Obama: He Completes Us!

"One man seems ready enoughish to lead."

Palin/McCain '08!!

Sarah Palin -- tough-as-nails, anti-establishment, true conservative, true reformer, hockey mom, military mom, pro-life in a very personal way, outsider, conservationist, hunter, fisher...and all-around babe.

She hasn't even been formally announced yet, but CNN is in overdrive trying to cut her down already, questioning her lack of experience the way they haven't for a single moment regarding top man on the Democrat ticket -- despite the fact she's the only person on either ticket with executive experience.

So that's two for our side with hardcore records of defying the party they're members of (righteously in her case), while Biden (politician longer than McCain) and Obama (who has never crossed the aisle on a single issue!) are smelling past the pull-date in a big way at this point.

Proving again, we're the mavericks here. An opposition spokesman on CNN after Denver last night said that with Obama's angry partisan speech, he had gone down "in a fiery ball of hypocrisy." This morning, after this move, Barry's charred embers aren't even warm.

Will this work in McCain's favor with nervous conservatives? I've clearly been one up to now, and all I want to know at this point is where I can sign up for my billboard-sized McCain lawn sign.

Nice work, Michelle

The first poll out today shows a negative effect after day one of Obam-a-palooza '08.

Ouch.

Looks like Joe "The Plagiarizer" Biden actually hurt things and, somehow, incredibly, footage of Ted Kennedy's fat ass on a yacht and Michelle Obama's dissertation on the awesomeness of her brother Craig didn't help matters.

James Carville summed it up on CNN: "If this party has a message, I'm not hearing it. I'm about to come out of my chair. There's no message coming out of here."

That paragon of journalistic integrity Wolf Blitzer described it all as "beautiful," something people the world over would be jazzed about. (Were those actual tears in his eyes??)

A big bounce was also predicted, of course.

Countdown to Obamanation!

Welcome to the MTV Video Music Awards!

We're just 15 minutes into this thing (DVR tape delay), and I'm already loving life. As if Obama signing up The Plagiarizer as his running mate wasn't going to be fun enough.

The eyes-open "may we all be good people" opening prayer -- by some female senator in direct address to the delegates -- was awesome to behold. And by awesome I mean spectacularly typical. Clueless Democratery from the pure source.

And what's with the cheesy band playing people to the podium?? It's like a dry run for the "Tonight Show" in here. And by dry I mean sucky. Clearly Howard Dean's idea of hip and edgy. (I love it when he gets all excited about his work.)

Ah... Don't let it bring you down, Democrats. That farewell bash in Beijing last night already proved Communists know how to party.

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Barack?!

They claim the skin-headed CEO of the Democrat Convention is the "Rev. Leah Daughtry." But I just saw her open Denver Obama-palooza, and if that isn't Gary Coleman in drag, I'm Hillary Clinton. In drag.

Olympics: Made in China

The inimitable Rick Reilly, keepin' it real. (Think he's kidding? Nope.)

Golden Girls

In an Olympics filled with awesome moments, one of the sweetest for me took place last night, when Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh took gold in beach volleyball. Not just history made in a great game, but for the second time in Beijing, they took the time to let their love of our unloved President take center stage.

"Can I just say one thing really quick?" Walsh interjected during their courtside NBC interview. "Mr. President, we thank you for your inspiration and for what you do." "This is for you!" May-Treanor shouted over her.

Breath. of. fresh. air. Even beyond politics. In contrast to a few track & field athletes, too into themselves to bother facing NBC's cameras for their nano-second interviews, these two excessively celebrated all over the venue in a good way, leaving a wake of cheers and huge smiles on everyone they high-fived in the stadium. And they high-fived pretty much everyone in the stadium.

As "Six Feet of Sunshine" Walsh darted for hugs from fan to family alike, May-Treanor danced with the Chinese cheerleaders and spread some of her mother's ashes on the sand. Her husband, Flordia Marlins catcher Matt Treanor (check out this pic), watched his wife from the visiting dugout in San Francisco and reportedly "cried like a baby."

The patriotism from Team USA has been palpable this year. Bela Karolyi's passion for the "YU.S.A." brought a tear to our eyes as it did his. Kobe/LeBron's unapologetic nationalism during one interview was a fist-pumping moment at home. The men's basketball team teared up during the national anthem and cheered the President's appearance early on. (Black athletes have been the most bankable patriots in general this year, seems like.)

Yep. Bush Derangement Syndrome may be at epidemic levels in Hollywood, but it's never been red, white and bluer in the world of sports.

Red handed

Little cheater

Bela was right. The Chinese are a bunch of commies.

Under a rainbow of fruit flavors

Please do not feed the gays

It seems folks are arriving by the busload to check out the inmates of the Castro District in San Francisco, something not sitting well with said citizens of Sodom.

"It is the spectacle of people who might be different. That's all it is," said attorney Rob Guite, a Castro resident. "The tourists appear to have little regard for the neighborhood and its residents and view the stop as akin to visiting a zoo or other attraction where they are entertained by exhibits or animals."

"God knows we love tourists," said Patrick Batt, who has owned the Auto Erotica vintage gay porn shop for 28 years. "But these people are a bunch of gawkers."

Yeah. The nerve of these tourists. Clearly the good people of the Castro District have no desire to be gawked at like circus freaks.

Saddleback forum update

Having now seen the event described immediately below, I gotta say it was a revelation.

Obama was awful. Lifeless, open to interpretation, rarely looking Rick Warren in the eye. Revealing again just how mortal -- nay, crippled -- he is without a script. Rush Limbaugh played a killer audio montage today of a recent Obama press conference, in which the candidate stutter-started with more uhhhh's and ahhhh's than a Porky Pig/Foghorn Leghorn double disc DVD. Tons of that here again. (Spit it out, already!)

McCain on the other hand... Wow. I won't link back to my previous excellent posts eviscerating McCain as RINO. You can find them easy enough. But I have to admit I kinda regret a few of them at this particular moment.

Campaign-trail circus or not, the old boy flew through the air with the greatest of ease. Compelling and convincing, even to a cynic like me. Nary a false note, with direct answers to all but one or two questions, including a humble admission to the failure of his first marriage as his greatest moral failing.

Obama's response to the same question was reference to his wild youth and (vague) imperfections. (No actual yadda, yadda, yadda here but close.)

But the differences between the two on "does evil exist and how to we deal with it" couldn't have been more revealing. Obviously a foreign policy question.

McCain nearly came out of his seat, citing my own favorite example of the utter depravity of our enemies -- the use of retarded young women as unknowing suicide bombers. "If that isn't evil, tell me what is," McCain roared.

Obama's response earlier: yyyyeah, but America's pretty evil too, so, y'know... [Paraphrased for clarity and honesty.]

Bottom line, while Obama tried to run out the clock with neutral filler in search of palatable answers, McCain shot as straight as he's always claimed.

I bear no illusions about John McCain on a host of issues. But I believe him on his very solid abortion track record, trust him on Supreme Court appointees, and adore him on taking the fight to our enemies. Most importantly, he's not Barack Hussein Obama.

Oh, and applogies, too, to Rick Warren, who did an overall fine and professional job, his "home run" comment notwithstanding. Then again, I still believe pastors are the last people who should ever hide behind a facade of public neutrality. So...I guess...I apologize for apologizing to Rick Warren??

Next up, running mates. Stay tuned!

Getting desperate

The weekend's Obama/McCain political forum from Saddleback Church remains unwatched on my DVR at this point, but post-event consensus indicates a solid victory for McCain.

Obama really blew it when it comes to abortion. Not surprising, since he hasn't leg to stand on when it comes to this or any other issue remotely important to actual believers. (Believers in Christ, that is, not The Li'l Messiah in question.)

From Bloomberg's resident hack Margaret Carlson:

Obama had the crowd when he quoted from scripture and spoke in evangelical (Christ died for my sins), but he lost the attendees when the subject of abortion came up. As much as Warren has expanded the portfolio of his church, it still holds the issue of life above all others. There was a low groan when Obama, in response to Warren's question ``At what point does a baby get human rights?'' hemmed and hawed: ``Whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade.''

Above his pay grade? What a fraud. What a lie. And a typical politics-as-usual answer, from this trumped-up "breath of fresh" air candidate. (For the record, I'm still depressed McCain is our guy, and I don't buy his pitch for the faith vote either, but I'm gaining some perspective fast.)

This morning the press is fairly evenly divided between chiding Obama for falsely suggesting McCain cheated at Saddleback and defending the claims.

But more disgusting to me, also from Carlson's piece, is this bit of news:

"The most interesting moment was when Warren, exceedingly warm toward Obama, was caught whispering to the candidate during a break near the end of his hour-long interview that he had hit a `home run.' ''

At this point, some 25% of self-described evangelicals are apparently undecided between the two candidates yet, which blows me away... I couldn't stand Rick Warren for a bazillion reasons already. Shining Barack Obama's empty-suit, Christian-deceiving, NARAL-approved ass just made it a bazillion and one.

In the year 2000...!

Looks like this report is a year old now, but wow... You go, Microsoft. Any future that involves me not tipping at Applebee's is a future we can believe in.

Columbia Pictures takes the long road home

It's all Greek to Hollywood

Back in my days at Fresno State, studying under the great Victor Davis Hanson, I always thought Xenophon and The March of the 10,000 would make a killer movie. Never imagined it would actually happen, though. (Thank you, '300'!) Looks like it's in capable hands, too.