to hobnob with the Pajama People.

I’ll be writing a couple of articles for Pajama Media so watch for my stuff there. Also, I will try to do a Blog Talk Radio broadcast from the exhibit hall on Saturday. I’ll try to post something on the blog to let you know where to tune in.

If you don’t hear from me ever again either I’ve won a million bucks or one of my many blogger enemies will take the opportunity to permanently delete me. Otherwise, expect some kind of report Monday when I get back.

Comments will be open as long as everyone behaves themselves. I have also taken off the moderation function so you should see your comment immediately.

Those abusing the privilege will be destroyed by my Energizing Super Atomic Destructo Ray. Or, you will be banned, m’kay?

Just a few lines to let you know I’m still alive and here at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

Had to stay in the hotel yesterday and cover for a travelling colleague on Pajamas Media - which was just as well since nothing happened what with the truncated convention schedule.

But today should be different as the convention gets into full swing. The question is, will anyone out there be watching it? I think tomorrow’s session featuing Sarah Palin will draw very well as will Thursday’s schedule with McCain’s speech. Not as well as the Democrats but at this point, I really don’t think it matters. Obama’s “bounce” was modest and will probably not last. I expect it to be neck and neck again in a week - regardless of anything that happens during the RNC.

I will be at bloggers row this afternoon and will try and post something from there.

I’m leaving shortly for the airport to fly out to Minneapolis and the Republican National Convention.

I will be covering it as part of the Pajamas Media team - the only online publication granted a booth above the Excel Center floor. Not sure what my responsibilities will be but I will almost certainly do a little writing, a little editing, and no doubt a little partying as well.

I might mention that PJTV will be making its debut at the convention. Read here what it’s all about - sounds new and exciting. It’s a subscription service but I think it has a chance if what they’re talking about as far as programming is concerned. I intend to pony up and I hope you at least give the idea some consideration.

This Palin smear on her baby that I write about below is incredible. It is based entirely - entirely - on supposition. Things like how a woman is supposed to look when she’s six months pregnant and the tiny bulge in her daughter’s teen age tummy being seen not as evidence that she eats too many Ho-Ho’s but that she is with child is “balmy” is the Brits would say.

It’s daft. It’s nuts. It’s cuckoo. It’s every adjective you could possibly come up with that denotes unhinged idiocy on the part of the left. I was joking yesterday when I wrote that the left would demand that Palin take a DNA test to prove the child is hers. Judging by how this story is spreading like wildfire across the leftysphere, my joking may become a reality sooner than I ever dreamed.

Coupled with the other major attack meme that is emerging - that Palin should be staying home and taking care of her Down Syndrome kid - and you have an interesting contretemps for the left; that for all their whining about how low and dirty the GOP and conservatives play the game, they have proved they can get in the gutter and root around with the worst the GOP has to offer.

I will try and post on this site during the convention but time factors may make that an impossibility. If not, catch my stuff at Pajamas Media as I’m sure I’ll have a few things to say about the RNC.

Kender brought this to my attention. It appears Obama will go to any lengths to raise a little cash - even going so far as coming up with the latest Nigerian Scam.

This diary (that probably appeared today on the Obama campaign site) almost sounds like those emails you get that will give you half of some fortune squirrelled away by a Nigerian chief or government official if you only agree to accept all the money and put it in a bank. Of course, they want “good faith” money from you because they are taking a chance sending the whole bundle and trusting that you will do what you say. The English is better but the appeal is the same - they want to steal your money.

Of course, they say they will donate it to the Obama campaign but we know they won’t do that - it’s illegal:

We are gathering up to 4,000 people together for a fund raising to support OBAMA 08. The funds raised will be sent to the OBAMA campaign office as our own way of showing support for OBAMA since we are not eligible to vote as we are Nigerians based in Nigeria and not in America.

Time: Saturday, June 28 at 4:00 PM
Duration: 4 hours
Host: Fola Daniel
Contact Phone: 234-8059522444
Location: TRANSCORP HILTON HOTEL, ABUJA, NIGERIA (Abuja, VA)
ABUJA, NIGERIA
Abuja, VA 22003
View Map: Google Maps
MapQuest
Yahoo! Maps

Directions: From Abuja International airport, take airport taxi direct to the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Nigeria

Now Kender tells me the zip code number is in Annandale, VA. And I should add that it is perfectly legal for Americans in Nigeria to give to Obama.

But the tipoff that these donations will not be coming from Americans is at the top. The diarist says “… since we are not eligible to vote as we are Nigerians based in Nigeria and not in America. It wouldn’t matter, of course, if they were Nigerians based on the moon. Federal Election law prevents them from contributing to Obama’s campaign.

From the FEC site:

The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) prohibits any foreign national from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state, or local election in the United States, either directly or indirectly. It is also unlawful to help foreign nationals violate that ban or to solicit, receive or accept contributions or donations from them. Persons who knowingly and willfully engage in these activities may be subject to fines and/or imprisonment.

Any Nigerian who donates will violate the law. The owner of this diary is breaking the law by publishing this. Then again, perhaps we should consider the possibility that this is indeed another Nigerian email scam. If so, maybe the campaign isn’t quite as flush as we thought.

Seriously, I am not accusing Obama of illegal fundraising because this is a diary and I’m sure that once they discover the problem, they will remove it. Or let’s hope they will anyway.

Snowball contemplates her Veep choices

Regular readers will recall that rather than choose either Obama or McCain as my candidate, I turned instead to my pet cat Snowball as a creature I could fully get behind for president.

The wisdom of this choice becomes more and more evident as the campaign goes along. As the other candidates have sniped and snarked at one another, Snowball has stayed above the fray with that kind of quiet dignity that only cats can aspire. She has not said a word against either McCain or Obama despite the fact that both have given her plenty of ammunition. And where both mainstream candidates have given the most fodder for attack is in the way they have gone about choosing their running mate.

Have you ever seen such a parade of worthless nobodies being considered for the second highest office in the land? John Nance Garner once famously referred to the Vice Presidency as “a warm bucket of spit.” Well these fellows whose names are being bandied about for the second spot are so inept they missed the spitoon altogether. On the Democratic side you have that legend in his own mind Joe Biden, the invisible governor of Virginia Tim Kaine, and Birch Bayh’s kid from Indiana who might be chosen so that Hoosiers are fooled into thinking that Obama holds views in the mainstream of American politics and henceforth shall ever be loyal Democratic voters.

That last is pretty funny, actually. Rock ribbed Indianians aren’t fooled into buying a pig in a poke so why Obama thinks he can pull the wool over their eyes by choosing Birch’s kid only shows how elitist and ignorant he truly is.

As for McCain, well we’re still waiting for him to whittle his list down to a baker’s dozen. The guy has been all over the lot, floating non-entity after non-entity. For McCain, it doesn’t seem to matter who might be acceptable to the rest of the party as much as how big a splash he can make with his pals in the press.

Is it any wonder I’m sticking with Snowy?

In Snowball’s case, she has a problem with youth and inexperience, being all of 3 years old. But to her credit, she at first tried to reach beyond her species and attempted to unite the country by choosing a candidate that reflects the diversity in our nation.

Her first choice was untenable. Robert the Rabbit may have all the qualities necessary to be president but his pro-choice beliefs would make him unacceptable to the base. (Robert says as far as choice is concerned, he chooses to say “yes” whenever the opportunity arises.)

Marty the Mole presented even more difficulties. Marty’s penchant to dig a hole and hide at the first sign of danger mirrored exactly the national security plank of the Democrats. But since the whole purpose of Snowball’s candidacy is to offer a complete break from the past and be totally independent of either party, she reluctantly concluded that Robert might make an excellent MSHA Administrator instead.

In desperation, Snowy turned to one of her nemesis, hoping that such a move would unite the country behind her candidacy. Alas, Rocky Racoon had his heart set on being president and there were concerns among her advisors that Rocky would seek to undermine rather than help her efforts. Rocky’s own supporters made that abundantly clear by threatening to stay home on election day or soil their bedclothes on purpose just to teach us all a lesson. Needless to say, that didn’t play well with Snowball who, after enduring weeks of their threats and blather, told them all to go hang.

So in the end, Snowy turned to an old reliable - stalwart, true, but not very bright. Snowball’s choice was my other pet cat Aramis:

Aramas responds to questions about his intelligence.

At the unveiling, the press went bananas:

“Is it true you jumped on the counter and ate most of a $40 rib roast?“Tell us about the time you ran outside without permission and walloped on a poor defenseless bird.”“Is it true you have committed several acts of murder and mayhem against mice?

Aramis may not be the brightest bulb in the room. But he is loyal and loving and I wouldn’t trade him for anyone or anything else.

If only Obama and McCain could be so lucky with their choices.

As many of you know, I am a blogger without a presidential candidate. Ever since I wrote that I believed John McCain was too old to be president, I have been precluded from giving voice to my support for any major candidate running for chief executive.

Sorry Jazz, I couldn’t consider Bob Barr. I think that the ascension of a libertarian to the office would be as disastrous as elevating Obama.

That said, many of you have rightly pointed out that I am entirely too negative on this blog and reading my posts on the presidential race is getting to be depressing. You wonder why I can’t write positive, uplifting posts about a candidate that I can get behind and support wholeheartedly. You question why I’m always coming down so hard on Obama and why I slap McCain around on a regular basis.

I hear you. As a writer, it’s easy to fall into a rut and reiterate the same points over and over again. How many times can I reveal Obama as the anti-Christ before you start groaning for relief? The same thing happens to commenters too. How many times can you call me a racist and not have it get old? There are only so many ways you can question my sanity, my intelligence, or the true nature of my ancestry.

Therefore, I have decided to temporarily endorse a candidate for president so that I can write positive, glowing blog posts which will advance the candidate’s attempt for high office.

There is little doubt that this candidate is qualified to be president. She has as much executive experience as Obama, is in much better condition than McCain, is prettier than Bob Barr, and has more common sense than Ralph Nader.

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Because my website has been down over much of the last day, I feel it only fair that I cancel the Obama Jokefest Contest.

 Frankly, I didn’t get enough jokes to fill an hour radio show. That will teach me a lesson in humility if nothing else.

That’s right. You can assist our liberal friends in Hollywood while breaking new ground in comedy history by coming up with jokes, humorous anecdotes, limericks, or one liners all directed towards the Democratic nominee for president Barack Obama.

SUBMISSIONS

Submissions can be in the form of written comments to this post as well as my post announcing the contest yesterday. Or, I would actually prefer recorded jokes submitted as an attachment to an email. That’s because the best of the lot will be read or played on a special edition of The Rick Moran Show on Blog Talk Radio this coming Sunday at 6:00 PM Central Time.

PRIZES

First Prize - $25.00 Gift Card

Second Prize - $10.00 Gift Card

Third Place - $5 gift Card

(Gift Cards will be VISA Gift Cards)

DEADLINE

Deadline for entry is noon central time on Sunday.

Send sound files in MP3 or Windows Media audio format only. Attach to email sent to this address.

elvenstar522-at-AOL-dot-com.