The Republican Party has taken it’s fair share of knocks lately, and I believe that the Senate’s longest-serving Republican, Senator Ted Stevens, is another example of why their future isn’t looking so bright.  Surprisingly (NOT!) he hails from Alaska, which begs the question what’s in the water up there in Alaska – which is also home to Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.

Fond of saying “the only special interest I care about is Alaska,” Ted Stevens was convicted today on seven counts of lying about more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations he received from corrupt oil and field services contractor Bill Allen (founder of VECO, Corp.)  I guess he figures because his home is in Alaska, that was an improvement that everyone could appreciate.

I’m not sure if I’m writing this for informational content or humor, but since both the Associated Press and LA Times are making a big deal about it, I’ll throw it out for a laugh.  Apparently two men, Daniel Cowart (20) and Paul Schlesselman (18) of West Helena, Arkansas (yes, Arkansas) were charged in the US District Court in Nashville and charged with illegal possesion of a sawed-off shotgun (in Arkansas?), conspiracy to rob a gun store, and making threats against a major presidential candidate.  (I guess the charge is different if it’s not a major candidate?)

Without offending anyone, I’m kind of happy that Obama’s campaign declined to comment on this.  After reading Brian Waks being quoted as saying,

“Both individuals stated that they would dress in all white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt,” Weaks said. “Both individuals further stated they knew they would and were willing to die during this attempt.”

I’m still sort of chuckling.  You don’t think this would have been a little odd in any place other than Arkansas?  I hear that they’re questioning Elmo for his role in this plot, too.  Does George W Bush have an alibi here?  Come on guys, you can do better than this, right?

Ranter

Bonus credit to those that get the reference to “yewts.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6FwrSVnsNw

Apparently not all mormons feel the same about California’s Proposition 8, which I guess leaves the dissenters wondering why they’re spending so much time, money and energy donating to the church when their fundamental beliefs about human rights contradict those of that same church.  This same supposition could hold true for all of California’s Catholic bigots bishops (because we know how some of them feel about little boys), some of the Christians and many of the Orthodox Jews.  These groups seem to feel that they have the most to lose by controlling the sacred rights of marriage between a husband and wife.

I’m reading more and more about how many polls have Obama in the lead.  Margins are being thrown from a few points to as many as 15, and I’m wondering, do Americans prefer the underdog enough to vote McCain when they hear this or are they going to vote Obama because everyone wants to back a winner?

I know, I know, it’s not quite that simple when it comes to presidential elections, and most people that vote have an opinion – polls be dammed – but some of the undecided voters and people confused about other issues… – will the polls bias their decision?  I think so.  What do you think?

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Ranter

Michael Bloomberg

It’s been said that “absolute power corrupts absolutely”, and I believe that billionaire Michael Bloomberg is a using his vast fortunes to corruptly attain the power that he wants.  To what end, I can hardly imagine, but with his recent push to break change the rules to allow him to run for a third term in office it would appear that there are enough people that have benefited from his term in office that he might actually get the opportunity.  Why the citizens of New York and our government for that matter aren’t calling bullshit I don’t understand.

Okay, I said it – Twitter is the ideal bathroom read/write application.  It’s short, sweet, to the point, and it ideal for cell phone users.  Waiting on the toilet, on the bus, or on Bart?  Twitter.  Well, it seems as though the campaigns are both tweeting about their efforts in hopes of swaying more and more voters to their camp.  Good idea or bad?  I’m not sure, but I do think this opens up a whole new opportunity for people to share their views and opinions about the candidates.  Hell, just about anyone can come up with 140 intelligent character while sitting on the pot.

Interestingly enough, at the same time our candidates are ramping up their tweets, the Army Intelligence idiots folks are suggesting that Twitter may also become the next tool used by terrorists.  Putting two and two together, they’re suggesting that tweets could be “used as an effective tool to coordinate terrorist attacks.”  Interesting, and this coming from a group that needs a phone book sized report to order a toilet seat.  But, that’s a whole ‘nother rant.

Ranter

We’ve all seen Biden make some mistakes – heck he even admitted them to Jay Leno and said that he would make more, but the comparison to JFK and statement that Obama would be challenged within six months carried mixed messages the minute the words were uttered. A recent McCain ad took advantage of that gaff and will soon be running in 14 battleground states.

“Listen to Joe Biden, talking about what electing Barack Obama will mean,” the ad begins before introducing Biden’s words: “Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama. … The world is looking. … We’re going to have an international crisis … to test the mettle of this guy. … I guarantee you it’s going to happen.”

The ad concludes, “It doesn’t have to happen. Vote McCain.”

Makes me wonder – will Biden become Obama’s Palin?  With statements like this it’s certainly not opening opportunities and presenting the best light for Obama.

Presidential Candidate John McCain

Presidential candidate John McCain made a very big mistake, in my opinion, when asked to explain the scandal reasoning behind the Republican Party buying $150,000 in clothes, hair styling, and accessories for his running mate, Sarah Palin.

John McCain’s response to the mutltiple questions about the spending?  Pretty much the same each time he was asked: “She needed clothes at the time.  They’ll be donated at the end of the campaign.  They’ll be donated to charity.”  He didn’t have a good answer to “how” they will be donated, but frankly I’d be more upset if he had.  They’ll be donated – that’s good enough for me.  Well, almost.  So, if they do win, what’s she going to wear then?  And what about the clothes that were purchased for her family?

Anne Hathaway

When word of Raffaello Follieri being questioned about fraud came to light, my first thought was pretty straight-forward: “so that’s the kind of money it takes to date Anne Hathaway?”  And, even now, I’m not sure that I blame him all that much – Anne Hathaway is hot!

But, all good things must come to an end, and Raffaello’s 15 minutes are up.  People is reporting that Raffaello Follieri has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to 14 counts of wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy.

Through an interpreter Follieri is quoted as saying “What I did was wrong and there is no point in making excuses.  I will never be able to wash away the shame.  I just hope that someday those who have been hurt by my actions will forgive me.”  Hmmmm… wonder how Anne’s feeling now.  (More of my opinion after the jump.)

Greenspan spoke today and offered a no shit concession that there were flaws in his market ideology – in case you couldn’t tell by the state of the world economy.  Blaming a “once in a century credit tsunami,” Greenspan offered the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform a partial admittance that he was wrong about opposing regulation of derivatives before acknowledging that financial institutions didn’t protect shareholds and investments as well as he’d expected.  I guess he forgot about that significant human flaw: greed.