Some pics via on scene ace.

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Posted by: Dave in Texas at 02:10 PM | Comments (58)
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Since I got confused, Dave and I are probably erasing each other's updates.

So I'm going to try to update to this thread too. DAVE STAY OUT!!!!

Just got all set up here. I didn't say anything about it because I wasn't sure I'd get it together. But Im hooked up now, in the bleeder seats press section of a medium sized tennis stadium. (The ADT Tennis Center at the Home Depot, if you know the area.) There's an overfull crowd but I'm crap at estimating crowd size. I'll try to get a number from a cop.

If anyone knows how many the ADT Tennis center holds-- add 20%.

Right now Dana Rohrbacher is speaking. He's connecting Palin to Reagan and Jimmy Steward from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

I have a camera, and took pictures of the crowd... but forgot to bring the cord to connect it up to the computer. Until I can get my hands on one, no pictures, alas, except for crappy ones I'll take with my cell phone.

Outside, of course, was a sizable contingent of Obama cultists protesting the appearance. Many Steelworkers for Obama t-shirts. One chant I heard sound liked "No to the USA," but perhaps I misheard it, as the Palin supporters were chanting USA, USA, to whatever the cultists were saying.

Incidentally, I hear Palin will "make news' today. What news? No clue. If I'm going crazy and indulging in fantasy, I'd guess 1) she's convinced McCain to open ANWR for exploration; or 2) she's announcing a revved up attack on Obama and the Democrats for causing the fannie/freddie/cra supbrime meltdown.

If I'm less optimistic, I'd say that Palin is going to announce her portfolio as Energy Czar and Reform Quarterback, which we already knew, or her intent to begin highighting obama's connection to ayers, wright, rezko, etc.,which, again, we already knew.

Jon Fuckin Voight now on the stage. (Palin is supposed to take the stage at 2:30 Pacific time, which means 3:15, I'm guessing.)

Okay, the limitations of my zoom mean that pictures of Palin are going to be lame. Just tried it with Voight.

Voight now talking about "being on the other side" during Vietnam. And how he's learned since then, saw the consequences, and yet obama wants to concede Iraq to the sort of thugs who raped vietnam.

Voight: "I asked Todd, is it true that Sarah, as captian of the basketball team, always wanted the last shot. [Then says the greats are like this.] Todd answered, 'Yes it is.' And did she make it? 'Yes she did.'"

"The media was a great negative force trying their darnedest (booooo!) Go ahead, go ahead give it to 'em (BOOOOOOOO!!!) I'lll say it again the media was a great negative force trying to destroy this maginificent energy of love and truth only to fall flat on their faces (yayyya) because I believe Sarah iseveryone'sunderstanding of what we all believe we were raised to believe morals trutth fairness faith."

(Big applause).

And love of the neighbor as yourself. And she will be the greastest leader of them all. Yes, true love, and energy that comes especially from mothers of theworld."

Pardon typos, my keyboard sucks, and due to the lighting, I can barely read my computer screen. I'm typing not quite blind, but severely impaired.

President of CA. GOP (?) Says 'we're comin' to get ya' and says obama shouldn't take california for granted. Eh.

National McCain cochair Meg Whitman now up. Just standard "CLEVELAND ARE YOU READY TO ROCK" stuff.

Now as music plays, a fairly enthusiastic chorus of 'SARAH, SARAH, SARAH" begins, but sputters out, like an attempt at a wave that doesn't come off.

Oh, nice analogy. Now they're doing the wave.

Time to mention the crowd again. every seat is filled (obviously), plus the rings around the statdium, SRO, are filled say three to four deep. The entire tennis court is filed with supporters (and of course the stage, that takes up about 20% of the available space).

Make that five-to-six deep ringing the top level, SRO. The crowd has grown.

Okay, now the wireless connections are getting overloaded and cannot deliver actual signal. Damnit.

I've asked Dave in Texas to type up my notes, delivered by telephone, if this happens again, which it will.

It's never easy.

Sarah's out now, being introduced by a local NOW president. (Not Tammy.) Sarah's wearing a green button down sweater and black skirt.

The crowd is very enthususiastic but not as wild as I'd thought. Then again, Sarah isn't talking yet.

NOW president says Sarah will try persuading McCain on ANWR. Audience reaction not explosive.

"America, this is what a feminist looks like -- Sarah Palin."

Palin: "There's a special place in hell for women who don't support women." Says she wasn'tsure howthat would go over, wants to know how the media will twist it. That's my kind of identity politics demogoging.

Protesters chanting to stop her,security is dealing.

"My son is in Iraq fighting for those freedoms that person is exercising now."

"This is still reagan country" (yayyy), this will come down to the wire, but we wil win.

SO thursday night I had a little debate (yaayyy)...

John McCain is the only man who will cut your taxes... only man who isn't afraid to use the word victory... our opponent gives speech after speech and just once it would be nice if he siad he wanted our country to win....

Hit Obama again on "air raiding villages and killing civilians." Offers gratitude to veterans of California.

Sorry this is kinda rote so far. It's what she's saying.

The crowd is now bursting into an enthusiastic USA chant.

Some use career to promoote their careers, others use their careers to promote change.

As a mayor I worked to rmeind people that government wasn't always the answer, in fact some times government was the problem. notes tax-cutting litany. medium applause.

So that we could hang that shingle outside of our community and Say Open for business so we can thrive and prosper and grow....

incidentally, i brought the 4h editon monster manual on the bus to read as I came up here. Just an FYI.

phoneist claim of whole campaign is that barack obama is going tocut your taxes. Spent his entire career spending tax money, million a day in earmarks. Now he tells us he wants to spend 1 trillion in new spending-- but he never tellls us where this money is coming from.

Think about it. Barack obama is going to raise your taxes.

AYERS ATTACK

Recently had an unsuccesful interview you might have heard about. Come on. I want to talk about [our program]. SO I gave sort of a flippant answer. But today I was reading the New York Times. And I read there that one of Obama's closest supporters was a domestic terrorist, part of a group that launched bombing campaign against Pentagon.

These are the guys who think patriotism is paing higher taxes.

Now these people see the world differently from you and me. We see the US as a force for good in theworld. Yes-- USA -- (begins chant).

Is the president we want one who wants to pal around with a terrorist?

...

wE'RE going to set this country on thepath toenergy indepependence.

And thisis nonsesne, when you consider the deptth of resources god has so gladly blessed our nationwith.

DRILL BABY DRill chant.

Youknow I thoughtwith the rain coming, you'd want meto wrapthis up (NOOOO!!!))

PROTESTORS NOW IN, ANNOYING LOUD. Pain asks for Drill beby drill chant again to shut them up. "You guys are great."

Sarah, sarah, sarah chant now loud.

One final thing on energy: We will have energy security. And that means American production, brought to you by American workers. (Big applause.)

The're going to fight foro you? Californians, you know there's only one man in this campaign who has ever fought for you. and the courage to go on fighting for your. And that man is John McCain. Thank you.

(WE LOVE YOU SARAH!!!)

Thank you california and god bless america.

Country song plays.

earlier, before sarah came on, they played a great song by Spacehog, I think maybe playing off the lipstick on a pig thing. or maybe someone just liked that song.

No baracuda. they did play that song that goes can't you see, can't you see, what that woman, she been doin' to me.

Overall impressions; The house was packed, the crowd was enthuisastic, but I don't believe as enthusiastic as those huge crowds she drew soon after the nomination. Still very up; just not ECSTATICALLY up.

The attack on Ayers may be a new opening in this front, but it was stuff we all know, and stuff everyone here knows. Hopefully by raising it in profile it will drive it into the media.

*It's raining now, kinda hard, must shut down for a while.

JOURNEY-- DON'T STOP BELIEVING.

Heh.

Posted by: Ace at 02:03 PM | Comments (129)
Post contains 1498 words, total size 9 kb.

My vote is yes, they go down like a $5 crack whore.

Update: They did indeed go down like a $5 crack whore fulfilling their destiny as losers/has beens/never was's. Cubs == Sisyphus

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 01:52 PM | Comments (47)
Post contains 43 words, total size 1 kb.

Just got all set up here. I didn't say anything about it because I wasn't sure I'd get it together. But Im hooked up now, in the bleeder seats press section of a medium sized tennis stadium. (The ADT Tennis Center at the Home Depot, if you know the area.) There's an overfull crowd but I'm crap at estimating crowd size. I'll try to get a number from a cop.

If anyone knows how many the ADT Tennis center holds-- add 20%.

Right now Dana Rohrbacher is speaking. He's connecting Palin to Reagan and Jimmy Steward from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

I have a camera, and took pictures of the crowd... but forgot to bring the cord to connect it up to the computer. Until I can get my hands on one, no pictures, alas, except for crappy ones I'll take with my cell phone.

Outside, of course, was a sizable contingent of Obama cultists protesting the appearance. Many Steelworkers for Obama t-shirts. One chant I heard sound liked "No to the USA," but perhaps I misheard it, as the Palin supporters were chanting USA, USA, to whatever the cultists were saying.

Incidentally, I hear Palin will "make news' today. What news? No clue. If I'm going crazy and indulging in fantasy, I'd guess 1) she's convinced McCain to open ANWR for exploration; or 2) she's announcing a revved up attack on Obama and the Democrats for causing the fannie/freddie/cra supbrime meltdown.

If I'm less optimistic, I'd say that Palin is going to announce her portfolio as Energy Czar and Reform Quarterback, which we already knew, or her intent to begin highighting obama's connection to ayers, wright, rezko, etc.,which, again, we already knew.

Jon Fuckin Voight now on the stage. (Palin is supposed to take the stage at 2:30 Pacific time, which means 3:15, I'm guessing.)

Okay, the limitations of my zoom mean that pictures of Palin are going to be lame. Just tried it with Voight.

Voight now talking about "being on the other side" during Vietnam. And how he's learned since then, saw the consequences, and yet obama wants to concede Iraq to the sort of thugs who raped vietnam.

Voight: "I asked Todd, is it true that Sarah, as captian of the basketball team, always wanted the last shot. [Then says the greats are like this.] Todd answered, 'Yes it is.' And did she make it? 'Yes she did.'"

"The media was a great negative force trying their darnedest (booooo!) Go ahead, go ahead give it to 'em (BOOOOOOOO!!!) I'lll say it again the media was a great negative force trying to destroy this maginificent energy of love and truth only to fall flat on their faces (yayyya) because I believe Sarah iseveryone'sunderstanding of what we all believe we were raised to believe morals trutth fairness faith."

(Big applause).

And love of the neighbor as yourself. And she will be the greastest leader of them all. Yes, true love, and energy that comes especially from mothers of theworld."

Pardon typos, my keyboard sucks, and due to the lighting, I can barely read my computer screen. I'm typing not quite blind, but severely impaired.

President of CA. GOP (?) Says 'we're comin' to get ya' and says obama shouldn't take california for granted. Eh.

National McCain cochair Meg Whitman now up. Just standard "CLEVELAND ARE YOU READY TO ROCK" stuff.

Now as music plays, a fairly enthusiastic chorus of 'SARAH, SARAH, SARAH" begins, but sputters out, like an attempt at a wave that doesn't come off.

Oh, nice analogy. Now they're doing the wave.

Time to mention the crowd again. every seat is filled (obviously), plus the rings around the statdium, SRO, are filled say three to four deep. The entire tennis court is filed with supporters (and of course the stage, that takes up about 20% of the available space).

Make that five-to-six deep ringing the top level, SRO. The crowd has grown.

Okay, now the wireless connections are getting overloaded and cannot deliver actual signal. Damnit.

I've asked Dave in Texas to type up my notes, delivered by telephone, if this happens again, which it will.

It's never easy.

Sarah's out now, being introduced by a local NOW president. (Not Tammy.) Sarah's wearing a green button down sweater and black skirt.

The crowd is very enthususiastic but not as wild as I'd thought. Then again, Sarah isn't talking yet.

NOW president says Sarah will try persuading McCain on ANWR. Audience reaction not explosive.

"America, this is what a feminist looks like -- Sarah Palin."

Posted by: Ace at 01:00 PM | Comments (178)
Post contains 767 words, total size 5 kb.

Lots of interesting bits today on where the presidential race is heading with less than a month to go.

TodayÂ’s Washington Post has a story quoting campaign sources as saying McCain is going to focus more on ObamaÂ’s liberal policies and questionable (to say the least) associations.

A senior aide said the campaign will wait until after Tuesday's debate to decide how and when to release new commercials, adding that McCain and his surrogates will continue to cast Obama as a big spender, a high taxer and someone who talks about working across the aisle but doesn't deliver.

Two other top Republicans said the new ads are likely to hammer the senator from Illinois on his connections to convicted Chicago developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko and former radical William Ayres, whom the McCain campaign regularly calls a domestic terrorist because of his acts of violence against the U.S. government in the 1960s.

The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. appears to be off limits after McCain condemned the North Carolina Republican Party in April for an ad that linked Obama to his former pastor, saying, "Unfortunately, all I can do is, in as visible a way as possible, disassociate myself from that kind of campaigning."

Sarah Palin certainly got the memo. After saying yesterday that Obama isnÂ’t qualified to be the Commander in Chief because of his statements on the conduct of US military actions in Afghanistan, she ups the ante today by going after ObamaÂ’s good friend, unrepentant domestic terrorist Bill Ayers.

There's been a lot of interest in what I read lately. Well, I was reading my copy of today’s New York Times and I was really interested to read about Barack’s friends from Chicago. Turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man who, according to The New York Times was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, ‘launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol.’ These are the same guys who think patriotism is paying higher taxes. This is not a man who sees America as you and I do - as the greatest force for good in the world. This is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country. This, ladies and gentlemen, has nothing to do with the kind of change anyone can believe in - not my kids and not your kids. The only man who can take on Washington is John McCain.

Let Sarah be Sarah indeed.

For a more complete take down of that NY Times article, see Stanley Kurtz in The Corner. He calls it a ‘Whitewash’ of the Obama-Ayers relationship (which though accurate, may in fact be racist).

All in all IÂ’m glad to see this move by the McCain camp but it makes me a little worried. Going negative like this is necessary because they are behind and most likely because between the economy and fallout from the bailout plan they need to change the subject quickly.

I know McCain didn’t want to run a “Rovian” base election but you know, it did work. Twice. Given McCain’s apparent abandonment of Michigan, it’s hard to see what states McCain is going to flip from blue to red. In fact, he’s got a fight on his hands to keep states like Florida and Virginia in his column.

The conventional wisdom has always been if the election is about McCain/the last 8 years, Obama wins. If itÂ’s about Obama, McCain wins. I think thatÂ’s right. I just hope McCain hasnÂ’t waited too long to hit him hard without it being seen as desperation.

Posted by: DrewM at 12:23 PM | Comments (47)
Post contains 629 words, total size 4 kb.

UPDATED: Now with politics!

Because Notropis just couldn't help himself/herself/itself and I'm too lazy to make another post. So this is now a combo football/political open thread.

Note: comments will disappear for a bit right after the update. They return as soon as soon as somebody puts up a new one. So don't start whining about how your comments have been deleted. They haven't, you bunch of damn crybabies and Longhorns (I guess that was redundant).

ORIGINAL POST:

Better late than never. What can I say? IÂ’m hungover. So are you. If you arenÂ’t, get the fuck off of my obstacle! I mean, uhÂ…thread!

Posted by: Open Blog at 11:03 AM | Comments (79)
Post contains 122 words, total size 1 kb.

Shit.

It's okay Adam, we've got plenty of missiles left.

To cleanse the pallet palate, let's see what happened to some of Adam the Traitor's friends who lobbed mortars at US troops in Afghanistan. more...

Posted by: DrewM at 09:52 AM | Comments (28)
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While attacks in Iraq are down dramatically, last week there were several bombings in Iraq to ‘celebrate’ the end of Ramadan. The day after those attacks, US troops celebrated Eid by finding the son of a bitch behind the attacks and lowering his carbon foot print to zero.

Mahir Ahmad Mahmud al-Zubaydi, also known as Abu Assad or Abu Rami, allegedly directed the insurgent cell believed to be responsible for nearly simultaneous car bomb and suicide attacks Thursday, according to the statement.

Â…Al-Zubaydi's death will be a major blow to al-Qaida in Iraq even as the group's recruiting efforts have been "severely curbed" by a decision by many Sunnis to join forces with the Americans in the fight against it, military spokesman Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll said.

"His removal from the AQI network will send shockwaves through Baghdad's terrorist bombing networks," Driscoll said in the statement.

The military also blamed al-Zubaydi for several car bombings and mortar attacks in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City in 2006 and 2007, including a series of blasts that killed more than 200 people on Nov. 23, 2006.

That was one of the deadliest attacks to strike the Iraqi capital amid rampant sectarian violence and attacks against U.S. forces.

Â…The military also said al-Zubaydi was reportedly responsible for a May 1 car bombing that killed a U.S. soldier in Baghdad, as well as attacks in Salahuddin and Diyala provinces to the north of the capital.

The military said al-Zubaydi was originally a member of the Sunni insurgent group Ansar al-Islam and joined al-Qaida in Iraq in 2004.

He was the terror network's military "emir" in eastern Baghdad before taking over responsibility "for all terrorist operations there this year," the military said.

Two really good things to note about this. First, the US military doesnÂ’t think Shia groups are going to retaliate, they are letting the Iraqi government and US military take care of business.

Secondly and related, the day after this attack the US just finds this guy? IÂ’m thinking they got some very good intelligence that allowed them to find this piece of shit right away.

ItÂ’s pretty clear that the people of Iraq have looked into the abyss that al Qaeda offers and arenÂ’t going back to that. Ultimately, that was the purpose of the surge, to create security conditions that would enable people to live their lives and give them a do over of sorts. It looks like they are taking advantage of it.

Congratulations to the US troops involved in ridding the planet of that trashÂ…good shooting men.

Posted by: DrewM at 09:20 AM | Comments (37)
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GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS

13 years to the day after he walked on the murder charges in LA.

This is going to cut into his ability to hunt for the real killers.

Fox News analysts are saying he's looking at 15 to life. See yah Juice.

Original post below the fold. more...

Posted by: DrewM at 09:01 PM | Comments (192)
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And Open Blog.

Posted by: Ace at 07:12 PM | Comments (377)
Post contains 7 words, total size 1 kb.