Friday oddems: honky whitesville; slime at the water's edge; neville chamberlain plays hardball; tiny, sick children; zucchini de ron; shrimp cocktails hired at KIRO; absolutely nothing about dori monson

~~ Unfortunately for KIRO fill-ins Frank Shiers and David Goldstein; these shrimp cocktails were hired during Passover to fill in for Ron & Don (m-f, 3-6p). "They're not kosher," said PD Rod Arquette, "but few in the R&D audience knew the difference." 

~~ "You don't know what you're talking about." We've been trashing MSNBC's Chris Matthews lately because he gets spittle on his jaw when he talks, and what he's usually talking about generally reveals him to be a supercilious ass. But Thursday, we gotta hand it to you, Chris: you done good. KRLA talk host Kevin James came on to discuss Bush's pointed attack on the Democrats in the Knesset today, where he accused Barack Obama of the "appeasement" of terrorists, comparing him obliquely to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, British Conservative appeaser of Hitler. James, who's a blabbermouthed fool his own self, kept referring to Chamberlain until Matthews could take it no more. "What did Neville Chamberlain do wrong in 1939?" he demanded. James motored on without answering the question. Then Matthews went after him like a school marm on meth until he got James to finally admit he didn't know what the hell Chamberlain actually did in the hideous history he was trying to hang on Obama. "He's as bad as the White House Press Secretary that doesn't even know what the Cuban Missile Crisis was," Matthews said later. Kevin James is an attorney, and the exchange was utterly satisfying. The incident, which can be viewed here, was added almost immediately to James' Wikipedia entry found here.   

~~ "Honky Whitesville" on line 1...  Right-wingers like Sean Hannity are always blaming liberals and Obama for "making race the issue." (As if in this brave new world of an interracial presidential field race would not be mentioned) In the tiny world of conservative talk radio, the mere fact that blacks vote for Obama is in itself considered racist -- that's the troglyditian political opportunism we're dealing with here. The execrable Glenn Beck (KTTH m-f, 6-9a) recently devoted a 15-minute segment mocking Michelle Obama with a faux caller named "Honky Whitesville." (Are you laughing yet?) Beck attacked her for attending Princeton and Harvard, claiming her test scores were “too low” and ev en threw in a suggestion of alcoholism: BECK: "And there she is. As always, they are trying to raise the bar a little higher like they did when she went to Princeton and then Harvard and now possibly the first lady." WHITESVILLE: "Is it possible she was holding onto the bar as they were raising it?" BECK: "No, I think she might have made a trip to the bar. I’m not sure." (Beck is employed by CNN; is from Mt. Vernon, WA; and is a devout Mormon, none of which should surprise anyone. His genitalia is reportedly so small, he frequently puts on his pants backwards, and pretends to be leaving when he's actually coming).

~~ A gala by golly: Join Chip Hanauer, Darcy Burner, Major General Paul Eaton (Ret.), members of the Northwest Progressive Institute, Master of Ceremonies Mike West, Jazz guitarist Don Mock for an evening of politics, music, dinner, crazy-pants fundraising; young, liberal quickstudies in ties; and maybe a beer or two. It's for the Northwest Progressive Institute (NPI), an organization dedicated to fighting for progressive values and common sense policies for America. What could be a better cause than that? The event starts at 7p at the Redmond Town Center Marriott.  Tickets are $60 for individuals or $90 for a household.

~~ AAR shit: get thee together. Seattle's Ron Reagan is finishing up the week as a try-out host for Air America's American Afternoon, the show that might one day replace Randi Rhodes. (sorry, it's not available to Seattlites on KPTK, although you can catch the podcasts here). Former WABC host Ron Kuby will take over next week. Sam Seder's contract has expired, and according to LTR: "It could be a possibility that Seder could take over another slot, since the 6-9A ET morning slot has been vacant since the beginning of this year, and the network could possibly move another host, such as Rachel Maddow, into afternoon drive." It's a mess, with Rachel being the brightest spot on the Air America horizon, with a management so fucked up decisions are left on the table like dirty forks.

~~ The state of the blogger; the blogger of the state. The DNCCC announced this week that former KIRO talk host David Goldstein's blog, Horsesass.org is the Washington State blog to be credentialed for the Democratic Convention. Goldy will be heading to Denver in August. Congratulations, Goldy. (photo: Goldy and friend in better days)

~~ tiny, sick children, drawings, fun-runs: now Ron's box of produce. Here's what makes KIRO's mynorthwest.com the fascinating net stop that it is.
 

Comments

[joanie hussein]

Hey, KS, not a bad response. I don't agree with it all but like so many points, we'd go in circles. I hate going in circles. We have opposing viewpoints on what constitutes help and who needs it for how long.

And we have an opposing viewpoint on who really lobbied for and got that Republican Congress to pass the civil rights act. Johnson had been working on that for a very long time and he was a brilliant legislator. He knew who owed him and he made sure lots of people did.

BTW, a little disingenuous don't you think that the blacks you mentioned made use of affirmative action while saying they didn't like it? C'mon. They could always have refused to note their race or lie about it. There were ways if they really wanted to be sure they weren't products of affirmative action.

Can you name one case that tells of a black that was denied entrance to higher education because of affirmative action? Or are you guessing? Just one. If there was one, I would think we'd all know about it.

I've heard of some white lawsuits . . . but not one black. So, inform me, please.

The sixties was a mecca for blacks in higher ed. The numbers have since declined. How do you explain that?

You don't think we owe a race of people for the deeds of our ancestors that kept them red-lined and poor into the eighties?

Equality? That reference to Marxism is a throw away and not relevant, on point, or worthy of even you. Like saying all women who wear red are sluts. Don't be such an idiot.

[nevets]

Joanie, are you that blind.

You asked this,

"are you suggesting that Iran and the Soviet Union are analogous?"

And this,

"You see them as being the same?"

Now I thought the term that was used was "radicals and terrorist" Was Gorbachev one of those? I think not so it must not be Russia Obama is refering to but instead Iran and the way Reagan handled the situation in the gulf in the 80's when Iran was trying to flex its muscle against us. So no I am not comparing them. Now is this the type of diplomacy that you want. A diplomacy that the World Court even finds unacceptable.

And like Johnson kept us in Vietnam, Obama will keep us in Iraq. Are you a fool to believe otherwise. The region is to important to this country to appease the Iranians and Syria by handing them Iraq. But if Obama uses Kennedy diplomacy and quarantines the port of Iran so no oil can be shipped to get the Iranians to stop developing Nuclear weapons, where will that bring us.

[joanie hussein]

when Iran was trying to flex its muscle against us.

How and when were they trying to flex their muscle against us? I thought the mining of the Gulf was part of a regional conflict and had nothing to do with us.

And you're now saying that the USSR wasn't radical and didn't commit terrorist acts? What about toward Afghanistan?

Or is "Gorbachev" now a country?

As for Iraq? Well, that's what Saddam was doing. Keeping Iraq from becoming Shiite and under the influence of Iran. How'd that work for you smart neocons?

And, yes, since shiites are pretty much taking over Iraq, I'm guessing that Iran will have a major influence. One of the consequences of a poor decision.

I think it is inconceivable for your on the right to think that might is sometimes overruled by reason. I do believe Obama knows that our empire is coming to an end and that we must start preparing for the twenty-first century. Some of you will have a very hard time adapting to that new construct. But, reasonable people know that it must happen.

As Paul Krugman said in his editorial Sunday (I think Sunday), Americans will have to start behaving like Europeans and making some changes in how we live. The europeans managed to do it. Are they better than us?

Interesting that you would give in so easily to a few small countries in the middle east. Not what I would have expected, Steven. I think most Americans are better than that. Using a club is not always the answer. Kind of hurts when we get clubbed in return.

There are better ways.

[joanie husssein]

When I was in the first grade at Roosevelt Elementary School in Mt. Vernon, a little boy showed me his peepee in the bushes in front of the building.

I wonder if it was Glenn Beck? Anybody know how old he is?

[nevets]

WEA must not have a good vision plan huh Joanie.

"Regional conflict"

Iraq never had a powerful Navy. They only got a sliver of land that connects to the gulf and had maybe 5 patrol boat sized craft to protect its coastline. With that, why would Iran mine the gulf? Answer: To flex its muscle to the US and the West that it can control the gulf if it wanted to.

"And you're now saying that the USSR wasn't radical and didn't commit terrorist acts? What about toward Afghanistan?"

Maybe in 1917 they were radical. But not in the 80's. Communism was reeling then and Reagan took advantage of it to get a reduction of Missiles aimed at this country. You remember them 20,000 nukes aimed at us then don't you Joanie. Terrorist acts? Afghanistan? No clue as to what you are talking about there. None that I know of. An Invasion yes, is that a terrorist act?

"I do believe Obama knows that our empire is coming to an end"

We have an Empire? You mean you are going to vote for an emperor come Novemeber. Is that what this election is about. Hmmm, Barrock Hussien Obama "The First and Last Emperor of America". Does that sound right to you? And just how big is this empire and how far does it stretch Joanie? LOL.

"The europeans managed to do it."

Do what? If it is better there, why are you here? They have a long history of Emperors there yes?

"Interesting that you would give in so easily to a few small countries in the middle east."

Give in? I don't follow Joanie. Thats what you want isn't it. Get out of there, come home, retreat, let them win. Isn't this part of the "CHANGE" that Obama is talking about and you are drooling over. I don't see how wanting to trade for oil, a resource the Libs of this country want to keep buried, is giving in.

"Kind of hurts when we get clubbed in return."

Thanks to Clinton, we got a taste of how bad it hurts. And lets hope the next President learns from this President on how to avoid it in the future

[joanie hussein]

and Iran does have a powerful navy?

What's the point? Still a regional conflict. And it isn't our region. How'd you like it if Iran came over here and told us we couldn't invade Grenada?

You remember Afghanistan - right Steven?

Empire? Read Chalmers Johnson - unless, of course, you continue to think you're smarter. What a silly question. Of course you think you're smarter. That's the folly of trying to converse with you.

Europeans? Emperors? You talking about penguins now? I don't know of any emperors in Europe. Please be specific if I'm to take you seriously.

why are you here?

Now that's a real rightwing question. Umm, I was born here? Surely, you can do better than that...well, maybe not.

Giving in? You know what I was referring to but it doesn't fit your talking point to respond directly. Easier to duck and dodge. We're used to it.

wanting to trade for oil

Oh, is that what you call it now?

Clinton? Sorry. I don't get that reference. Is that what you call 9-11? That's a sorrowful reference and I didn't think even you would sink that low. But, you did.

I think you're sick and your kind is on the way out. We've got a man headed for Dodge. You cowards who think with your six shooters and biceps are on the way out and not a minute too soon.

[KS]

"Equality? That reference to Marxism is a throw away and not relevant, on point, or worthy of even you. Like saying all women who wear red are sluts"

Why isn't it relevant ? Your analogy doesn't really fit in that context. You didn't answer the question that you believe in equality - so, why don't you be upfront and say you don't think Marxism is that bad ? From your expressed views, I would believe that and acknowledge that I disagree with views and there could be an honest debate. Of course, I think that it would put this country in a state of FUBAR and if you think the culture is dumbed down now, with Marxism - you ain't seen nothing yet. The other option is liberty, which I believe in.

[joanie hussein]

Your analogy doesn't really fit in that context.

How doesn't it fit?

And what does Marxism have to do with "dumbed down?"

I'm trying to make sense of your comment.