Today's Silliest And Smarmiest News Items

McCain is stumbling around Pennsylvania with ex-Governor Tom Ridge and the foolish media is going along with the exciting idea of a McCain/Ridge ticket, even though the religious right has already specifically nixed Ridge as too moderate and told McCain not to dare. He won't.

For those who hoped we'd never hear from Howard Wolfson again, one of the brain trust responsible for the defeat of Hillary Clinton, we have this: "I believe we would have won Iowa, and Clinton today would therefore have been the nominee." He claims-- like someone cares what this sack claims-- internal campaign polling showed "our voters and Edwards voters were the same people. They were older, pro-union. Not all, but maybe two-thirds of them would have been for us and we would have barely beaten Obama." or maybe they would have been reminded of tawdry sexual affairs and adultery and flocked en masse to Obama. Who knows? Not Howard Wolfson.

Digby caught a good one yesterday, Cokie Roberts blurting out a Karl Rove talking point. Apparently, according to the always wrong about everything Cokie, Hawaii, American's most desirable vacation destination, is too exotic and foreign for Obama and he should have taken his vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Apparently, Hawaii isn't quite American enough for Cokie and her provincial pals in the beltway, even though it's one of the 50 states.

I remember that Clinton got dinged right after he was elected for vacationing in Santa Barbara because it was too "California." Unless you're a Republican presidential candidate apparently you shouldn't go to any western beach, much less to Hawaii, unless you want to be called a foreign fag. You have to go to a Cokie approved place like Myrtle Beach where they have Real Americans. Maybe he could eat some pork while he's there, this proving that he isn't a Muslim. (Of course, then Cokie and her gossipy little village friends would condemn him for pandering and being "inauthentic.")

Obama went to high school in Hawaii, his grandmother and his sister and her family still live there. It's his real home state. The idea that he can't go there because it's too foreign is truly insulting to the Americans who live there. Evidently Obama isn't going to be allowed to go anywhere but Iowa and Illinois without being suspected of some sort of traitorous foreignness by the beltway gasbags. Well played Mr Rove.

And then there are the announcements about gays getting married. No, not in California. Florida's 52 year old "bachelor" Governor, Charlie Crist, is marrying his beard on December 12 in St Petersburg's First United Methodist Church. But ex-New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, unlike Crist, is embracing his real self and riding off into the sunset with boyfriend Mark O'Donnell now that his divorce has been finalized. Finalized but... "the mudslinging could continue. [The ex-wife] filed a separate fraud claim, saying McGreevey married her knowing he was gay." Gay attention, Charlie.

And that photo above? McCain claimed the 1,259 pound pig was his favorite part of the Iowa State Fair. He also met the Pork Queen and then headed over to a fundraiser for his kind of people at a Des Moines country club.

Most of the Blue America endorsed candidates have challenged the Republicans they're running against to an energy debate. Most, like John "#dontgo Boston Tea Party" Shadegg (R-AZ-$119,495), would rather debate themselves in an empty House of Congress and wave air pressure gauges over their heads. Similarly, two weeks ago Sam Bennett challenged incumbent Bush rubber stamp Charlie Dent to a real debate on energy policy. He's too scared to face her probably because he's taken $75,831 from Big Oil and has voted for all the initiatives in Congress that they designed to drive up their profits-- and their profits don't go up by keeping gasoline prices low.

“Congressman Dent is so deep in the pocket of Big Oil companies and special interest groups he’s refusing to publicly defend his record and have an open debate about the issue,” said Kathryn Seck, Sam Bennett’s campaign manager. “He should explain why he’s taken $75,000 from Big Oil and given them billions in tax breaks while middle class Pennsylvanians are struggling to afford high gas prices.  Voters deserve an open dialogue on the issues and Congressman Dent is ducking the issue.”

And then there's Old McCain still croaking out his nonsense about Obama being too big a celebrity to be president. Actually, Obama's campaign has a great response today: