Friday, October 17, 2008

Ellen DeGeneres Buys $100K Of Airtime
For Her No On 8 Message

Ellen DeGeneres has purchased $100,000 of media time to air her No On 8 PSA. Via press release:
NO on Prop 8 campaign, Equality for All, is pleased to announce today that Ellen DeGeneres has made a media buy to urge Californians to vote NO on Proposition 8. The effort was partially revealed Tuesday when Ellen released a special video to confront false and misleading scare tactics used by those supporting the proposition. DeGeneres is purchasing television time for her ad to underscore the importance of this fight and broaden the reach of the spot.

Ellen's message says, "Hi, I'm Ellen DeGeneres. I got to do something this year I never thought I'd ever be able to do: I got married. It was the happiest day of my life. There are people out there raising millions of dollars to try and take that right away from me. You've seen their ads on TV. They're twisting the truth, and they're trying to scare you. I believe in fairness. I believe in compassion. I believe in equality for all people. Proposition 8 does not. Please, please, vote no on Prop. 8."

"In her desire to speak directly to the people of California, Ellen has stepped up as only Ellen can," said Patrick Guerriero, Campaign Director. "Her voice has a tremendous ability to elevate this conversation above the scare tactics and help people understand what's at stake for the people they know and care about. Her generous contribution to the campaign comes just at the right moment - and is done in a way that ensures her conversation with voters continues to Election Day. And it delivers our message that Proposition 8 is unfair and just plain wrong."
You can view the clip in a post I made on Tuesday and on the No On 8 donation page.

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You've Got To Be Carefully Taught


Cover your ears when you listen to these tots screech an anti-gay marriage song to the tune of Barney the Dinosaur's I Love You. I guess the Chinese Christianists at Clay Music Ministry are terrified over the recent poll showing a majority of California's Asians oppose Prop 8.

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McCain's Newest Robocall

Here's the latest McCain robocall going out to voters all over the country:
"Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC, You need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home, and killed Americans. Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country."
And yet last night on Letterman, McCain weaseled about this ridiculousness. "Oh, Dave. A million words are said over the course of a campaign."

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Joe Biden Expresses Opposition To Prop 8 On Ellen DeGeneres Show

Via Towleroad:
Joe Biden taped an episode with Ellen yesterday to air on Monday during which he reportedly expresses opposition to Proposition 8, the measure that would ban same-sex marriage in California. He repeated his opposition at a campaign fundraiser later in West Hollywood:

"At the event, Biden told IN Los Angeles magazine journalist Karen Ocamb that he opposes Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage in California. He had just finished taping an episode of 'The Ellen Show' that will air Monday, and expressed his opposition to the measure to host Ellen DeGeneres. At the vice presidential debate with Sarah Palin, Biden said that he opposes same-sex marriage. Obama holds the same position, but also has said he opposes Proposition 8, citing the fact that it would write a restriction into a state constitution. Biden plead with the crowd gathered at the $500-per-person fund-raiser at the Pacific Design Center to talk to their friends and family and 'make the case for us.' ... 'There's a great deal at stake, so my plea to you is, we have less than three weeks to go, so this is the time to focus like we never have before.'"

I'll have the clip for you after the show airs on Monday.

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Austrian Right-Winger Was In Gay Bar Before He Died In DUI Crash

Fascist Austrian leader Joerg Haider was drinking in a gay bar before he died Saturday in a single-car drunk driving accident.
The former leader of the far right in Austria was drinking in a gay bar the night he died, it has emerged. Joerg Haider had never been open about his homosexuality, but his habit of surrounding himself with handsome blond teenagers had led many to speculate.

The German and Austrian press outed the married father of two daughters in 2006. His fascist political views led him to high office in Austria, despite his open praise for Nazi policies.

Haider died in a car accident on Saturday morning near Klagenfurt, less than 30 minutes after leaving the Stadtkraemer, a well-known gay hangout. Prosecutors have confirmed there was four times the legal limit for alcohol in his blood and he was driving at twice the legal speed limit when he crashed his VW Phaeton. Haider, 58, was the Governor of the state of Carinthia. Thousands of people are expected to attend his funeral today, and police are prepared for clashes with anti-Nazi protesters.
With his nationalist, pro-Nazi, anti-Semitic and anti-immigration philosophy, Haider is credited with unifying Austria's splintered extreme-right movement.

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Brilliant Strategy: Westboro To Appear At Florida Gay Marriage Debate

Wow. Somebody at Florida's Stonewall Legal Alliance is sharp. After the backers of Amendment 2 declined to appear at an FIU debate on the issue, the gay side invited the Westboro Baptist Church. And they are coming, over the objections of some marriage equality supporters.
A church known for spewing anti-gay rhetoric and picketing military funerals is slated to debate a state marriage amendment at a forum next week at Florida International University. The Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church accepted an invitation from the Stonewall Legal Alliance, a gay group at the FIU College of Law. The debate will focus on Amendment 2, the initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot that would add Florida's existing ban on same-sex marriage to the state constitution.

The visit has raised concerns from people on both sides of the marriage debate. Jose Gabilondo, an associate law professor at FIU, plans to argue against the amendment, while two daughters of Westboro Pastor Fred Phelps will speak for it. Westboro has gained national notoriety by picketing at gay pride events as well as funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq; it equates modern America with Sodom and Gomorrah. Westboro members agreed to pay their own expenses to Florida.

"The message of Westboro is the message of Amendment 2," Gabilondo said. Debate organizers said they invited members of a state coalition supporting the amendment, as well as several other groups, but they declined.

"That's the most heinous thing I've ever heard. They go to the most radical group," said Janet Folger, an Amendment 2 supporter who heads a more mainstream Fort Lauderdale-based group called Faith2Action. "It's a deliberate attempt to make the pro-marriage people appear to be something they're not."

The Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., identifies Westboro Baptist as a hate group, and the Anti-Defamation League monitors its actions. "If you allow such a group and give them a platform, you give them legitimacy. This group should have no legitimacy," said David Barkey, a lawyer for the southern region of ADL, which opposes the amendment.
I can understand why people are upset over the invitation, but as I've said here many times, the ferociously vile Westboro Church is the merely the frank public depiction of the hate the "love the sinners" crowd tries to hide. Putting the Westboro monsters front and center on Amendment 2 can do nothing to hurt our side and will shame the Christianists. Brilliant strategy, just brilliant.

UPDATE: Jeremy at Good As You sends us a personal response he got from Shirley Phelps-Roper. An excerpt:
This bimbo Janet Folger has got that RIGHT!! She is NOTHING like us. She is a coward of the first water. She won't get into a debate or even a discussion with those people in Florida, because she is NOT ABOUT to warn her fellow man that their sin will take them to hell BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THE STANDARDS OF GOD, or for any other reason. She is just about the business of setting her own standards, and THAT my friend Jeremy is EXACTLY what the scripture means when it says - JUDGE NOT THAT YE BE NOT JUDGED, because by that new standard that you set, God is going to judge you!! Now - think about these hypocrites having to be judged by their own standards. YIKES!! They are in a LOT of trouble with their maker! She doesn't say any words because she HAS NO WORDS!!

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Crazy McCain Lady On SNL


That crazy "Obama is an Arab" lady from the McCain rally made an appearance on the Thursday edition of SNL last night. "He's gonna change the White House to a pyramid." Kristen Wiig kills me.

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Homophobic Attack By School Bus Driver On 10 Year Old Boy

From Kanakee, Illinois:
A Bourbonnais Elementary School District No. 53 bus driver was arrested Thursday for mob action after he allegedly taunted a 10-year-old student and encouraged others on the bus to chase after the boy. Russell A. Schmalz, 46, was arrested by the Kankakee Sheriff's Police Department, Chief Deputy Ken McCabe said. Schmalz is also charged with endangering the life of a child and battery.

"The incident occurred last Friday," McCabe said, alleging that Schmalz was taunting the boy by calling him "gay." "When the boy got off the bus the driver encouraged several other students to go after him and tackle him. Our investigation shows that occurred," McCabe said. Investigators are also looking into allegations that Schmalz got off the bus and grabbed the boy he had allegedly been taunting. Bourbonnais School District officials would only say the driver has been terminated.
It's unclear if hate crimes charges would apply.

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Obama Roasts McCain At Alfred E. Smith Foundation Dinner


Obama makes some really great jokes about the campaign, many of them at McCain's expense. Great stuff.

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Money Pouring In For No On 8

Last week's startling news that Proposition 8 appears poised for approval in California has brought an avalanche of donations to No On 8.
After sounding the alarm last week about its $10 million fundraising deficit, Equality California, the lead organization for the No on 8 campaign, has raised more than $3 million within California since Oct. 6, including a $1 million contribution Tuesday from the California Teachers Association, a Mercury News review of Secretary of State's Office campaign records shows. Meanwhile, out-of-state contributors, including actor T.R. Knight of "Grey's Anatomy" and financial guru Suze Orman, have made six- and five-figure contributions to Equality California, the umbrella group opposing Proposition 8.

Since Oct. 6, large contributions to ProtectMarriage.com, the lead group supporting Proposition 8, have totaled just $405,969. The No on 8 campaign has also received commitments for an additional $4 million in donations that have not been received, said Kate Kendell, a member of the campaign's executive committee. "That has been extraordinary, and has certainly we think helped us close the gap on the $10 million they had out-raised us, but we are not the least bit sanguine about this."
But the "Gavin Newsom officiates at gay wedding attended by first graders" story continues to provide free publicity for the Yes On 8 side.
Newsom was in the headlines again over the weekend, as conservative groups pointed out that a San Francisco first-grade class went on a field trip from school because their teacher was marrying another woman at City Hall — a ceremony officiated by the mayor. The class didn't attend the actual ceremony, but waited outside on the steps of City Hall to congratulate their teacher.

Newsom "bought them more free media than the yes side would ever have the money to purchase," McCuan said. "And conversely, he's raised the dollars, the cost, for his supporters. He just raised the bar for the amount of money they would have to bring in, and I would argue he's changed the game."

The story about a grade-school class being excused from class for a same-sex wedding "proves we're not lying" in saying that elementary school students will be taught about same-sex marriage in the public schools if voters reject Proposition 8, said Chip White, a spokesman for the Yes on 8 campaign. "This is real; this is happening." State school officials say those charges are misleading because local authorities have full control over what is taught about marriage.
Donate to No On 8 here.

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Joe The Plumber


Here's McCain's "Joe The Plumber" ad.

Via Daily Kos:
So Joe (whose name is Sam) the Plumber (who isn't a plumber) was used by McCain to attack Obama's tax proposal, though Joe/Sam actually pays less tax under Obama (if he actually got around to paying his taxes.) At :12 seconds in, this professional ad shows the word "everbody". Obviously, some childrens were left behind.

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Broadway Friday

-Hail Xenu. The revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons opens tonight starring Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow, and Mrs. Tom Cruise. Will Anonymous be protesting outside?

-Tony winners Bill Irwin and Nathan Lane will star in a revival of Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot. Previews begin April 10th at Studio 54. Anthony Page will direct.

-Liza Minneli is negotiating a return to Broadway for limited engagement tribute to her godmother, Kay Thompson. Possibly to take place at the Palace Theater in December.

-Sony BMG Masterworks has launched a podcast series to highlight their upcoming 4-disc release, Stephen Sondheim: The Story So Far, which features 81 tracks from 15 shows. The podcasts feature Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, Len Cariou, Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, James Lapine, Lonny Price, Paul Gemignani, Hal Prince and many others.

-The Actors Fund will present an all-star benefit reading of All About Eve on November 10th at the Eugene O'Neill Theater. Reading will be Angela Lansbury, Cynthia Nixon, John Slattery, Peter Gallagher and Brian Bedford, Annette Bening. Tickets $100-$300.

-Indie film hit Once, which won the 2007 Oscar for Best Original Song, is set to become a Broadway musical. Producers are aiming for the 2010-2011 season.

- The new TKTS discount tickets booth opened in Times Square yesterday.
The booth's function remains the same — to provide the public with cheap tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway attractions. Its form, however, is something else altogether. Gone are the familiar canvas banners emblazoned with red letters reading "TKTS." In its place is a glowing red staircase 27 steps high and a fiberglass ticket office that looks something like space module. While some may miss the old banners (which have been donated to the Museum of the City of New York), other eliminated elements of the old booth with probably not be mourned, including: the paucity of sidewalk space; the staff's inability to take credit cards; the lack of anywhere to sit; and the cramped booth itself.

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On Sale In Times Square

Jen Chung over at Gothamist found these on sale in Times Square. Nothing for Joe Biden?

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"Palin" By Red Symons


Through some technical wizardry, Australian radio DJ Red Symons used Sarah Palin debate clips to create this amusing (and actually, rather lovely) country/rock song about hooking up with John McCain. The word "fanny" translates less crudely for Americans, but it's really a remarkable little piece of work. I'd love to hear a much longer version.

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McCain To Letterman: "I Screwed Up"

John McCain made a wary return to Letterman last night after weeks of being ridiculed on the show for canceling his last appearance. And man, Letterman really socked it to him, asking tough questions on the Palin selection, on the threats against Obama shouted at McCain rallies, on the ridiculous Bill Ayers thing. And on and on. Letterman should have moderated one of the debates. The below clip from CBS has been heavily edited as has the one on their site. I have no idea why some of the juiciest bits aren't in there.

UPDATE: Yielding to complaints about the edited clip, CBS has pulled it and replaced it with the full 23 minute interview (including an added commercial at the beginning, of course.)

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Thursday, October 16, 2008

SoCal Women's GOP Group Puts Obama On A Food Stamp, But It's "Not Racist"

And it just gets worse.
The latest newsletter by an Inland Republican women's group depicts Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama surrounded by a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken, prompting outrage in political circles.

The October newsletter by the Chaffey Community Republican Women, Federated says if Obama is elected his image will appear on food stamps -- instead of dollar bills like other presidents. The statement is followed by an illustration of "Obama Bucks" -- a phony $10 bill featuring Obama's face on a donkey's body, labeled "United States Food Stamps."

The GOP newsletter, which was sent to about 200 members and associates of the group by e-mail and regular mail last week, is drawing harsh criticism from members of the political group, elected leaders, party officials and others as racist.

The group's president, Diane Fedele, said she plans to send an apology letter to her members and to apologize at the club's meeting next week. She said she simply wanted to deride a comment Obama made over the summer about how as an African-American he "doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills."

"It was strictly an attempt to point out the outrageousness of his statement. I really don't want to go into it any further," Fedele said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I absolutely apologize to anyone who was offended. That clearly wasn't my attempt."
The California GOP has denounced the image. (But probably after they fell out of their chairs laughing and forwarded to everybody they knew.)

(Via - I'm OK, You're Dead Inside)

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Words We Can Totally Go Without Ever Hearing Again After November 4th

-Hockey mom
-Swing state
-Under the bus
-In the tank
-Bradley Effect
-Wasilla
-Joe the plumber
-Bridge to nowhere
-ACORN
-Undecideds
-Battleground
-Maverick
-My friends
-Madrassa
-Rev. Wright
-Nobama
-McSame

What else?

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QE2 Visits NYC For Last Time

Via NYT:
In a parting embrace under the lady lighting the harbor, the Queen Elizabeth 2 slipped beneath the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at dawn Thursday to pay a last visit to New York and a grander new sister ship, before sailing into history after nearly 40 years of luxury transatlantic travel as the fastest passenger ship afloat.

For her final visit — her 710th — the venerable liner, which was sold last year for eventual use as a floating hotel in Dubai, was joined by the four-year-old Queen Mary 2, the latest flagship of the Cunard fleet and a throwback to a golden age of ocean travel before jets, when, as the company slogan had it, getting there was half the fun.
It's amazing how the QE2 actually looks small compared to the new megaliners that visit NYC. When I was a kid, I imagined that a six day crossing of the Atlantic on the QE2 would be the most glamorous adventure in the world.

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TKTS Giveaway

Midtowners: If you truck over to the new TKTS booth in Times Square (like, right now) Target is paying for the first 1000 Broadway tickets sold. The giveaway starts at 3PM.
Broadway legend Bernadette Peters just announced from the podium at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening the revitalized Duffy Square and new TKTS Booth, that the first 1,000 tickets sold will be courtesy of Target. Ticket buyers standing in line for the booth's 3pm opening will have the opportunity to receive one or two vouchers, each redeemable for one free ticket.

Theatre Development Fund (TDF)'s new TKTS Discount Booth, located "under the red steps" in Father Duffy Square (Broadway and 47th Street, Manhattan), offers same-day discounts of up to 50% off for tickets to Broadway, Off Broadway, music and dance productions to performing arts lovers from the world over.

Later today, from 6:30pm to 7pm, Tony winners Brian Stokes Mitchell, John Leguizamo, Sutton Foster and emcee Julie Halston will join members of the Broadway community for the Inaugural Lighting Ceremony to illuminate the magnificent red glass staircase under which the TKTS booth sits, after which they will welcome the new Duffy Square and TKTS Booth by singing "Give My Regards To Broadway."

The new booth features 12 selling windows, each equipped with the ability to accept credit cards for sale of same-day discount tickets to Broadway, Off Broadway, music and dance productions. There is a special "Play Only" window where there is rarely a wait for tickets to non-musical productions. Hours of operation for TKTS Times Square are: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 3pm to 8pm for evening performances, Tuesdays from 2pm to 8pm for evening performances; Wednesday and Saturday from 10am to 2pm for matinee performances; and Sunday from 11 to 3pm for matinee performances and 3pm to 7pm for evening performances.

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Virginia GOP: Obama Osama Is Evil

Check out this fundraising envelope from the Virginia GOP which asks you to look into Barack Obama's Osama Bin Laden's evil eye. At least, I think that's supposed to be Osama. We know what they really mean.

(Via - Andrew Sullivan)

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McCain Vs. McCain


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"Absolutely Abhorrent"

Using a portion of New York law that forbids recognizing out-of-state marriages that are "absolutely abhorrent" to state policy, such as polygamous marriages or those between blood relatives, the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund is taking another run at New York's recognition of gay couples legally married in other jurisdictions.
New York's recent policy change granting health benefits to spouses of gay state workers was challenged Wednesday in a midlevel appeals court, where opponents said it was a fundamental change in social policy that only lawmakers can enact. "That may change in New York, but it has to be left to the democratic process," said Brian Raum, a lawyer representing four upstate taxpayers. He said the governor lacks the authority to apply measures "completely at odds" with existing law and public policy.

The policy change initiated in May 2007 under then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer affects spouses of state and municipal workers married in Canada, Massachusetts, California and other places where same-sex ceremonies are legal. Raum, also senior counsel for the Christian-based Alliance Defense Fund, argued before five justices of the Appellate Division that the state Department of Civil Service, on behalf of the governor, was wrong to enact the policy. By law, the only marriages that can be performed legally in the state are between a man and a woman, he said.

"To change the fundamental components of marriage would be at odds with the policy of the state of New York," Raum said. He argued the state Constitution does not give the governor that power. Justices asked whether the issue here wasn't "comity," the doctrine of recognizing legal actions from other jurisdictions that recognize legal actions from New York. Raum replied there are exceptions, like actions that would be "abhorrent," or "strongly opposed" to existing policy in New York, and this is one of those.
The Alliance Defense Fund recently lost a similar bid to overturn Gov. David Paterson's edict that state agencies must recognize legal gay marriages. They also lost their attempt to stay the California Supreme Court's May ruling legalizing gay marriage there. I'll report the result of this latest petition once the court rules.

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57% Of Asian-Americans Oppose Prop 8

Encouraging:
Asian-Americans in California overwhelmingly oppose a ballot measure that would ban gay marriage in the state, according to a groundbreaking survey released Wednesday. The poll found that 57 percent of Asian-Americans likely to vote in the Nov. 4 election oppose Proposition 8, which would reverse May's California Supreme Court ruling that gave gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. Only 32 percent planned to vote yes. Eleven percent were undecided.

Nearly 1,900 Asian-Americans in the state were interviewed by telephone in eight languages from Aug. 18 to Sept. 26. The survey was the largest scientific poll of Asian-American voters ever done — both nationally and in California. "This is a really significant poll,'' said Mark DiCamillo, director of the San Francisco-based Field Poll, who noted that few pollsters can afford to do interviews in so many languages. "I'm sure I'll keep a copy of it for the next five years.''
Here's the complete poll (PDF) which ask questions on wide-ranging number of political topics.

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West Virginia Wingnuts Demand Special Legislative Session To Ban Gay Marriage

The Family Policy Council's West Virginia klavern is threatening the "wrath of the voters" if the legislature doesn't hold a special hate session to ban gay marriage.
As the general election approaches, a Christian evangelical group has issued an ultimatum to Gov. Joe Manchin: call a special session to pass a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, or face the wrath of voters. The Family Policy Council of West Virginia told the governor on Oct. 9 that he had until Wednesday to agree to call the Legislature into session. The conservative group cites polling it commissioned of around 500 registered voters that it says found 73 percent supported an amendment defining marriage as a "union of one man and one woman."

"The donors to this organization, as well as my board, are asking -- rather stridently -- that we release the poll to the public as soon as possible," Jeremy Dys, the group's president, said in a letter to the governor's office. "If he has determined that the timing is not right, the duty I have to our donors and the Board of Directors requires that I release this as soon as possible."
As in Florida, West Virginia already has a gay marriage ban on the books, but the Soldiers of Jeebus want discrimination enshrined in the constitution. They suggest holding a statewide vote next year when nobody is up for reelection, in order to provide cover for the state's hate-inclined pols to support them.

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International Talk Like Sarah Palin Day

International Talk Like Sarah Palin Day is October 21st. The Facebook group for it already has over 100,000 members. I'm goin' to get all nukular and mavericky and drop the "g" in every gerund that day.

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Caption This

I don't think I've ever done two "Caption This" posts in one week, but this is irresistible.

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Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS): The Village People Support My Opponent


Via Talking Points Memo:
Check out this new ad from Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who is facing a tough challenge from former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove (D). This ad ties Musgrove, who is a pro-life social conservative and economic populist, to the liberal Democratic leadership in Washington -- and apparently to the Village People, too. "The largest gay-rights group in the country," the man in the cowboy outfit says with a grin.

None of the liberal interest groups named in the ad have donated directly to Musgrove. But the issue for the Wicker campaign is that the DSCC is spending a whole lot of money -- some of it raised from these same groups -- on TV ads promoting Musgrove or attacking Wicker. "The DSCC is set to spend $5.5 million in advertising on behalf of Ronnie Musgrove for Senate," Wicker spokesman Ryan Annison told Election Central. "They know that if he is elected, he will support their liberal Democrat leadership."

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Teachers Donate $1M To No On 8

The California Teacher's Union has topped the list of institutional donors to No On 8 with a staggering $1M gift.
California's largest teacher's union has given another $1 million to defeat a Nov. 4 ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in the state. The contribution recorded Tuesday makes the California Teachers Association the largest institutional donor to the No on 8 campaign. CTA also gave $250,000 in August to Equality for All, a coalition of gay advocacy and civil rights groups opposing Proposition 8.

Union spokeswoman Sandra Jackson says CTA's 800-member policy body voted overwhelmingly to oppose the gay marriage ban. Jackson says the issue concerns educators because "teachers teach the importance of equal rights for all." She says CTA leaders made the second contribution this week because the No campaign seems to be struggling
Could this be the first positive fallout from the first graders' field trip?

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Android Review

Gizmodo has posted a detailed review of Google's new Android phone. Summary: It's not the iPhone. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. Reportedly, Google has already sold out of the 1.5 million units it stocked for advance orders. Another 2 million are set to ship to retailers this week.

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Open Thread Thursday

Tell us about your blog reading habits. How many do you follow on a daily basis? Do you use an RSS reader? Google alerts? What's your favorite new blog?

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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

What Did You Think?

Joe the Plumber. Oy vey. I fear this was not Obama's night. I'll have to look at some analysis and watch the clips, but not feeling great about this. He seemed tired, but McCain seemed almost cadaverous and had an odd speech impediment that I somehow haven't picked up on yet. Didn't his left jaw seem swollen? Dental work?

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Best Ad Yet From No On 8



Finally!


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Tonight In San Francisco

Tickets are available here.

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La Pequeña Sarah Palin


I don't know who this is, but since a dozen of you have sent in this clip today, I guess she's another one of those viral video stars the kids are all talking about these days.

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Tonight In South Beach

Purchase tickets here.

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Michael Schiavo Comes Out Against Florida's Anti-Gay Amendment 2


Michael Schiavo, whose battle to allow his brain-damaged wife to die with dignity created a national furor, has come out against Florida's Amendment 2.

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"He's Other"

A few gems on Obama's racial identity from Southerners interviewed by the New York Times:

- “He’s neither-nor,” said Ricky Thompson, a pipe fitter who works at a factory north of Mobile, while standing in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart store just north of here. “He’s other. It’s in the Bible. Come as one. Don’t create other breeds.”

-“I would think of him as I would of another of mixed race,” said Glenn Reynolds, 74, a retired textile worker in Martinsdale, Va., and a former supervisor at a Goodyear plant. “God taught the children of Israel not to intermarry. You should be proud of what you are, and not intermarry.”

-“He’s going to tear up the rose bushes and plant a watermelon patch,” said James Halsey, chuckling, while standing in the Wal-Mart parking lot with fellow workers in the environmental cleanup business. “I just don’t think we’ll ever have a black president.”

The irony, of course, is that the South probably has more mixed race people than any part of the country. Very few "old family" Southerners would survive the old "one-drop" rule were their family trees to be fully excavated.

UPDATE: For balance, here's some Midwestern racists.

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The Dirty Details On Chris Ortloff

Yesterday we learned that Chris Ortloff (the anti-gay former NY Assemblyman and current Parole Board commissioner) was arrested for solicitation of sex with a minor and possession of kiddie porn. Today we get the details:
A tough-on-crime state parole board commissioner faces up to life in prison after trying to set up a sexual liaison with two young sisters, authorities said Tuesday. Chris Ortloff, 61, was arrested in an Albany-area hotel late Monday by federal officials who found condoms, lubricant, vibrators and a camera in his room.

The former 20-year Assembly Republican thought he was going to be meeting a 12-year-old girl and her 11-year-old sister who were to be dropped off by a parent, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Spina said. Instead, the knock on the hotel door came from agents with the New York State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. A source said Ortloff opened the hotel room door naked.

Ortloff, married with two sons, had been chatting since June online and by phone with cops posing as the girls before trying to set up a meeting, Spina said. State police investigator Mary Barrette filed a criminal complaint saying Ortloff send emails saying he wanted to engage in "masturbation, oral sex, and vaginal intercourse with who he believed to be 11- and 12-year-old minors."
As always seems to be the case in these situations, Ortloff ran for office as a "tough on sex crimes" kind of guy and was an early supporter of Megan's Law. He's now been suspended from the Parole Board.

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Today's Freeper Prayer

Freeper prayer for October 15th:
Lord, bring us in tune with Your heart. Let us weep for America. Let us fall to our knees in prayer daily. Let us enter into radical intercession for our country. For we love our country and we don’t want to see it fall to our enemies. Let prophetic intercession rise from America! Let powerful intercession rise from the believers, crying out to You! Let there be a massive returning to You in our country! It is time, Lord! It is time for the believers to rise up and pray for our land.

Lord, don’t let the churches be complacent. Don’t let them be oblivious to the darkness around them. Lift the blinds of their eyes and let them see that America WILL fall apart if we don’t elect the right people to office!

Yeshua, by Your Blood, have mercy upon us! Forgive us, God, for we have been so unfaithful, as a nation! Lord, don’t abandon us, for there are still believers in this nation! Let America see the truth about Obama. His position on abortion alone is enough justification NOT to vote for him!!! God, our enemies are trying to steal the election, especially with the ACORN voting fraud going on in places like Ohio. Lord, open the officials’ eyes and let them see that what is happening is WRONG!!!!!! Let them see it, God! Let them see it, in the Name of Yeshua!!!!!! We cry out for mercy and healing for America. We need it, Lord! Oh Lord, we really need it! But America will only be healed if we repent! We must repent of our sins and come back to You! Touch the hearts of millions of Americans and let them see the light!

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McCain Advisor Lobbied For Saddam

In a sort of tit-for-tat on the Bill Ayers story, now comes word that the man John McCain chose to lead his presidential transition team (FSM forbid) once lobbied on behalf of Saddam Hussein.
William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime.

The two lobbyists who Timmons worked closely with over a five year period on the lobbying campaign later either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of federal criminal charges that they had acted as unregistered agents of Saddam Hussein's government.

During the same period beginning in 1992, Timmons worked closely with the two lobbyists, Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, on a previously unreported prospective deal with the Iraqis in which they hoped to be awarded a contract to purchase and resell Iraqi oil. Timmons, Vincent, and Park stood to share at least $45 million if the business deal went through.

Timmons' activities occurred in the years following the first Gulf War, when Washington considered Iraq to be a rogue enemy state and a sponsor of terrorism. His dealings on behalf of the deceased Iraqi leader stand in stark contrast to the views his current employer held at the time.
It will be fascinating to see if either Ayers or Timmons are brought up at tonight's debate.

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The Saddest Baby In The World

And it will never ever stop crying.
A new father has secretly named his baby girl Sarah McCain Palin after the Republican ticket for president and vice president. Mark Ciptak of Elizabethton put that name on the documents for the girl's birth certificate, ignoring the name Ava Grace, which he and his wife had picked earlier. "I don't think she believes me yet," he told the Kingsport Times-News for a story to be published Tuesday. "It's going to take some more convincing." Ciptak, a blood bank employee for the American Red Cross, said he named his third child after John McCain and Sarah Palin to "to get the word out" about the campaign. "I took one for the cause," he said. "I can't give a lot of financial support for the (McCain/Palin) campaign. I do have a sign up in my yard, but I can do very little."
Poor thing.

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HIV Attack Trial Underway In Holland

Insanity.
Three men have gone on trial in the Netherlands accused of deliberately infecting at least 14 other men with HIV - the virus that causes Aids. The prosecution says the three promoted gay sex parties on the internet, then drugged and raped their guests and injected them with HIV-infected blood. Twelve of the alleged victims have tested positive for HIV.

The three defendants, all HIV-positive, deny the charges. They face up to 21 years in prison if convicted. They are charged with assault, rape and possession of illegal drugs. The court, in the northern city of Groningen, heard that the three men allegedly drugged their party guests with a combination of ecstasy and a date rape drug before sexually assaulting them and injecting them with their own HIV-positive blood. A lawyer for the alleged victims said they would launch a civil case for compensation if the defendants were convicted. "They are hoping the trial will provide an answer to the question of why this happened to them," said the lawyer, Fred Kappelhof.

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Hillary Just Wants To Stay A Senator

Anybody buying this?
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton puts the chances of her running for president again at near zero — slightly higher than the chances she gives for becoming Senate majority leader or a Supreme Court justice.

In an interview aired Tuesday on "Fox & Friends" on the Fox News Channel, Clinton, D-N.Y., was asked the chances, on a scale of 1 to 10, that she would be the next majority leader in the Senate.

"Oh, probably zero," she said. "I'm not seeking any other position than to be the best senator from New York that I can be."

Being nominated to the Supreme Court?

"Zero," Clinton said. "I have no interest in doing that."

Running for president again?

"Probably close to zero," she said. "There's an old saying: Bloom where you're planted."

The former first lady, who was elected to the Senate in 2000 and re-elected in 2006, said she looked forward to working as a senator with a Barack Obama administration.
"Probably close to zero." That's waffle-y enough for the PUMAs.

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Ex-Gay Group PFOX Wins Chutzpah Grand Prize Of All Eternity

Surely you remember their vile billboard campaign from a couple years ago, but now PFOX (Parents And Friends Of Ex-Gays) is suing the Washington DC Human Rights Office for discrimination, claiming that "ex-gays" are not protected under the city's sexual orientation law.
"The ex-gay community is the most bullied and maligned group in America, yet they are not protected by sexual orientation non-discrimination laws," said Regina Griggs, PFOX executive director.

The DC Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on "sexual preference," "sexual orientation," "gender identity," and "gender expression." The Office of Human Rights maintains that homosexuals, bisexuals, transgenders, and cross-dressers qualify for protection under this Act, but ex-gays do not. PFOX's lawsuit asks the DC Superior Court to direct the Office to include former homosexuals under the sexual orientation law. "Shouldn't ex-gays enjoy the same legal protections that gays enjoy?" asked Griggs.

"Former homosexuals and their friends have been fired from their jobs, repeatedly ridiculed, assaulted, and intimidated. This harassment is most often perpetrated by the same groups who demand protection under sexual orientation laws but work to deny ex-gays the same respect."
Are you fucking kidding me? "Ex-gay" is now a separate sexual orientation? I thought that the love of Jeebus freed them from evil perverted dreams of mansex and turned them into righteous totally hetero muff-diving soldiers of Christ? I guess that didn't work out.

PFOX says they are worried that as president, Barack Obama would sign ENDA legislation that does not mention "ex-gays." I suggest you call PFOX director Regina Griggs (804-453-4737) and demand that they make a massive contribution to the Trevor Project as penance for the all those gay teenagers they've driven to thoughts of suicide.

Wayne Besen's Truth Wins Out, a group that fights the "ex-gay" movement, says that PFOX has filed a "frivolous lawsuit" and has offered no proof of their supposed discrimination. Besen:
PFOX has never offered any evidence and has long invented or greatly exaggerated potential cases. PFOX is a political organization that sells the idea that people can "pray away the gay." It was founded by lawyer Roy Cohn's ex-boyfriend, Anthony Falzarono, and bankrolled by the Family Research Council. It was later run by therapist Richard Cohen, who was banned for life by the American Counseling Association. The current leader is Regina Griggs, who has an openly gay son.
Again: Regina Griggs (804-453-4737).

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Palin's Alternate Universe


BAM! Rachel Maddow calls Sarah Palin a liar from an alternate universe. Maddow freekin' ROOOLZ!

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LDS Vs Gays

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30% Chance That Dems Take Over Senate

FiveThirtyEight is estimating a 30% chance that Democrats will get a filibuster-proof 60 seats in the Senate.
Noteworthy movement since our previous update includes Minnesota, which our model is finally giving to Al Franken after Rasmussen and Quinnipiac polls put him slightly ahead; North Carolina, where Kay Hagan is hardly out of the woods but now clearly appears to be favored, and Georgia, where one poll now shows a literal tie between Jim Martin and incumbent Saxby Chambliss, and several others have the race within the margin of error. Jeanne Shaheen and Mark Udall also appear to be solidifying their positions in New Hampshire and Colorado, respectively.

Indeed, it is difficult to identify any race in which the Republican candidate currently has the momentum. Alaska is perhaps the only state where the Presidential coattails clearly are liable to help them, but with a verdict still forthcoming in Ted Stevens' corruption trial, they have to dodge a bullet that has the potential to ruin their chances of retaining the seat. Meanwhile, the Republicans are being out-campaigned in North Carolina, suffering under the weight of the economy in states like Georgia and Kentucky, and are having difficulty mounting any offense in states like New Mexico where Barack Obama is strong. Even in Minnesota, where Al Franken's campaign has had many false starts, it's now Norm Coleman who is on the defensive.

The Democrats are now favored to take over eight seats from the Republicans: Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Colorado, Alaska, North Carolina, Oregon, and Minnesota. If the Democrats win all eight of those races, they will only need one more to achieve 60 seats, and they have good opportunities in Georgia, Mississippi and Kentucky.

Best part: Kay Hagen taking down Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina. Fingers crossed.

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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Ellen's No On 8 PSA


Some folks are becoming increasing shrill in their demand that Ellen DeGeneres step forward with huge donation to Prop 8. But to my mind, what she does every day on her show and in this PSA is immeasurably more valuable than a few more airings of the lame ads we've seen so far.

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Homotracker: Three Great No On 8 Ads From The Entertainment Biz




From Homotracker's "About Us" page:
The original and primary function of this dynamic group of future entertainment biz leaders is the sharing of information among members, via an online tracking board, as well as assisting and supporting each other's promotion in the industry. HOMOtracker began as the brainchild of a small group of lesbian & gay professionals, seeking to find strength, trust and support as they got their feet wet in the entertainment industry. Over time, the group has expanded its focus to include community outreach efforts such as SpringOut and FallOut, the proceeds of which benefit the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.

Today, HOMOtracker maintains a capped membership of 50 professionals. Members represent almost all major studios, networks, agencies and production companies, including Fox, MTV Networks, The Gotham Group, Imagine Entertainment, Dreamworks, Endeavor, Warner Bros, USA Network, Sony, Lionsgate, William Morris Agency, Paradigm, Here! TV and Logo. There are also several above- and below-the-line production & creative talent involved in the group, including feature and television writers and directors.
The top ad is a riff on the famous Mac Vs. PC campaign, the lower two feature Molly Ringwald and Margaret Cho. GET THESE ON TELEVISION! The deadline for California voter registration is October 20th.

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Abs-olute Equality

Andy Towle picked up on this "absolutely fake and unofficial endorsement for the No on Prop 8 campaign cooked up by celebrity parodist David Gilmore at Pretty on the Outside." That's Robert Buckley from Lipstick Jungle and Hugh Jackman. Donate to No On 8 here.

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Vote For The White Half


On Comedy Central's new Chocolate News show, David Alan Grier tells racists "just vote for Obama's white half." Some funny stuff, but the readers at Huffington Post are split on whether the clip is offensive. If you hate Dave Chappelle, you'll probably hate this too.

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Caption This

(Via - Slog)

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Post-Crash Gotham

Gawker has created with weird map of NYC on the possible rollback of the gentrification of certain neighborhoods in a post-recession economy. They note that trend stories are already being written about yuppies shrinking their advance into the hinterlands.

But I'm somewhat confused by the color coding on the map.
Pink for traditional strongholds of the rich that will remain unscathed. Red for core neighborhoods that are probably too gentrified now to roll back significantly. Pink for marginal hoods, where a recession could send gentrifiers fleeing. And grey for wilderness neighborhoods, where yuppies would fear to tread after The Poors take them back for good.
Two pinks? The Upper East Side is "marginal'? Huh?

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John Cleese On Sarah Palin


"Monty Python could have written this." Classic.

(Via - Andrew Sullivan)

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Anti-Gay Pol Busted For Kiddie Porn

Former New York state Assembyman Chris Ortloff, the one-time Assembly assistant minority leader and head of the Clinton County GOP, has been busted for soliciting a minor and possession of child pornography.
A former assemblyman and current parole-board member was busted last night on child-pornography and soliciting charges, officials said. Chris Ortloff, 61, was arrested in a Plattsburgh-area motel room in a State Police sting at about 5 p.m.

Ortloff, who allegedly had arranged a date on the Internet with an underage victim he thought would provide sex, had child porn and what was described as "sex paraphernalia" in his possession, according to the officials.

They said Ortloff, a Republican who represented Plattsburgh, would likely face felony sex charges under state law, and could also be charged with violating federal anti-child pornography statutes. Ortloff, married with two sons, could not be reached for comment. "He was always the tough-on-crime guy in the Assembly who wanted to increase the criminal penalties for all kinds of sex crimes," said a former associate.
According to a 1999 story on the Log Cabin Republicans site, Ortloff had a record of voting against LGBT rights while an Assemblyman.

(Tipped by Famous Author Rob Byrnes)

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Mr. Elboto

Sometime in the 50's, mathematician Alan Turing predicted that one day computers would converse with humans so easily, humans would not know they were speaking with a machine. The so-calling Turing Test, the ability of a computer to fool a human 30% of the time, has not yet been achieved. But Sunday, one computer came very close.
On Sunday, a version of the Turing test called the Loebner Prize was held at Reading University in the United Kingdom under the direction of Professor Kevin Warwick. The prize is named after Hugh Loebner, president and CEO of the New Jersey-based Crown Industries, who has pledged $100,000 to the first person to write a program that passes the Turing test. In addition, Loebner awards $2,000 to the entry each year that is the most human-like (i.e., fools the most judges).

Warwick said people would be surprised at how close the machines are coming to passing the conversation test. "What we found today," Warwick said, "is that if you have 10 judges, if we take 10 interrogators, then all of the machines have fooled some of those interrogators into thinking they are human. The best machines are falling at the 20 percent mark, so they're fooling two out of 10. What Alan Turing said all those years ago, in 1950, to pass the Turing test, they need to be hitting at the 30 percent mark. So the machines are definitely getting better."

This year's prize went to Elbot, a program written by German consultant Fred Roberts. The program fooled three out of 12 judges into thinking it was human.
Last night I had a couple of chats with Elbot. The responses come back almost before you hit send. It's freaky. JMG: "Are you gay? Elbot: "I'm not gay, per se, I'm just joyous." Try it yourself.

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Hosed


Former Rep. Jim Slattery (D-KS) has come out with one of the strangest ads ever seen in his campaign to unseat Sen. Pat Roberts. Via Horse's Ass:
Behold the most horrifying yet hilarious political advertisement ever produced. (You think I exaggerate? Watch it. I dare you.) “Gushing record profits?” Bwhaaaaaaa.) The ad is on behalf of ex-Congressman Jim Slattery of Kansas, who is challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts. I have to confess, I don’t recall Slattery being the sort who would make an ad about this sort of thing. I mean, gasoline doesn’t exactly make it any less horrifying. Hope no Kansans were smoking cigarettes or anything.

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Frenum Perturbatio Deficio

Rein in your lack of passion? Restrain your deficiency of passion? Anyone? Whatevs, t-shirts are now available.

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Obama Goes For Gamers

Via Jalopnik:
Barack Obama has begun advertising on billboards within the virtual world of an online video game in what appears to be a first for a presidential campaign. Players of the online racing video game Burnout Paradise on the Xbox 360 Live network noticed billboards promoting Barack Obama and the website VoteForChange.com, which helps people determine how to register to vote and where to vote. This was later confirmed by a representative for the game's publisher, Electronic Arts, who said
"Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates. Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams.”

John McCain, as far as we can tell, doesn't know what a video game is.

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SF Mayor Gavin Newsom:
No On 8's Worst Nightmare

According to the SF Chronicle, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has become the greatest liability for the No On 8 campaign.
Gavin Newsom has always played a starring role in the same-sex marriage debate, but in recent weeks that role has turned decidedly unheroic. The mayor has become the reluctant face of the campaign opposing same-sex unions with the help of a prominent Yes-on-Proposition-8 television ad. Conservative blogs have been atwitter about Newsom last week officiating at the wedding of a lesbian teacher whose class of first-graders took a field trip to celebrate with her.

In many ways, Newsom has become the single best campaign tool for proponents of Prop. 8 - and that might have been inevitable, political experts said.

"His pictures have become the rallying cry for Prop. 8. It's unfortunate for him, and it's unfortunate for the anti-Prop. 8 campaign," said Barbara O'Connor, a professor of political communications at California State University Sacramento. "I don't know that I would change his behavior, because he's representing his constituency, and he's been totally consistent in his position. But he's become everyone's worst nightmare."
There's no indication that Newsom was aware that a class of first graders would appear at the gay wedding he officiated last week, but Yes On 8 is reportedly readying a television ad featuring images of the children and Newsom. Political analysts say he should stay far away from any marriage equality messaging, for the good of the campaign.

This commenter on the above-linked story pretty much says it all:
Newsom always makes himself the focus, and his cocky hubris and lack of humility are simply what they are. Unfortunately for same sex marriage supporters, they rode his coattails on this one , and their lives and rights may suffer in his unseemly shadow. It's amazing to me that he has somehow made himself the point man on this issue, and the issue has gotten lost. Newsom's inappropriate demeanor, ineffective leadership, and lapses in judgment and character are becoming legendary, and I would not want to tie my hopes and dreams to his playground bully PR pulpit scene.

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Yes On 8 Worker Attacked

The Yes On 8 campaign is reporting that one of their supporters was attacked while he attempted to distribute lawn signs in Modesto. From their site:
In a violent display of intolerance, an opponent of Proposition 8 attacked and seriously injured a man who was volunteering on Sunday for the initiative to define marriage as between and a man and a woman.

Prop. 8 supporter, Jose Nunez, 37, was brutally assaulted while waiting to distribute yard signs to other supporters of the initiative after church services at the St. Stanislaus Parish in Modesto. The assailant grabbed about 75 signs and yelled at Nunez accusingly, “What do you have against gays!” Although Nunez replied that he had nothing against gays, he was attacked anyway. The assailant punched Nunez in the left eye and ran off with the signs.

Nunez, his eye dripping with blood, walked into a building on church grounds where a fellow parishoner called 911. Police and paramedics responded to the scene. Nunez, who suffered a bloody eye, serious wounds to his face, and a scratch to his knee, was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital where he received 16 stitches under his eye.

According to the Yes on 8 campaign, the attack shows that their opponents are not as tolerant and open-minded as they would like voters to believe. “It’s outrageous that the No campaign calls themselves the voice of tolerance and moderation and wants people to feel bad for supporting Prop. 8. There was nothing tolerant or moderate about beating up Jose,” said ProtectMarriage.com—Yes on 8 press secretary Chip White. “Clearly the man who attacked Jose is intolerant of those who support traditional marriage,” White added.
If the story is as reported, it certainly doesn't help our side. You can expect images of Nunez' bloodied and swollen face to feature in an upcoming Yes On 8 ad.

UPDATE: Local news is now confirming the attack.

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Quinn Flip-Flops On Term Limits

Christin Quinn, December 2007: "I am today taking a firm and final position. I will not support the repeal or change of term limits through any mechanism, and I will oppose aggressively any attempt by anyone to make any changes in the term limits law. The voters have made their will very, very clear."

Christine Quinn, October 2008: "In difficult times, I believe voters should have the choice to keep current leadership. If voters are not happy with any of us, they have the right to vote us out of office next November."

I don't happen to think term limits are a good idea in general, but Quinn's reversal is rather stunning. She's obviously protecting her probable 2012 run for mayor (now that she may need her Speaker job until then), but who's to say that Bloomberg would stop at three terms? Even though he says he will, the guy does like to change his mind.

There's considerable opposition to repealing term limits among the sitting city council members: 15 members support it, 18 are opposed, and 18 are undecided (26 votes are needed to pass the bill). The hearing is Thursday and you can expect quite the circus of protesters outside City Hall.

If the repeal does manage to squeak through, Bloomberg will likely coast to an easy victory next year. His approval ratings remain sky-high and nobody can come remotely close to competing with his campaign war chest. He spent more than $150M total to get elected in 2001 and 2005 and has said he's happy to spend even more in 2009. That's about $100 per vote, folks. So like him or not, you'd have Christine Quinn to thank for his third term.

JUST IN: JMG reader Ben tips us to this clip about Quinn's flip-flop.

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