Inside the belly of the beast

Never mind that Tony Perkins got inside the beast's belly by doing more self-service (and self-serving) colonoscopy. He sees the Republican coalition the way I do:

"What has made the conservative movement strong is when you have social conservatives, fiscal conservatives and foreign policy conservatives working together," he said.

Yep, fundies, wealthies, and bullies. Perkins puts his own group first even though it's clear that the wealthies own the Republican Party and steer it.

Perkins, of course, believes a whole heavenly host of things that are bullshit. For example:

"Moderates never beat conservatives. We've seen that in past elections," he said.

I guess a primary is not an election. Go figure. And, of course, John McCain is only a moderate if you're a frothing, quivering wingnut. But that's their story, and they're sticking to it.

They're just ignoring all the moderate Democrats who've beaten wingnuts. But by their definition, all Dems are lunatic socialists, and they can't see any differences after their decades-long one-size-fits-all vilification.

A sin of pride

All you really need to know about the Republican Party is this: The delegates to the RNC are still proud of Duhbya.

Sometimes they slip and speak the truth:

“His speech basically passed the baton to John McCain,” Mark Quandahl, chairman of the Nebraska state party said.

Sometimes it's tough to enforce message discipline into the small states with looser organization. Hmm, wonder how they're keeping Sarah Palin on message - hypnotism, threats, operant conditioning?

Gay Republicans

McCNN headline: "Gay Republicans: GOP 'on wrong side of history'.

Best quote: "We'd really like to be butch enough to be real Republicans, but the bathroom at the Minneapolis airport will have to do, big boy."

Yeah, I made that up.

Listen, guys, you're gay. You're in a gay-hating party. Do you really enjoy that? Who's on the wrong side?

But keep on going 'cause I got two or three laughs out of this story, and I can always use a good chortle.

Catching up after your coma

McCNN gives us the Authorized Biography of John McCain for all the curious voters who've been unconscious for the past two years or even longer. Should you be able to vote with an EEG so flat?

Can we expect an equally friendly Obama hagiography? I'll be watching for it. Hey, Bigfoot was almost real the other day.

Update: I didn't realize for a moment that McCNN had already posted the answer, albeit with a link in small type. Here's the result: McCain called to duty vs. Obama unexpectedly lucky bastard. Incredible!

Limits to backlash

I'm part of the netroots backlash on FISA. At MoveOn's urging, I even sent the Obama campaign a blunt email. On the other hand, I did address it to "future President Obama".

Here's what I got back:

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting us and sharing your strong feelings about this important issue. Please find a statement from Senator Obama below.

We appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Obama for America,

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Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required court orders.

That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.

After months of negotiation, the House passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year's Protect America Act. Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President's illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance - making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future.

It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I voted in the Senate three times to remove this provision so that we could seek full accountability for past offenses. Unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to
determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.

It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives - and the liberty - of the American people.


----------------------
Paid for by Obama for America

So, it's a straddle. It says, "My heart's in the right place, but my ass is willing to temporize." McCain's heart isn't even close to the right place on FISA (any more).

Politics won't make you happy. Sure, ecstatic for a few minutes, but the reality is always messier and uglier than your ideals, no matter what they are. Even if you're king.