Feb 26
I’d like to preface this by admitting that I haven’t been reading ITPT regularly over the last several days. Ever since PL opened up her Internets to her readers (and she used to be such a prim, proper girl), I’ve been too disgusted to read the Obama worship that’s splashed all over the pages. So, if I repeat any previous comments that are not my own it’s not because I’m “Xeroxing” anyone’s words. (OMG! LOL!)
I’m a big Joe Ely fan. He’s a true Texan. His music and words embody the emotions and energy of Texas that I longed for when I was away for five years (in the military, not prison — prison was much longer and it sucked). He’s a great storyteller. He played with Stevie Ray Vaughan, my first real hero, and shared stories with me about Stevie that could only come from someone who lived them firsthand. Joe is a helluva nice guy and always makes time for his fans…
Then, on Friday morning, I wake up from two hours of sleep after getting royally shit-ho*used while watching the debate. I stagger to my front porch to get the paper and, lo and behold, there’s Joe on the front page of the Austin American-Statesman Friday, on stage, playing guitar for Barack Obama while Obama sings subliminal “I am your leader” messages to the crowd. I hate Joe.
Okay, so I don’t absolutely loathe BHO, even though my friends and family think otherwise. Maybe that’s because I’m always ranting and raving about “the sheep who have jumped on his bandwagon that is headed to the slaughterhouse” and how much I “hate him!” BHO (read: David Axelrod) knows how to energize people and I think that’s an important quality in a leader. If this was 2016, he had eight more years of experience in the U.S. Senate, and we were at the end of HRC’s eight years of glory, I would be BHO’s biggest supporter and activist.
But it’s 2008 and less than four years ago, he was a state legislator in some state called Illinois… I hear it’s way the hell up north, which practically makes the guy Canadian. No matter how hard I try (not at all), I cannot convince myself that eight years in a state legislature, where half of the legislation passed is MUD bills and apple pie, and three years in the Senate, make him qualified to lead our nation. That’s all there is to it. I just don’t think the guy has been around long enough to have the experience needed to lead our nation.
I hear people try to compare his youth and demeanor to JFK, but I call bullshit*. JFK was a decorated WWII veteran, had been in Congress for fourteen years and was banging Marilyn Monroe; THAT is experience. Unlike so many of BHO’s supporters that I’ve encountered, I think it’s important to have substantive, qualified reasons for supporting the candidate you… err… support, as opposed to just hating on the other candidate because you dislike her collar — it was cool and she looks good in yellow — or her “smirk.” So, I’ll move on.
I have several reasons for supporting HRC, but spouting them off here would be pointless since I am just a product of the Clinton machine and I spend every night committing all her talking points to memory and you’ve all heard those before, and I think this might be a run-on sentence, but I’m not sure since I was only an English minor and took Blogging 101 in place of Comp 101.
My number one, most important reason for supporting HRC is SHE ALREADY SPENT EIGHT YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!!!!! YES, it *fucking counts as experience! It counts because we know she wasn’t just throwing children’s birthday parties on the White House lawn and designing the carpet in the oval office. We know because she openly and aggressively advocated for universal healthcare despite a hostile, dick*headed (that’s a technical term) Congress.
Even if she was somewhat removed from the political spotlight after her noble effort was crushed by Republicans and, dare I say it, a lack of true effort from Bill, I refuse to believe that she was not providing and receiving invaluable input on the direction of the President’s policy. Just think if every president in our history had eight years to follow the preceding president around, ask him questions and have an open dialogue about every decision he made that affected the country.
My bet is we would have had fewer fuck-u*ps to recover from. For example, the time we “went to the moon.” We could have so avoided that whole crazy thing. Anyway, my point is, her time as first lady was substantial, substantive and significant, so suck it, haters.
Now that I’ve completely swayed every BHO supporter out there and HRC is going to DOMINATE Texas and Ohio, I have to express how genuinely excited I am to see people so… excited. Regardless of who takes the nomination (read: HRC), the Democratic party is going to make herstory with a passionate, compelling, erudite, completely-electable candidate.
Our nation needs positive change (yes, other people can use that word, too and other candidates were using it before BHO) so badly after the disastrous past seven years, and January 20, 2009 can not get here fast enough. Our party is energized like never before in my lifetime (all 16 years of it) and I sense with every fiber of my being that we will win in November.
Change is definitely coming and HRC has the experience to to implement it… and Joe Ely is going to be so disappointed when Hillary is on stage celebrating her victory with La Mafia instead of him!
The trackback URL is here.
If your number one reason for supporting HRC is the “substantial, substantive and significant” 8 years spent in the White House, doesn’t that make you an “experience” voter. I’m curious, if it were Biden or Richardson or Dodd against HRC, would you still support her for the Dem nomination?
http://www.showlush.com
That was better than a cup of coffee….which would have ended up being sputtered all over the keyboard anyway.
This is exactly the kind of incoherent ranting vitriol that this democracy could use more of.
http://marksmargmail.com
My number one, most important reason for supporting HRC is SHE ALREADY SPENT EIGHT YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!!!!! YES, it *fucking counts as experience! ?
I’d point out that the current A*sshole that resides there has been there 8 years (almost). Would you call that experience? Are you going to vote for that D*ickhead if you get the chance?
Mmm, as someone noted recently, Gordon Brown had a lot of experience, but it doesn’t seem to be helping him as PM. Either your’e a leader or you’re not.
Re: 1. Outsider
Yes, it does make me an “experience” voter. If Biden didn’t openly act like a frat boy while on camera, I would have supported him. But he does and he’s gone, and I didn’t. I didn’t go with Richardson because he wasn’t viable from the start. Dodd who?
Please understand him everything’s all right
He just musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night
Re: 7. whiskeydent
Don’t you DARE use Joe against me! *Long, deep sob!*
re: 4
I have to agree with Benard. With your logic W should be the most qualified President ever. Having a CIA director, 8 year VP, and 4 year President for a father would be the fall back crutch of a lifetime.
I do agree with Legeboy that its so exciting to see our party so excited. 4 years ago the mantra of “Anybody but Bush” nearly caused me to slit my wrists. Two incredible candidates, with passionate people behind them. I might actually run out to Walmart and buy a chinese made American flag, and start being patirotic again.
How can I possibly listen to anything you have to say? You misplaced the asterisk in “fu*cking.”
Great post, though. You fit right it. PL, I’m lobbying for Legeboy as a more frequent guest writer.
One point: Some “cognitive dissonance” that I’ve noticed as I try to wade through all this and make up my mind is illustrated by your first and second to last paragraph. On the one hand, party activists supporting Clinton decry the “Obama worship that’s splashed all over the pages.” On the other, they’re thrilled that the “party is energized like never before.” Seems to me Obama is responsible for that. Pretty much single-handedly. Which is really something, and is one of the reasons I’m torn. IJS.
Lincoln’s experience: 2 years in the House and a few in the IL leg. Wilson’s experience: 2 years as governor of New Jersey–back when NJ was relatively governable. The point is NOTHING prepares one for the White House–not even being first lady or vice-president, and we never know what we’re going to get–i.e., who’s going to figure it out and who ain’t–with any of them. Everyone’s got a learning curve to deal with in this position and it’s always a dice roll as to who is able to climb it and who is incapable of doing so.
BTW:
Beep! Beep! O’s left blinker now off in TX:
http://www.pollster.com/08-TX-Dem-Pres-Primary.php
http://wyocwby.typepad.com
she used to be such a prim, proper girl — that is so NOT the Eileen we’ve come to know and love…
“Unlike so many of BHO’s supporters that I’ve encountered, I think it’s important to have substantive, qualified reasons for supporting the candidate you… err… support, as opposed to just hating on the other candidate because you dislike her collar — it was cool and she looks good in yellow — or her “smirk.”
I’m callling bullshit back at you on this one.
Re: 8. LegeBoy
Me and Hillary Clinton never got along
I didn’t like the way she cocked her hat
and she wore her gun all wrong.
Oh this is fun…
Re: 14. whiskeydent
The real question is:
Which candidate can dance like the dickens to the West Texas Waltz?
Re: 15. Throckmorton and 14. whiskeydent
HATE!
I would write REK and ask for back up from him, but I think he’s a Republican… Shit.
Re: 15. Throckmorton
Oh, man. If Obama can do a western waltz, that just might do it for me. Issues, schmissues.
http://www.showlush.com
Re: 16. LegeBoy
Barack H. Obama was a warrior born in heaven so the legends say…. ??
/I REALLY wish I had more time to play around here today.
Re: 16. LegeBoy
I ran too hard
I played too Rough
I gave my Love
Not near Enough
I bled too red
I cried too blue
I beat my fist
Against the moon
All just to vote for you
You equate being First Lady to political experience?
“First Lady” is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and receives no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the President. There is a strong tradition against the First Lady holding outside employment while occupying the office. The Office of the First Lady of the United States is accountable to the First Lady of the United States for her to carry out her duties as hostess of the White House, and is also in charge of all social and ceremonial events of the White House. The First Lady has her own staff that includes the White House Social Secretary, a Chief of Staff, Press Secretary, Chief Floral Designer, Executive Chef, etc.
So, you propose we nominate the candidate who has experience planning parties? Arranging flowers? Great idea.
And drop the “Hussein” and the “H” shit. You’re not scaring anyone.
http://www.showlush.com
Re: 22. Crackerjack
If you’re talking to me, that H was required to maintain the rhythmn of the song, Amigo.
And I’m going to join the ranks of those arguing that her experience as First Lady is valuable. I have a coworker whose husband also works at our company. He is a Senior VP, she’s a production coordinator with duties similar to mine. And gd it, sometimes working with her really annoys me because she knows everything about our business better than most everyone else on our team, because she was already well versed in it before she ever started working here.
http://www.inthepinktexas.com
Re: 21. Crackerjack
I believe that referring to Hillary as HRC and referring to Barack as BHO is completely acceptable. Unless you think Barack should be ashamed of his middle name.
Eileen Doherty Smith
Re 21. Crackerjack
I’m embarrassed to admit that I got an email from someone close to me today, and it was that one where they accuse BHO of being Muslim, and if he’s elected he will make us all into infidel slaves, or WTF ever…
I immediately replied and informed the emailer that there are several reasons not to vote for him, but religion OF ANY KIND is not one of them. I asked the emailer to stop circulating neo-con propaganda and to use his/her own brain when deciding on a candidate to support.
I use “BHO” because, when I worked for HRC, we used initials in all of our communications. It gets tiresome typing out names of all of the candidates, not to mention surrogates, when you do it 30 times a day. I, personally, could give two shits what his middle name is, and I think anyone who makes issue of it is an idiot… Although I think it would be funnier if his middle name was was “Crackerjack.” At any rate, please, STFU.
I got a similar e-mail today, and of course, heard about that Cunningham guy. Would anyone actually change their vote upon finding out that Obama’s middle name is Hussein?
http://www.inthepinktexas.com
Re: 24. LegeBoy
Yeah but we still don’t like Mormons.
BHO, or BO? Honestly, crazy dictators > body oder. For serious.
Re: 5. ftwsteve
Using Gordon Brown as an example is really not helping your cause much. In 1997 Gordon Brown was the man who they said had the experience but not the electability. Blair had the charisma, he could unite people, they believed in him. I should know because I believed in him, I went door to door canvassing votes for the “new” Labour party which was going to bring the nation back together. And what did I get for my troubles, an idiot who turned the country over to oligarchs and corporations at the expense of the Labour party faithful who put him there in the first place. And then, just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, he went and joined the coalition of the willing and started sacrificing our troops and our money for George’s war in Iraq. Charisma does not give you what it takes to run a country.
/probably shouldn’t have opened that last bottle of cheap cabernet.
http://www.showlush.com
/you should always open that last bottle of cheap cab
//always
http://boboland-cronicas.us
I just realized that my long education in things gringo has failed me.
What the hell is a western waltz?
Does ot require skills like those necessary to master the mechanical bull?
In the interest of protecting my life and package, I will not compare West Texas women to mechanical bulls. I’d advise the same for you, sir.
Re: 30. Jesus B. Ochoa
My pickup needs a tune-up,
I better get up and make up,
My mind to get on it today.
The tractor’s been actin’ up,
And the sewer lines are backin’ up,
But I’ll be dancin’ tonight anyway.
I’ll go dancin’ tonight anyway.
‘Cause I count my blessings, I don’t count my faults.
I like to dance like the dickens to the West Texas Waltz.
Re: 30. Jesus B. Ochoa
Western waltz — shorthand for waltzing country-western style, as opposed to ballroom style.
Sadly, it seems fewer and fewer men know how to dance. Cryin’ shame, if you ask me.
http://www.showlush.com
Re: 33. Don’t Mess w/ Pink
One more reason you need to move to Austin? The Broken Spoke.
WOW….After reading all the above “silly season” dribble…I’m glad I live in Washington…not the one with DC after its name and not in Tex ass.!!
Despite all the vulgarity, America needs to understand that Barack has given Americans a chance to communicate back and forth with one another to discuss issues and potential decisions - as opposed to getting spoon-fed by television and the media and the special interests spooning up with those legislators..
I’m not saying he invented the internet (that was Al Gore:-)))…but he has demonstrated that campaigns can be OPENED and contested through the internet…That only improves the democratic process…not highjacks it.
Just one last story, I had signed up for both Hillary’s and Barack’s website months ago and only Barack’s plugged me in and that was months before I even intended to make any political contributions to any presidential candidates. Hillary’s website was “mute”.
http://boboland-cronicas.us
No. 32 Throckmorton: that almost knocked “I was drunk the day that mom got out of prison”, or thereabouts, but not quite. Thanks anyway.
Re: 36. Jesus B. Ochoa
DAC is drinking music– WTW is a dancing song. Very difficult to drink while dancing to WTW–too fast of a waltz-so you have to save the beer (or PL’s pinot) until after the dancing’s through.
DAC’s stuff which is more on the redneck/outlaw country side.
Joe Ely is country rock with wit. For example:
I met a fine lady banker,
And I’d sure like to thank her,
For the credit she gave me made me shout.
She changed my whole attitude,
And to show her a little gratitude,
I decided I’d just ask her out.
Yeah, I thought I just might ask her out.
I said close up your windows, and lock up your vaults,
And lets go dance like the dickens to the West Texas Waltz.
We spent the next to last dollar,
At the old ice cream parlor,
On a milkshake and a malt and a pop.
And then we heard us some sounds,
Was a honky tonk lounge,
Next door to the ice cream shop.
Next door to the ice cream shop.
Now only two things are better than milkshakes and malts,
And one is dancin’ like the dickens to the West Texas Waltz.
And the other is somethin’,
But really it’s nothin’,
To speak of, it’s somethin’ to do.
If you’ve done it before,
You’ll be doin’ it some more,
Just as soon as the dancin’ is through.
Right after the dancin’ is through.
And if anybody asks you why, just tell ‘em because,
You been dancin’ like the dickens to the West Texas Waltz.
I understand some folks have an aversion to DAC but you really should give Joe a listen. Pretty good stuff.