Barack Loves Georgie - Headlines 1/19/09

[Caro]

Politics and Media Headlines 1/19/09

Matt Davies is back!

First funny Obama joke that I’ve heard:
Bush's Lessons for Obama (by Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune)
OK, how many of you are going to miss the George W. Bush years? Can I see a show of hands? There is little question that President Bush became an extremely valuable, if involuntary asset to Barack Obama's long march to the White House. I think Bill Maher was the first comedian I heard joke that President Bush messed up the country so badly that the voters felt they had to send in a black man to clean it up.

In Obama Remarks, Theme Of 'Responsibility' Emerges (Washington Post)
Obama's advisers … began to give a taste of the inaugural address that he will deliver … tomorrow -- saying it will emphasize the themes of responsibility and restoring public confidence… Obama will … revive a theme that belonged to outgoing President Bush, who in his 2000 campaign talked about ushering in a "responsibility era."

Obama says he always thought Bush was a 'good guy' (Political Ticker, CNN)
After two years of traveling around the country criticizing President Bush, President-elect Barack Obama said Friday that he “always thought (Bush) was a good guy.” “I mean, I think personally he is a good man who loves his family and loves his country,” Obama said in an exclusive interview with CNN’s John King.

Imperial Pageantry for Moronically Idiotic Idiots (by Arthur Silber at the Power of Narrative)
So Jon Favreau, Obama's chief speechwriter, has done a lot of work on Obama's inaugural address. Does this mean Obama will talk about Hillary Clinton's tits? "Rising tits lift all our hopes..." "These are the tits that launched a thousand dreams..." "Let me speak of the tits of change..." I well realize the galactic scope of Americans' capacity for utterly mindless, contentless, meaningless spectacle. God knows, I've written about it often enough. But the absolutely overwhelming amount of colossal shit attendant upon this inauguration ("Look, Mom! Barack made me fly!" -- I do not exaggerate even slightly…) is enough to make anyone who remains remotely sane loathe all mankind throughout all eternity…

To those of you so devotionally intent on celebrating this historically historic moment in history, as you accuse those few of us who are still capable of speaking in full sentences with actual referents of being "cynical" and shockingly lacking in what you so irresponsibly and reprehensibly call "idealism": Have a moronically good time, morons.

Brain Mechanisms Of Social Conformity (Science Daily)
Many studies have demonstrated the profound effect of group opinion on individual judgments, and there is no doubt that we look to the behavior and judgment of others for information about what will be considered expected and acceptable behavior. "We often change our decisions and judgments to conform with normative group behavior," says (the) lead study author.
Not only that, those who subscribe to the group opinion try to FORCE those who disagree to agree. I swear I must have been born backwards. I’m always skeptical of the group opinion. What’s more, I wear my skepticism as a badge of honor. So don’t try to make me into one of you Obamatons. It just won’t work.—Caro

Last Chance to Help Hillary (by Alegre)
Like a lot of you, I got the following note from Hillary this afternoon. She simply wanted to say "thanks" for walking that long and tough road with her during the campaign. Hillary didn't ask us to help retire the last of that debt - but I am. She can't take help with her debt once she becomes Secretary of State so if we're going to help her we have to do it NOW Let's help her out one last time you guys - send her what you can.

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Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com